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Evolution of HR Professionals
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Evolution of HR Professionals
Discuss your job search, the interviewing process, creating the right resume, how the HR profession's changes require new job-search approaches and related topics.
Hello everyone. I'm currently in a dual Master's program; this is my last session as per HR. I'll finish the MBA during the summer. I am trying to become what HR needs to be a permanent member at the
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Forums » Topic Forums » HR Career Forum » Evolution of HR Professionals
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Evolution of HR Professionals
posted at 2/17/2009 6:59 AM EST
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Posts: 1
First: 2/17/2009 Last: 2/17/2009 |
First I would like to congratulate you on your interest in HR and your persistence on achieving an MBA. I think an MBA is a very useful tool for an HR practitioner as it provides an education on the necessary analytical frameworks to analyze business models and conditions and can be very helpful to designing effective HR interventions.
Second, as a MILR from Cornell - a graduate program in HR can be a vital tool to jump start your career into HR. You will also double your salary (07 MILR Grads are around 70k) for starting salary.)if you are coming right out of school. The connections and experiences are very valuable. HR is a profession with many different faces and many people describe it as blind people describe touching an elephant. Some describe the tusk, others the trunk, while others the foot. All are equally valid, but are not able to describe the whole, and I believe this is what you find in some of these responses. HR in small companies are very different than they are in large (Fortune 500) organizations. They are also very different amongst large organizations based on their operating model (Divisionalized vs. Centralized, Home Office vs. Field). I have worked in two Fortune 500 companies (Telecommunciations/High Technology, and Primary Insurance) and have worked as a consultant to HR executive teams and trained over 500 HR professionals in internal consulting skills and ways to build parterships with their business leaders. As an MBA with a focus on HR you have the tools, but have yet to gain the experience of HR. The vast majority of organizations will place you in an HR Manager role to start with ample opptys to gain experience during comp cycles, performance management cycles, etc. which will help you round out. Over time 3-5 yrs, you can move on to addl COE positions and then to HR Director. I have found in most cases the Industry in which HR operates often dictates the "flavor" of HR in the organization. Companies which rely on the management of cutting edge professionals (IBanking, Biotech, High Tech, Pharma, Fin Services) have a tendency to have more progressive HR functions, while others are generally more spotty. It is also important to look for an HR organization which invests in their individual HR development. The vast majority of HR organizations provide very little resources into the development of their HR professionals and as a result have very spotty HR functions. Some of the companies listed above are good and you should "match up" your personality, career goals and ideal working conditions to the company. Companies like GE and Pepsi have very defined TM and HR processes and you work as a "cog" in the system. (I know this because I've had friends in these companies). This can be helpful, but the systems are already built and these companies have trained their mgrs to use HR effective. If you go to another company, you may have a larger impact on the organization, since you can possibly help redesign the some of the practices (particular if you are in the headquarters)and build your experiences more broadly. I highly recommend being in the Headquarters location as you will have greater access to other HR professionals and can learn about all the different parts of HR vs. being the sole HR rep at a site location. Best of luck and welcome to the profession, Shawn |
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