Do Human Resources Professionals Get Paid Well
Salary outlook depends on a professional’s experience, education, and location. For example, the BLS found that human resources specialists earned a median annual wage of $61,920 in 2019. However, individuals working in professional, scientific, and technical services outearned those working in the healthcare and social assistance field by almost $17,000 a year.
Take An Alternative Route
OK, so youve been applying for HR jobs with no luck. What now?
Moving into a new industry isnt always easy , but that doesnt mean its impossible. You just need to try different routes.
Firstly, do some research into the possibility of gaining HR experience within your current role. Even if there arent any HR or L& D opportunities available at your organisation, there are other ways to gain essential skills without changing jobs.
For example, a secondment is a great way to gain practical experience in HR, as well as get a feel of whether the role is right for you. You could also ask your manager if you can take on new responsibilities within your current role that may make you more employable in the HR industry.
Lastly, getting a job in HR isnt necessarily an immediate leap. Sometimes it might require a step sideways.
That might involve gaining experience in similar positions , for example, that will gradually build the skills needed to progress to a role in HR.
How To Get Into Human Resources: The Ultimate Guide
I recently received a reader email asking how to get into human resources without experience. It made me pause, because I had just responded to an email asking virtually the same thing less than five minutes before. So I dug into my email and looked at how many times Ive had a conversation with someone over the past five years about how to get into HR. The result? Ive had over 250 conversations in just five years, and those dont include the many interactions outside of email. Today Im sharing my thoughts on the subject, some data from a recent survey I developed, and insights from other HR professionals on how to get into human resources without experience. This is going to be long, but its going to be good.
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Roles Within The Hr Career Path
Should you pursue a career in human resources? While job titles can vary at different levels of seniority, there are plenty of commonalities when it comes to roles and responsibilities. Hereâs a breakdown of the human resources ladder, including necessary qualifications, responsibilities, and expectations for each role.
How To Build A Career In Human Resource Management
An aspirant must be equipped with a bachelors and/or masters degree to build a career in human resource management. Relevant work experience in the field will be an added benefit. These qualifications will help an individual secure a fat paycheck and an enviable role in any business organization.
In addition to these, an individual must possess the skillset that would help them become a successful HR professional. Here are the skills required to build a successful career in human resource management:
- Affable personality
Employees need to get in touch with the HR professionals frequently. So, having an affable personality makes HR professionals approachable and communicative.
Empathy is a must-have skill amongst HR professionals in the current times. Moreover, being empathetic poses several benefits. It allows HR professionals to understand the problems and needs of the companys workforce properly.
Besides employee management, HR professionals undertake several responsibilities that require them to juggle different things. Therefore, discipline is an important skill that aspiring HR professionals should have. It helps them in being effective and productive at their work.
- Communication skills
An HR professional is the link between an employee and management. They act as a medium of communication hence, they should be articulate with their words. Additionally, their actions should not invite rivalry or misunderstanding among the different departments.
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Why Work In Human Resources
If youve ever thought to yourself, why do I want to work in HR? Well, there are many reasons why there are tons of HR jobs out there!
The reasons why a career in HR is worth it is seemingly endless and a great career choice for anyone who enjoys working with others. There are lots of different areas within HR you can work in, with human resources jobs available all over the country and the world.
If youve always wanted a fast-paced career, this area is unlike other business departments, offering you the ability to work in a dynamic, collaborative, and supportive role.
- You have the ability to improve others working lives
- You can have a real say in company policies
- You can be in a position of influence
- You can help develop the people around you
- Youll be able to ease the concerns of others
- You get to work in an in-demand industry
- You get to work with a range of people
Where Can I Find An Hr Internship
- Accenture – the HR Summer Internship is a four-week virtual programme aimed at students in their penultimate year of university.
- L’Oréal – the HR strand offers professional training and project work during the 3 to 12-month opportunity.
- PwC – it’s HR department, known as the HC group, facilitates 11-month work placements within one of its four HC teams: learning and development, student recruitment, global mobility and human resources.
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Top Skills Needed To Succeed In Hr
If you want to know how to become an HR manager or excel in another HR-related role, there is a unique skill set youll need to get to grips with. Unlike other areas of business, working within an HR department requires a high degree of human-focused skills, such as the ability to empathise, understand and work with a variety of people and personalities.
HR skills also include communicating with people from the heart of human resource professions, as you help them through one of the biggest areas of their lives their jobs. Being able to communicate effectively and having employees best interests at the centre of decisions is important.
- Emotional Intelligence
Visualizing Your Human Resources Career Path
Todayâs workforce is more competitive than ever, so having a clear path for your career will help you setâand meetâyour career goals. A career in human resources can offer a wide range of positions and experiences, but understanding your key areas of interest will help you build a successful, satisfying career. The first step to understanding where youâre going is seeing the full picture of each step along the way.
With Lucidchart, aspiring HR professionals and people managers can create flowcharts or organizational charts to clearly visualize the career paths from entry level to the C-Suite.
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How To Get Your First Job In Human Resources Ask #hr Bartender
This is a great reader question about how to start a human resources career.
Hey Sharlyn, I really enjoy your blog and had a question for you. Im currently a college senior looking to break into the HR field. What type of employment would offer the best opportunity to learn and grow? Ive been thinking about recruitment or inclusion and diversity work. Any advice would be appreciated! Thank you!
My start in human resources wasnt through the normal career path. After an auto accident left me physically unable to do my job, the company I worked for transferred me into human resources. And the company provided me with training to be successful. So, I certainly wouldnt recommend that anyone go through what I did to get into HR.
But I reached out to a friend to get his insights. Steve Browne, SHRM-SCP has devoted his career to the profession. Hes currently vice president of human resources for LaRosas, Inc., a regional pizzeria restaurant chain based in Ohio. And hes on the board of directors for the Society for Human Resource Management . Ive had the pleasure of knowing Steve for years and was delighted he agreed to share his thoughts with us.
Steve, based on your experience, how difficult is it to enter the HR field?
Lets expand on the generalist and specialist aspect. For people thinking about an HR career, would you suggest they start as a specialist or a generalist?
If someone could do only one thing a year to better their HR knowledge, what should they consider?
A Bachelor’s Degree In Hr
Many companies expect candidates to have a bachelor’s degree in HR as part of their hiring requirements or at least an associate degree. You can find colleges and universities worldwide that offer HR degrees in person and online, or you can get a business degree with an HR emphasis. If you get an online bachelor’s degree, the full cost of tuition will likely fall between $43,000 and $64,000 . Examples of HR degrees you can get and the average completion time include:
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Associate degree in human resource management: two years to earn
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Bachelor’s degree in human resource management: four years to earn
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Master’s degree in human resource management: 16 to 24 months to earn after earning a bachelor’s degree
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Degrees In Human Resources
Undergraduate and graduate HR degree programs offer deeper learning opportunities, but tend to focus more on theory than practical skills.
Because an understanding of business operations is crucial for those wanting to advance to a human resources management role, experts say an MBA carries the most weight among advanced degree programs.
Although many HR professionals pursue an MBA to gain basic business fundamentals, it’s also valuable to know that MBA programs are becoming more geared toward HR pros. Today, many U.S. universities offer graduate programs, including MBAs, that feature concentrations in human resources.
Whereas in the past, HR may have veered more toward master’s programs in organizational development, leadership, or HR management, today’s MBA programs not only offer traditional curricula about finance and marketing issues but also change management, including how to get things done and the people side of business.
At some institutions, students can major in HR management. At others, HR-related courses such as team building are offered as first-semester requirements or as electives.
The business competencies youll acquire with an MBA include
- financial processes
- organizational design and development
- strategic planning to address external factors
Is Human Resources A Good Career Option
Human resources careers offer job opportunities across almost every industry, including healthcare, finance, and nonprofit work. These professionals work closely with employees, resolving disputes, enforcing company policies, and training new hires. This field provides room for advancement from positions like human resources associates to managers of entire human resources departments.
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Learn A Craft Related To Your Industry
Learning a craft within the industry that you want to transfer to can be very beneficial for meeting your career goals. If you want to enter the steel business, for example, learning metallurgy basics can help you work toward a job in that industry. Learning metalworking and the properties of metal and heat testing may prepare you even further for that industry on multiple levels, both in the laboratory concepts of metallurgy and the melting and testing facilities of steel plants.
Is A Human Resource Management Career Worth It
Working in the HR department may not be for everyone since it involves handling other employees. However, if youre working in a different department and are interested in HR, you can always make the switch.
Its one of those careers that are easy to enter and will always provide positive returns and growth.
However, once youre in the HR world, you should stick with it all the way. If you truly believe youre a people person, becoming an HR professional may be the best decision you make.
If you are new to Human Resources and are looking to break into an HR role, we recommend taking our HR Certification Courses, where you will learn how to build your skillset in human resources, build your human resources network, craft a great HR resume, and create a successful job search strategy.
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Human Resources Career Paths
Students can choose from a variety of paths when setting out on their human resources careers. While schools may differ in their approaches to human resources education, many offer concentrations in business or compensation and benefits as part of HR management programs.
Likewise, many MBA and finance programs offer human resources as a concentration option. Other programs prepare students to pursue specialized recruiting or training roles in HR by offering concentrations in training and development or organizational leadership. While individual options may vary, the following list describes a few common career paths within the field.
Director Of Diversity And Inclusion
Research shows that diverse workplaces tend to be more innovative. The director of diversity and inclusion oversees the implementation of necessary programs that promote diversity within the business. They establish and uphold standards of practice, study and obey employment law, and create inclusive programs as a department director. An equitable, diverse, and inclusive workplace is one where all employees feel valued and respected, regardless of their gender, race, religion, age, education, socioeconomic status, or sexual orientation. The director of diversity and inclusion is committed to creating a workspace with non-discriminatory practices and equitable opportunities for employment and advancement in all departments, programs, and services. This role protects marginalized people. A director of diversity and inclusion will make an average salary of $81K per year.
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Why Study With Avado
Avado are the largest training provider for professional qualifications in the UK with an active community of over 20,000 students studying to secure their next promotion, a higher salary or to take their career in a new direction.
They are CIPD Enterprises only official online learning partner for qualifications in L& D and HR, enabling you to gain access to exclusive CIPD experts and content you wont find anywhere else.
Other benefits of studying with Avado include:
- They offer over 26 years worth of experience in online learning
- Their courses are 100% online
- 96% pass rates on our HR courses and 91% pass rate on our L& D courses
- All students are assigned and supported by a personal tutor
- All courses are taught by CIPD experts and L& D professionals
- Flexible and interest free finance payment plans are available
What Are Some Human Resource Management Career Options
Human resource management is an administrative function that gained momentum in recent years. The need for more and more HR professionals has led to an array of human resource management career options for aspirants. Here are some popular and highest paying career options in the human resource management industry.
- Human resource manager
- Vice president of human resource
HR manager seems to be the most popular choice by the aspirants among the other human resource management career options. Firstly, because there is a high demand for skilled and experienced HR managers in several firms, and second, because the scope of HR managers is getting brighter with each passing day. Heres a peek into who is a HR manager, responsibilities of an HR manager, among other things.
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Round Out Your Hr Skill Set
Reviewing your resume also offers the opportunity to identify and acknowledge any potential areas of weakness. Looking at HR job descriptions gives you a great sense of what employers are looking for now. If you fall short in a particular area or competency, seek out ways to gain or build these skills:
- Learn About Relationships
Volunteer Being altruistic looks good on an HR resume, yes, but if thats the only reason you are volunteering, dont. If volunteering is something you have a genuine passion for, HR is a good career path for you. Helping out, as it relates to human resources, accomplishes several things.
While volunteer experience is a great asset to have when pursuing a job in HR, it is a great opportunity to help others. Instead of just checking off a to-do for your resume, when volunteer work comes up, you can convey what it does for you and what it has taught you.
Advanced Study Any ongoing learning effort to develop relevant HR knowledge and skills will make you a better employee now or in a future position. A specific degree, like a Master of Science in Human Resources Management, lays out a comprehensive foundation of what the world of work for human resources is like now, with examples and abilities that resonate. In fact, the Society for Human Resource Management cites getting an HR education as the top step when pursuing a career in HR.
Common Courses For Human Resources Mba Programs
Whether you opt for a BBA in Human Resources or a BS in Human Resources, you will take multiple classes focused on HR topics. The curriculum may include courses like the ones listed below.
You may have the opportunity to take a handful of electives, such as business or psychology classes. These courses can provide valuable insight into working with people in an office setting. Another option may be to take courses related to HR practices in a particular industry, such as healthcare.
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What Professional Experience Do I Need To Become An Hr Manager
If you want to become a human resources manager, professional experience is just as important as your education. HR manager roles at large organizations are typically not entry-level, so its important to ensure you have relevant experience that can help you demonstrate your HR knowledge and develop the skills you need to be a good leader.
Participating in internships is a valuable opportunity during your education to gain professional experience, and it can help you start to apply your coursework and theory in an organization.
Volunteering for HR roles at local nonprofits, museums and other organizations can also provide professional experience, said Jammer. Even taking on more responsibilities in your current job can help you gain the skills needed to succeed as a human resources manager.
Anywhere youre working now, get involved with new projects, said Jammer. Dont get caught up in looking for something that spells out HR. Anything that deals with people can be translated into human resources.
If youre working in HR already, Gualco said, its important to gain a broad foundation of industry experience to advance your career to become a human resources manager. Working as an HR specialist in areas such as recruitment or compensation and benefits can help you develop key skills, but these roles may not provide the broad-based HR background leaders in the field need, said Gualco.
- SHRM – Certified Professional
- SHRM – Senior Certified Professional
