Human resource professionals are innovative and integral to efficient business operations – working daily at the cutting edge of recruitment. HR is the industry of ‘people management’ and the management of a business’ organisational needs.
People who work in HR often have a unique perspective of the business they work for. They have a strong understanding of an organisation’s priorities and challenges and the ability to influence the future of the company based on the employment decisions they make.
Want to ‘make a difference’?
A position in HR is a position of influence and you will have the ability to ‘make a difference’. A good HR professional has their finger on the pulse of what is going on in the company they work for and continue to try to do what they can to make or keep it an employer of choice. HR staff are of vital importance to an organisation and are often compensated appropriately. An above average salary is not unusual and an HR assistant in London can expect to earn £25K – coupled with the fact that HR occupations rank high for job satisfaction and work-life balance.
Do you relish a challenge?
Professionals working in HR work towards sustainable performance and relish the challenge of working in a complex and ever changing environment. Their daily role means they can have a profound impact on people every day. Daily duties involve making employee welfare and happiness a matter of professional responsibility. There are countless ways HR employees have a hand in helping employees in need; hiring someone who is in threat of losing their home, providing health insurance or tuition reimbursement to someone who has never had it before or arranging job training to offer employees transferable skills – the list is pretty extensive.
Do you have good intuition and common sense?
Technology is changing many industries rapidly. However, HR appears to be well placed to withstand technological displacement. Whilst it is true that there have been software systems advancements that have automated the HR role, but there is much about the HR sector that cannot be automated. The profession requires intuition and common sense which is something that technology does not have the capability to emulate.
The work you do in HR assists in the professional development of other employees. Tools such as performance reviews and exit interviews enable HR professionals to collate valuable information which is used to guide performance improvement plans.
HR specialist jobs are expected to increase by 8% by 2022. Companies will continue to require recruiters and other HR professionals as they grow and HR plays such a fundamental role and is unlikely to change.
Why should you study a course such as CIPD as a gateway to a career in HR?
Do you have a knack for spotting problems before others? A role in HR is on the front line of problem-solving, giving you the opportunity to smooth out the kinks before they become company-wide knots! You would also get to welcome new staff as ‘onboarding’ is a very important and often overlooked part of HR. The first few weeks of a new job is daunting and providing a good onboarding experience can alleviate stress and get the new recruit off on the right foot and on the path to a successful job placement.
Variety and challenges your thing?
Most HR professionals relish the changing landscape of HR. Changes in government and business regulations contribute a lot to the variety in HR job roles keeping the job engaging.
So, is this industry for me?
The term ‘human resources’ does imply interaction with people – so firstly, people must be your thing! The day-to-day duties will constantly involve around interacting with people including conducting interviews or assisting employees with complaints or questions.
You now have a lengthy list of reasons why working in the HR industry may be for you and is a rewarding career choice. If you’d like to pursue a career in HR then learn more about our specialist HR courses CIPD approved.
