Thread: Career Advice

I have just graduated from uni with a generalist 2:1 Degree in Human Resources.

However, I am unsure of my options now and in which direction to go in?

Any pointers/tips/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Hi HR Rookie!

Congratulations on gaining a 2:1 in HRM!

HR offers a vast array of opportunities within every business sector. It is a competitive industry but HR is an integral part of any successful organisation so it can be a very rewarding career!

Have you thought about whether you are interested in a generalist HR role or would you like to specialise e.g. recruitment/training and development?

Big companies usually have large HR departments where responsibilities will be split across several positions i.e. HR administrator, officer, advisor, managers. In smaller organisations there might just be a stand-alone personnel officer who deals with all HR-related tasks, although you would normally need more work experience for this.

My advice to you would be to either look at graduate HR opportunities or apply for HR administration/HR assistant positions in larger organisations - this way you will learn the basics and will develop your knowledge and skills on the job. You should also consider studying part time for your CIPD - most employers expect you to work towards your CIPD and may even pay towards your study.

Hi Clarab,

That's great, thanks for that advice.

I was originally hoping to gain a position in a general HR Role but after applying to a number of smaller organisations for the kind of generalist position which you described and being unsuccessful, I am starting to wonder now if it would be better for me to specialise.

Do you think by specialising in say Recruitment or Training and Development it would allow me to progress my career at a quicker pace?

I am guessing that by studying towards my CIPD it will also further increase my prospects of gaining employement and progressing my career further?

Although, Would I have to be in employment to study towards this or could I start now as a graduate?

Sorry for all the questions, I am just struggling to progress after graduating.

Hi, was interested in this thread, HR Rookie would you consider an internship?

We are thinking about employing (maybe not the right word) some interns to help with some project work, as well as to give them some tangible HR experience. There may even be some positions available at the end of the internships.

Although I didn't have a degree in HR and wanted to get in the field and with little HR work experience I found temping really helped.

I had 2 temp positions that ran for about a year which got my foot in the HR door and then I was able to secure a permanent position.

In this climate it's all about getting in there some how and building from that.

Good luck what ever you decided to do.

Hi Cat, it sounds like you followed a similar path to me...

I temped for a while (in several different organisations), it was good experience, and got something tangible on my CV, although I had done a degree with a placement year too...

I think internships and temporary work is a good option, even if you start with some office admin, it is still valuable work experience...

Thanks for the advice Greg & Cat...

I have now successfully secured a HR Internship.

Although I have only been in the role for a month, I have found the experience I have gained to date invaluable.

I am covering all aspects of HR and no two days are the same, which keeps things interesting.

I would definately recommend an Internship to anybody else out there who is looking to get a foot in the door in the field of HR.

Jamie