Careers in Human Resources At the heart of every successful organisation

Transcription

1 Careers in Human Resources At the heart of every successful organisation

2 Human Resources (HR) is at the heart of organisations Also known as personnel, HR addresses all kinds of vital issues, for example profitability, restructuring, flexible working and globalisation, through the effective management and development of people. As an HR professional, the solutions you find will play an important part in organisational and commercial success. Many people choose a career in HR because of the contact with people, the opportunity to influence all aspects of an organisation and the prospect of tackling a range of key business issues. The profession offers you the opportunity to take your career in a variety of directions, with good salaries and the opportunity to influence strategic business decisions. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) is the leading professional body representing the HR community, with over 130,000 members in the UK and Ireland. We represent the interests of the profession and provide the training and professional qualifications that allow people to progress and develop in their career. 1

3 What do I need to succeed in Before going any further, it s worth thinking about the personal qualities you need to make a success of a career in HR. People who thrive in the profession tend to be: balanced and objective (remember, you have a responsibility to your employer as well as fellow employees) trustworthy and discreet strong communicators commercially aware (with the ability to think strategically as you progress) good at working as part of a team patient numerate flexible and adaptable.

4 HR?

5 Which direction can I take? HR professionals contribute in a wide variety of ways to the success of organisations. Many roles cover a range of skills, and in some organisations are known as generalist, but some practitioners choose to specialise in areas such as:

6 Recruitment and selection One of the most fundamental areas in determining the health and prosperity of an organisation is recruitment and selection. HR professionals are involved at every stage preparing job descriptions and advertisements, checking application forms or CVs, setting up and running assessment centres and testing and interviewing candidates. Learning, training and development This is an ongoing process and plays an important role in revitalising an organisation with new skills, and helping individuals to develop and grow. HR professionals help to analyse the training needs within teams and get involved in the delivery and evaluation of learning. Employment law Some knowledge of the fast-moving world of employment law will be important in most HR management roles, as you ll be providing other managers with ongoing advice and guidance. You may also have to represent your organisation personally at an employment tribunal or instruct a solicitor, so it s important that you can analyse legal materials effectively. Employee relations Employee relations may involve negotiating with unions over pay and working conditions, and also covers relationships with individual employees. It encompasses grievances and disciplinary procedures, redundancies and important policy areas such as job grading, equal opportunities, harassment and bullying. Reward Sometimes known as compensation and benefits, reward covers the whole benefits package that helps to recruit people to an organisation and then motivate and retain them once they ve arrived. HR professionals can work with line managers to evaluate appropriate rewards. Health and safety All organisations need to make appropriate efforts to protect the well-being of staff, customers, contractors and members of the public. It s a discipline that requires research, preparation of appropriate policies and procedures and a programme of assessments and safety audits. You may get involved in providing advice to employees or promoting health and safety training. Other specialist roles include HR business partner, employer branding, international HR, change management, organisational design and development. The world of HR is constantly changing, with new specialist areas touching many parts of the business.

7 How do I get started? Developing your experience Although work experience is always important when applying for a job, your personal qualities, flexible approach and academic qualifications will also play a part in impressing future employers. If you want to build practical skills that are relevant to HR, it may be possible to find an unpaid placement or shadow someone who s already working in the profession. And if you ve gained voluntary experience of budgeting, financial management, organisation and teamwork perhaps in a club or society you may find it stands you in very good stead. If you re a student, why not consider a holiday job? Ideally it will be in an HR department, but any office or administrative role will provide useful experience. You can observe how the organisation relates to its employees and possibly ask for a discussion with a representative of HR at the end of your time there. If you re currently working in another profession you may be at an advantage if you re able to demonstrate relevant experience. This is particularly true if you re working in a senior role or specialism, such as employee relations, as wider business knowledge can be very valuable. Your experience in law, accountancy, general people management or administration may help you to move into HR. If you re working as a teacher and you re interested in moving into training your experience may give you a head start, but look at the specific qualifications required for different vacancies. Employers may want you to have a relevant CIPD qualification. Finding opportunities The CIPD s magazine, People Management, comes out every two weeks and is free to members. It contains a number of job adverts, which are aimed at people looking for management roles. You can also browse the jobs online at Other journals and magazines may have more junior roles and you can also browse the web or ask at your local library. You ll find entry-level jobs advertised on recruitment websites, in local press and national newspapers. The Internet can also be a good source of leads. Watch out for online ads and try visiting sites that specialise in graduate recruitment, such as: You may choose to contact organisations speculatively, so it s worth consulting The Personnel Manager s Yearbook or The Training Manager s Yearbook. Your local library may hold reference copies. It s also worth talking to a careers centre in your area.

8 Graduate training schemes If you re studying, you may decide to apply for a graduate training scheme when you leave university. You can either join a generic graduate scheme where you ll gain experience of a range of different departments, along with HR. Or you can join a programme that s focused specifically on HR. If you choose an HR programme, you may have the opportunity to study a CIPD-approved postgraduate-level qualification. For more information on CIPD qualifications see pages or visit For more information on graduate schemes, you should start by looking at directories such as Hobsons or Prospects. The hard-copy versions are available at most university careers departments or local libraries and careers offices. Or visit them online (details on page 6). Your first experience in HR In many cases, your first step will be working as an assistant alongside an HR or training manager. You could be helping to maintain records, organise interviews and provide administrative support or, if you choose a training role, arranging staff training, liaising with external training providers and collating staff feedback about courses attended. Traditionally, your career would develop with qualifications and experience through promotions to officer, adviser, manager and director each with its own level of responsibility. As a manager, you might be overseeing recruitment, selection and training or advising other managers on HR issues including employment law. Directors tend to be much more involved in the formulation of strategy and help to influence wider business policy and goals. Often they ll sit on an organisation s board. The HR world is constantly changing HR career paths are, however, often more diverse, complex and exciting. Many organisations are creating different kinds of relationships between their HR professionals and the wider business. One role that you ll increasingly encounter is that of HR business partner. Assigned to a particular unit or department and working alongside the manager an HR business partner will become familiar enough with the operations of the manager to offer credible advice, improve business systems and add real value. What could I expect to earn? Starting salaries are similar to those in other trainee posts, although if you have a relevant postgraduate qualification or experience, you may be able to negotiate something more. It s worth remembering that salaries paid by local government and small/medium-sized enterprises tend to be lower than those paid by larger businesses and vary between sectors, organisations, location, and so on. The results from the analysis of pay by the Reward Group comparing reward, rank and CIPD membership indicate that annual salaries are higher for those who are qualified, chartered members. Head of HR/HR director 75,000 Organisational development manager 41,038 50,733 HR business partner 35,000 40,000 Training and education officer 36,000 Senior training officer 27,492 30,843 Corporate trainer/presenter 22,041 28,523 Personnel officer 21,501 25,392 HR administrator 22,000 These salaries were taken from autumn 2007 editions of People Management magazine. 7

9 n i R H e l fi pro Mohammad Karim Chartered MCIPD Mohammad is an HR business partner at Network Rail, which owns and operates the UK s rail infrastructure and employs around 35,000 people. There are around 1,000 staff in the HR team across the UK. Mohammad has been a Chartered Member of the CIPD since 2005, which he believes has brought him professional recognition and gave him a head start over other candidates when he applied for his current job. Career route Mohammad s career started with Arcadia Group. He took on a number of roles for the leading retailer, including administration and sales-floor management. It was also where he gained his first experience of HR, dealing with large-scale recruitment initiatives and employee relations. He s worked in a generalist role as Senior HR Adviser in the BBC s professional services operation, where he helped to coach line managers and worked with senior colleagues on the ideas and implementation strategy for major change projects. Before taking on his current role, he was an HR consultant at a large international clinical research organisation. In his own words I m currently acting as a partner for senior managers in my client area. I work with the business in developing various strategic HR interventions for different people and business issues. At the moment I m the HR lead for a large restructure spanning two UK locations. It s a very fast-paced role and managers do rely on me heavily. This means I need to keep up to date with employment law and all the changes that are going on across the industry. You never stand still and you re constantly developing. The role and visibility of HR can vary across businesses, industries and continents. It s a job that can be incredibly challenging at times, but also hugely fun and rewarding. Seeing your work put into action, especially when you re implementing positive change, is absolutely amazing. Never be afraid to challenge poor practices and be willing to stick your neck out! Read the full version of Mohammad s profile and others at

10 Where can HR take me in the long term? Opportunities to work abroad Although there are no guarantees that your HR career will take you overseas, the increasingly global nature of business makes it a real possibility. You need to check with the local HR association about the requirements that are made of practitioners in your proposed destination. More information is available on the website of the World Federation of Personnel Management Associations at A move into consultancy Once you ve established yourself in your career, you may choose to become self-employed as a consultant, where you can help to solve particular problems within an organisation. Alternatively, you may forge a career as an independent trainer analysing the needs of the workforce and then designing and delivering workshops and seminars. The degree of flexibility and choice in this career is one of its big advantages. You can always move sideways rather than simply progress upwards. Related job areas It may be that you re interested in exploring other areas related to HR. Lecturing is one possibility, although you ll probably need relevant work experience first. Universities and colleges of further education will often expect you to have a teaching qualification too (see Occupational psychology is another popular choice. The British Psychological Society (BPS) publishes a career guide called, So You Want to be a Psychologist?, which contains a relevant section. The BPS also has a Division of Occupational Psychology. Find out more at

11 What qualifications will I need? For many employers, CIPD qualifications signify that you re up to date with the latest developments and best practice in the HR profession. Below, we show the different qualifications on offer. Support-level qualifications Equivalent to an NVQ level 3, our support-level qualifications can usually be completed within six to nine months. Certificate in Personnel Practice (CPP) The CPP is designed to introduce you to a wide range of practical skills required by those working in personnel. Certificate in Training Practice (CTP) Studying for the CTP will provide you with your first step towards a successful career in training. Certificate in Recruitment and Selection (CRS) The CRS takes a skills-based approach and provides practical and authoritative guidance on best practice in the context of today s challenging workplace issues. Certificate in Employment Relations, Law and Practice (CERLAP) The CERLAP is designed to introduce you to the key elements of employment law and practice. Certificate in Coaching and Mentoring (CCM) The CCM is designed to provide you with the skills needed to be an effective coach and mentor. All of the above qualifications lead to Associate membership of the CIPD (see page 13). 10

12 Certificate in Business Awareness and Advanced Professional Study (CBAAPS) CBAAPS sits between our support-level qualifications and CIPD-approved postgraduate-level qualifications. It s an ideal stepping stone if you re considering further study but have a first degree that s unrelated to HR, or you haven t studied for a while. There s no direct link between the CBAAPS and a particular grade of membership. On completion, you may be eligible to take a CIPD-approved postgraduate-level qualification. CIPD-approved postgraduatelevel qualifications To pursue a long-term career in HR management, it s beneficial to have a CIPD-approved postgraduate-level qualification. These are offered under a variety of titles, such as Postgraduate Diploma in HRM or MSc/MA in HR, or they may be referred to as the Professional Development Scheme (PDS). The qualifications are divided into four fields. Successful completion of all four leads to Graduate membership of the CIPD, which is your first step to achieving chartered membership. Completion of one, two or three of the fields may lead to Licentiate membership. You can study full-time, part-time or on a flexible learning programme. Exemptions If you already hold a relevant postgraduate-level qualification you may be eligible for an exemption from part of our approved postgraduatelevel qualifications. Please contact us on or at memdev@cipd.co.uk to find out more. NVQs CIPD NVQs are competence-based workplace assessments and are offered at levels 2 5 in personnel, learning and development, management, recruitment and team-leading. Many of these lead to a grade of membership. Visit to find out more about CIPD-approved qualifications. 11

13 Supporting you throughout your career Membership of the CIPD opens doors. From when you start looking for your first HR role, and as you progress further in your career, we can offer the tools you ll need to succeed. Our membership and qualifications will give you professional recognition and credibility, showing employers you have the knowledge and skills to add real value to your organisation. And through our exclusive member benefits, we ll provide you with the opportunities to continually progress and stay up to date with the latest developments in the profession.

14 The benefits of being a CIPD member include: exclusive access to member-only resources on our website, including our online Communities, the latest research, information and news free subscription to our award-winning magazine, People Management free access to over 330 full-text journals and magazines, and 650 company reports on our website access to CIPD podcasts featuring exclusive interviews with top speakers immediate access to our comprehensive library and information services exclusive discounts on CIPD conferences, publications, training courses and a range of other lifestyle and business products and services access to a national network of local branches and special interest forums free professional and personal telephone advice on all aspects of UK employment law. Grades of CIPD membership This table gives a summary of the grades of CIPD membership. For more information visit Level Grade Designation Chartered membership Chartered Companion Chartered CCIPD Chartered Fellow Chartered FCIPD Chartered Member Chartered MCIPD Other grades Graduate N/A Licentiate N/A Associate N/A Affiliate N/A (studying and non-studying) Organisation membership N/A 13

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16 HR in profile Laurell Anne Hector Chartered FCIPD A highly experienced HR and development consultant, Laurell has run her own business for the past six years. She works in a variety of sectors, from small, privately owned businesses to large, international companies. Most of her company s recent work has focused on leadership, management, change and employee engagement strategies. Career route Laurell started her career as a junior clerk working for Midland Bank (now HSBC). During her time there she completed her CIPD Certificate in Personnel Practice before taking on the role of a call centre representative, then working her way up to team leader and trainer. She was later appointed as a system training manager, then global training manager at Merrill Lynch HSBC Ltd. She has also worked as a performance management trainer and coach at London Underground, and tutored on the CIPD s Certificate in Training Practice course. In her own words The best part of the job I do now is the variety. In the morning, I could be designing a training programme and in the afternoon, asked to deliver some coaching. The role has helped me to learn, practise, and support many different businesses, allowing me to travel and work with multicultural clients. Over time I ve learned a lot of new skills in terms of research, writing and approaching topics with an open mind. My advice to anyone starting out in HR is to find a mentor or coach who s already experienced what you want to achieve. Read the full version of Laurell s profile and others at 15

17 More HR resources Web for the latest news and jobs in the profession Books Personnel Practice by Malcolm Martin and Tricia Jackson (CIPD) Introduction to Human Resource Management: A guide to personnel in practice by Donald Currie (CIPD) Training Practice by Penny Hackett (CIPD) Training in Practice by Steve Truelove (CIPD) (discounts available for members) Careers advice The Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS) publishes a set of occupational profiles including one on HR. The Institute of Career Guidance (ICG) can put you in touch with registered careers advisers. Research for our library and information services City Business Library is a public reference library that is open to anyone. You can find public information and market research data. Business Information Focus is the fee-based research service of the City Business Library. The Personnel Manager s Yearbook and The Training Manager s Yearbook are both published by AP Information Services Ltd For more information visit

18 Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development 151 The Broadway London SW19 1JQ Tel: Fax: Website: Incorporated by Royal Charter Registered charity no Issued: March 2008 Reference: 4323 Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development 2008