Human Resources is a really valuable area to work in, and something that is crucial to most businesses. Perhaps you have decided that you’d like to be a Human Resources generalist and want to know exactly how you get there and what you need to know. You might find yourself wondering what qualifications you need? Or where to find out information such as what is a PEO health plan? If HR is something you want to get into, here is some information to help you get started.
Feed-in areas
HR is all about people and requires a lot of integrity, confidentiality, and communication skills. That said, you will also benefit from knowledge or experience in business management and/or finance, so if you are coming from one of those areas, you are already a few steps ahead. Anything that shows your interpersonal abilities or any experience in managing people is also a huge benefit as your role will require a lot of these transferable skills. There is no formal degree or qualification required, but you can look to do a qualification in something such as organization development, communication, or public administration as a way to get into the area. Perhaps you could take economics or social sciences in college to get a leg up, or if you want to go in at a higher wage, a Masters’ degree in a relevant area is a real plus too.
What do you do in HR?
There are different tasks that an HR manager is required to do, including hiring and recruitment, developing the organization, training, and development of employees, complaints or dispute resolution, managing the salary and benefits, and more. The role of an HR manager is to keep employees happy, in a fair and considered way. It is a delicate balance of emotional intelligence and experience or knowledge of the inner workings of business – finding a way to keep everyone happy while doing what is best for the company as a whole isn’t easy!
Policies and procedures
One of the biggest parts of an HR role involves various policies, procedures, rules, and laws. To be successful in Human Resources, you have to be willing to learn about these, remember them, and enforce them. You also need to be a creative problem solver and want to leave a legacy of making the work environment better for everyone. If you are someone who enjoys strategic thinking and wants to make a difference to a business by increasing engagement and retention, you will be perfect for a job in HR.
People who thrive in HR roles get into the area for the right reasons – a desire to help people. If you think that is for you, and you are able to balance the difficult combination of empathy and procedures, then why not look into an entry-level HR role or internship and see where this new career takes you!
