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Description

This is an ideal career for intuitive thinkers. Human Resources professionals are responsible for the people elements or processes associated with an organisation. Success or failure of an organisation can depend not only on the product but the awareness, attitudes and capabilities of employees and their motivation and desire to perform.

Career Advice - Human Resources Manager Career

Some processes are required by law. Others are performed because of the benefits to the organisation. These can include: recruitment and selection, payroll, occupational health and safety, rewards and recognition, learning and development, performance management, employee relations, leadership development, talent management and succession planning.

Human Resources (HR) professionals are focussed on the employees within the organisation. Typical HR roles include administrator; payroll officer; recruitment/learning/development officer or consultant; Learning and Development Manager and HR Director.  In larger organisations the Senior HR Managers and HR Director may also have an external focus and may influence the direction of people related legislation or employee relations.  Some roles are analytical e.g. rewards and recognition however the majority of the roles are people oriented and results are achieved through your interpersonal, persuasion & influencing skills.

What you do every day

You will work with employees or people related processes.  Your day is dependent on the role. It could be entering payroll information so as people can be paid; designing an incentive program; analysing the trends in the different types of leave taken by employees; conducting a training program; working with a line manager on how to improve the performance of an individual; negotiating an agreement with the union or interviewing a prospective employee. 

Travel depends on organisational size, location of their sites, and whether the HR team is based locally or in a head office. Most organisations now have open plan offices and HR teams often work in an open office environment.  The HR Director would normally have his/her own office.

Personality that best fits this career

You must have sound knowledge of your function and a customer service focus. You need to like working with people and tolerate a high degree of ambiguity. You also need to show resilience in the face of stress and demonstrate the skills of enquiry, listening, intuitive thinking, coaching, counselling and taking the lead in confronting difficult problem areas.

At senior levels it is your personal qualities and experience rather than any specialised knowledge which determines your effectiveness. You will be business orientated and be able to command resources to resolve issues. You are completely in touch with the organisation’s objectives and its changing setting.

You must be able to interpret the people implications of trends and translate them into strategies which deliver appropriate products and services. At the same time, you must uphold the values of the organisation and this requires courage when a breach of these standards may be deemed commercially expedient in the short term.

Best thing about this career

The people you work with and provide services to. They are all different, come from varying backgrounds and have different life experiences. To be successful you will need to see this as advantageous and use these differences to the organisation’s advantage. 

Another great thing that provides a great sense of satisfaction is seeing a new comer to the organisation develop and be promoted to senior levels within the organisation. You have the opportunity to make a real difference to the organisation and depending on your role, influence the direction of the organisation – this is personally very rewarding.

Worst thing about this career

Working with the line managers on a business restructure and having to terminate the services of people you have worked with and known for a long time.