JOB DILEMMA OF AN ASPIRING HR PRACTITIONER
Dear Jarus,
My name is Janet, I studied Business administration, and graduated with a 2 1. I have passion for Human Resources, but getting a job has been difficult because I don’t have experience and most HR jobs always ask for 1 to 5 years experience, none for entry level. I do have plans to start my CIPM certification soon. My question is this, how can I get job in an HR consulting firm since most of their vacancies are not advertised or what kind of job can I actually start with?
Warm Regards
Janet
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Hi Janet,
1, Most of the people that end up as HR professionals find themselves there by accident. HR is not like accounting or law that your academic background tells where you’re posted to. And unlike accounting or engineering department where companies need many employees, HR is usually a very small unit, sometimes peopled by as little as 2 people depending on organization.
2, The above means there is low demand for HR professionals, and unfortunately, like you noticed, they prefer experienced hires.
3, Most big, structured companies just recruit general Graduate Trainees and post them to different departments, including HR. That is how most entry level people find themselves in HR. In most small, unstructured organizations, there is hardly a need for more than 1 person in that unit, and someone with experience (even if just 1 year) from bigger organization has an advantage. Don’t forget also that most small organizations don’t even advertise, it’s by referrals.
4, My advice is, don’t limit yourself to HR positions. Apply for any position you qualify for. Start with any department, when you get there, see if you can lobby to get posted to HR unit to begin your HR career. Limiting your search to HR jobs at this entry level stage may keep you at home longer. It’s not a high-demand job function.
5, Go ahead and write CIPM. It may be helpful when the opportunity comes. Imagine getting an Admin or even Accounting role with your Business Administration degree, after a year, you can present your CIPM certificate and plead for posting to HR.
6, If you’re below 26, monitor adverts of and try apply to firms like PwC, KPMG, Deloitte etc, they recruit graduates generally. You may lobby your way to HR advisory business when you get job there. Philips Consulting is another company you can look at.
I wish you all the best.
Jarus
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Great advice Jarus. For her to enter People and Change at PwC Advisory, it’s not very easy too as they don’t recruit often. For entry level there? Long shot!
The HR Consulting still under the consulting arm of the big 4 will remain tough to enter as all the other arms in consulting (not like assurance where they regularly take fresh people), but it’s good for her to try.
She could try Accenture entry level and get HR consulting, pass her CIPM and other HR exams, then have a better chance.
Also, why not unpaid internship to get experience for a year, if you really want it?
Another thing is why do you want it? They do a lot of work oh, because people generally tend to think HR are haughty and lazy.
Cheers.
Thanks for the contribution.
I learned alot from this post. It was helpful.
Thanks.