Human resources offer a promising career. It offers a good salary, growth, and reputation in the industry. Companies are increasingly becoming reliant on human resources professionals to advance their business.
Most people enter human resources management by chance, but if you are looking forward to starting a career in human resources, planning your education, skill development, and other things will be helpful.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the number of jobs in human resources is expected to increase at 9% annually between 2014 and 2024. This is more than the national average of the growth rate of common jobs.
How to enter a human resources career?
The first step toward starting a career in human resources is taking the right education. Bachelor’s in human resource is the right qualification to pursue if you want to get into human resources management. Though it is not mandatory for employers, if you are bent toward pursuing a career in human resources, this is the right qualification to pursue.
Other than that, you will need a gamut of skills. Good interpersonal skills, liking for people, and engaging in employee activities doesn’t cut it. Organizations are becoming sophisticated day by day, and new responsibilities are being added to the role of a human resources professional. To thrive, HR professionals learn new skills by taking short –term certification courses in HR or even going back to school to pursue a master’s degree in human resources management.
Employee development, engagement, and retention are core areas of focus for HR professionals. To achieve expertise in these areas requires professionals to know more than having good interpersonal skills. You can learn these skills by pursuing a degree and/or taking certification courses in hr.
How to transition to a career in human resources professionals?
Human resources are open to professionals from all fields of work. You can transition to human resources management at any point as long as you have the skills required to perform optimally, which you can later excel at.
More often, people switch to human resources management due to luck and chances but stay because of the work.
Are HR certifications important?
Certifications are valuable for HR professionals. They demonstrate the industry –readiness of the candidate. The following are a few globally –recognized best HR certifications for aspirants who want to start a career in human resources management.
- PHR (Professional in Human Resources) – This certification is offered by Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI). The certification validates the holder’s skills to improve employee relationships and engagement, comprehensive understanding of labor and employment laws, talent planning and management, and more. This is a suitable certification for fresh graduates and anyone who is looking to start a career in human resources management.
HRCI also offers:
– SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resources)
– GPHR (Global Professional in Human Resources)
- TMP (Talent Management Practitioner) – This certification is offered by Talent Management Institute (TMI). This is an entry-level certification and is ideal for anyone who is looking to start a career in talent management or accelerate the pace of growth in talent management.
Amid a shortage of talent, talent management is becoming a priority for employers. Consequently, employers are looking for professionals who are skilled in talent management practices and can help them acquire, develop, and retain talent. This certification paves the way for breaking into talent management.
Other certifications offered by TMI are:
-STMP (Senior Talent Management Practitioner)
– GTML (Global Talent Management Leader)
These are mid- and senior-level credentials for professionals who want to move fast and take up challenging roles in their talent management role.
- SHRM- CP (Certified Professional) — This certification is offered by SHRM (Society for Human Resources Management, a leading body in the HR certifications area. This certification is ideal for professionals who are responsible for implementing HR policies and strategies at organizations. SHRM also offers SCP (Senior Certified Professional).
Certifications are not mandatory for working in human resources. However, they are a valuable addition to your skillset. Not to mention, they are good means to demonstrate knowledge and skills. What’s more, employers prefer to hire certified candidates for HR roles, particularly because they are more efficient and productive. Certified HR professionals also tend to get more salary than non-certified HR professionals (nearly 15% more); and certified HR professionals have better chances of promotion than their non-certified counterparts, according to an HRCI survey. The above-mentioned credentials are the industry’s best HR certifications that have to make the most impact on careers for an HR professional.
Overall, human resources offer a lucrative and promising career for anyone who is interested. Unlike other jobs, the degree isn’t mandatory; skills, however, are extremely important to thrive.
