When I joined HR years back, my purpose was clear. I was not good with numbers so finance was out of choice, marketing meant targets and I lacked aggression to meet them , Information Technology was fast changing and uncertain, so I took to the safer option-Human Resources, “career for the fairer sex”, as they called it. I was sure that HR would give me a stable career and I will be able to hide my personal shortcomings behind the HR veil. But contrary to my expectation, HR proved to be a versatile career choice and it taught me all I feared I would ever learn and do. This post is for all those who still see HR as a sober career meant for the subtle personality types. A career in HR prepares you to be a good fit in today’s diverse business scenario.
Flair to sell – Like me if you shy away from Sales & Marketing because you lack the skills to sell, HR is no safe escape. But not to worry, if you have landed into HR, you will surely learn the art of marketing. Calling a potential job candidate (cold-calling), talking about your organization and position (Branding), inviting candidates for open position (product sale), Lining up sufficient candidates (targets) , timely closure of position (meeting deadlines)….strategies are often the same, but rewards differ.
Strong Business Acumen – With years, HR has evolved as a strategic profile and HR pros are the new change Managers. Organizations today are looking for HR business partners who can contribute to process improvement and business success. Not just employees, HR pros now deal with customers, clients, international business units and work to solve critical business issues.
Learn the number game – Compensation, budgeting, salaries, increments, taxes etc are all part of the HR gamut. A few years into the HR profession and you will become as accurate with numbers as a finance executive.
Technology savvy – Technology is as important to an HR as it is to an IT guy. With new HR software being introduced and updated frequently, it is vital for an HR professional to keep abreast to these technological changes. You have to be on your toes and willing to embrace the changes .If you are a slow adapter, others might win the race.
Grow your PR skills – Irrespective of the career you are in, developing good PR skills is necessary to survive, thanks to the advent and immense growth of social media. To HR, social media is a blessing which has greatly facilitated major hiring, training, branding and outsourcing decisions. Your potential employees, customers, existing employees, clients, HR peers and industry leaders will soon be on the list of your social network.
Unlike before, HR is an exciting field today as it is constantly changing and bringing new trends into operations. For new graduates, a career in HR is significantly different from what it was years ago.
HRDictionary 
Leave a Reply