What steps can someone new in the HR world take to advance his or her career?
Here is what 13 thought-leaders had to say:
- Add Value by Piloting Programs and Policies
- Make the Right Connections
- Network and Attend SHRM
- Learn HR Software
- Sign Up for Challenges
- Find a Mentor that Values Your Growth
- Acquire New Skills
- Analytics
- Focus On the Relational
- Informational Interviews
- Find the Pain
- Earn HR Certifications
- Develop Leadership Expertise
Add Value by Piloting Programs and Policies
As a function, HR has been undergoing an evolution of sorts over the past decade. The importance of people management has made the role of HR indispensable and CHROs are considered at par with other C-suite decision-makers in an organization, which wasn’t the norm a few years ago. Thus, emerging HR professionals and leaders must recognize this gap and find unique, innovative, and creative ways to add value to the existing business processes in their organization.
Begin by choosing a sub-function, whether it is hiring, performance management, rewards, or engagement – and find out the biggest challenge that the HR department is facing in the same. Find out the best practices in the industry and propose solutions to remedy the issue. If you can, get permission to pilot programs and policies with a small section of the workforce and demonstrate change. The bottom line is that you need to prove the value you bring to the table to senior HR leaders to get noticed and rise through the ranks.
Joe Flanagan, VelvetJobs
Make the Right Connections
In any profession, the people you know can help to make connections. If you’re just starting out in HR, networking for like-minded individuals is a good start. Well-connected mentors and experienced peers can help set you on the right path for a career in HR.
Seeking out job-shadowing opportunities in order to meet more specialists working in your chosen field. Look for people who you respect and feel comfortable with to find new connections and a mentor. Surrounding yourself with the appropriate people will help you define your career path and develop your passion for HR.
Amit Raj, The Links Guy
Network and Attend SHRM
When starting out in the HR world, it is important to quickly network. Find local HR communities and organizations in your area and get involved. Attend SHRM conferences as well, this is where you will learn the newest updates within HR and protocols.
Olivia Young, Conscious Items
Learn HR Software
To meet the expectations of HR needs, the newbie must learn to use the HR software optimally to make the best out of the tool. To compete with the advanced technology, HR has to work concerning the current requirements rather than dwelling on the traditional ways of handling the situations. The digital transformation has led the business processings in a virtual space, and HR should upgrade their skills accordingly to tackle the challenging environment. This step in exploring the new technology in the HR field will assist growth in the HR career.
Harriet Chan, CocoFinder
Sign Up for Challenges
Diving headfirst into challenging situations at the workplace will give you plenty of hands-on experience and polish your people skills too. It may be uncomfortable to voluntarily sign up for solving difficult problems but with every new situation, you’ll gain invaluable skills and insights that will help you in the future. Also, your enthusiasm for growth will definitely be appreciated by your organization and open doors to new opportunities.
Philipp Zeiske, Zeitholz
Find a Mentor that Values Your Growth
A good mentor can be monumental in fast-tracking your career journey. By reflecting on their expertise and knowledge, a mentor can guide you on the right ways to overcome grueling obstacles and facilitate your personal and professional development in ways you wouldn’t have considered. At the same time, mentors can open up a door of possibilities by introducing you to their strong network of talented individuals.
Riley Beam, Douglas R. Beam, P.A.
Acquire New Skills
HR is a fertile ground for innovation. Developing talents outside of the HR department can help you with a variety of projects. Attend a marketing webinar and apply what you’ve learned to talent acquisition. Take a Photoshop workshop to learn how to communicate internal happenings or visually explain difficult benefits topics effectively. Whatever your personal interests are, there is almost certainly a way to incorporate them into HR.
Sumit Bansal, TrumpExcel
Analytics
Technological advancements have transformed the field of human resources. As a result, knowing how to handle, evaluate, and use data to make better decisions has become a necessary talent.
Data and analytics are used by HR professionals in a variety of strategic capacities. For example, during the recruitment and hiring process, statistics can assist in determining which candidate is the best fit for a position and the company culture. In other cases, these abilities can be used to evaluate an organization’s performance and efficiency better and assess an employee’s experience at a company—two variables that can then be used to alert HR managers to potential areas for development.
Steve Scott, Spreadsheet Planet
Focus On the Relational
A great way for someone new to HR to advance in their career is to focus on the relational, and empathetic aspects. Taking the time to know your people, learn the achieved, and desired company culture, and understand the personal and work needs of the employees will lead to increased success and learning opportunities for HR professionals.
Amy Block, Navitar
Informational Interviews
Set up informational interviews with the heads of HR at different companies and get some career advice. Find out what they suggest about how to chart out your career and then make both long and short-term goals, keeping in mind what they suggest. Also, join any industry-specific organizations they mention. This can help with future networking as well.
Sarah Pirrie, Healist Naturals
Find the Pain
The best way to advance your HR career is to find what the biggest pain is in your organization and take on the responsibility to help make this better. Often, this is the work no one else wants because it’s hard. I would bet, right now, it’s most likely trying to find or retain talent in your organization. HR folks traditionally hate recruiting and run away from it. Run towards it! Your Executives are watching!
Tim Sackett, HRUTech.com
Earn HR Certifications
One of the best ways to advance your career and to cement your expertise is by earning HR certifications. Some of the most known ones include – Professional in Human Resources (from HRCI) or SHRM’s Certified Professional. There are other ones too of course, but these two are the most widely recognized ones.
Completing an HR certification communicates to your employer that you possess the foundational knowledge and skills to become a well-rounded HR professional. This is all the more imperative when you’re in the early stages of your career and need to prove your mettle and value in the marketplace. Thus, showing that you have what it takes is a fantastic way to turbo-charge your career in HR.
Peter Bryla, ResumeLab
Develop Leadership Expertise
As a newbie in HR, you may want to consider developing your leadership skills. Why leadership? If you make this one topic the focus of your study for at least five years (one hour of leadership study every day) you will be an expert on leadership and you will expand your horizons tenfold.
For example, if you become a gifted influencer (by the way leadership is influenced) you will be able to lift the corporate culture, raise employee engagement, reduce turnover and create a fantastic brand at any company. In short, you will be able to add real value to the workplace and create a fun work environment. People are super attracted to these kinds of companies because they want to be part of an upbeat workplace. Recruitment is easier. Retention is easier – people actually stay – no revolving door. Yep, leadership will produce all that if you can equip leaders at all levels of the organization. It’s a marathon, not a sprint but the rewards are well worth the effort.
Rick Forsythe, Tuckahoe Orthopedic Associates
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