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Human Resource Management (HRM or HR) is one of the fastest growing specialiazations within management. It offers several well-paid opportunities in different roles like HR generalist, HR manager, HR consultant, training and development manager, executive recruiter and many others. Over the last few years, the role of HR professionals has evolved. They are now powerful people in an organization who understand the value of employees and have an important role in making business decisions. They are also responsible for building an organizational culture. From handling recruitments, payroll and employee retention to ensuring a healthy work environment for all the employees, a HR professional handles a wide range of responsibilities essential to long-term business success.
If you want to make your career in HR, the first step is to get a bachelor's degree, however, some employers prefer master's degree in human resources or an MBA. You can also take up online certification course to add value to your resume. Post this, you would need on-the-job experience where you can apply whatever you have learned. If you are looking to work at a managerial level, the right work experience will help you get there.
Why is HR one of the best career options, esepcially for women?
There are several reasons why women seek to make a career in the field of human resources.
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You get a chance to work and deal with people at different levels - great for people who are social and outgoing
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You have the power to recruit the right people and develop them - offers good opportunitities to use and hone your talent-spotting abilities
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Every day is a different day with a variety of work and new challenges - HR folks rarely complain about their jobs being 'boring' or monotonous
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You get an opportunity to change lives as you guide employees in making career-related decisions - The job offers a lot of emotional fulfillment
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You are paid really well - Goes without saying, money matters!
The job of a HR professional is quite diverse and is not limited to just hiring people for an organization and handling payroll. It is much more than that. To give you an idea, here is the typical daily schedule of a human resource manager in a growing organization.
If you are working at a managerial level in the HR department, you have to work closely with the heads of all the three departments- Recruitment, Operations, & Administration.
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The day typically starts with checking emails for any requirements. Next task is to sit with the team to discuss the day's schedule. Once you have the agenda for the day, it becomes easy to prioritize all the tasks and get the work delivered within the timelines.
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Then comes taking follow-ups on the current openings in the organization. If there are any interviews already lined up, you need to check they are happening as per the schedule so that the positions get closed on time. Interviews normally happen in the morning and depending on the role and number of candidates, the process can stretch till evening. In case of new candidates joining, the on-boarding activities occupy most of the time in the morning.
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Post lunch is when other non-recruitment tasks are taken up. If there are any review or appraisal meetings planned, your responsibility as a manager is to see they are happening and ask for updates from the head of departments. After the reviews and ratings are given to the employees, next step is to coordinate with the HR head who will discuss with each employee, on the ratings given.
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Another thing which is part of your daily schedule is to keep a check on HR administration activities as they contribute in a smooth functioning of an organization. These activities are taken care of by dedicated admin staff and include both general and HR-related tasks like:
- Filing employee documents
- Distributing information to employees
- Helping in scheduling meetings and arranging meeting rooms
- Making travel arrangements
- Processing expense reports
- Ensuring the repair work is done
- Maintaining food quality
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During the day, your team might get additional requests from other departments such as providing data on the number of employees in a particular project or department. Here you need to ensure your team is catering to such requests on time.
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Lastly, at the end of the day, you need to see what will be the next day's tasks so that you plan your day accordingly. These tasks include- employee training, engagement activities, exit interviews, etc.
The role is not tough but very rewarding. As you grow and reach a higher level, you can be a business partner to the organization and help management take the required decisions for the company's growth and development.
Ready to explore this career opportunity? There are some online courses in India that will help you learn more about this field. You can choose from a range of courses based on your level. Check them out here.
Glow & Lovely Careers (formerly known as Fair & Lovely Career Foundation) is a reputed online education platform where you will find multiple free online courses from various fields. You can browse through the list and know which one is the best fit for you. From courses to online certifications and career guidance , you will find everything here in one single place.
Ready to kickstart your dream career in HR? Do it now.