A young woman sat before me wanting advice on how to break into HR. Here’s what I shared with her. May it help you or a loved one contemplating a career transition.
Big or Small Company
I asked her to start with the big picture. Does she want to work in a big company with worldwide offices and lots of employees? Big organizations may be attractive if she values travel, for example, because she could potentially transfer to locations abroad. They’re also great for understanding the structure of HR – how things get done with already created processes – which she can then apply in any future workplace setting.
Conversely, if she wants more hands-on experience and more opportunity creatively, she may thrive in a small company. HR professionals must wear many hats at a smaller business instead of specializing in one subject area.
Work Environment
What type of environment does she want to work in? Does she picture herself working in an office or out in the field? Some people can’t tolerate the idea of sitting at a desk all day. They need to move. Others find comfort sitting at the same desk with the same people around them day to day.
What if she wants both? Perhaps she wants to work at a place where she sits for periods of time but also moves around. Certainly, she’ll do both if she does HR in manufacturing versus working in professional services. My experience working in manufacturing meant visiting the plant floor in steel-toed boots regularly unlike when I worked at a corporate office in downtown Toronto where I sat in a cubicle all day.
Consider company culture too, not just what’s written on the website but what she hears from others. She’ll want to know things such as whether company X drives their employees hard or how successfully it sustains a hybrid/in-person/WFH environment.
Industry Interests
Think about interests and don’t be afraid to explore unconventional avenues.
For instance, she told me she enjoyed working on employee engagement surveys. While large businesses have employee engagement programs, I suggested she also look at “HR-adjacent” companies that implement them. That’s what I did when I worked in project management for a few years. I set up employee engagement programs.
Generalist vs. Specialist
Some people like to specialize, others prefer being broad-based.
Does she want to become a subject matter expert or would she prefer working in multiple disciplines? I did both. First, I specialized in Total Rewards (compensation, benefits, HRIS) and then I became an HR Director, which is a generalist role. I found the latter more satisfying but that’s my preference.
Either way, her long-term success will come from following her natural inclinations.
Narrowing your Career Choice
Figuring out what career suits you best depends on knowing who you are – what motivates you, what you deem important, what you find fulfilling. It’s also a function of your age and stage in life.
No survey, assessment tool, or even advice can give you the precise answer. At best, they provide information that you must then integrate into your decision. All of them are helpful but only you know what’s best for you. You have the responsibility – and privilege – of selecting the kind of life you want to lead. May you choose a life fully loved!
I closed the discussion with the young woman by pointing out that whatever choice she makes isn’t permanent. She can change her mind and develop new preferences as she grows personally and professionally. I started in HR, moved to project management, and then became a coach.
She just needs to commit to the next step. That’s all.
Header Photo by Ugne Vasyliute on Unsplash