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Are you passionate about people? Do you care about helping colleagues grow and thrive? Do you crave the opportunity to build a positive, supportive, inclusive company culture? Human resources could be your perfect career path.
Many HR professionals studied human resources or related subjects at college or university. Some have been in HR roles for years. However, it’s perfectly possible to secure an entry-level position without fulfilling any of those requirements. Read on to learn how to start a career in HR with no experience, including the skills you should develop, the qualifications you should consider, and the tips you can use to level up your CV.
Human resources is a varied role, but strong communication skills are essential to performing the majority of HR-related tasks. From carrying out performance reviews to negotiating pay rises, the job requires you to convey important information tactfully and professionally.
As a prospective HR professional, it’s important to remember that people have their own preferred means of communication. Some prefer you to be direct; others favour a more sensitive approach. Finding the best way to speak to each person as an individual is crucial to communicating effectively. The more diverse your personal network, the more opportunities you will have to utilise different communications methods.
Similarly, you will need to master a variety of communications channels, because not all interactions happen in person. Practise your writing and proofreading to ensure sensitive emails are easy to understand and free of errors. Also, bear in mind that in a post-pandemic world, many HR roles are hybrid or fully remote, so you’ll also need to communicate clearly via video call and messaging platforms like Slack.
Of course, communication isn’t the only skill you need to thrive in an HR role. The best HR professionals are excellent team workers with strong, all-round business knowledge, high emotional intelligence, and superb organisational skills. They are reliable, efficient, and highly adept at multitasking.
If you’re wondering how to start a career in HR with no experience, the good news is that you probably already possess some of these skills, because they are also relevant to many other roles. However, this counts for nothing if you cannot convince hiring managers that you are the perfect fit for a human resources job.
For this reason, you should spend some time honing your CV to ensure it effectively demonstrates your suitability for an HR career. Read HR job descriptions, identify the common traits and skills that employers are looking for, and reference them on your CV. Be sure to include practical examples of times when you have had to use each skill in a professional capacity.
Don’t forget, for some job roles you might also be asked to attach a cover letter to your application. Here are some of our helpful tips and tricks for writing a HR cover letter that gets you noticed. For more great advice on how to update your CV, check out our extensive library of CV advice here.
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There is no legal requirement for HR professionals to possess any specific type of qualification. However, some employers will stipulate that they prefer – or are only looking for – candidates with a certain type of qualification. At the very least, undertaking a qualification will help you stand out over other, less qualified candidates.
If you are planning to attend university, it is worth considering a related course, such as human resources management, business management, psychology, or economics. Alternatively, you could study toward a Higher National Certificate or Higher National Diploma in human resource management.
Another option is to get a qualification from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, the professional body for HR and people development. It offers a wide range of courses and training, covering everything from organisational learning and development to strategic people management.
If you prefer to learn on the job rather than in the classroom, you may want to look for a human resources internship rather than work toward a qualification. Many employers offer internship programmes for HR staff, giving candidates the opportunity to gain valuable real-world work experience. If you are not sure whether human resources is definitely the right career for you, an internship could be the perfect way to make your mind up.
There are no guarantees of turning your internship into a job offer. However, even if your internship does not land you a job directly, the skills you gain will strengthen your CV and help you stand out to other employers.
Research HR internships in your location, or if there are specific companies you would prefer to intern with, try connecting with their HR managers. If you are particularly interested in working in a specific industry or niche, find employers in those areas and reach out to them.
Human resources is a people-oriented profession, so it makes sense to spend some time building up your personal network of HR contacts.
There are many advantages to networking. For starters, the more people you know in the HR community, the more likely you are to find out about employment opportunities. The people in your network may be happy to recommend you for roles, giving you a valuable foot in the door. Furthermore, speaking to experienced HR professionals can be a valuable way to pick up advice about how to kick start your human resources career.
LinkedIn is an obvious channel for networking; check out our eight top tips to help your LinkedIn profile stand out. However, don’t rely on online channels for all your networking needs. You should also look out for HR events in your area, such as community meetings and business breakfasts.
One of the best things about starting a career in human resources is that every employer needs to perform HR-related tasks, from recruiting talent to processing payroll. Whether or not your company has a dedicated human resources function, there may be an opportunity to get involved in these sorts of tasks in your current role.
If you’re already employed in a non-HR role, the best approach is simply to reach out to your boss or HR manager to let them know you are interested in adding a few human resources tasks to your existing responsibilities. There may even be an opportunity for you to be seconded to the HR department.
Again, even if this approach doesn’t immediately secure you a full-time HR job, the skills you learn will be invaluable to your future career prospects.
Ready to look for your first HR role? Sign up for job alerts on our job search page to learn about all the latest human resources roles in your area, or click the button below to submit your CV to Michael Page today.
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