• Replies 17 replies
  • Subscribers 1 subscriber
  • Views 3896 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related

Next step up the ladder.. when were you ready?

Joni

Hi all,

I've posted a similar post to this in the past so please forgive me if it sounds slightly repetitive! 

How long were you all in your first, entry level HR position before you moved up? I've been HR Admin for 3 and a half years now and am L3 qualified. Prior to that I have 2 years recruitment experience (admin/resourcing/some account management).

I recently interviewed for a HR admin position and I think the company was a bit surprised that I was still considering HR admin positions. Whilst I am keen to develop and progress, I still feel like I have some way to go before jumping up the ladder - and even then I'm not sure what the next step would be? HR Coordinator? Officer?

How long were you all in your first HR role for before taking the next step up? What key things should I be looking for in my next role in terms of progression and development? I love admin and enjoy it but do want something a bit more challenging and to learn new skills - and if I'm honest, I'm a little bit over being the office run around - I would like more authority and capacity to make decisions. Can I jump up a step and learn these skills along the way, or do I need them under my belt before I attempt to apply for something more senior? Or - is 3 and a half years not that long, and should I wait a wee while longer?

I hope this makes sense! Am feeling a bit static in terms of my career and not sure where to go from here.

Thanks,

Joni 

  • in reply to Alison Parfitt

    Hi Joni,

    I think it very much varies depending on the size of the organisation you are used to working in and want to work in. My first role was Advisor, then I moved to Officer and now I'm Manager. That's all in 7 years. I am still a relatively junior Manager and I much prefer working in smaller organisations with a maximum of around 200 staff which presents different issues and experience than say working for a huge multinational corporation. I am very much a believe in taking a leap of faith though. Think about what you want to achieve and then go for it!

  • in reply to Alison Parfitt
    Thanks Alison! I think I definitely need to find a company who will take a leap of faith in me (as well as me doing the same with myself!) and help develop me along the way. Good luck with the L5!
  • Hi Joni,

    I was in an HR Coordinator role after graduating for about 18 months, I then moved into another Coordinator role at a different company for another 8 months, so spent about 2.5 years in that level role, while I completed my CIPD level 5. I applied for an HR Officer (advisor) role (my current role) and have been here for 2.5 years, and the step was quite significant and getting into the role took some time, and stepping up was definitely a challenge.

    I'd recommend that you apply for either coordinator or officer/advisor roles and see what happens - if the employer likes you, they will support you making that step and help you grow into the role. Make sure you look for the things that interest you most, and some new items to challenge you in your new role (for example, I now do global mobility in addition to the operational HR side of my job, which I'd never done before but really enjoy). Overall, it depends on whether you feel ready, and as you've said you feel a bit static in your career, I would say go for it and make the jump.

    Hope that helps, and good luck!

    Rebecca
  • I am a firm believer that when you're more junior in your career you should try and get as much exposure as possible so when you do decide to move you can draw from different experiences. Don't be afraid to make the jump to the next stage of your career...

    An employer will only give you a job if they feel you can do the job and I would expect that after that many years in an admin type role you'll have no problem stepping up making it a success!
  • in reply to Joni
    Hi Joni,

    Do move, you are more then ready for it, but most importantly believe in yourself! My mentor recently told me- if you know 70% of the job, apply, the rest you can learn.
    Good luck
    Ani
  • Hi Joni

    In terms of preparing you for that 'next step' I wonder if you can get more exposure to more mid level HR duties with your current organisation? This might give you that confidence you need to make that 'leap' to another company and a step up the ladder in job spec.

    There are companies that look to develop individuals but such opportunities are not necessarily a regular occurrence.

    When you look at your next role, start looking at the duties outlined and the scope of that role - I find that job titles and the duties assigned to them can vary in different industries and sectors. It is quite possible that you might see another HR Administrator role that has a broader scope than your role currently has OR you could see a role such as a HR Officer where the requirement is X amount of years as an HR Administrator.

    I took 2 HR Administrator jobs one after the other and the reasons for me were to do with getting experience in different industries and the scope of the job - whilst the job titles were the same the second was wider in scope and had much more of a platform for development opportunities.

    I wish you good luck in your finding the right path for you.