Is there life as HR Manager/BP after PhD?

Hi Paula thanks for posting and sharing your situation. Not sure how many Community members will have been in a similar one actually, regarding the PhD, but it must have been a very fulfilling period for you and many employers will be interested in any insight and growth it will have brought you. What was it in?

Hi Joanna,

Many thanks for taking the time to read my post, and ask helpful questions. HR is (and can be) a fruitful field for organisational studies research, not just (largely) transactional or tactical work. Very few organisations, as seen in some of the postings here, seem to provide strategic development and opportunities despite some practitioners being professionally and/or academically qualified.

In my case, having worked in both very large and SME organisations in HR in London, I wanted to find out how the physical body (something that we are all born with, have, and take to work daily) influence occupational identity (i.e.: the degree of identification with one’s job). For decades, the body in Organisation Studies was something perceived as abstract, or something that can be seen and touched, but not experienced by the individual. My contribution to research in that field forms part of a burgeoning stream where the body/identity nexus is studied using a lens beyond its abstract or discursive conceptualisations. I studied a cohort of professional ballet dancers, an occupation known by its beauty, high standards, strict discipline, short careers, and vertical management style. Professional ballet is a full-time remunerated occupation that can be mirrored to other high-performing occupations. My research findings, as with other qualitative studies are not replicable. However, they can help to inform areas such as: talent acquisition, performance management, leadership and management styles, and the handling of age(ing) at work to name a few.

As an individual, the knowledge and growth this type of work has provided me with has been phenomenal. However, so far in my job search I have only found one organisation that understood the value of undertaking such study. Unfortunately for me the contents of the role they had on offer, at least at this junction, was not commensurate with what I was looking for. I am keen to understand what other HR Managers with high level academic qualifications have done to advance their careers.

Thank you in advance.

Paula

Hi

Congratulation son teh PhD what an incredible achievement and as an outsider I cant imagine the hours and dedication that went into it.

Sadly, however, in the UK I doubt that your achievement will open doors professionally in many corporates. We don't tend to value such qualifications. Many organisations may also struggle with the read across from your research cohort to their business - I know its there but it may well be a struggle.

The Germans look at higher level qualifications far more and it may well be worth targeting big German employers in the UK for roles in their OD and similar functions

In the UK I think your next steps are likely to be pure academia or possibly a niche consultancy.

Sorry not much help but best of luck

Hi

Congratulation son teh PhD what an incredible achievement and as an outsider I cant imagine the hours and dedication that went into it.

Sadly, however, in the UK I doubt that your achievement will open doors professionally in many corporates. We don't tend to value such qualifications. Many organisations may also struggle with the read across from your research cohort to their business - I know its there but it may well be a struggle.

The Germans look at higher level qualifications far more and it may well be worth targeting big German employers in the UK for roles in their OD and similar functions

In the UK I think your next steps are likely to be pure academia or possibly a niche consultancy.

Sorry not much help but best of luck

Dear Keith,

Many thanks for taking the time to respond to me. I fully appreciate it. Undertaking my PhD was, indeed, the most challenging thing I have ever done.

It is true that my choice of participants is not widely generalisable and it could be a struggle for some organisations to read across. However, high-performing organisations are now more closely looking at occupations where disciplined training and the body are at the centre of the task (e.g.: elite athletes, the military) to deepen their knowledge and understanding of individuals working in their organisations. Professional ballet, just to clarify, is a full-time, remunerated, occupation. Their employment contracts, and terms and conditions of employment, are regulated by agreement with Equity (the trade union). The structure of ballet companies is very hierarchical in nature, with ballet dancers being their most important asset but simultaneously ranking at the bottom of the structure. Therefore, whilst the occupation itself may be less frequented by organisational studies practitioners and researchers, the contours mirrors other high-performing organisations.

I value your views and suggestions, and will certainly look into those. Thank you very much once again for your response.

Kind regards,

Paula