• Replies 19 replies
  • Subscribers 7 subscribers
  • Views 3568 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related

Would this be the right move?

Kimberley

Last year I successfully completed a Level 3 CIPD qualification, and now I am very eager to enroll onto the Level 5 course. The problem I have where I am employed. I currently work full time for a local authority, within the HR department as an Administrative Assistant. I have always been very open and honest about my goals, and how passionate I am about developing within the field of HR, however, there are no opportunities to develop and learn new skills, and I am currently feeling at a standstill (a little stuck in a rut).

A few years ago, I volunteered within a HR team for a large manufacturing company, and at the time, I had very little HR experience. I found that when looking online at vacancies, that most HR roles required some payroll experience. This leads me onto my main question..

So where I am currently employed, a full time position has become available within the Payroll Department, and I am contemplating submitting an application form. I am not sure if this would be the right move for me, but what I do know is that I am ready to develop, and there are no opportunities to do so in the team I am currently in. I have seen lots of "payroll and HR" positions online which I've been unable to apply for as I don't have the required payroll experience.

So my question is, do you think this would be a good move? The salary is two grades higher and also they may consider it over four days meaning I could also afford to do my Level 5 and have the designated day off to study it. 

I really would appreciate views on this.. 

Parents
  • I guess it depends on the size of your local authority as I have been fortunate to have been given a lot of developmental opportunities within my 15 years local government HR experience.
    For example I know some LA's may only be a couple of 100 with a handful of people in HR at most , whilst larger ones with 1,000s could be around 70 if you include Advisory, Payroll, Transactions etc. LA's often advertise Fixed Term contracts as secondments which gives you the opportunity to do something different/develop but go back to your job at the end of it (although not always the case). I've always been given development opportunities by my managers and colleagues to get more involved in things like casework by taking notes at meetings or having a colleague mentor me as mentoring is very much part of the Learning and development culture.
    We have a HR Assistant currently doing her Level 5 apprenticeship - does your LA offer any HR apprenticeships for example?
    Depends on your personal circumstances and opportunities can be limited but there are sometimes secondments advertised externally that will give you further opportunities.
    I havent really answered about Payroll as not an area I'm that familiar with, but from my own experience within Local Goverment there must be some more opportunities out there for you? Good luck!
  • in reply to Clare
    Thanks for commenting Claire! I do work for a very large LA. I have seen so many great opportunities internal, so the lack of opportunity isn't something that is a widespread issue, I think it just happens to be that HR has limited opportunities for development. There are lots of hardworking, ambitious people within the department too who all want to progress.

    In regards to my personal circumstances, I should have mentioned in my original post, that I am also employed on a fixed term contract, which again is not ideal. This does result in restrictions, for example, I know there have been a number of permanent employees who have studied their CIPD through the LA, but as I am fixed term this wouldn't be possible.

    I have thought long and hard about my options, and even considered requesting to reduce my working days to study my level 5, but also find a mentor or volunteer somewhere to gain further experience but this obviously would come at a cost.

    Its a tough one, but having found out further information on the payroll position, I think this could be some valuable experience I could get under my belt, I just worry if this is stepping away from what I really want to do.
  • in reply to Kimberley
    I'm sorry to hear that there have been limited opportunities for development within HR as I've been fortunate that my experience has been very different ( to give you some idea of relative size - including all aspects of HR such as Transactions, Advisory etc my LA is made up of around 100 HR staff to support around 3500 employees). My own experience has been that large HR departments are good for development due to the variety of things you can be involved with.
    Development opportunities such as training and support to other colleagues have always been included in my appraisal. Would there be for example the opportunity to take notes at a (Disciplinary/Grievance/Absence) meeting as this gives you a good insight into what takes place etc? Have you raised these issue via your appraisal objectives etc?
    I understand what you mean about Fixed term contracts but again I have been very fortunate in that I started on a 3 month temporary contract 16 years ago and was then made permanent (with this being the case for a number of my colleagues too). It's never a guarantee particularly in these turbulent economic times but can happen...
    I would have thought you should be able to have a mentor internally as LA's often promote mentoring schemes, especially in HR. I had a HR colleague mentor me through my CIPD Level 5 and it was a real help.
  • in reply to Clare
    Hi, there is also of course a world outside the local authority and that might be where your future lies!
  • in reply to Annabel
    Yes of course but depends on what jobs are out there at the moment and 'sometimes' (in this current economic climate) it can be easier to develop in your current role than trying to get a new job - though of course the reverse can be true as well!
    I've only worked in the public sector and as you have seen from my previous comment it has been for a long time so probably a bit biased!
Reply
  • in reply to Annabel
    Yes of course but depends on what jobs are out there at the moment and 'sometimes' (in this current economic climate) it can be easier to develop in your current role than trying to get a new job - though of course the reverse can be true as well!
    I've only worked in the public sector and as you have seen from my previous comment it has been for a long time so probably a bit biased!
Children
No Data