Although I've got a broad set of managerial skills, I've never worked in a HR department.
I've jumped straight into CIPD at Level 5 and am loving every second. However, whenever I browse through job vacancies requiring Level 5 certification, all of them want proven HR experience; something I do not have. Entry level vacancies seem to be minimum-wage onsite administrative positions, which Level 5 immediately makes me overqualified for, and herein lies my problem.
Should I have gone for Level 3 first and got my foot in the door whilst I qualified, or is it possible to slide straight into a well-paid, meaningful HR role without climbing the ladder first? At 30, I feel like I'm already 10 years behind everybody else in the HR world and don't want to waste time in a position that doesn't challenge me. Following a recent interview, I was told by a corporate director that I was too dynamic for the role and should be applying for leadership positions.
If you were me, what would you do? Pare back your abilities in an interview just to get your first HR job or apply for an associate level position once qualified and persuade them to give you a chance despite your relative inexperience?
Would love some feedback if anyone has any thoughts or been in a similar quandary.
