Struggling to break into the HR industry

I think your best bet will be to look for a graduate entry scheme in HR.
The problem you are facing is that you are over-qualified for entry roles (administrator etc) but have no experience to go in at a higher level. Personally I think universities offering HR masters to people with no HR background should be shot - it's mis-selling as it's not going to open the doors for you unless you are very determined and very lucky. Which may sound harsh, but I'm telling you that it's not you personally, it's the situation you were badly advised to get yourself in. It's not impossible - my previous workplace created a graduate entry scheme with one placement in HR, and it went to an HR MA holder without experience, and I know of others who do enter the profession in that way. It's just not the easiest route.

Nothing wrong with someone going to university and getting a BSc in HRM and then going on to either an MA/MSc, as long as the student has taken the opportunity to undertake a placement or two, The trick is to get placements arranged in year 2 and when I say placements I don't mean as an HR assistant or HR Administrator. In the past year I have seen a couple of students who have undertaken placements mid-course at HRBP level, that does mean that their four years at university is expanded to six if you include the placement years. I do agree with your sentiment that nobody should be undertaking a Level 7 without any previous experience and if I'm totally honest Level 5 as well.

I think this it what is wrong with the industry. If you shouldn’t take a level 7 without a level 5 in HR why do CIPD accredited MSC except students without a level 5 and charge them almost £10,000 for the course?! If what your saying is correct then CIPD and universities should be held responsible for this. I am currently taking a level 7 without a level 5! Academically it made sense for me to do a masters. Additionally, I have 15 years of senior management experience managing HR for the employees I managed without being a HR practitioner.!! I had also applied for HR roles for a number of years before I started studying and now whilst studying at Level 7 and obtaining distinctions in every module. I have now completely gone off the idea of working in HR.. The industry to me seems completely bias. If your more qualified than a hiring manager they won’t take you on or give you a chance to gain experience because they are worried you will get there job. To me that is discrimination and bias. Everything that HRM preaches about and advises leaders and managers they do not practice when your looking to gain experience within their industry. I will use my Masters now to continue my career in management instead of HR that I had always had a passion for. Recruiters and HR managers are missing out on some fabulous candidates because they have not had an official HR post without recognising that on some companies managers and senior managers do manage HR. To me the industry does not give people a chance everyone is worried you will take their role and no one looks beyond whether or not someone has worked in a HR department or actually has the same skills in a different role .
I give up on the industry. If you look at previous posts people fall into it by mistake with never even having an interest in it. There are many people walking round qualified in HR who can’t get a job and many people working in HR not qualified. This would never happen in medicine or teaching which is why HR is often never taken seriously enough by CEO’s and executives. The industry needs to change you either need to be qualified or you don’t. As for the level 7 you shouldn’t be accepted by CIPD if you should have done a level 5 first!!!!

Hi Natalie

I read Paul's comment slightly differently - he said that people shouldn't undertake a level 7 qualification without some experience and I think he then meant that also people perhaps shouldn't undertake a Level 5 qualification without some experience too, not that they shouldn't undertake a Level 7 qualification without a Level 5 qualification. In the wider context of gaining experience as well as qualifications in HR rather than just gaining qualifications it makes more sense reading that way, I think.

Kind regards

Jackie

Hi Natalie

I read Paul's comment slightly differently - he said that people shouldn't undertake a level 7 qualification without some experience and I think he then meant that also people perhaps shouldn't undertake a Level 5 qualification without some experience too, not that they shouldn't undertake a Level 7 qualification without a Level 5 qualification. In the wider context of gaining experience as well as qualifications in HR rather than just gaining qualifications it makes more sense reading that way, I think.

Kind regards

Jackie

I see how you are reading this and yes I did read this differently. I did see another post too within community that suggested that someone would have problems gaining a role within HR if they were qualified in a high level without experience in a HR role. Which I guess I had taken this comment in the same way. However, I do think that possibly gaining too high a qualification is what is restricting both myself and the person whom first asked the question. It seems you will be qualified to the highest level and although you have experience within many HR disciplines and tasks that you would perform within a HR post you are not successful in the application or interview stage because you have never had a role that was named as a HR admin, business partner, advisor or manager even though in many of my senior management roles although it wasn’t my primary role it was often down to myself to manage all People functions. - I have applied for roles for 4 years within HR in within more entry level positions such as Admin, apprenticeships (prior to masters) and not received 1 interview. Within that time I have applied for many other roles in admin, management etc and nearly always gained an interview and had job numerous offers . Almost all HR roles ask for someone that has previously worked in a HR role in any level that you apply for. To me it appears a very unfair industry and one that is confused as to whether or not it’s a qualification you need or experience and if it is experience then it will be a dying industry because everyone has to gain the experience from somewhere. If everyone that ends up in HR ends up within it through default (as to some other posts I have seen mention) it will be an industry where no one has much passion for it. I regret taking this qualification and wish I gone on to study a masters in something that would have been useful for my career to be qualified within. Unfortunately I feel it is not something that will help me any further to be able to move into this industry from senior management roles. I feel I would have been better to have studied Law originally and gone to do a masters within employment law. I am a mature student who works full time and I have many years of management experience of which I will now continue in and put the strengths I feel I had to have worked within a HR role behind me.