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Making the correct first steps into HR

Elliot

Hi everyone.

I've been reading my way through the community posts here about peoples first steps into HR and it's given me some good ideas/expectations about what to expect. It's also quite nice (although daunting) to see so many people have struggled with similar aspects to myself.

I was hoping to get some tailored advice from you successful HR specialists, and I think the best way to do this is to outline a little bit about me and you could give me some advice for my first steps, because I am worried about making wrong moves.

I graduated in 2018 with a non-HR degree, and since then I worked for a time as an English teacher abroad, and since returning to the UK have worked in a customer services call centre. That job was really demoralising and quite horrible, I ended up leaving and have been unemployed since then (living on my savings from teaching abroad).

Before University I also worked full time in customer services and I feel like there are so many transferable skills from communications and people management etc.

Right now I have been applying for all entry level HR roles to try and get my foot in the door, and the majority I don't hear back from. I believe this to be because I have no direct HR experience, even though I have tried to tailor my CV with all the transferable skills I do have that are similar. 

I am currently not in a position where I can self fund the level 3 CIPD qualification, so I was wondering what my options were? Do I keep going for the entry level HR jobs and hope someone will give me a chance? Or would I be better off going for admin/office based roles to get some income before looking at CIPD qualifications and then moving into HR? 

I am living in London which I thought would be the land of opportunity with how many businesses are here, but I guess I also have far more competition. I'm not in a financial position where I can carry out unpaid voluntary work either. But I would definitely be open to something temporary or part time to just get some income coming back in if it would help boost my CV.

My long term goals are to get CIPD qualified and hopefully develop into diversity and inclusion further into my career, but getting stuck at the first hurdle is a bit demoralising! 

Any tips or advice you might have for me would be amazing, thank you for reading!

Elliot 

Parents
  • Give that you're in London, your most reliable pathway, if you cannot afford to undertake a Level 3 course on your own account, is - as Sarah says - to begin with generalist office temping: take any white collar role you can talk your way into. Odds are good that you'll meet HR in your induction, so be honest with them that you're looking for a way into HR but looking to do any office temp role in the mean time. Read through this forum for lots of free advice, case studies and employment law insight, so you'll be able to demonstrate an interest in and knowledge of the discipline.

    If you work hard and show yourself to be reliable and intelligent, it will make an impression. Do this enough and, when a vacancy for a temp in HR arises, they'll ask for you specifically and you'll have your first step.

    In the mean time, continue applying for ever HR admin role you can find and - again - equip yourself with knowledge from this forum and the CIPD website.

    I should add, though: don't kid yourself about transferable skills between customer service and HR. I wouldn't say there aren't any, but they really aren't what someone looking into HR from outside would think they are. The main real one is the ability to refrain from throttling idiots who deserve it.
  • in reply to Robey
    I nearly throttled the guy at the Job Centre today. He made me feel absolutely worthless, by telling me I should not ask questions at interviews as it might be putting people off hiring me! As a HR professional I have spent alot of time asking questions.
  • in reply to Jules
    He's obviously not used to having to advise someone of your experience and job level, Jules! Hang in there and know that you're right and he's wrong. ;-)
  • in reply to Jules
    I've signed on twice in my life. Never again. I'd rather go without benefits than put myself through that experience again.
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  • in reply to Robey
    Completely agreed with that one Robey, only signed on when I was in between jobs initially for approximately 2 weeks many years ago then I went straight into temping working until I had my permanent position confirmed in writing two months later.

    We have to remember though that signing on is an entitlement and there should not be any shame in the task. It is about being proactive in finding work opportunities that will get you back into work asap. A HR Director could easily find themselves out of a job due to the economical climate as much as a HR administrator and both would need to sign on claiming for benefit entitlements until they find work......nobody wants to be out of work and not being able to paid bills and enjoying their lifestyle.