How did you get into HR/ get your first role?

I finished university in the May and signed up to do the Level 3 CIPD course from the September. I signed up to do temping while job hunting to get some money and experience and after a month of general admin temp jobs, I got a 3 month temporary role as an HR Administrator, which was due to end in September when the course started. It ended up lasting 7 months then I went permanent and stayed another 2 years after that. Definitely look at temping or FTC roles if you can!!

I fell into HR by fluke. I didn't continue with any type of education once I left school with my GCSE's and only had customer service/administrator roles until I got my current job. I had just moved to the area with my small son 10 years ago and wanted a job - any job - that was part time. There was an HR Administrator job in the local paper, which I applied for and successfully got. I had no HR experience at all. The role was for 8 hours per week and only entailed writing letters and printing out contracts. Fortunately my Manager saw some potential in me and has mentored me ever since. I am now an HR Officer, Level 5 qualified and work 22 hours per week. I hope to start Level 7 within the next 12-24 months with the intention to go full time once my children are more self sufficient. For me, it was the right place at the right time.

I studied a completely different subject (History) and then joined a management and technology consultancy as a graduate. My first client project was essentially a HR Change/Internal Comms role on an IT outsourcing deal. I really loved that role and ended up doing quite a lot of HR/L&D/Org Change stuff as a consultant both in-house and with external clients (alongside some IT project management and CSR strategy and other bits and pieces). When it was time for me to leave consulting (the travel was not sustainable for me with some long-term health issues), I decided I wanted to specialise in HR and started a master's degree in order to get some more formal qualifications (CIPD L7) to support my existing work experience. Since then I've worked a few different HR roles, mainly in L&D/Talent.

It definitely is possible to get into HR as a grad or apprentice (e.g. Civil Service HR Fast Stream or other HR schemes) , but experience and working your way up is also an option.

When studying Business Management I was working in Customer Service at weekends - during summer holidays I took agency work in HR offices. There would be days of filing and little to no ER exposure, but I could ask questions and get an understanding of what occurred in HR. Following graduation I think that exposure gained a lot of credibility in getting a HR Administrator position.

Hi Charlotte

Here are a couple of previous discussion threads well worth some of your time, I think.

 Working in HR? If you could start again, would you? 

 RE: How did you get into HR?? 

As with some others, completely by accident. I originally trained to do something far more arty, and when that didn't work out I got a job doing admin, then moved on to a very large retail store as the store secretary, looking after Reception and supporting the Personnel Department. I ended up managing the huge number of temporary staff, then supporting with note taking on disciplinary and grievances - when a job for a Personnel Administrator came up I applied and got it. With the same company I then was lucky enough to get an Area Training role, then HR Manager for a smaller store. Many years, a PG Dip in HRM and several job moves later I'm the HR Manager UK for an international sink and tap manufacturer/ retailer.

It all came down that initial support role - it got me interested in the department, and the department interested in me!

Hi Charlotte,

I was in your position 18 months ago and was finding it impossible! I was rejected from a lot of roles. To gain experience I did some voluntary work experience with the NHS which was organised through a friend. I worked flexibly on a recruitment project and also sat in on some meetings. This gave me something to write about on my CV and talk about in an interview situation. I would recommend gaining any unpaid experience as it can really help to shape you! Good luck!

Iona

Hi Charlotte

I studied Psych and went on to PA roles which held HR responsibilities; recruitment, induction, paperwork, employee relations. I then got my HR Officer role as their first round of recruitment was unsuccessful (!) so unfortunately I do seem to find people get into HR by chance.

I would advise considering if you have transferable skills that you can emphasise/big up in your applications? E.G worked with confidential information, sought references, collated reports, supported well being initiatives etc.

I would also advise doing some training, ACAS have some great free online tutorials.

Good luck!!!

A degree isn't an essential criteria for starting out in HR therefore the approach I would recommend exploring (assuming you are at the start of your working life) is firstly gaining transferable experience in an office/admin/secretarial environment (particularly look at local temping agencies). Once you are working in an office type environment then look to move into an entry level HR role - you will find this a lot easier once you are working.

My own experience is that entry level roles in HR Shared Services Centres often don't have a pre-requisite for specific HR experience therefore I have seen this used as a route into the the profession.

Hi Charlotte

It's interesting, and not uncommon, that you assume a degree is the route in. Some of the many threads on this area seem to assume the same, however the key to our profession is the human element of Human Resources, and working effectively with real people cannot be learnt with textbooks. Unfortunately (fortunately) I don't think there is really a shortcut, whilst there is certainly a place for formal learning, nothing beats real experience, and that tales time to build up.

Highlight your transferable skills, and be prepared to start at the bottom.

Annabel