How did you get into HR??

I didn't fall, more sort of slipped.

Appointed as  a Youth Trainer because of my outdoor pursuits skills - By mistake really as I was useless at dealing with youngsters.  Got better, eventually some of my work was published as good practice and by then really enjoyed it and found it rewarding.  Moved onto training management training.  But what next?.  Wanted to broaden the skills base I was training in, mainly because most of the managers I met had more qualifications than me, so  I decided to do Personnel Management at the nearest university partially because that was all that was available. I found it quite interesting and as it didn't mean standing up in front of a group every daydecided I'd be one.

Then a recruitment company I asked for careers advice told me I'd be too old at 38 to start a career in personnel.  That did it!  I was determined then to be one and I just kept on trying until I got a job.  And so it happened!!! 

I orginally started with a BA (Hons) in English and worked in sales and marketing for several years.  Whilst taking a break I took a temp job with this company as an admistrator (wanted to move away from sales and marketing) which I did for two years; I loved the company.  I was offered a secondment in HR which I took and was informed I had to have a CPP which I paid for myself.  I successfully completed this is 2006 and I was taking on and have worked as an HR Assistant for the last four years (has it been that long!). 

I would like to do the CIPD but it is finding a company that would be willing to pay. 

Seems that very many colleagues followed the White Rabbit and fell into Wonderland - as I did, but don't regret it one little bit.

Orginally, I worked for the Diplomatic Service / Foreign Office in a menial capacity but in a venture to improve myself  went into HE following Business Studies, which only served to teach me just how totally boring debits and credits and accountants and critical paths and those American managerial 'science' gurus really were

After the Business Studies, I 'fell' into the 'Labour Department' of the local steelworks, rather because I refused, on basis of previous bitter experience, to have anything to do with their Cost Office, and, although much was indeed Wonderland, and there were ups and downs, I've never really looked back, or ever regretted it.

In many ways, it was a privilege to interact with ordinary workpeople and to share with them their workplace concerns and experiences, and I learned a very great deal from it - not least, that workpeople possess and deserve essential dignity - it was often abundantly clear to me  only 'life chances' had differentiated 'the management' from 'the workforce'.

Also, there was something rather elemental in turning stuff from the earth into shining steel - I developed a personal theory that the most elemental workers were the blastfurnacemen, and despite being very scary individuals indeed they were intensely honourable people for bwhom I had utter respect. Whereas other groups of workers, fmuch further removed from these elemental processes, were usually the most troublesome bunch of malingerers and twisters imaginable.

I'm really trying to say that, had I been charged with making such as choccie bars or dishwaher tablets or  cat crunchies then I wouldn't have been nearly so inspired and neither would the workforce, for all kinds of reasons: it ought not to matter, but it did very much  to me

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Hi everyone

I returned to working life after a long period of illness, and started off as a checkout/customer services assistant in a supermarket. 

Got bored, asked for more responsibility, came in to work one day to find my supervisor had arranged an interview for me to take place right there and then!  That was a full time position as payroll clerk.  After a few months, I approached the personnel manager, asked for opportunities to develop, and was put forward for Store Trainer.  (Funnily enough as a little girl I had always wanted to be a teacher)

At this point I knew that I wanted to work in L&D and/or HR. 

I then went on to work as Training Officer, HR Officer, then HR Manager before being made redundant.  Studying for the CIPD Post Grad Diploma has been really useful, and I dont think I would have progressed as quickly without this, as its very much related to the work that I do/did.

HR is such a varied subject - I love it!  Its really interesting to see everyone's career paths too - a source of inspiration for lots I am sure.

Jackie

I kind of planned it...

I knew I wanted to work with people from a young age. My mum was a Psychologist managing a recruitment team in a private company in France (in those days you had to be a Psychologist to do that job - not sure if it's changed) and her job always interested me. Social work also interested me but I was worried that I would struggle to detach myself from it all and decided HR was the next best thing at the time!

I was advised not to go straight to Uni to study Psychology as one is still quite young at 18 to really benefit from it all and that a HND/HNC (or BTS as they are known in France) might give me more practical skills to start with (should I fail at Uni or decided it wasn't for me I could always fall back on that qualification). I chose a BTS Trilingual PA. As part of the course, I had to do a workplacement abroad and chose the UK.

Once my BTS was finished I came to the UK to work (planning to improve my English further and then go to Spain to do the same). I'd only been there a year or so and met my now husband so never got to Spain.

After a year of doing temping admin work, I got a chance to work in admin for a multilingual recruitment agency which I thought was a good way to get some HR/people experience as it was to do with recruitment. They were a small set-up with no HR and I saw a chance to do it for them. I studied for my CPP, created basic policies/procedures etc.

I then moved away to follow my partner's work and after a few temping assignments (HR and others) for 6 months got my real break as an HR assistant in a small Manufacturing company (I knew I wanted manufacturing because I felt it was more hands-on and I wanted to have exposure to Trade Unions). My then manager was selfless in teaching me everything he knew and more (he also encouraged me to start my CIPD), to the point where he left as I could do all his work! I then moved on to a bigger organisation (still manufacturing) to learn different ways of doing HR and I'm due to complete my CIPD in May.

I love every bit of HR from the very operational stuff to the more strategic work. I also get a buzz from working in manufacturing, making things and the straight talking of the shopfloor. Because people are your business, HR really allows you to be involved at all levels and all deparments in the business.

Sorry long post - I guess we all enjoy talking about ourselves!

Marie

wow - what variety!

I guess I aimed in a slightly different direction but got a little derailed. I wanted to qualify in law but decided this in my last year of my business degree, so opted to major in employment and company law in my last year, with a view to doing conversion and full legal qualifications afterwards. However funds were non existent, and I was sick of studying so got an HR job to save for future study... and I haven't been back (that was 9 years ago). Did a Diploma in HR to get CIPD qualifications.

I still really want to focus on the law, one day, its just too expensive and I don't have the time right now!

I fell into HR too.

Left school at 17 and took admin job within an HR Department.  The HR Manager at the time must have spotted some potential in me as I got quite bit of exposure to a number of aspects of HR, including employee relations and HR strategy.  Anyway, completed an SVQ and Certificate in Personnel Practice and then progressed to a Trainee HR Officer before leaving to become the HR Officer with another company.

I did do a 3 year stint outside of HR when I spent time as a manager in an operational role, which came about due to a restructure at my last company.  My intention was to get 12 months operational experience but I found it hard to get back into HR without the CIPD qualification which I duly did and moved back to HR!