How did you get into HR??

I planned it too, I decided when choosing my GCSE options I wanted to work in HR (naively at the time I liked the sound of sacking someone!).  After A levels I decided not to go to uni as there were not any HR degrees so I got a job in pensions admin and battled for a few years to get a HR job, I then worked at a HR outsourcing Company and while there got exposure to employee relations and decided I wanted to do that so I got a role as an ER advisor and progressed to HR Manager while doing my CIPD (and got my childhood ambition of sacking people - not as much fun as a 13 year old thought it would be!). 

I then got an opportunity to move into Consultancy and 4 years later I'm still here and have just completed a master in employment law (LLM). 

I fell into HR after having a conversation with someone who worked in Graduate Recruitment.  It sounded great and within weeks I had written off on spec to a number of firms and had an offer from a global professional services firm.  I worked in a number of roles culminating in heading up the Graduate Recruitment function and leading a global recruiting team to implement resourcing strategies across the world.  I have had some amazing experiences and have not looked back!

I am currently on a secondment to the CIPD where I'm heading up a project on how to attract the 'brightest and best' into HR.  I've been delighted to read the stories on this thread and the variety of responses so far.  It seems there is a real mix of planners and 'fallers'.  It would be great to find out from you:

• What do you think HR should be doing to encourage the 'brightest and best' to choose or plan a career in HR?

• Some people suggest it's good to have experience outside HR, while others have worked within HR from the start - are there key skills that you need to be successful in the profession?

• What do you wish you'd known about HR before you joined the profession?

I'd be delighted to hear your thoughts to help shape this project.   Many thanks!

I definitely fell into HR.  When I left school I went straight into admin because I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life but I really wanted a job so I started out as a Trainee in the HR department at the local council working towards level 2 NVQ in Business Admin.  I became really interested in the profession at the time and applied for a Personnel Assistant but got turned down, probably due to inexperience. 

I moved around the council for a while doing basic admin jobs and after doing my level 3 NVQ and finishing a secondment position, I took a Plant Administrator job at an automotive firm working under the HR Officer who pursuaded me to do my CPP.  I was sick of basic admin and wanted more responsibility and less of a boring job so I decided to do it.  I finished that in Feb this year and am now looking for HR assistant type roles.  HR is definitely something that I've realised I'm interested in and although I've no aspirations to become a manager, I still want to carry on working in a HR environment.

For me, I moved into HR having worked in secretarial/office management roles over a number of years.  My then employer asked me to take on some HR duties and I subsequently went to Kingston University to do a part time post grad in HRM.  15 years on and I am still enjoying being in HR, obviously some days more than others.  Since qualifying, I have spent 18 months out of a HR role doing a line management role which was really useful and which has helped me to become more commercial in my approach.

Having worked in a number of sales related positions in my early 20's I made a conscious decision to move away from this and into HR as I had always been interested in this line of work.  Finding it unbelievably competetive I followed the recruitment route for a year and then got my "lucky break" when I was offered a HR Officer position within a global shipping carrier.  Funnily enough, the fact that I worked as a Thomson rep was one of the things that stood out on my CV as my now boss had just been on holiday with them.  They say these things happen for a reason and I can certainly say I have now found my "niche" in life...

To answer your questions Georgina:

• What do you think HR should be doing to encourage the 'brightest and best' to choose or plan a career in HR?
  
• Increase and enforce standards across the profession - I think there are too many HR practitioners who are not there to make a difference and only looking to milk as much as they can for themselves.  This hardly sets an example the bright young things would want to follow.

• Some people suggest it's good to have experience outside HR, while others have worked within HR from the start - are there key skills that you need to be successful in the profession?
  
• Knowledgeable, confident, ethical, driven, unflappable influencer

• What do you wish you'd known about HR before you joined the profession?

• That you need to believe in yourself and what you are trying to achieve and don't get sucked in by the negativity.

Hi Victoria,

A late starter finding my way into Learning and Development through technology-based training (anybody remember training programmes on 12" laserdisks). Subsequently specialising in management development, leadership coaching, talent management and resourcing.

Many opportunities along the way but only in the last few years has it been a 'planned' career,

John

Thanks for your response Ross, I think the new levels of CIPD membership will be a great way to prove individuals have a badge of competence that isn't just about exam success but demonstrating the skills and behaviours necessary to operate at a certain level.  I certainly agree that we need to encourage more businesses to better understand the role of HR and how HR can really work more effectively with business to drive sustainable performance -- rather than working for individual gain as you mention.

Interesting to hear your responses on skills and what you wished you'd known.  Do you think business acumen needs to be one of the skills too?  This is something that has come out of my research so far.

Thanks again!

Georgina

Hi all

I got lucky I guess!  My first job when I left school at the tender age of 16 (too many years ago!), was as office junior in an employment agency (what we now know to be a recruitment consultancy).  I stayed there for about 18 months, having learnt the basics of intervewing and CV writing.  For the years following, I held various posts in an office environment as well as 13 exciting years at Heathrow airport, where I gained a qualification as an L&D trainer and headed their L&D department; designing and delivering training programmes relating to the work they did.  I joined my current organisation in 2004 as a Project Co-ordinator within Learning and Development.  In 2005 the organisation re-structured and I was offered a post as an HR Assistant for the HR Director of a newly created division.  Unfortunately that HR Director was only in post for a short space of time before going on long term sick leave and never returning.  In the meantime I literally had to 'fly by the seat of my pants' and learnt a lot along the way!  When a new HR Director was appointed (and it took 18 months before that happened!) he encouraged me to study the CIPD qualification, however I had promised myself I would never again study like I had in the past at my age!   Anyway with a little more encouragement, I undertook the CIPD CPP qualification, and passed that with flying colours!  Spurred on by my thirst to learn more and encouraged by my CPP tutor, I then went on to do the CIPD Post Graduate Diploma.  I have just completed that and will graduate this October!  I am now a Senior HR Adviser for my division.  I feel I've been on such a long journey, not just professionally but personally too, but it has all been worth it.

I feel lucky to work in an organisation that has recognised my potential and has sponsored all my studies to date.  I absolutely enjoy coming to work every day, it's not without it's challenges but that's what makes it all the more interesting!

Ann

Ann 

 You are truly blessed that you find your work so uplifting !

Georgina

I can't see that 'business acumen' is particularly needed - obviously the capacity to understand business strategy and financial / commercial issues is almost essential, at least to working at director level, but HR people are not necessarily needed for their finance or accountancy or commercial talents. Some say they need acting ability; others say they just need to be able to say No ! in innumerably different ways. Think personal trust, mutual respect and credibility across the whole spectrum of staff-management is very important, as is a certain resilience (aka as a thick skin). (Once and only once have I ever seen this enshrined in a (design engineering) manager's job description: ' must have the capacity to deal with and cope with considerable criticism - much of it unjustified........')

Strange how most of us 'fell into it'. I did too...

I studied dance for a year and although it was fun, it wasnt a 'career'.

Got a temp admin job stuffing envelopes with application forms, and here I am 7 years later HR Co-ordinator, did my CPP, now planning to get graduate CIPD.

Love what I do and so glad I decided to leave my dancing days behind me.

Great stories from everyone!