Project Management or HR Business Partner? - Working in HR - Careers Clinic

4 Project Management or HR Business Partner?

Steph | 0 Posts

12 Jan, 2017 10:11

Hello everyone,

I completed my MSc in HRM in 2014 and have since been working on a HR Graduate programme. I have now come to the end of the programme having rotated through various areas of HR. I have now been offered a permanent role in Project Management. I was just wondering if anyone has moved from a Project Management role into a HR Generalist role or vice versa. My concern with Project Management is this is not typically HR, and since I have built a background in HR my preference would be elsewhere.

Would be interested to hear any thoughts or experiences.

Thanks

Steph

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Keith | 0 Posts

12 Jan, 2017 13:41

PM is a very important skill and it certainly wouldn't be impossible to come back but as you only have a couple of years experience in HR then I would say it is (at this point) likely to confuse your CV. Personally if I wanted a career in HR I would be looking for a HR job until I was more firmly established.
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Elizabeth Divver | 0 Posts

12 Jan, 2017 14:16

Hi Steph

If you are faced with the choice of the scheme ending and you being without a job versus the PM job, I don't think it would be dishonest to put all your time with this employer under the heading of HR graduate programme and including under that heading that you are currently doing project management. I would, however, go all out to get into a true HR role as soon as you can manage it for the reasons Keith states.
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admin | 0 Posts

20 Jan, 2017 12:24

It does kind of depend on the project involved. I have previously worked in an HR Projects team and our 'projects' were things like TUPE transfers, staff engagement issues, designing career development programmes, job role benchmarking etc. So actually all HR based and very interesting because they were more in depth than the day to day queries. I went straight from that role to and HR Business Partner role.
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Steph | 0 Posts

25 Jan, 2017 12:26

Thank you all for your advice.

The role would be within HR projects so I would be continuing within HR however as I thought it may not necessarily be the best 'stepping stone' into a HR role in the future.
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