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Do I have to choose?

This is a dramatic post title, but please bear with me :) 

I have been working in HR since 2015. I've started as a HR Coordinator in a SME before moving into L&D in a big multinational environment a few years later.  I have now left that position and looking for my next step, ideally back in a SME.

My little pickle is, as much as I love the training aspect and talking to/supporting people,  I do miss the projects a generalist role provides,  especially around ER.  Do you think it's possible to "have the best of both worlds" and do training and HR in the same role? If yes, what kind of roles should I be targeting? 

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts! 

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  • My 1st HR job inluded doing/running/designing as much training as I wanted or was prepared to do.

    I\'d guess that a large part of enjoying both fields is being in a company that offers a wide range of training subjects and/or buys in training, which obviously offers scope for you to do some of it.
  • Hi Vanessa, welcome to the communities. You may like to think around HR roles involving training on HR systems, perhaps the rollout of a new system or new appraisal procedures. I thoroughly enjoyed a nationwide rollout of Trent along with 3 other trainers plus the implementation team where each site had dedicated individuals with responsibilities for inputting HR information before the central payroll team completed the monthly payroll run. I'm a bit out of touch with the current HR job market but does something like that sound feasible?
  • In reply to David Perry:

    Thank you David!
  • In reply to Clare:

    Hi Clare, thank you for the warm welcome:)
    That sounds like a great idea, thank you for sharing this!
  • Johanna

    | 0 Posts

    CIPD Staff

    10 Feb, 2022 09:21

    Hi Vanessa, thanks for posting - there's some additional reading here on the CIPD website on 12 different career areas in the profession - and often there is a degree of overlap: www.cipd.co.uk/.../career-options
  • Any business with fewer than about 300 employees is likely to have some elements of combining HR and L&D. As an HRM in small businesses, I was both managing the tenders to external providers and designing in-house training courses at the same time as I was guiding ER processes, onboarding new starters and... for some reason, negotiating our mobile and digital communications contract...?

    Ah, small business.
  • In reply to Johanna:

    Thank you Johanna, will have a thorough read:)
  • In reply to Robey:

    Hi Robey! That's what I'm hoping for my next role indeed - maybe not renewing mobile comms contracts though ;)