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Late career change to HR

Alasdair

Hello all,

This is my first post on a CIPD forum, so hello world of HR!

I will keep it brief(ish). I am 49 years old, in transition from a completely different area to HR, and in the middle of CIPD level 5. I have many years of team-side implementation of HR policies, a lot of recruitment/interviewing behind me, project management, team leadership etc. I believe skills mean more than job titles, and all the skills required to be an HR professional are in place, but I lack the job titles on the CV.

I am well and truly stuck in the "you'll be bored"/"need more experience" trap with respect to getting started.

So in your experience, how do people in my position kick things off? I feels like aiming for a vanishingly small sweet-spot at the moment, which is frustrating, knowing how much I have to offer. I'm an unconventional candidate, and it looks like people don't know how to handle me!

Thanks very much all, I really look forward to hearing your thoughts, and I know it takes time to post, so thank you so much in advance for your time.

Alasdair

  • in reply to Alasdair
    I'm glad to hear you're enjoying the studies. I can imagine its very hard to fit it all in. I've only just met my cohort for the induction this week, my first workshop is the week after next so a bit too early for me to comment, I'm excited though.
    Fantastic news on the HR Officer role, that's great news. I hope it works out for you and that its the first step in a very exciting HR career!
  • Hi Alisdair
    I feel your pain, and wish you luck!
    I made this career transition over a period of time, finally making the 'official' move into HR at the age of 50. Here's what worked for me:

    Be clear on your transferable skills and how your achievements under each relate to the role you're applying for - in your CV and all conversations / communications you have about your career goal.

    You have a lot of practical experience as a team / people leader - what skills, knowledge and experience can you demonstrate from a strategic perspective? Everything you implement as a manager starts from the strategy and many HR roles are about the strategy.

    Networking was essential in my experience - in person, within my company and at events such as CIPD and industry events (I was in insurance and always sought out anyone in any role related to HR / L&D).

    LinkedIn - does your profile clearly show what you're looking for and why? Do you post about what you're looking for and why? Do you have lots of HR people in your connections? Are you in HR groups? I'm not sure if I can add an external link on this forum but will try in a separate reply - I have a blog about how to use LinkedIn for your job search that may be helpful.

    A mentor can be invaluable - for feedback, ideas, introductions and as a sounding board. CIPD branches often have mentoring schemes, and / or approach someone and / or post on LinkedIn asking for one, or find a paid one. Or even a mix, you'll get different experiences and benefits.

    Can you target a company you want to work for, find a role that fits your existing experience and then engineer a move into HR from there? This is what I did. It took a while but was a really worthwhile thing to do, overcoming those 'no experience' objections.

    I hope there's something helpful there for you!
    Best wishes
    Karen
  • in reply to Alasdair

    Hi Alasdair, to echo Martin and Charmaine, do check out your local CIPD branch events and even those online which are not so local! It's a great way of networking. Maybe even take on a volunteering role with the CIPD or your branch. It will certainly get you in the mix with people professionals and maybe help with some useful contacts.

    https://www.cipd.co.uk/learn/branches

    https://www.cipd.co.uk/learn/volunteer

  • Welcome to the People Profession Alasdair :)
    I would say maybe a good cover letter sometimes is under-rated? I prefer reading these to CV's really, they give an opportunity to explain where you've been and where you are at and why you want the job rather than allowing them to make their own assumptions and decide you are overqualified or will be bored etc. They can spark curiosity whilst CV often all looks pretty similar.

    Good luck!