Did you transition into the Human Resources field from another field of work? If so, how?
I am interested in possibly talking and emailing with people who transitioned into the field of Human Resources, any specialty, from another field. Most specifically, I am interested in how you made the transition. Did an HR position open up in your firm? Did you go back to school, earn a certification, etc.? The article will advise non-HR people about how to get into the field.
Answers (18)
Pam S
Available for employment, consulting, or training. See Specialties areas.
Best Answers in: Education and Schools (1), Social Enterpreneurship (1), Engineering (1), Industrial Design (1)
I am currently trying to transition into a Human Resources field (environmental health and safety management).
So far, I been able to dust off some long unused experience in chemistry and some peripheral experience in safety, to be able to fill a niche temporary need at work. I also took as many classes, as I could find that would help me achieve my goals. I used all of that, and some excellent recommendations to apply for and be accepted to the Masters Program in Safety at IUP. I am hoping that will help me be able to permanently transition into a safety manager's position.
I think you have to be open to opportunities that exist where you currently work, express a desire to help, and use each experience as a series of steps leading to your final goal.
Monster has an excellent forum for career changers, and another specifically for HR jobs.
Good luck!
Pam
Links:
I made the transition from an R&D/Technical position into the HR area when our expertise was needed to implement their HRIS solution. I learned a lot about the "business" of HR during the implementation and found a way to be valuable to that department by blending my technical expertise and technical skills. After 8 years in that blended role, I was able to move to another company where I use my technical skills again, but concentrating on the compensation side of HR.
Jeff B
Senior Manager Talent Development and Leadership Acceleration
Best Answers in: Staffing and Recruiting (2), Personnel Policies (1)
I made this transition. I went back and reviewed my previous positions and looked at the HR functions within those positions. I then tailored a resume to highlight those functions. I then went out and began networking with HR professionals in my community. Within 6 weeks, I had 3 offers. Since that time I have been promoted twice. The most important thing you can do is network. The schooling/certifications can follow. You need someone on the inside to help you get there. Many in HR have landed there after working in other parts of the company.
This is my first job in a coporate HR setting. Years ago, I was a recruiter at a staffing service - which actually aided in getting this current position. For many years, I worked in Higher Education, Student Services Administration. Most of these positions included hiring and training student staff. Since moving to California, I wanted to work for Disney, but wasn't sure it what capacity. I checked their on-line job postings weekly, and finally came across a Human Resources position that would use my transferable skills for higher education and the staffing industry. I did not go back to school, and do not have a degree or certificate in HR.
My experience was similar to some of the others. I was an outside sales man for a quite sometime and moved to an agency recruiting position as my product was phased out.
From there I began networking in HR circles like SHRM meetings etc and landed this position in a corporate setting as an Human Resources Generalist.
Good luck.
I transitioned into Human Resources from the academic clinical research field. Specifically, I boarded the main instrument of my dissertation, the MBTI, and headed towards the vast world of HR consulting.
Wayne S
BEST Connected Recruiter in Oz, TopLinked.com,International Executive Search-Presenter and Coach with 800+ placements.
Best Answers in: Staffing and Recruiting (1), Professional Networking (1)
More than 20 years ago I was a Civil Engineer and sold in the Building Materials industry.
I was attracted by a recruiter's advertisement and the description of the business seemed to match all my requirements.
As it turned out I was unsuccessful but was then asked if I would consider a career in recruitment.
So I became apprenticed to Andrew Banks and Geoff Morgan on the basis that I had been reasonably good in my selection of employees over the years.
Never looked back.
Regards
Wayne
Actually, this is my first job as corporate HR. For 7 years, I was a recruiter at a staffing company - which helped in earning this current position because this is where I met my actual employer. I basically have studied in'tl business at UC Berkeley and then found an internship in HR. After all what I believe is to have the opportunity to meet a recruiter that believes in not only your resume but your personal capacity to quickly learn - adapt but most important of all, match with the company's vision. You can be graduated from prestigious and recognized HR courses and/or diploma, however if you don't match the company management vision and politics, failure is guaranteed. In another, when changing field to HR, it's always worth to try and believe in your strength.
Laurie B
HR, Recruiting & Career Consultant | Job Search Strategist & Resume Writer | www.planbhr.net
I got into the field by chance - I was new in town and signed up with a temp agency (had no idea what I wanted to do with my career, but I needed to work). They sent me to a company that needed someone for the marketing department, but when I showed up, they decided to use me in the HR department instead. 3 weeks later they offered me an entry level HR position, and 12 years later, I'm still in HR. Over the years, I've met many HR pros with similar stories who got into the field by chance. While my story involved serendipity, I agree with many of the other posters that networking is the key - you've got to meet and get in front of the HR leaders who can create that chance for you. Be prepared to talk about how your skills will transfer and be sure you can demonstrate that you have a good understanding of what HR does. Keep in mind that HR is a complex and often difficult line of work, and the reality of working in HR can be very different from a hopeful career changer's perception.
John H
HR Business Partner/Staffing Manager
Best Answers in: Air Travel (1), Staffing and Recruiting (1), Contracts (1)
I started off my career as a special ed teacher (5 years), then transitioned into a retail trainer position (sure paid better!), then when the HR Manager quit, they asked me if I wanted to be the new HR Manager. 17 years later, I got my SPHR to both enhance my knowledge and make my resume more marketable.
Harvinder S
Business Analyst to CEO at Bharti Teletech India
Best Answers in: Personnel Policies (1)
I made a transition from analyst role to HR role. It was an eventful journey, but quite a learning experience about a function which is the catalyst to any of the organization's success.
I gained a lot of experience in Marketing Communications Management and decided to complete my education. Graduating with a Bachelors in Organizational Management and Masters in Organizational Leadership, I qualify for C-Level Management and Change Management opportunities.
Then, I network.....
And people constantly ask me about my Human Resources experience and they don't know of any HR Director opportunities.
Well, I'm still on the career hunt.
I see it this way, should the opportunity to become and HR Professional arise, it would be due to others seeing the transition for me. Skills, abilities and education seem to always become transferable experience into other fields.
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Well I feel like I am the perfect candidate to answer this question. Having had a variety of jobs, but always staying within the sales and marketing peripheral, and even opening up my own business in the past (I was a successful restaurateur, with absolutely no background experience in that field, aside from eating out a lot LOL. I landed my 1st job in recruitment this year (Jan 2008 to be exact). In the matter of a few months, I was able to understand the true meaning of what it takes to be proficient at this job and how to be a great recruiter, I strongly believe that my interpersonal skills and my capacity of adapting quickly to any job thrown at me made this transition from sales to recruitment easy as A, B, C- well at least for me! My strong customer service background and excellent communicator, great listener are just a few of the skills I also believe helped me with that. My need to build long standing relationships with my candidates are key to this job-sales helped me understanding the importance of a thorough follow up, clients and candidates equally. The candidate is who I want to impress the most and more importantly gain their trust, since this newfound career can land me other opportunities in the future on the long term, I’m making sure that my good name and word to mouth reputation follows me to the end of times. I do not have any HR certification or background, but I do have the skills to have someone believe in me, and backing up that belief by delivering the goods at each career I ever have. I also made sure to utilize linkedin in all its capacity to make myself a name in this industry and my linkedin recommendations speaks for itself ( Again to all of you, thank you!! I read some hearth warming recommendations, that help me build my confidence level in this role and for that I am very thankful to all :). I am proud and pleased of all my accomplishments in my professional career path and it helped me confirm the old saying: "You can do ANYTHING you want if you put your mind and heart to it" Something I was ALWAYS capable of doing in any role I took in the past...I'm truly a “Jane of all trades” and I can prove it every time!
I worked for a company for 8 years and decided that I needed a change. I was a Sr. Administrative Assistant along with Client Communication & Internet Specialist at the time. I saw an internal posting for a HR Coordinator position. I do not have a college degree, any certifications in HR, but something told me to go for it and I did! I landed the job and worked as a HR Coordinator for 3 years. I then left the HR field to go back to my roots of the Administrative field in a different industry for a change of scenary, and after 3 months, I realized that HR is my niche and I am transitioning back into HR. I agree with the posts, it is all about networking and building relationships and the rest will come at a later time. Best of luck!
Yes, I transitioned into HR from an Administrative Assistant role. I had some staffing experience as a recruiter and I had assisted an HR Manager with some HR work previously, but I specifically took a position as an Administrative Assistant in a growing company in hopes of transitioning into HR when the opportunity presented itself.
Finally, when the opportunity did arise and they needed a recruiter, I raised my hand and they let me take the position. From there I was able to perform other HR work and learned more when recruiting was slow.
From there my next job was again in a small and growing company and I was able to land an HR Coordinator job from which I have now grown and am the HR Generalist.
Prior to becoming an HR Generalist I obtainined my PHR certification to deepen my HR skills.
Marc L
Vice President of GS3 Medical Billing
Best Answers in: Staffing and Recruiting (11), Mentoring (3), Job Search (2), Resume Writing (1), Compensation and Benefits (1), Internet Marketing (1), Change Management (1), Ethics (1), Using LinkedIn (1)
I took the employment agency route at a time when such people were looked upon as "career peasants." Few old style corporate "personnel" managers wanted to look agency people in the eye, let along hire them to work in their departments.
However, in the late 1980's a severe labor shortage put an end to the headhunter stigma and many aggressive agency/search firm recruiters began to be sought after by companies trying to compete for talented employees in an increasingly limited labor pool.
Many of the top-tier agency recruiters said, "no thank you," because of the money being offered versus what they were already making on either a retainer or contingency basis. However, many very good recruiters, who were either planning to hone their recruiting skills in a fast paced agency environment before entering corporate HR or those who preferred a regular salary and benefits over straight commission easily moved over to what we used to call, "the dark side," - corporate HR.
I still think the best preparation for a career in HR - especially the employment side is solid employment agency and executive search experience. The diverse experience one gets in an agency and the fast pace they become accustomed to in that kind of environment helps them run rungs around corporate recruiters with OJT. Many of those see recruiting as a brief visit on the way to becoming a generalist. Agency recruiters are "hiring animals" and remain up for the challenge hire after hire. After 30 years, I still have an "eye of the tiger" when it comes to finding people under rocks! The passion is still here with me! My clients appreciate that.
I had done alot of Administrative positions and was finishing up a communications degree. A full time Office Manager position opened up - and it was HR heavy, which I didn't know about. I sort of fell into the position in a smaller company. I had to learn on my feet - and there has been alot to learn. I used resources where I could find them and am planning to get further education in HR - there are alot of certificate courses which can greatly increase your ability to get into the HR field. There are also alot of entry level HR positions you just have to find the right opportunity. But, alot of companies need HR assistants - which is an admin position focusing on HR - this is a good way to get into the field w/out alot of HR experience.
Dan R
Retained Executive Search and Leadership Consulting
Best Answers in: Certification and Licenses (1)
I made this transition over several years in a very unique way.
I worked in manufacturing for 14 years. During this time I evolved from a Technical Manager to a General Manager. While on this journey I spent a period of time starting a Training & Development function, an exercise that spurred my interest in the HRD field. I chose to complete a second master's degree in HRD at Vanderbilt and then moved into two different HR generalist roles that allowed me to learn about the total HR spectrum.
There is much more detail in this story, but the key point it that having a background in a different area can make your HR contribution much richer when you are in the right situation.
