I want to work in HR (Human Resource Management)

Find out how you can start a career in HR (Human Resource Management). Here we list potential job roles and some of the leading companies in that sector.

Job roles

Human Resource Management (HRM), also known as Personnel Management:

It may involve: organisation and staff planning, creating solutions, recruitment and selection, termination of employment, training and development, industrial relations, job evaluation and employee services.

There are twelve career areas within the people profession:

Any degree subject is normally acceptable, although law, psychology and business-related degrees (particularly if you have taken a module in HR) are often seen as being particularly 'relevant'. A scientific or technical background can be an asset in some organisations.

There are three main routes for graduates into HRM:

  • Through a graduate training scheme. The most competitive route in.
  • Following a postgraduate course. There are a number of masters degrees and postgraduate diplomas in HRM Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). Courses are available in many locations and modes of study see.
  • Through a junior role such as Personnel Assistant. This will help you to gain relevant experience that will allow you to progress in your career. Jobs may be advertised in the local press, through recruitment agencies or through websites for specialist industry sector.

HR/Office Manager

Totaljobs HR Manager job profile
Prospects HR Officer job profile
CIPD HR Generalist job profile

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Officer

Prospects Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Officer job profile
TARGETjobs Equality and Diversity Officer job profile

CIPD Diversity and Inclusion Specialist job profile

Employee Experience Specialist

CIPD Employee Experience Specialist job profile

Organisation Development and Design Specialist

CIPD Organisation Development and Design Specialist job profile
All About Careers Organisation Development, Design and Change career information

Training and Development Officer

Prospects Training and Development Officer job profile
TARGETjobs Training and Development Officer job profile
CIPD Learning and Development Specialist job profile

Reward Specialist

CIPD Reward Specialist job profile
All About Careers Compensation, Benefits and Rewards career information

Talent Management Specialist

CIPD Talent Management Specialist job profile

Resourcing Specialist

CIPD Resourcing Specialist (in-house recruitment) job profile
LinkedIn blog on talent acquisition

Recruitment Consultant

Working as a recruitment consultant is different to working in an HR recruitment role. It is a targeted sales role where you are responsible for attracting new clients who will pay the consultancy to recruit candidates on their behalf.
Prospects Recruitment Consultant job profile
TARGETjobs Recruitment Consultant job profile

Companies

Any employer with a sufficient number of employees to justify a specialist personnel section may employ HR managers: e.g. manufacturing or service industries; local government; health authorities; universities and colleges; commercial organisations.

Experience relevant to personnel work can also be gained in other related fields, particularly retail management and recruitment consultancy.
Qualities required include good communication and negotating skills; persistence, tact, self-reliance and patience, some analytical and numerical ability and commercial awareness.

Competition for vacancies in HRM is invariably keen and applicants therefore need to be strongly motivated towards this work; to demonstrate that they have considered what the work is likely to involve and whether they are personally suited. Try to shadow a personnel manager, in order to get office experience.

Recruitment roles

Find out more

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