HR consulting is a job that requires you to develop, design, and implement various kinds of strategies for meeting the unique needs of the company. If you are employed in a junior level, HR consultants need to be active participants in managing the human resources department of your employer. It helps if you start off as an HR consulting agent in a junior level, as this helps you get a good grip of the issues that need to be addressed. On the other hand, it also helps you follow a systematic route to scale the professional ladder in due course of time.
Go for a 4 years bachelor's degree from a business school to realize your dream of being an HR consultant. Simply finishing a community course in college with a focus on human resources will be insufficient for good advancement in career opportunities. To better your chances of professional accomplishment and a steady growth curve, go for enrolling in a master's degree in a business administration MBA program at a college that is recognized by your state. It is not mandatory however to have a degree in business administration for becoming an HR consultant, although some companies do not promote you if you don't have an MBA degree.
You may get a professional certification in HR consulting in general HR courses or specialized fields like Labor Relations, Compensation, and Benefits training. These are available in professional organizations and training colleges. All you need to do is make sure that you are going for a course that is accredited.
The HR consultant should demonstrate determination as well as analytical skills if you have joined at an entry level with an established human resource or HR consultancy firm. One of the challenges of the human resource consultants is to win clients and for this you need to establish your credibility within a short time.
Once you have completed your qualifications, write a business plan that borders on your training and how it influences your capabilities as an HR consultant. Independent HR consultancy professionals select a niche that is different from what other providers are looking for. You can target the companies that are located in a particular geographical area or work for companies within a particular industry. Market the existing business contacts that you have and get new contacts through referrals.
There are many established firms and organizations that have competitive positions in the entry level for college graduates who are not experienced in human resources. However, you are required to prove that you are capable of designing as well as implementing the required solutions. In case you want to go for independent practice in HR consulting, you need to gain the right kind and duration of experience in the HR consultancy jobs. One of the appropriate ways of doing this is to work and render your services for an established agency or firm.
If you can work for several years as an HR consultant, in a human resources department or for an established HR consulting firm, you will gain thorough knowledge and experience in the job and develop contacts that will help in your new career. You can also offer expertise in a particular sphere of HR consulting like benefit selection or compensation.
The HR consultancy jobs are available all over the globe, and the qualifications and requirements for them are easy to attain.
The salaries of HR consultants can range from $63,000 to $80,000 on an annual basis, although this increases with duration of service and experience.
As an HR consultant, you can practice independently or serve an organization. For the former, set up an office at home as well as create a fundamental marketing material that displays a professional image along with a professional web site and business cards. Get in touch with a lawyer or accountant for helping you decide whether you want to integrate, develop a partnership business or stay in the profession as the sole proprietor.
