If you are considering a career in HR, you could find yourself working as a consultant, recruiter, safety manager, executive, benefits specialist or even psychologist. Where you go in your HR job is up to you, but some early preparation and training never hurts.
In your quest for HR job opportunities, education goes a long, long way. If you wish to someday have an HR manager job, then an advanced degree such as a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) is something you should work towards as many companies will not promote or hire a new HR manager without one. If you plan to one day work with labor unions, then studying labor relations will be important. Many colleges offer certification programs in labor laws, health and safety regulations or compensation. Make sure that whatever school you go to is reputable and accredited.
Craft a polished and professional cover letter and resume finding the HR job you want. Ideally, your cover letter and resume will focus on your strengths and accomplishments in prior work experiences. If you have just finished school, highlight your training and any internships in HR you have completed. Be sure to proofread your work for any spelling, punctuation or grammatical errors as these can only reflect poorly on you when you are applying for a new HR job. Have friends or associates check over your work.
Think long and hard about where you want to end up in your HR job, and how that relates to where you are now. If you are currently in an assistant HR job or some other entry level HR job and you ultimately want to find an HR manager job, what will it take to get you there? Do you need a particular type of certification or degree? Many HR jobs are highly specialized now and years of experience in HR recruiting jobs may not be enough to help you get a healthcare HR job. Set the wheels in motion early to achieve the HR manager job of your dreams.
Spend time researching all the companies you think you might like to work for. Look into their business and corporate policies to find out if they might provide you with the HR job opportunities you are looking for. Researching companies has the added benefit of making you that much more knowledgeable about the company when you eventually come in to interview for an HR job.
Aside from searching help-wanted ads in newspapers or job websites such as Monster.com or CareerBuilder.com, keep in touch with old coworkers and bosses. Look at every job you work at as a place to work hard and distinguish yourself. Eventually, these contacts may help you land an amazing HR job.
