Education and Training
Generally speaking, an HR management graduate will not necessarily have an advantage over applicants with other degrees in business, economics and psychology when it comes to jobs in the human resource department of an organization. Still, with the right mix training and work experience, said degree in human resources can be an edge. Said training and work experience must be related to the industry of the organization to which the application for an HR position is submitted. However, if the individual can show transferability of skills set from one industry to the next, the position can be had.
The HR degree holder, furthermore, must show personal traits including but not limited to diplomacy, excellent oral and written communication, persuasion and negotiation skills, organizational and technological abilities, business and commercial awareness as well as a degree of organizational behavior management skills. Ultimately, you will be dealing with people and, hence, people skills are on top of the list of desired qualities.
Possible Job Prospects
Since most companies are usually hiring the whole year-round, a human resource management graduate usually has more prospects than other degree holders. It is important, nonetheless, to streamline your search so that more job prospects are available in just one site or list, all without wasting too much time, money and effort searching fruitlessly. Among the best ways to search for jobs suiting an HR management graduate is the Internet where job sites are aplenty, not to mention that many large corporations advertise job openings through their own official websites. You may also contact specialist HR recruitment agencies, apply in person to the company and scan the newspaper adverts.
Possible Positions
Companies especially those with medium to large human resource departments will require human resource professionals. Positions will range from HR assistant to HR directors, with specializations in areas like labor negotiations, payroll administration and career advisor, to name a few possibilities. Human resource management is now being seen as a management position instead of as a support function. Thus, positions can often be aligned with the executive hierarchy although the level with which it is adopted will vary from one industry to the next and from one company to the next. Many human resource management graduates will also seek to establish their own recruitment agencies. Still, experience and exposure are necessary to build a reputation and a clientele base.
Career Prospects
With experience and continuing education as well as excellent job performance, moving up the corporate ladder is a possibility. This can be done either in a lateral way from one mid-sized company to a larger organization or in an upward manner within the same organization, both with higher position and pay. An HR management graduate has indeed plenty of opportunities for personal and professional advancement. Not even the recession seemed to have an effect on the career prospects of HR management degree holders. The opposite appears to be true. With the downsizing of many companies, the imperative necessities to ensure compliance with labor laws and smooth transitions with a smaller workforce, not to mention hire the best professionals for the position, have made human resource management degree holders more in-demand than ever.
Pay and Perks
The pay and perks awaiting the human resource management graduate cannot be overemphasized. Keep in mind that location, experience and specialty will affect the paycheck and its benefits. Thus, HR generalists and specialists can earn $31,000 to $45,000 on entry level and $90,000 to $120,000 on senior level while HR recruiters rake in $80,000 to $200,000 with several years' experience. Any way one looks at it, these salary ranges make for a comfortable life.
So, if you are an HR management graduate, know that your degree is your ticket to an excellent job with its psychic rewards and financial income in any industry you may want to make a career in.
