Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Someone asked to interview me recently and one among the questions they wanted me to reply was about profession advice for human resources professionals. They never got around to asking me the query, which was really a shame because I believed I had response. ha.ha. So, I made a decision to share it with you here.
If I could offer one piece of profession advice to human resources pros, it’s this – don’t be afraid to simply accept assignments outside of HR. Through the years, I’ve worked on many terrific HR projects and gained helpful insights. But I’ve also been fortunate to work on operations projects that gave me experience within the business. These operational projects helped to shape my HR standpoint and construct relationships across the organization and my occupation.
A few of the projects I’ve worked on included:
- Opening a facility. I’ve also assisted in closing a facility as well. While among the tasks you may have to do are similar, they will be very different where employees are concerned.
- Problem-solving operational challenges, including identifying casual relationships and recommending an answer. Need to know what keeps your managers up at night? Work with them on an operational problem.
- Being a member of an emergency response team. This included understanding organizational risk, developing a communications plan, and implementing the plan.
- Managing payroll and security. Sometimes these functions are a component of HR and sometimes not. Regardless, HR works closely with these areas because they involve employees. It may also offer some insights about customers which rarely happens with HR.
- Assuming a “manager-in-charge” role when executives were away from the office. Someone have to be in charge when the leadership team is out of the office. Even when it’s for a day, this could be a very eye-opening activity.
So don’t draw back from non-HR activities when you may have the possibility. It’s an excellent approach to learn the operation and construct relationships with the management team. Taking over these assignments doesn’t mean you’re not committed to your occupation. Actually, it shows the other. How persistently have we heard how human resources professionals have to know the language of business? Too many. These kind of operational projects will be just the possibility you’ve been in search of.
When you want just a few other profession development activities, listed here are some additional suggestions.
How one can Get Your First Job in Human Resources
Bookmark This! Books on Recruitment and HR Topics
Selecting the Best HR Certification
How one can Maintain Your Skilled Certification
One final thing. Deb Cohen wrote a book called “Developing Management Proficiency: A Self-Directed Learning Approach”. I like Deb’s work since it introduces the thought of a “profession portfolio”. You realize how designers keep a portfolio of their work? Well, consider this as the identical thing for non-designers. We are able to create our own profession portfolios and commonly review them to make sure that we’re staying focused on our goals. I believe it could also serve to make sure that we stay on course.
Managing our profession will be difficult. There are occasions after we may very well be pulled in multiple directions. And that’s not at all times a foul thing. Developing a plan and commonly revisiting that plan may very well be exactly what we want to remain engaged and achieve our profession goals.
Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the streets of Las Vegas, NV
The post One Piece of Profession Advice for Human Resources Professionals appeared first on hr bartender.