How to "fall" into the HR field
- November 26, 2010
The Human Resources field is not the easiest field to break into. There is a large majority of people who “fall” into the field. These people have gotten into the field through sheer luck. They had no HR experience, but applied for a job within their company and got it. It is much harder to break in the field now. A recent college graduate in Human Resources may run into difficulties in getting his/her first HR job. Most employers are looking for HR Coordinators and HR Assistants to have a couple of HR experience. So you are probably asking the question, “How can I get experience when most of the HR jobs are requiring HR experience?” One way is to do a paid/unpaid internship before you graduate.
An unpaid/paid internship is a practical way to get hands on experience. The more internships you can do, it will help build your resume. Internships can provide valuable experience and will give you references for your next opportunity. If you are not a student, volunteering in a HR department may give you the experience that you need.
If you are not able to go into the internship route, there are certain industries that tend to be open to taking people into HR with little or no experience. The temporary agencies and consulting firms may be a great way to break into the field. Other industries that are open minded are the hospitality and the public sector.
HR Certifications can help you get the necessary HR knowledge. Cal State East Bay offers a HR certification that costs $195 per course plus a $45 application fee. You can get your certificate within 6 to 9 months.
It’s critical that you don’t get discouraged. The keys to getting in the field are perseverance and having critical HR knowledge. Having these two tools will help you “crash” into the field.
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