What Do Human Resource Professionals Do
Do you imagine yourself having a rewarding career, with opportunities to progress and pursue your interests? Perhaps you haven’t considered human resources management before; it’s a surprisingly diverse career path that is evolving to meet the demands of new technology. If you’re a people person who enjoys working with others, and you want to make a real difference to the organisation you work for, HR could be perfect for you.
What is Human Resources?
The Human Resources (HR) department looks at how employees can maximise a business’s Return on Investment. A role in HR is varied with many responsibilities which include, but aren’t limited to:
- Creating and overseeing policies relating to how the company behaves towards its employees and employee behaviour
- Selecting the most suitable candidates for different roles within the company, and ensuring they have the right experience and skills to fulfil their required duties
- Ensuring there are progression opportunities for employees, and that sufficient training is provided when needed
There are many employment opportunities within the field of HR; lots of companies have an HR department, especially large organisations. You will benefit from working normal hours in an office environment, but you may also have the chance to travel to other branches of your employer’s company. Moreover, you will be able to progress into managerial roles and more senior positions throughout your career, up to director level. To succeed in HR, you need to possess the following skills and qualities
- Excellent business awareness skills, with thorough knowledge and understanding of an organisation’s goals and policies
- The ability to apply and explain employment law
- The ability to accept a lot of responsibility
- Exceptional interpersonal skills, with the confidence to cultivate relationships with employees of all levels
- An approachable person that staff members feel they can confide in
- An influential person who can demonstrate instances when you have made a difference
- Strong IT and numeracy skills may also be an important requirement, depending on the demands of your role
“If you’re a people person who enjoys working with others, and you want to make a real difference to the organisation you work for, HR could be perfect for you.”
What Qualifications do I Need?
There are several entry routes into HR, and courses you can take regardless of your education or experience levels. You can study online at your pace and achieve nationally recognised qualifications. The Certificate IV in Human Resources doesn’t have any entry requirements and prepares you for working in your first HR role.
Alternatively, there is the Diploma in Human Resources Management which is suitable for those looking to further their career. To enter, you need to be able to read and write up to year 12 level at least. This is just one example of many VET FEE-HELP government funded HR courses, where those eligible can receive a loan to help pay for study fees.
There are also several postgraduate and masters courses available at a number of universities, which allow you to specialise in various areas of HR and business.
Where will my Career take me?
There couldn’t be a more exciting time to begin your career in HR. The Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) has said that up to ‘two-thirds’ of current HR duties could be automated in future, with machines and robots taking over payroll and administrative tasks Therefore, HR will eventually focus more on ‘human interaction and empathy’, skills that people can use to seek and develop the best possible talent.
Furthermore, the latest study from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) said that approximately 39% of HR professionals outlined ‘maintaining high employee engagement and developing next generation leaders’ as their top two priorities], which demonstrates the fantastic progression opportunities available within HR.
Once you have completed your undergraduate degree in Human Resources Management, you will be able to specialise in a particular area of interest, whether that be recruitment, equal opportunities, leadership and management or organisational behaviour. With an entire spectrum of specialist areas available, the choice is yours.
With rich and varied roles full of progression opportunities and the chance to specialise, human resource managers have long and fulfilling careers where they can work with people everyday and make a real difference to an organisation. Take a look at our course list now for more information.