Abstract
In human resource management, career development is vital for success. This article presents information and perspectives to assist HR professionals who are either new to HR or in the early years of their careers to assess, evaluate and manage their career development and thus leverage and promote their own career for the future.
Introduction
In today's work environment, the employee is ultimately responsible for his or her career development--the process by which individuals establish their current and future career objectives, assess their existing skills, knowledge or experience levels, and then implement an appropriate course of action to attain their desired career objectives. (1)
Although HR often provides career development opportunities to the overall workforce, HR professionals are also accountable for their own careers. Interestingly, the SHRM 2008 Managing Your HR Career survey report found that nearly 75% of HR professionals began their careers in a business area other than HR. (2) Whether you are considering human resources as your first or next career or figuring out the next HR career move, career development is a vital part of career success. This article provides information and perspectives on what HR professionals, either new to HR or in the early years of their career, can do to leverage and promote their own career development for the future.
Pathways in HR
Many organizations have a human resource department. Since companies depend on employees for success in the marketplace, human resource management (HRM) is a critical function. HRM is defined as the formal structure within an organization responsible for all the decisions, strategies, factors, principles, operations, practices, functions, activities and methods related to the management of people. (3) Within HRM (commonly referred to as human resources or HR), there are three basic tracks:
* Generalist: An individual who possesses the capabilities to perform more than one diversified function rather than specializing in or having responsibility for one specific function. (4)
* HR Specialist: A term used to de fine an individual who has expertise and responsibility for a specific area or function within the field of human resources (e.g., compensation, benefits, employee relations). (5)
* Executive: The highest-ranking individual, or group of individuals, who has managerial or administrative authority for the business operations of the entire organization, business unit or function. (6)
Additionally, within HR, there are several areas of specialization (see Figure 1). This list, although not exhaustive, provides the most common areas of HR (some areas are also known by other terms, as noted in brackets.) For students considering HR as a career, SHRM offers guidance in its new career resource, Choose a Career. Choose HR (see box on next page). Professionals interested in transitioning into HR will find that their expertise from another discipline can be beneficial. Individuals with experience in the following fields can use their expertise in an HR career: accounting (math data analysis, detail-orientation), sales (ability to access needs, influence people), marketing and communications (writing and presentation skills), information technology (programming, report writing, systems and software technology) and administrative (data entry, writing and customer service skills, scheduling/time management). (7) No matter the path that leads to HR, all HR professionals will want to be knowledgeable about their respective career development plans.
Figure 1 | Specialization Areas in Human Resources
* Compensation and benefits [total rewards]
* Employee and labor relations
* Global human resource management
* Organizational and employee development [training]
* Safety and security [risk management]
* Staffing management [workplace planning/readirless, recruiting and retention]
* Workplace diversity
Source: Society for Human Resource Management.
Looking Ahead
Before designing a career development plan, the key questions to consider are:
1. What skills are needed to be a successful HR professional?
2. What are your short- and long-term career goals?
3. What types of companies and work environments are best suited to your goals?
4. Where can you find good career advice?
While you may not have immediate answers for all of these questions, they provide an opening to begin the discussion about career development--at any career stage.
SHRM research indicates that the top most important factors for an individual to attain his or her next job in human resources are strategic/critical thinking, leadership and interpersonal communication skills (see Figure 2). Additionally, key business partner skills for HR include strategic planning, organizational design, change management, cross-functional experience and global understanding. (8) When assessing your skill base and development gaps, these points are important to keep in mind. Further, when seeking career advice, there are many options. According to the SHRM 2008 Managing Your HR Career survey report, the most influential sources of HR career advice are supervisors/managers or other high-level professionals in a supervisory role, colleagues, mentors/ coaches, HR professionals, professors and friends. (9) Clearly, to foster career development, there is a rich resource of professionals available to draw upon and network with in to again insight and gather feedback.
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar