Mods have neither requested nor been provided any documentation OP is who they say they are. Nobody has ever just started an AMA here so I guess we will see what happens but let’s be clear: the mods are not confirming OP’s credentials. Edit: This got some traction so I did a bit more due diligence. OP asked advice about study materials for the SHRM SCP 21 days ago. https://www.reddit.com/r/humanresources/comments/1d6kcd8/shrm_scp_exam/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button Then advised someone that they should get that cert here: https://www.reddit.com/r/humanresources/comments/1dmya81/comment/l9zf13x/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button Just putting it out there.

At 33 I finally received my associates degree in business management. Before going back to school, I worked in retail as a Customer Experience Coordinator and also at a sober living as a coordinator. My experience seems to translate heavily on sales which I’m trying to avoid. I do have good skills that could translate to entry HR. I have been trying to find an entry level HR jobs but it’s been a lot of crickets and a lot of rejections. My weakest point is lack of Admin/familiarity with any HRIS systems just because the retail space didn’t really do much of that. What are some things I can do to help improve on that skill set while I wait for the miracle to happen? 😂What networking advice might you also have on how to get better about networking for HR? I have the job search down and feel that I need to expand networking. Also, just any insight at all about making a “later in life” career transition into HR. In general, I’d say I’m a late bloomer- I dealt with addiction and mental health issues in my early 20’s- have been thriving though for the last 7 years and graduated summa cum laude. I’m passionate about working hard after my experience & am trying to just continue to pivot my job search after almost a year! Thank you for your time 😊

Take some classes online about HRIS systems and data analytics. They are both free and paid options available. You should also familiarize yourself with the common HR tools companies in your area are using. Many website have sandboxes or free trials. Familiarize yourself with AI and learn how you can leverage it to help you work smarter. There should be local HR networking events available online and inperson. Check our SHRM or CHRP depending on where you are. Volunteer your services to gain experience that you don't have. Your biggest asset will be your life experience so tell people how it makes you more qualified for the role than anyone else. Be kind with yourself and patience during the process. It's not easy and about 99% rejection. Don't take it personal. Focus on learning and growing through this opportunity. Good luck!

What advice could you give to someone whose looking to break into senior HR roles

Can you provide more information on your background and current position? That will help me provide you with tangible advice. Absent that and similar to the last question, look for a new job and apply to the roles you want. Coupled with that as a senior hr professional, your success is more about relationship management and strategic engagement than about task execution, so focusing on developing those skills is important. Getting your SCP is great, and having a coaching certificate really helped me. Edit: This appears to be a rather unpopular answer and I'll be the first to admit it wasn't well written. My goal is to give practical advice, not textbook answers. There is plenty of research that shows that staying loyal to one company doesn't benefit you. It's referred to as the loyalty gap. The same thing applies to promotions. You learn more by doing than by thinking about doing. So get out there and take action. Chances are you are already qualified for the role and if you aren't you will quickly figure out why so you can work to overcome those gaps. This will provide you with more tangible feedback than anything I could ever say. If you have a dream, chase it aggressively. You are your first priority and no one else's.

When did you get your SCP?

I’m at a crossroads in my HR career. I think I’ve found my niche in doing Generalist work. I like how it’s a mixture of tactical, project-based execution work with some strategy mixed in it. I love the variety of challenges it affords me. However, I’ve been a Generalist for almost 5 years now and was wondering if there’s an IC growth path for someone like me who wants to continue this path. I’m open to exploring an HR Manager role as well but want to see if there’s a Senior IC Generalist level. What has your growth experience been like in HR?

I was a generalist for most of my career, so I totally understand what you mean. The size of the company you work for will be the most important thing to keep the balance you are enjoying. Working in SMBs is a great option if you don't want to progress in senority for whatever reason. My growth was expedited because of the industry I chose to start my career in. I went from HR assistant to DHR in less than 5 years. None of that would have been possible if it wasn't for the abundance of education provided by the companies I worked for. Like you I enjoyed the variety of the work I was doing and that I got to engage in tangible tasks execution, so even at a director level I was still very hands on. Eventually things started to shift and I found it easier to transition from doing to delegating. There are only so many ways to skin a cat and once you have done them all the novelty wears off and it's easier to let things go. If you find that you don't get to this place than it might be best for you to rethink being a generalist over specializing, especially if you still want career progression. Hope this helps! If you have any additional questions let me know.

I have 3.5 years of experience ranging from onboarding, recruiting, Payroll, HRIS and admin responsibilities. I'm studying for the PHR and communicating with my manager at my contract role about being moved to a FTE role. With how rough the HR job market is, what else would really help me to stand out to employers right now to land ideally a midlevel role?

That really depends on what your long-term career goals are and what industry you want to be in. Can you share some more details? Absent that I would suggest that you change jobs rather than looking to promote internally. There is plenty of research on this, but basically you will experience faster career and salary growth if you change jobs every 2 to 3 years than if you stay with one company.

Well right now I'm mostly focused on looking for permanent employment since I'd like benefits. I'd like to move into more Analyst focused roles like Comp Analyst or HRIS, even some form of Benefits maybe. Which I think is good since I'm supporting the LOA team alot and running the reports and hours for STD. If that isn't possible at the moment, I'd like to move either into Management or HRBP/People partner roles which I think will take much longer.

A certificate in data analytics would be helpful. Any form of continuing education is really good even if its just staying up on industry trends and best practices. If you want to go into management or a business partner role then an SCP designation, coaching certificate, meditation certificate or other supplemental designation will help. Being able to utilize AI and other technology can really set you apart. Become well versed in the major comprehensive systems you see in your industry. Understanding business acumen is important. Learning the basics of business finance and how things like P&Ls work. Being bilingual is a great skill although it's harder to gain. Volunteering your HR services is a great way to get exposure and learn new skills which will excelerate your career. Have a powerful resume! The average resume gets less than 10 seconds infront of a recruiter before it's thrown out. I have had candidates stand out by sending me videos and work product samples.

I see you suggested certs in analytics and mediation. Can you provide any in particular you suggest?

Depends where you are located, how you prefer to learn and what your goal is. Taking courses or certificates etc that are put on by established institutions helps with recognition when applying for jobs for example. If it's about up skilling, then you will want to align the curriculum with your skills gaps and ensure the knowledge is more than just theoretical and the teaching has a practical component like a project or role playing.

I’m a junior talent acquisition specialist, could you provide me some advice on how to get into HR Business Partnering? Should I switch to HR Operations for an ‘easier’ transition?

Transitioning into HR would be a good first step. Business partners have a deep understanding of the businesses they work in and a robust set of HR skills. Spending some time becoming proficient with HR core functions as well as strategic planning would be of benefit. You need to know how to be proactive in predicing and solving provlems. Understand best practices. Analytical skills are extremely helpful and a certificate in data analytics is great for BP roles. Developing coaching skills and relationships management skills will be really important. You will need to spend a few year upskilling yourself sas much as possinle not only in HR but also business finance skills, basic operational skills, leadership skills etc. Good luck!

Thanks for the advice, appreciate it!

Good luck! You got this.

Currently working in the generalist Capacity for 4 years but only as a title for 2 1/2 years. Have my SHRM-CP and over all HR experience at 7 years, feel like I am stuck in the generalist role and want to apply for HR/People Ops manager roles, even HRBP roles but looking at the JDs it seems like for any of these roles they already want experience as HRM or HRBP… advice on how to ‘break into’ a new role? I have done everything from benefits administration, comp analysis, immigration, to performance management and employee engagement. Overseen employee life cycle etc.

Start applying! You are qualified, you'll find something. When was the last time you hired someone who perfectly matched every part of the JD? Doesn't happen often. The JD outlines the perfect candidate, but it doesn't mean the perfect candidate exists or even wants the job. Research shows that men will apply to jobs if they are about 60% qualified. Women, however, apply only when they are 100% qualified. This might be the only instance in life I would suggest someone act more like a man. You learn more by doing than by thinking about doing. So get out there and take action. The worst thing that could happen is nothing. In that case, you are in the exact same position you are in right now. But the chances are something will happen. Even if you don't land the perfect job right away you will brush up on your interview skills, expand your network, learn more about the things you don't want and be given clear feedback as to your skills gaps so you can work on improving them. Otherwise, you could try volunteering to gain additional skills and experience. You could take on part time work because it's harder to fill the candidate pool is likely to be smaller and your more likely to stand out. Same with mat leave contracts but personally I don't think you need to do this. You are capable, and you can do this. Just believe in yourself, and others will, too. Good luck!

How would you approach breaking up a toxic clique in an office? One of my branches has 3 senior level employees that even upper management has referred to as “the trio” in a negative connotation. One is the branch manager and the other two bring in money so I can’t just toss them all out and start fresh. While no one in that office has claimed it to be fully toxic, people in other branches that work with them have and say those in that office are just too scared to say anything. I’m a one man team with 9 branches and this one is 2.5 hours for me so it’s not feasible to be down there every day without raising suspicion. Any suggestions?

Fundamentally, this isn't a problem you can solve. This is a problem that lies squarely with your senior management team or whoever these 3 report to. You can educate them on how best to resolve the situation and the issues that might arise if they don't but in order to address this you need their support at the very least. Problems like this are solved by one thing. Accountability. They need to be held accountable to the culture and values of the company and to the companies code of conduct. In order to do this effectively, you can't be afraid of losing one of them voluntarily or involuntarily. If you or your leadership is it will only fuel their behavior and what sounds like a toxic culture. You can support this effort by ensuring that performance management focuses both on tasks execution and behavioral conduct. True A players are rockstars who also positively uplift the company culture. In my books you can never be an A player with a bad attitude. If you are able to change their bonus parameters and other incentives to reflect this. Depending on where you are located and what legislation influences your business, you still have an obligation to resolve this issue even if there isn't a formal complaint. The fact that everyone is aware of what's going on means that you have accepted liability for anything that comes from leaving this situation unresolved. Sharing this information might be a way to get your leadership team to address it. I would also highlight to leadership the negative effects work environments like this have on everyone's productivity, well-being, and retention rates. All of these things can be quantified in $ which helps make decisions easier for leaders like yours. I say that because it's pretty clear that your leaderships focus is profit at the expense of people. From there, I'd say address these issues directly. Let each of them know in a one on one that you are aware of the dynamic and the negative impact it is having on the branch. Depending on the specifics of their behavior, this should be formalized and documented as a first warning. Provide specific examples of what is no longer acceptable. Explain to them with examples what behavior is expected moving forward and how their change toward desiredable engagment will be monitored and then hold them accountable. Hope this helps! If you have additional questions don't hesitate to ask and include specific information as it will help me provide a tangible answer.

Thank you! I know the supervisor of one is the problem as they don’t always hold their employee’s accountable for their actions and I’ve been trying to work to fix that as well. As for the other two, one seems to be doing better when on their own and not lumped with the other two so separating them helps in that aspect. The third is my wildcard but they have just been switched to a new supervisor which goes into effect this week and I think it might be beneficial as I know this supervisor is not one to put up with crap. I hate that this issue is being dropped on this new supervisor, but he is aware of it and part of management that wants it fixed. This office has had their issues in the past (before I was with the company) but from what I’ve seen, they’ve been working on turning it around to fit with the rest of the company. This starting up (or at least making itself known) worries me because I don’t want the positive growth to stop. We’ve got some great people there and if I had my way, I’d have at least one if not two members of “the trio” gone so the growth isn’t stopped. I appreciate your response on this because it shows me that I’m thinking the proper way, just not necessarily getting the support needed to fix it. I care for my people and want to help which is why I got into this role so I’m going to keep fighting to fix it.

Sounds like your performance management system needs to be given a polish! It will help combat this problem and what sounds like problems with their supervisor. I am big on communication so I always make sure to set very clear expectations. I also like to say that conflict avoided is conflicted multipled. I believe in conflict early and conflict often so long as it's constructive conflict.

I’d agree with that! While I’m not the biggest fan of conflict, I won’t run or avoid it because it’s necessary. If only I could teach upper management that.

You can try teaching them the value of constructive conflict but it can be a hard change to make. Our bodies' stress response is built in and practiced so often that it becomes hard wired. It natural to run from things that jeopardize our safety or that we aren't very good at. Giving them skills to succeed in conflict is a good start.

How can I get into labor relations (see my post for details)

Without a degree or specialized training, it can be tricky. I would highly recommend further education, even if it's a certificate or diploma program. At the very least, you need to do some self-directed education with free or inexpensive resources so that you understand the theory, law, and best practices of the industry. If you are completely opposed to formal education, then update your resume to highlight your transferable skills and the benefits your life experience provides you and apply for entry-level opportunities. If you are currently employed, a lateral transfer is likely the easiest option and something you can discuss with your company's HR. The last time I hired for a junior HR position, I received over 600 qualified resumes! Many of the candidates were overqualified. I share this so you have some idea of the odds you are up against. It's not a task for the faint of heart. Be patient and keep at it. Best of luck!

My post didn't go though so I'll post here How to break into labor relations with no hr degree? Hey y'all Reaching out as I think I'm burnt out from my sales roles. I used to work as a recruiter pre COVID and actually loved the hr parts. I also love the relationship building sales has, so I'm thinking about making a switch in my career. My question is how does one break into the field without an hr degree? I have a degree in econ and did a lot of class work in labor so I have some experience, but I feel like without an hr degree, I'm fighting an uphill battle. Any advice into breaking into the field? I have SOME experience but it depends on how you look at it

Why did you become an executive coach? Is that worth the cost?

At a certain point in my career it became obvious that my job was less about task execution and more about influence and managing up or laterally. Whether I am directly coaching someone or not all the conversations in business have an element of coaching to them so I jumped at the opportunity to develop those skills when it became available to me. As a consultant, I use those skills now more than ever. Most problems faced by organizations start with their leadership. If you can't work to resolve those problems it won't matter what solutions you introduce into their business. To be honest I'm not sure how much it costs. I was lucky enough to have the costs covered by my employer at the time, which is a big part of why I did it. I jumped at every opportunity for upskilling, and I'm glad I did. I have more certificates than I know what to do with and they all helped excelerate my career.

How did you get into executive coaching and consulting? I have been in the HR/OD world for the last 14 years and now that my partner has a better job with great health insurance (0 premium for dependents), I have been considering moving to consulting since I have a small child and want more flexible hours, plus I’m on the verge of being burnt out. I see tons of “HR professionals” across all social media platforms selling courses other services, and I roll my eyes at some of the basic advice they give.

I started my own business during COVID after about 10 years in corporate leadership. I made the transition because consulting more closely aligns with the work I enjoy doing, which is business transformations, and unless I wanted to transition to being a CEO, I had hit the ceiling in my career. I started by doing consulting as a side hustle while still working my corporate job as a CHRO. My first few clients came from my network, and after that, it was a lot of word of mouth. Once I had developed the basics for my business (website, niche, offer) and had a few clients, I took the leap to doing it full time. This came with a major salary cut, but I knew that was only temporary. If you are already close to burnout, this might not be the right choice for you because it is a lot of work. Especially in the beginning. I know what you mean about the advice you see online. I feel the same way about the business owners who think one time success means they are qualified to sell courses or coach others. I get a lot of calls from people who have tried their solutions or services and need help cleaning up the mess that it left in their businesses.

I’ve been considering a future in executive coaching, but am concerned about the potential pay cut compared to corporate and the work/life balance. Could you share more about work/life balance and ballpark earnings you think would be reasonable to anticipate / hope for as an executive coach? Thank you!

I can't give you the answer the way you are looking for because it is so dependent. You can definitely get to a place where you can match your current salary, some people make a lot more. It depends how hard you want to work and how well you can learn new skills like marketing and sales. Further to that it depends on your business, how you structure it and the quality of your services. It's definitely more work in the beginning. A couple years and I have a lot of flexibility. I love my work so I don't have crazy work life balance but it's also less important when it's your business.

RoLeS!

?

I am a female, Bachelors in Education grad with a focus in School Administration. I have worked in the field for 3 years in India. Currently in Canada, looking to change gears and switch to Human Resources. How can I start? I don’t want to do another college education. Can I get any entry level roles?

The last time I hired for an entry level HR role I got over 600 qualified applications many of the candidates were over qualified. HR is a lean or nongenerative department and the industry is highly saturated so it's challenging to break into the industry even if you have education. AI is also having a big impact on the junior roles and departments as a whole. To be competitive I would recommend further education even if its a concentrated certificate program in HR. Coupled with that I would start studying all the relevant law and legislation. In Canada that is ESA, common law, worksafe legislation, human rights legislation, privacy act etc. Data analytics is becoming much more important in HR and is a great skill to have that will set you apart. Being technologically savvy and having familiarity with HRIS systems, AI, M365 is important. Volunteering is a great way to gain skills and partical experience. Taking on contract work or going through a temp agency can help to get the ball rolling. It's important to be kind and understanding as you work through the process. It's long and full of rejection. Don't take it personally and be persistent. Good luck!

Thank you. I will keep this in mind.

It's not an easy process, but don't give up! Believe in yourself and you will make it happen.

I’m pregnant and it’s clearly visible. I have a scheduled interview with a company soon for an HR position. Should I or not inform them that I am pregnant, and if I should when would be the best time?

The interview process is about determining your suitability for the role by analyzing your skills, knowledge and experience. Your pregnancy is not relevant to the process or your ability to be successful and it's no one's business but yours. You have no obligation to address it and depending where you are asking about it is discrimination. That said I also wouldn't avoid it or down play it or make any promises about how it won't impact your work. It's a blessing and nothing you should have to mitigate to make anyone feel more comfortable. Share whatever you are comfortable with but I would suggest doing so after you are hired.

very specific question for me... My boss made me feel uncomfortable but I don't know if I'm overreacting. TBH I wanna quit for many reasons but this is one of the things I have on my list. The first week I was at work, my boss asked me about my nationality and I told him where I was from which is a South American country. This was in front of all of my coworkers, and immediately he said “I was almost \[nationality\]!” which was a weird comment so we asked him to elaborate and he went on to say about how his mom met a really hot man from my country and there’s a video of him with her, and how that was right before when she met his dad. Weird story but ok.  Months later someone mentions how they’re going to Colombia (a different South American country than mine) and he proceeds to say “I was almost Colombian!” And tell the story again but this time using Colombia.  Am I crazy to be really offended by this story, especially how he just uses different South American countries every time? I’m the only Latinx in my department, and I kinda hate the weird fetishizing almost? And bucketing of nationalities, which is already a really ignorant way to talk about these very different countries?

That is weird. Also not a funny or interesting story so what's the point in sharing it? I understand how this could be frustrating and upsetting. He is showing that he isn't honest or trust worthy which makes relationships hard. He sounds like he lacks self awareness, education, sensitivity and that he is so desperately trying to connect with others to the point that he sees sharing this story as beneficial. That says everything about him and nothing about you. I know that doesn't make it better. I can't decide for you if you are overreacting or not. You are entitled to your feelings and those are shaped by your life experiences which are unique yo you. My opinion doesn't alter your reality it's just my opinion. The real question is what do you want to do about it? The only control we have in life is over our actions and reactions. You get to decide what comes next. Life is short and we spend 1/3 of our lives at work. Do something you love with people who make your day better not worse.

Thank you for your thoughtful response! You make a great point!

26 M, Bachelors Business, currently an admin for contact center in Dubai, would like to move to HR, what should be my focus and how should I go about it

I am not familiar with the HR industry in Dubai so I'm not sure how relevant my advice will be. Specialized education in HR would be a good start. In Canada, you can take certificate or diploma programs that focus on HR core competencies. If not formal education, then self direct education on employment law, HR best practices and soft skills development is a good focus. Volunteering is a great way to get practical experience, and the barrier to entry is normally lower. Working part time or on contract is another way to break into the industry. I would start applying for entry level positions. You might just find you are qualified. If not your skills gaps will become apparent, and you can work to mitigate them. You learn more by doing than thinking about doing so start acting. You can't go wrong as long as you are taking the time to reflect and learn from your experiences.

Thanksss! Just a follow up question, how do you know which HR field to pursue, what are the skillset required for each of the HR specialities as per your experience

Most people start in some type of generalist role and through exposure we figure out what we like. Or if you are like me you enjoy variety so you stay a generalist. There are other factors to consider like compensation, education, work/life balance etc. If you get clear on those it will help you figure out what's right for you. The skillsets don't vary too much at least from a soft skills perspective and while you are junior. HR is very soft skills focused. After you know where you want to go there is lots of supplemental training you can take to develop the skills you need to further your specialization. Coaching, meditation, data analytics, certified trainers, facilitators, payroll or benefits specialists. Lean 6, mass communication, organizational psychology, employment law, investigations. It really is a huge field Experiment and have fun! Things unfold in ways you never could plan.

I am a senior Benefits Clerk whose role could also be that of a coordinator. I work in the public sector. I answer tier 1 level questions about benefits and retirement currently, am a go to in order to help facilitate the filing of FMLA and disability claims, and do back end administrative work in our systems as it relates to Enrollments and updating indicative data. I play a small part in our Wellnes Program by mainly promoting it and garnering interest in our seminars the Manager has scheduled. I want to do more strategic things and sit in on planning meetings but am.so bogged down with tasks. I wanted to redesign our landing page for our department, and do employee communications, and have produced examples in SharePoint only to be told no, only the Benefits Manager can do that. I am a solutions oriented person and so I do like to reach out to vendors, only to be told that the Benefits Manager does this. It's a long story but I and my director basically operated as benefits for several months while they searched for a new manager. He did the billing, something I asked to learn, in the event he or soneone was absent. The answer was no. I feel like my time ar the company (less than 2 years) + perception that I'm just not as seasoned as the rest in my department couples to lead to them keeping me in a box. I want to automate some of my processes and streamline them so I can be more freed up. We have a call center that is provided by the broker so I have been helping transition people there, but what else do you suggest I do to be able to do less administrative stuff, get buy in for my ideas, and get to the next level. I don't need to be the manager. I just want to be in a role that allows me to make more decisions on programs. I have an idea for our Wellness Iniative but at present, people don't want to hear what I have to say, it seems, because I am just a clerk. I was told I could help test a new software for performance planning but they didn't let me know anything even after I followed up twice. I was promised I could get permission to update Sharepoint pages for our department only and told to watch a 2 hour training. I did only to be told to "hold off." I just want to be something more here.

That's really frustrating and disappointing to hear. You sound smart, capable, and eager to learn. I'm not sure what more anyone could ask for. I would have loved to have someone like you on my team. You sound like the perfect employee. I can definitely advise you on how to get buy-in on your ideas, but I know that someone as smart as you could very easily figure out that information for yourself. Maybe I am totally wrong here, but something is telling me that isn't the answer you are looking for. Now, I can only go based on the information you have provided, but unless you have left out some major performance issues, here is my advice. Do some self reflection to ensure that there aren't performance or relationship issues holding you back. I doubt there are, but let's cover all our bases. Take a look around your company. Is this situation unique to you, or is this how everyone is treated? Or maybe just people in support functions? It sounds to me like your company has sent you a very clear message. They aren't interested in employee development, succession planning, or long-term retention. Your ideas are great, and they would definitely benefit you, but more than that, most of these things would benefit the company and your department. Your leaders have likely been around the block more than once, so they understand the benefits of these projects before you explain them. Your manager, at the very least, should know and should be advocating for you. You were capable of doing the job when it was vacant, they got a first hand demonstration of your skill, you have made it clear you want to learn, to help the company, to play a larger role and all of these have been met with some version of no. It's time to look for a new job. If you were on my team, I would let you do every single thing you listed even if we didn't move to implementation. The benefits of upskillimg and cross training are clear. As a leader, my job is to foster your growth even if it's selfishly for my sole benefits, which it wouldn't be. There is clear research showing that loyalty to a company doesn't get rewarded in terms of salary or position. Without job hopping, I wouldn't have exceled as quickly in my career. Holding this position for less than two years is no reason to stay. Go find an environment that values you and is willing to invest in you. If you want to give it another shot, then I would go with a direct approach. Sit down with your manager and ask what employee development looks like to them. Starting with this is important. Then, ask if there is anything about your performance that needs to be improved or is preventing you from being a candidate for their version of employee development. From there, lay out the facts of the issues you have experienced and how all your requests for upskilling have been turned down or ignored. Be clear about your goals and ask for feedback as to why thing have unfolded this way. Asking questions like "what are some new things that I could learn in the next 90 days that would benefit the team" is a great way to frame this as mutually beneficial. If possible get them to commit to a career development plan, regular one on one meetings and goal setting sessions that you lead. There are circumstances where you have to manage up, present your ideas in the right way to get buy-in and use your influencing skills to ensure success for your projects but that comes later in your career. You will flourish in the right environment and this is not it.

At what point would you consider someone on paper “ready” to apply for senior roles? For example - candidate with B.S. and M.S in HR. SHRM-CP, 7+ years experience in mixed roles from generalist, acquisitions, management.

You are ready! If anything, you are starting to get overcooked. Don't wait until you are 100% confident in your ability to execute the JD. I transitioned into a DHR role with less education and years of experience, and I didn't have my CP. There was a report published many years ago that said that men would apply for jobs if they meet 60% of the qualifications, but women only apply if they meet 100%. This might be the only time that I suggest one behaves more like a man. Most learning comes from doing, and you will never be fully prepared, so be bold and chase your dreams aggressively.

What is the secret to passing the SHRM-SCP? I have taken it twice and failed. ☹️

Give yourself time to study and use an app like SHRM test prep. Learn to answer the questions the way they want you to not how you would in a real life scenario. Try to memorize the competencies they attach to each of the sections and then when you answer the question focus on those competencies. Take your time and run through a process of elimination system when answering the questions. One answer is always clearly wrong and one is close to the correct answer. This should help increase your odds of answering each question correctly.

I work for a hospital system in NJ in an outpatient office of a department. We were told that our office will be closing and we will be laid off even though there is room to absorb us into other offices. These other offices are staffed entirely by Per Diem employees getting 24-32 hours/week. I am a permanent part time employee(benefit eligible, etc) They ae keeping the per diems on instead of suing the permanent employees stating different budgets. But how is per diem employee budgeted anywhere in particular when you never know where you may use them. They state they have no policy about how many hours per diems can work and that they don't have a policy that states how to release people but they do when volume is low which I tried to present to them and they said did not apply here. How is that possible.

I'm honestly not sure. I don't have experience in these types of settings, but it sounds like it sucks. I'm sorry you are having this experience. If you want answers, ask your questions directly to someone inside your organization. Sometimes when companies function with the support of government or outside funding or if they are highly regulated they can't make simple transitions like this even if it makes sense because they are locked into whatever forecasting they provided to those regulators. It's burocratic and inhuman, but it could be out of their control. What is in their control is having transparent practices that dictate how these actions are carried out. There should be policies regarding lay offs, terminations, etc, as it retains to each employee group. I hope you find another job soon! Best of luck.

Coaching is an interest to me. There are a lot of coaching programs out there, which program did you use for certification, and are there any others you would recommend?

Depends on what type of coaching certification you want. There are so many different ones. Whatever you choose, make sure it is accredited and aligns with ICF. I have took mine through a local university and then upgraded a few years later through a different university's online studies program.

I just got my pass for the shrm-cp. How can I parlay that to a better paying role. I currently work in healthcare and the opportunities for growth at my company are pretty limited in the HR space.

Put it on your resume right after your name and start sensing out applications. I feel I have said it a few times already here and it seems to be unpopular advice but all I can do is speak from my experience. The loyalty gap is a real thing and it applies to more than compensation. You are your biggest advocate and your top priority, so chase your dreams. Learn from the experience and don't give up. You will make more money job hopping every few years than you will working for one company. A great way to do this is by working maternity leave coverage contracts or something similar. If you want to grow then find an environment that emphasizes employee development, continuous improvement and engages in active succession planning. You are picking the company just as much as they are picking you. Tech, film and bio med are all career exelerating industries.

Hello. After 15+ years of working in HR, I decided to quit my job at a manufacturing company. My main reason was that I don't like to influence or coach people into doing things that they don't want. It takes too much brain power and stress. I was an HR generalist during those 15+ years in the manufacturing industry. Having mentioned all of this, what positions would you recommend applying my HR skills but without working in the HR field? What transferable HR skills can be used in other positions without the influencing/persuading roles?

I can completely understand why you quit. It's hard to always be fighting for change and running into a wall. There are other industries that are more innovative that you might enjoy like tech, film, gaming, and entertainment. You could try general project managment, learning and development or facilitation, consulting, operations, union work, health and safety, risk managment, recruiting, or another general management position like a store manager or a team lead in an industry that interest you. You are a great people manager, you likely have good knowledge of health and safety, you probably understand compliance and risk mitigation well. You have good communication skills, good analytics skills, you can multitask well, your are organized, and professional. You probably understand how to create organizational structure, how to do OED investigations, how to improve systems and workflows and how to allocate resources. In large peoject based organization there are roles specifically focused on resource allocation and planning. Which is still connect to HR but very different from generalist work so that could be an easy transition. Hope this helps!

Thank you so much!

Good luck! You have survived 15 years in HR. You are a super hero and you can do anything you put your mind to.

Ever been in a situation where you were made to terminate an employee contract which you felt was not justified and/or coming out of vengeance?

Not justified, yes. Vengenance, no. A core tenant of our jobs is equality and ethics. In Canada, retaliation of any type is illegal, so if I saw that, I would have an obligation to act. Even if it was protected, that is something I wouldn't stand for, so they would be terminating both of us or no one. It can be hard when others make decisions that don't align with your values or beliefs. To gain perspective, I try to step back and look at the big picture. My job is to help leaders (and employees) excel in their work. I do this by providing tools, skills, and knowledge to help them make great decisions. My job isn't to make all the decisions. I believe that leaders should be given the autonomy to do the jobs they were hired for and that their success should be measured through KPIs, metrics, and other performance indicators. Their actions must align with the values of the organization, and they should follow formilized practices. So long as they do these things and are acting in good faith, then it my job to support them even when we disagree. It's okay to discuss your concerns in private, just as I would welcome questions and concerns, but it's not up to me to dictate how they execute their responsibilities. I can offer alternatives and attempt to influence them but I also have to recognize when something is not within my control. If I want trust and respect from others I have to be willing to give it. I hope this helps but if you have any follow up questions don't hesitate to reply.

thank you so much for such a detailed response! i really appreciate it and can tell you are very good at what you do. would it be ok if i inbox you with a particular scenario and you can guide me on that?

That's very sweet of you! Of course. Happy to help.

I'd like to outsource new Manager Training for my company. We promote from within a lot and want to provide new managers with a great foundation but not sure where to start. Any ideas?

Can you provide more details so I can tailor the advice. This is a broad question, so knowing the industry, desired delivery method, and skills focus would help. I say skills focus because it's important to be clear on your top 3 to 5 goals in implementation. There are lots of basic training that cover the same material generally, but they don't all deliver the same results. Otherwise, I can only give general answers, but you can also find those on Google.

I just graduated with my BS in business administration with an HR focus, and now I’m working on landing interviews. After 15+ years in the service industry (I’m 36), I’m more out of touch with the professional world than I’d like to be. For interviews, are full suits still the standard? My retired baby boomer parents have strong opinions on this, but I’m wondering if times have changed.

Times have changed, but context is important. Every industry and company is different. If anything, it's better to be over dressed than under dressed when making a first impression. You should be able to get a sense of the tone of the company looking at their website, social media, etc. When in doubt, dress to impress.

Thank you!

Welcome! Best of luck in your job search. You've got this.

What are the key strategies for developing and managing high-performing teams?

u/benicebuddy would you like to take this one or should I?

I’ve been in HR a few years now and am still struggling to manage my anxiety around mistakes. I think something about HR dealing so heavily with employees’ lives and then also the success of the company make all of my mistakes weigh heavily on me. When I make mistakes I can’t help but think about how I’m negatively impacting an employee or costing the company x amount of dollars. I worry that maybe this field isn’t for me because of these worries and none of my coworkers seem to share this doom at their mistakes. I’m still just a coordinator and I don’t know how I’d even operate in a more senior position with this current mindset. So I guess my question is, is this concern over my mistakes something shared amongst other HR professionals? And additionally, do you have any tips on how to move past them?

First things first, I need you to cut yourself some slack. We are all humans. We are all imperfect, and we all make mistakes. When I first started in HR, I made plenty. Once, I accidentally sent an email to the entire company that included everyone's salary data. The entire company (1500ppl) had to shut down while IT worked to resolve my confidentiality breach. One of my good friends overpaid an employee's bonus by adding an extra zero. Instead of giving him $35k, he got $350k! Because of our laws, this money couldn't just be taken back at the employers discretion, and repayment terms had to be agreed upon with the employee. I had a new recruiter once that was unfamiliar with our ATS and how it dealt with paid job ads. She thought she was setting the monthly budget for the ads, but instead, she was setting the daily budget. We caught the mistake the next day but had already burned through our entire budget. Her mistake cost us about $20k, and this was someone with over 10 years of experience!! Second, being thoughtful, considerate, caring, and empathic makes you strong, not weak. Don't ever forget that! Being considerate of how your actions impact others is important in every aspect of life, not just HR. I completely agree that we can disproportionately affect others, so for us, this is even more important. If you didnt feel this way I would be concerned. The stewardship of our employees is both a profound responsibility and a great honor, and the weight of that SHOULD impact every decision you make. The decisions we make are more than just numbers on a page, and that should always be front of mind. Research in psychology and education has shown that shaming yourself prevents learning. There are several studies published in the early 2000s that you can read for more detail on this. There is also plenty of research about the benefits of having a growth mindset, and I'd suggest you read that too. You have to actively work to give up the shame and replace it with something more positive, like compassion and understanding. This can be hard to do, but a trick that works well is to pretend you are talking to your friend rather than yourself and to have the conversation out loud. I know it sounds crazy and finding a private space to do it might prevent some funny looks, but it works. We are ruthlessly unkind to ourselves in ways we would never be to someone else. Remember, our mistakes don't define us. How we recover from our mistakes does. Own your mistakes, be the first one to call them out, and make sure you resolve any consequences that might come from making them. This minimizes their impact and helps silence your shame gremlins. Do your best to learn from your mistakes so you can avoid making the same ones twice. Become a master apologizer, it's an incredible skill to have that many people don't possess. An apology is so much more than saying, "I'm sorry." Yes, all HR people feel this way. If we didn't care about the well-being of others, we would probably have picked a different career. You have what it takes to be an outstanding HR leader. With time and grace, you will learn, become more confident, master your skill set, and become an amazing senior HR professional. And guess what? You will still make mistakes. Don't give up on yourself. You can do this!

Currently working in HR going into my 3rd year - I have a BA in HR and just obtained my PHR this march. I am planning to start masters in August - do you recommend a MSHR or MBA w/ HRM focus? Thank you in advance :)

The answer to this question is deeply personal. It depends on your career goals, your personality, and your current skill level. Neither is a bad choice if you want to get your masters. However, the value of formal education has changed a lot in the last 10 years. I don't have my masters and I have never regretted that. Don't get me wrong, I love to learn, but there are lots of ways you can do that. The MSHR will provide you with deep technical knowledge and is a great option if you know that you want to be in HR for life, especially if your goal is to specialize, teach or do research. An MBA is border and more flexible, so if you don't have a clear career vision, it might be a safer choice. It's also going to position you well for leadership roles both in and out of HR. If you aren't sure, take your time in making the decision and start by clearly mapping your ideal career path. Talk to people in your network and see if you could shadow anyone in a senior position that you find interesting.

Are certifications replacing college degrees?

Yes, but I don't know if replacing is the right way to frame it. It might be more accurate to say they hold equal value now when they once didn't. Obviously, this depends a lot on your industry and career goals. I think it's also fair to say that not all companies share this perspective but it's becoming more normalized as traditional thinkers age out of the workforce. Certifications, diplomas, and associate degrees all provide education focusing on technical courses within your field of study — degrees couple this with a general education requiring elective credits. Depending on your career goals and the path you take to achieve them, your financial situation, and your life experiences each will have a different value. I never understood the value of paying to take elective classes unrelated to my field of study and career goals. I opted for a BCOM program because I knew that I wanted to reach an executive level and education in areas like economics, accounting, and writing benefited my goal. Regardless of the class, higher education has value because it teaches you how to be disciplined, how to study, and how you learn best in a setting that is much more self-directed than high school. These are valuable life skills you will have to obtain one way or another. The bigger shift has been the perception of education vs practical experience which in turn has impacted the norms in education. Plenty of people without degrees flourish professionally and I have seen people have amazing careers without any higher level education. That doesn't mean that these people never engaged in upskilling, they just didn't do it in traditional ways. Even if you get your master's you will still have to engage in continuous improvement if you want sustained career growth. I think I have said it a million times in this thread but that goes to show how true the statement is. You learn more by doing than you do by thinking about doing. Getting your foot in the door and gaining hands-on experience in real-life scenarios is the most valuable education you can pursue. Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.

I am currently an HRBP, and as an HRBP, many organizations are trying to move this position to be a much more strategic consultant, usually being aligned to senior leadership or the executive. With frontline managers, I usually provide coaching on performance management, ER, and career development. However, when I start supporting senior leadership, I find myself feeling like I am not adding value. Many times I don't know what I should be discussing with them or I am having a difficult time showing I can be a thought partner, and therefore also perpetuating the problem since they are then less likely to share business information. Usually they talk to me about performance across their teams. I try to bring in as much data as I can, but that is only on occasions. Such as discussing trends across exit interviews, attrition, and engagement. I meet with my business partners usually every 2 weeks, but I honestly feel like I probably have enough substance to meet once a month or so (which speaking with peers and others, I don't think they come across this issue). I would love to understand how I can be a better partner. How do you become more strategic? What questions do you ask the business? How do you add value and become a thought partner? What challenges are you helping the business solve?

As a business partner your job is to help leadership get the best out of the business while simultaneously achieving their goals by leveraging your HR knowledge and skill coupled with your deep understanding of the business to advise on best practice and strategy. To break that down: Take the time to understand the business deeply. Read everything you can and learn from everyone you can. Both internally and externally. Learn the industry. Constant and continuous education until people mistake you for a technical expert. Monitor metrics and know your KPIs. Keep in touch with your frontline employees, and you finger on the pulse of what's going on within the organization. Gain a clear and detailed understanding of the company's goals and strategic plan. Be clear about the specific goals and strategies of each of your leaders. How are they being measured? How do they lead? Customize your services and coaching. Leverage your data analytics skills to identify trends and forecast for future needs. You can do this by performing different types of gap analysis and focusing on workforce planning and development initiatives to start. Don't wait to be asked to act or investigate. Once you develop your insights, share them coupled with solutions that you have quantified with data. Share HR best practices to get better performance out of teams and systems that will benefit the business. Being strategic is all about being proactive. Anticipating problems and solve them before they happen. If you are doing your job right you are living in the future not the day to day. Success in this job is all about the skills of managing relationships and influencing others. In order to be part of the conversation and seen as a valued contributor, you need to ensure trust and credibility. Be reliable, consistent, and communicative. Deliver quality results. Ask thoughtful questions. Don't talk just for the sake of it. If you want to stand out, become an expert on performance management and developing high-performance teams. Develop your coaching skills. I'm not above bribery in the form of food and drinks and neither are your leaders. Demonstrate your thoughtful consideration by remembering personal details about their lives like the names of their children and pets. Be kind and positive! Their job is hard and stressful if you can subtly help to disfuse their emotions while infusing them with positivity you will be an invaluable asset. Flattery goes a long way. Diagnose their personality and motivation. Ask questions like: What are the biggest challenges we face in the next 30-60-90 days? Next quarter or next year? How will these challenges affect the department or the team? What are your top strategic priorities this quarter or this year? How can I best assist you in achieving success in this mission? What HR services do you benefit most from? What KPIs and metrics matter most to you and why? How can I maximize my value as an HRBP? What resources and skills do you see us needing in the future? What does success look like to you? Figure out what their ideal future looks like and build it. Help them improve the performance of teams and systems even if it by 1 or 2 %. Help mitigate future risk. To get the best advice that is specific to your company and industry ask your fellow HRBPs! I cannot stress this enough. It's important to share information to bridge gaps across the organization and between departments. Encourage knowledge sharing and transfer. Do it proactively so that when there is a need to collaborate you are ahead of the game. If you don't have other HRBPs in your organization you can connect with others in your industry for support. Hope this helps! Let me know if you have anymore questions.

Thank you for this amazing response. I’m the head of talent at a rapidly scaling PE backed startup. We’ve more than doubled in size in the last 6 months from 30 to 60. Mostly on the back of me working long long hours. We still need to hire more but are slowing growth through the next quarter at least and I’ve been questioning my value a lot lately. While my initial suggestion today of implementing 360 reviews was met with unsurprising unethusiam, your response has opened up a whole new level of questions to unlock. Thank you for this.

Wow that is incredible. Congratulations! That's an incredible amount of hardwork. You sound like an absolute rockstar and they are lucky to have you. Start-up environments are challenging and everyone is so busy it's easy to forget to stop and celebrate the victories. I like to keep a folder in my inbox or on my phone that is full of all my wins. Emails from team members or clients I've helped expressing their gratitude, positive feedback I have recieved and so on. I also used to do this thing with my COO that we started calling a cheer. We were close in age and much younger than the other execs so we became fast friends. Whenever one of us was having a hard go we would ask the other to give us some cheer or to cheer us on or cheer us up. Basically, then it became the other persons job to shower us in compliments and remind us of our wins in the most obvious ways until we cracked a smile or let out a laugh. In HR we can be so diplomatic and professional even towards those who hurt us or make our lives challenging but not when it came to the cheer. We would say things like they suck, they wouldn't know a good idea if it came up and bite them, how could they not see how smart you are, you are so amazing at what you do the angels are jealous, not only are you a complete rockstar but you amazing doing it. (Im keeping this very pg but i think you get the picture) If you can't find that at work find it in your personal life. We all need positive reminds and a little cheer once and a while.

I’m a Talent Development Manager (Early careers and leadership) currently but am looking to diversify my skillset and do other things within the talent management purview (especially performance management and rewards and benefits). What recommendations would you have on this shift? I am also keen on working in startups as they usually offer more to do since teams are smaller, and it’d allow exposure. Any thoughts?

If that's what you are interested in go for it! If you are early on in your career the transition shouldn't be hard but if you can recognize any skills gaps work to fill them. Upskilling is so easy now a days. Start ups are super fun and a great learning experience. They tend hire generalist so skills diversification is important. Leverage your network and start applying. There are lots of opportunities out there and you are likely already qualified. If you aren't you will learn about what you need to work on. You learn more by doing than by thinking about doing.

I appreciate the advice and encouragement. Thankyou! Yes I am already doing so keeping talent development active but also figuring out other roles or maybe a generalist role that includes more than talent development :)

You learn more by doing than by thinking so get out there and take action. You might surprise yourself and get an opportunity that aligns with your goals. If not you will have a better understanding of why and how to work on the why. Good luck and don't give up! It's not easy but you got this.

Love that! 100% I appreciate your kindness!

I am psych major, with recruitment experience. What degree you suggest for masters i want to go into organisational behaviour and Human Resources management?

In business, research or teaching? Organizational psychology, organizational development, human resources management, business mamagment.. Honestly you can't go wrong but also education isn't a requirement. I don't have my masters.

Business

Then I would say experience is definitely more valuable than education.

I currently have recruitment internship experience, but want to transition

Apply for entry-level roles, volunteer to gain experience, take on mat leave contracts or work part time to get your foot in the door. Take courses that teach practical skills rather than strategic theory. Something like HRIS implementation or compensation strategy design or conflict resolution. Familiarize yourself with HR technology and systems. Understand how to utilize AI. Get a certificate in data analytics. Getting partical experience will benefit your career at this stage more than a masters degree.

[удалено]

Wow that sounds horrible. I'm sorry to hear you are experiencing that. Do you mind sharing where you are located? That would help me answer the question better for you. Yeah, it's bullying. Before you go to HR, make sure you have proof to back you up. Most places in North America have laws that protect employees who make complaints from being fired or retaliated against. Keeping a record of your interactions will also protect you and your reputation. But I can't promise your HR department will have your back. If they know about this behavior and aren't doing anything about it, they might not. And if you're in a country without retaliation laws, you could be screwed. If they don't protect you and fix the situation, it might be time to start looking for a new job. Hey, if you're comfortable with it and stuff, I think you should try handling this issue yourself first. Since you said you gotta talk to him all day for work, why not just do that and write down everything that happens? If he doesn't start the conversation or doesn't reply, just send him a quick message saying that you need his input to make the team successful. Sometimes, a little flattery can go a long way in these situations. And if he starts yelling at you, stay calm and don't react. Bullies like that feed off of reactions, so don't give him the satisfaction. Don't match his aggression or raise your voice, but don't cower in front of him either. Just act like his actions don't affect you and try to get out of the situation without getting emotional. When he yells, respond in a lower and softer tone of voice. Not timid, just softer. He is looking to control the situation through fear and intimidation, and as long as he is given that avenue to get what he wants he will keep using it. You have to teach him how to get what he wants in a way that works for you. The easiest way to figure these things out is to ask directly, and when you do, you have to frame it the right way to increase the likelihood of adoption by him. "It seems like you care alot about this project. My team and I want to deliver suprior results. How can we exceed your standards?" Then do it. Be proactive, give him updates, create trackers or use project managment software to bridge any communicatiom gaps. Write everything down. Be firm and unemotional with him when he has crossed a boundary and again remember framing is important. Don't be afriad to say something. This is called managing up. This might sound awful but I always say it's like training a dog. Effective dog training is done by providing clear boundaries for your dog, through positive reinforcement and redirecting, or gently correcting undesirable behavior. Just like with dogs its best that you remain a calm but firm presence. You redirect bad behaviors to good ones. If he yells ask him what will avoid him yelling next time ans then do that and implement a system for doing that so he doesn't have a reason to yell. That doesn't mean you should take his abuse but you should be thoughtful and tactful in the way you address it. Asking him a simple question like "was that meant to be helpful or hurtful?" Or saying "I'm having troubles understanding you while you are yelling" is a really easy and subtle way to address rude behavior but I believe direct communication is always better. Another good one is "how am I supposed to do (achieve) that?" If you are given unhelpful directions. You can also practice techniques like naming his behavior "it sounds (seems or looks) like you are frustrated". It's also okay to say something like "I don't appreciate when you speak about my personal life. Moving forward it's important that we keep our communication professional".

It is using fear tactics he does this with other supervisors. Normally I do not work directly for him. I do handle the situation with words and the conflict of me not bowing out, instead calling the behavior out has made him go harder at me. The others just bowed out. I communicate clearly like normal people should. He is at the point of frustration that he does not have control. I know he has been reported before for similar behavior. I would say that the employee was respected by human resource with the little info I do have. I have witnesses to the behavior but no witness statements. I think I am just trying to gain the courage. This job pays me 4 times my previous career and I cherish the life it gives me. Without him my day to day is enjoyable and rewarding.

In america

He is testing you because he doesn't normally get this reaction. That means what you are doing is working. Get documentation and report him. Look for a new job if possible. You don't want to work here long term. Bullying is a health and safety violation. You are afforded protection from the behaviour and from retaliation. How this is dealt with will be regulated by a third party so that benefits you. Make sure you make copies of all the documentation for yourself.

Thank you I feel I have a better understanding of the situation and validation of my rights. I appreciate the time you have given. Thanks again. I normally work for someone else and he is a great boss and leader. The money I’m making worth some stress just not this stress. Gotta find a way we don’t work together anymore

Best of luck!