Human resources jobs
It's important to find a role that matches your skills, experience and qualifications so take a look at what’s on offer in human resources (HR)
Getting the right people into the right roles, motivating them to perform to the best of their abilities and providing a tailored career path through learning and development (L&D) are just a few of the main duties of a HR professional.
Human resources officer
This role will be focused on the business objectives of your employer and involve the development and implementation of staff policies. Depending on the size of the organisation you work for and the size of its HR department, you could be involved in a range of related activities.
As you progress in your career, a professional CIPD qualification will become essential in this highly-competitive industry. Explore what it's like to be a human resources officer.
Recruitment consultant
Your remit will be to attract the right candidates and match them to job opportunities with your clients. Therefore, building relationships with employers to know what they're after is key - as is the ability to screen candidates for their suitability for advertised vacancies.
Long working hours are typically the norm, so be prepared to perform to your maximum and endeavour to meet targets. In this industry, your degree subject will only become valuable if you're looking to work in an agency that has a specific market focus. Get more information on what it's like to be a recruitment consultant and read 5 tips for a successful recruitment career.
Training and development officer
The growing learning and development (L&D) field requires candidates equipped to handle the training and professional development of an organisation's workers. You'll be responsible for ensuring all staff members have the motivation, practical skills and knowledge required to carry out their jobs.
While the position may be industry-specific, you'll need to possess strong HR skills and be prepared to study for relevant CIPD qualifications, especially if you aim to work at a strategic level and possibly move into consulting. Find out more about being a training and development officer.
Employee relations adviser
To ensure that a positive trust-based workplace relationship between employers and employees is established and maintained, some organisations may choose to recruit an employee relations adviser.
This role involves ensuring a consistent and fair approach to the policies and procedures set in place by a company, managing any conflicts that may arise and negotiating/discussing any issues with individuals and groups. You'll be tasked with providing administrative and case management support.
If you're looking to go down this route, in addition to excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work well under pressure, you'll need to have a good knowledge of employee relations and employment law. Previous HR experience is preferred in the majority of roles, as is a relevant CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) qualification.
Life/career coach
Far more than simply offering guidance, the role is about building relationships with your clients, with the goal of empowering them to make strong choices. You'll be utilising your excellent communication skills, helping to identify an individual's key strengths, suggesting areas for development and encouraging them to set positive objectives. As well as one-to-one sessions, there's also the possibility of delivering group workshops.
A background in business or HR and training may be useful in some areas - for instance, career coaching - but it will depend on your chosen area of specialism and whether you work for an organisation or are self-employed. Accreditation can be obtained from professional bodies such as the Association for Coaching (AC). Discover how to become a life coach and find out more about training to become a life coach.
Management consultant
HR consulting, or human resource management (HRM) has become a distinct area of management consultancy. Providing solutions to businesses of all sizes, but typically small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the roles all about the processes involved with the management of a company's workforce, to achieve business advantage and improved performance.
With a varied skillset, an HR consultant will usually work with an organisation to ensure an HR department has the right procedures and guidelines in place. This could be to focus the company strategy, deliver organisational change (such as mergers or acquisitions) or to ensure the business is positioned to meet future challenges.
You may be expected to make recommendations in areas including employee benefits and rewards, HR management, L&D, and talent management. Find out more about what it takes to be a management consultant and consider why you should study human resources management.
Occupational psychologist
Put your expert psychological knowledge to the test by getting the best performance out of an organisation's workforce and improve staff job satisfaction levels. You may be expected to tackle organisational issues such as culture and change, while dealing with individuals on a one-to-one basis, as well as collaborating with teams.
There are in-house and consultancy roles available, with the scope of your activities determined by the clients you work with. However, to become an occupational psychologist, you'll need to meet the necessary British Psychological Standards (BPS) and be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Explore the role of an occupational psychologist.
Sales executive
To become an expert in the selling of your company's products and services, you'll need to be enthusiastic and determined. The job may require you to win new business by contacting potential leads and maintain relationships with your existing clients. Although your precise work activities will relate to your market and setting, you could be selling to other businesses or directly to customers.
Whether applying for advertised jobs or an employer's graduate scheme, relevant sales experience and key personal attributes are usually considered more important than your qualifications. Explore the role of sales executive and the top 5 skills for a career in sales.
Find out more
- Take a look at the recruitment and HR sector.