Well, you’re finally doing it!
Pulling the trigger!
Taking the plunge!
You’ve committed to looking for a new human resources job. Perhaps you have found yourself one of the 4.4 million workers who quit a job in 2019 to scout for greener pastures. Why not? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are about 7.3 million job openings in the U.S.
So now, you have updated your resume and are looking for one of those 7.3 million jobs. It isn’t always easy to put yourself out there like that, especially if you spent time at your last job feeling disengaged. In fact, engagement is one of the most critical factors in any job. According to a survey by Achievers of 1100 workers, only 19% of the respondents were fully engaged at work. Fourteen percent were fully disengaged.
Couple these statistics with working in the critical role HR has inside organizations, and the need for a high level of engagement is critical. It’s time to take your qualifications and move onwards and upwards!
1. Go big or stay small
Arguably the most important factor you will have to consider is whether or not you’d like to work for a large company/human resources department or if you’d rather stay with a small to mid-sized business. There are some surprising differences in the type of job and responsibilities associated with a big firm versus a smaller company. For instance, in a bigger company, there is more money for resources and training, while in a smaller one, you and your employees may have to get a little more creative to get by on what you have.
Staying with a smaller company can give you greater opportunity to try new things, take on leadership roles, and get to know the people you are representing. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it is going to be easier, especially if you are working for a small startup. Startups face a lot of challenges, which means they may not be able to focus on getting a strong HR department up and running right away because they’re focused on securing financing or finding more talent.
That being said, startups can give you a lot of leeway in developing training programs and policies that really work to protect employees and don’t stifle growth. You’ll get to have your hands in a lot of the initial company development for things such as:
- Company policies and general procedures
- Legal protection
- Record keeping
- Talent acquisition
- Employee training
- Company culture development
All of this can be a lot of fun and can really make you feel like you are working directly to make your company a better place for everyone.
2. Taking on more
Regardless of whether or not you choose to go for a bigger company or a small one, one critical factor you should think about is how much of a responsibility you are willing to take on. It can be almost guaranteed that wherever you go if you are willing to volunteer for tasks and perhaps even jump into a management role, sooner or later, you are going to be a more valuable candidate. You’ll be the main advocate for employees when they really need you.
If you are thinking about HR management, it is useful to have an understanding of what your roles and responsibilities will be. Chances are you will be running full teams of professionals and dealing with the complicated questions others aren’t able to answer easily. You’ll need to be at the top of your game.
Human resource programs seem to get a bad rap pretty frequently in almost any organization. Whether or not people get paid on time is a big deal, as well as how onboarding tasks are managed and how policies are enforced. Some of the best HR teams are able to handle some of the most seemingly simple tasks smoothly.
3. Choose what’s right for you
In the end, choosing the job that’s right for you is the most important thing. There are a number of things that can make everything fit. For instance, making sure you’ll fit in with the people you work with is critical. When applying and interviewing for jobs, take time to ask questions about the company culture, and is it something that you’ll really enjoy in the longer term. As a member of HR, you will be part of building and imparting company culture. If you aren’t comfortable in a company’s culture yourself, how can you be expected to market that culture to your employees?
One of the other important things to consider is if you are going to get a pay increase by moving. On top of that, are you going to be able to balance living expenses in a new area with your new salary? Before committing to anything, it is a good idea to use a calculator to understand the difference between your gross and net pay.
Company culture, net pay, work tasks, and numerous other things all add up to make a job something that you really love and want to stay at. It is incredibly valuable to think about the things you are interested in gaining out of a new position before committing. For instance, make an early decision on whether you want to work for a large or small company and what types of management responsibilities you are willing to take on. Good luck!