Human Resources: A Career Choice Sharon Blake Karen Dills Hewitt Associates

What is HR?

Possible positions for an HR professional within an organization: The Generalist The Specialist

Role: HR Generalist Broad spectrum of responsibilities

Role: HR Specialist Four main areas of expertise Often cross-trained—to a lesser extent than a Generalist Excellent way to gain exposure to HR field Positions typically found in large organizations

Employment, Recruiting, and Placement Entry level positions include Interviewer, EEO Specialist or College Recruiter. Work includes: –Recruiting personnel; –Interviewing applicants; –Administering pre-employment tests; and –Processing transfers, promotions, and terminations.

Training and Development Entry level position may be a Training or Orientation Specialist. Work includes: –Conducting training sessions; and –Administering on-the-job training programs, and maintaining necessary records of employee participation in all training and development programs. (Career planning and counseling are becoming increasingly important activities in this field, as are responsibilities for human resource planning and organizational development.)

Benefits and Compensation Entry level positions are typically Benefits Administrators, Compensation Analysts, and Salary Administrators. Work includes: –Benefit plan administration, including health and life insurance, 401(k) and pension plans –Monitoring benefits costs –Conducting and analyzing compensation surveys

Employee and Labor Relations Entry level positions include Labor Relations Specialist, Plant Personnel Assistant, and Employee Relations Specialist. –In union environments, these positions involve interpreting union contracts, helping to negotiate collective bargaining agreements, resolving grievances and advising supervisors on union contract interpretation. –In non-union environments, employee relations specialists perform a variety of Generalist duties and may also deal with employee grievances.

What background and personal characteristics are important for success in HR? Excellent leadership and management skills Technological skills Knowledge of business basics Work experience is increasingly important Companies want college graduates to have a broad, analytical education Be prepared to take an entry level job

Tips for finding your first HR position Networking Career Resource Center Use your degree immediately upon graduation to gain workplace experience

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