Guide to HR Career Paths

Whether you’re a seasoned HR professional or are starting out, you need to plan your career path to meet your personal and professional goals. 

Individuals working in HR have the power to transform the entire organisation and shape the company culture for the better.

Therefore, the department includes numerous disciplines, from engagement to recruiting and payroll to benefits, to achieve the long and short-term company goals. 

To help you make an informed decision and make your career choice less daunting, we compiled a helpful guide to HR career paths. The article also addresses ways to map a strategy to climb the HR career ladder. 

Generalists Vs. Specialists: What’s the Difference? 

A human resource specialist has the experience and skill in a specific HR role. It can be benefits, learning and development, hiring, or payroll. 

On the flip side, generalists have general knowledge and experience in various aspects of human resources. 

It would be wrong to consider one option better because every organisation has varying needs. 

For instance, small companies typically prefer 1 or 2 generalists to handle numerous HR-related tasks. However, large companies prefer a team of specialists to tackle complicated organisational needs. 

A generalist role will suit you best if you enjoy variety in what you do. No two days at work will be the same. Instead, you’ll be required to work on different projects instantaneously. 

However, if you plan to become a specialist, starting out as a generalist is a way to go. 

Specialist roles enable you to put your abilities and strengths in a single direction. Consequently, you become a professional and skilled candidate in your working space. 

Yes, specialist roles can get monotonous for those who prefer variety. But if a specific discipline intrigues you, an HR career as a specialist is worth it.

Human Resource Generalist Roles and Duties 

If you are unfamiliar with common HR roles, looking at the responsibilities and expectations of each will help you understand better. Here’s a breakdown of some generalist job titles in human resources.

HR Assistant 

An HR assistant is required to perform minor HR tasks. For instance, they take directions and report information to senior human resources staff. 

This explains why most aspiring candidates and HR enthusiasts begin their careers as HR assistants or coordinators. This generalised role helps you learn about everyday HR tasks, including employee relations, recruiting, engagement, benefits, and more. 

The company may ask you to address employee pain points and assist them with documentation and events. 

Plus, you could also be responsible for managing the recruiting and interviewing logistics, including scheduling.

HR Manager 

An HR manager has the power over day-to-day decisions. You oversee recruiting, training, benefits, reimbursement, and more. 

Further, the company expects you to improve the work culture by building strong connections between employees and management. 

As the company grows and you gain more experience, the organisation may ask you to lead a team of coordinators and monitor their performance. This ensures that the team goals are fulfilled, and organisational objectives are met.

HR Vice President 

This role is meant for senior HR department members. They own all HR efforts across the company and guide the staff to ensure the appropriate execution of company policies. 

They ensure that the human resource department does what’s needed to accomplish business goals and values. However, achieving that is a challenging task. Therefore, HR vice presidents develop numerous benefits programs to build employee morale. 

To work for this role, you must have a strong understanding of different HR disciplines, including employment law, workplace safety, and compliance.

Chief HR Officer 

Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) is one of the most prestigious roles in HR. Seniors working in this role directly connect with the company’s CEO. Besides, they work closely with the organisation board to support the HR policies, plans, and procedures. 

HR officers also work with C-suite members to establish meaningful HR plans for the company’s betterment. 

Companies also determine leadership skills, social characteristics, and mindset to hire the best candidate for their firm.

Human Resources Specialist Roles and Duties 

If the roles mentioned above do not tap your interest, you’re meant to grow in a more specific HR role. This requires you to gain experience in a specific area. 

For instance, recruiting, compliance, and payroll are common disciplines for candidates seeking specialised roles. Here are the popular options if you plan to take a specific career path and excel in it.

Payroll Specialist 

If numbers intrigue you and attention to detail is your greatest strength, a payroll career can be your best bet. As someone working in payroll, you must ensure that employees are paid on time and properly every payday. 

Payroll professionals have to track the employee's work hours. As well as this, they also have to withhold deductions and taxes when processing paychecks. 

This requires them to stay abreast of the changing tax laws. Slight negligence can result in incorrect reporting and record-keeping. 

You can work as a payroll manager, clerk, or senior specialist in the payroll department.

Benefits Packages 

This role requires you to build exciting benefits packages and search for perks that make the employees happy. 

You must plan and execute benefits, including disability, health, dental, and retirement plans. 

As someone in this HR discipline, you will work closely with a benefits broker. It helps you find the best plans at competitive rates. You will also actively look for new and distinct ways to improve existing benefits to motivate employees to do better. 

You can work as a benefits analyst, manager, or coordinator.

Learning & Development 

New hires need constant training and development to retain their skills; the same goes for people already working in the company. If you like to take learning and development initiatives, you’ll enjoy working in the L&D discipline. 

You must observe the company’s skill gaps and establish learning programs to teach new candidates and hone the skills of old employees. 

This role requires you to supervise the onboarding process, train managers, and develop employees' skills. 

To blend learning options, you must stay on top of the latest online learning practices and materials. People in this role also access employee participation, engagement, and performance to analyse the effectiveness of their programs. 

Some standard job titles include learning administrator, L&D lead, instructional designer, and head of the department.

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Numerous organisations are now committed to building a diverse workforce. Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DE&I) leaders take steps to achieve inclusive workforce goals. This involves choosing diverse employees and upgrading the internal activity of minorities. 

DE&I leads also eliminate bias in the workplace and enlighten employees about diversity to avoid unpleasant scenarios. 

Your job is to highlight the importance of inclusion and diversity and their role in determining a company’s growth and success. 

As such, you must check all employees are heard and appreciated and hold the company accountable for meeting goals related to DE&I. 

Common job titles include DE&I lead, chief equality officer, and diversity assistant.

Tips to Flourish In HR Career Path 

The HR-related job postings surged after the pandemic outbreak, and the trend has continued post-pandemic. Career progression has become a norm, with more people working in the department. 

Everybody seeks to move forward from their current position and climb the ladder in HR. 

No matter the role you take on, you gain a collection of meaningful experiences, competencies, and skills that add to your growth. It helps you advance in the desired field and achieve your long-term goals. 

However, career progression is no small feat; even the most skilled human resource workers need professional advice to succeed. Keep these tips in mind to pursue the HR management career path like a pro.

Be Approachable 

To ensure efficient communication and appropriate policy implementation, you need to be more approachable, and being approachable would require you to be yourself. 

Draw inspiration from your employees who bring different perspectives of aspirations, aims, and hobbies to the workplace daily. You must also open up and show your true personality behind your job title. Your friendly behaviour will portray you as an empathetic leader. 

Be a Whip-Smart Person 

The human resource department is all about diversity. 

While sticking to a specific career path isn’t a problem, you must have the know-how of the roles and responsibilities of all HR roles. It will help you see the company’s processes in a new light. You can use this knowledge to identify a suitable specialisation role for yourself.

Make Human Resources Humane 

HR is about managing humans. You must learn how people are affected by the company policies and processes. Take an office tour and talk to the employees. Get to know about their interests and concerns. 

Ask them about their current projects and address their pain points. This will help you understand the employee mindset and what you can do to make them happy. 

Understanding employees beyond the database is a quality of a competent HR professional.

Be Proactive 

Being proactive requires controlling the situation instead of merely responding to what happened. You’ll encounter various situations that need creative solutions as an HR professional. 

The more creativity and passion you bring into your role, the more your seniors will trust you and acknowledge your efforts. 

A few companies execute processes through their small HR teams and eventually let them scale. Other organisations rely entirely on HR professionals to take on the initiatives and build values in the company. 

The key is not to wait for someone to assign responsibilities to you. Instead, identify your company's needs and design an action plan accordingly.

Be a Thought Leader!

A thought leader offers guidance based on their experience and expertise. Sharing your thoughts and experiences sounds intimidating if you recently stepped into the office. 

However, doing so can help you build connections and learn from the experience of your peers.

FAQs

Is an HR Management Career Worth It? 

HR management is a rewarding career with remarkable growth potential. The career path has been consistently ranked among the best jobs. As an HR professional, you have a chance to grow connections, understand the human psyche, and influence others.

What Is the Best Career Path In HR?

While the role of Chief HR Officer is considered to be the pinnacle of an HR career, the most successful career path is one that aligns with your individual strengths and allows you to excel. It's important to choose a role that you enjoy and have relevant experience in.

Conclusion 

The workforce is becoming highly competitive with each passing day. As a result, it's essential to carefully choose a career that aligns with your professional aspirations. This may involve transitioning to different roles or gradually advancing to a higher-level position.

Our guide to HR career paths will eliminate confusion related to HR role responsibilities and help you pick a reliable one for yourself. 

Human resources offer endless opportunities, but only if you know your way around popular roles and tips to climb the ladder in HR. 

You can also consider taking a Human Resources Course at UCD Professional Academy to level up your skills and advance your career quicker.