Figuring out what to do with your life isn’t easy. Despite the old belief you should have your life mapped out by 18, most people go through several career changes over the course of their lifetime. It’s impossible to predict what you’ll feel about the path you’ve chosen 10 or 20 years from now, but researching potential fields can help you feel more confident in your decision. HR is a popular choice for people who want to work in the business industry but aren’t interested in traditional marketing, accounting or corporate work. You can find a human resources department in every sector, making it a highly versatile and employable field. To decide whether a career in HR would be right for you, think about these qualities.
You Like Inciting Change
The HR team helps shape the entire culture of a company. They ensure people who are hired embody the qualities that will help propel the company forward, and they design initiatives to bring people closer together. All in all, HR is the division that makes work a great place to be for everyone. The impact of HR should not be overlooked, and you should pursue a career in the field if you’re genuinely interested in helping build and support a company’s values.
That being said, finding a company you actually relate to is an important step. You will likely need a bachelor’s degree in human resources, psychology or a similar field in order to get a good position in HR; you’ll want to research everything from potential employers to job duties to how to take out student loans. You can start making a change in your own life first by looking into degree programs and choosing how you’ll pay for college. There are many loan options available, and you can find flexible funding that even allows you to pursue school and gain work experience at the same time.
You Like Working with People
This is a no-brainer, but many people actually overlook the social aspects of human-centric careers. There is a major difference between having to work alongside peers and being a source of knowledge and assistance for an entire company. As an HR recruiter or representative, you’ll be responsible for helping onboard new hires, conducting exit interviews, helping employees set up IRAs, 401ks, health insurance plans and much more. You have to enjoy working with people in a variety of contexts, and you should be an exceptional communicator who can express ideas and condense information clearly in a conversation.
You’re Patient
Patience will be required when you have mountains of documents to file or you’re dealing with angry or frustrated employees. People turn to HR for many reasons, and those reasons are not always pleasant. Most of the time, you’ll be helping someone resolve a problem, and they may be looking to you to devise a solution. You’ll have to be able to put emotions aside, know how to negotiate and be able to remain level-headed. There is also a lot of red tape in HR that requires strict adherence to codes and various laws and policies. If you aren’t a detail-oriented person or hate being bogged down by regulations, this may not be the best friend for you to work in.