What are good ways for me to prepare myself for becoming a human resoure person?

Human resources is comprised of several specializations, such as recruiting, compensation and benefits, HRIS, learning and development, among others. The best advice I received, early on in my career, was to go vertical in one discipline. The HR Business Partner role, in which we partner with the different organizations within a company and provide them with true business partnership, is highly people-centric work like employee relations, performance management, etc. This is all critical to the success of the organization, but going into the HRBP role without mastery of at least one other discipline (like recruiting, compensation or L&D) is very difficult and does not make for a well rounded HRBP. As a starting point, I recommend getting to know all of the HR administration work: new hire processing, recruiting, immigration, etc. Positions in jobs like these are common and typically require strong administration and organizational skills, and they are excellent building blocks for deeper HR functions. A lot of corporate recruiting jobs include new hire paperwork processing, and serve as solid foundations for HRBP work later on. Also, networking within the HR community is essential and one of the greatest resources we have available to us.

Spelling first and foremost. Attention to detail and good language skills are required. There is lots of writing and paperwork required with this position.

Most entry level jobs in this field require administrative skills such as typing, filing and phone skills.

I would say experience. Human Resources is such a large field and you can't really narrow down what you like until you actually get out there and start trying different things. Like others recommended, I would see if you can get an internship or contract work. These are both great because they are for short stints of time but it's such valuable experience. Remember that determining what you don't like within HR is just as valuable as determining what you like.

I would also say network with different people in the industry. FInd a couple of people (maybe through LinkedIn or through an HR networking events) who have experience in different areas of HR and ask them to tell you about what they do. When I was looking to get into HR after I graduated from college, I did a ton of information interviews with different people in different parts of the HR industry to learn about it. Often times, this is the best way to get the layout of an industry and understand how you can get in. It's also good because you get to network with people in the process.

That's a pretty broad area you're trying to cover. There are a lot of different paths within HR, some dealing almost exclusively person-to-person, some almost entirely quantitative and everything in between. So do a bit of homework and see where your passion lies. Nothing will get in the way of being a "good" anything more than kidding yourself about your interest and passion in its pursuit. Determine where you think you'd fit best, then repose the question.

Oh yeah, re-read Joe Peterson's note above. That is spot-on advice.

I am a big fan of getting a solid education as this provides the core learnings from which you will draw from regardless of what kind of a role you end up doing in HR. Getting an internship or picking up contract work is an excellent way of getting exposure to life on the job and the kind of work that many HR professionals handle. Skills I would focus on developing are active listening and precision questioning. Being skilled at really hearing what folks are saying and able to dissect it and ask vey specific questions in response is key no matter what you end up doing, be it recruiting or generalist work.

Also consider experiencing a role in Recruiting at some point in your career before you root yourself in an HR role. Recruitment will provide you with exposure to working with diverse people, handling confidential information, etc., much of which you will need to be successful in an HR role. Good Luck!

I would say that a formal education is important, but it doesn't necessarily need to be in HR per se. A good training in a social science such as psychology or sociology would work as well. One element that personally worked for me was having a job throughout college - doing entry level HR work. Not to say this is the only path, but this allowed for accelerated learning on the job and applying any classroom learning right away. Additionally, if you don't major in HR or business, there are professional certifications that work well to allow for technical knowledge for the role. Also understanding what specialty (or not) that you want to be in within HR can help guide a bit of the path.

There are many entry level HR positions available where minimal experience is needed. Often there are temp positions where you can obtain administrative HR functions. Also, any leadership role where you are responsible for the development, hiring, and discipline of others is a good background.

Many universities have HR majors or specialty classes and that is a great way to learn more about the types of roles you could pursue. Internships are another way to get hands-on experience to complement your education.

A smaller company may be easier to get into. Often times, the Office Manager or Receptionist assists with basic HR functions so this can also be a good route to take.

Some general skills that I have found to be very important during my career in Human Resources (some mentioned above, as well):

• Attention to detail


• Comfort/Professionalism speaking to others (especially on the phone)


• Comfort/Experience with tough discussions (for sensitive topics, negotiations, etc)


• Ability to Listen


• Project Management/Organization

I know this is a general list, but I do think focusing in on these areas as you move through your education and into a career will really help you as a Human Resource professional!