What are good college majors for me to do if i want to becoem a human resource?
I need to know the name of the majors #college #college-majors
9 answers
Glen Steinberg
Glen’s Answer
General business is one path that can work for you. The advantage I see here is in learning the basic business skills that will better prepare you to interact with the business, namely finance and economics fundamentals. I am also a proponent of Social Science programs These can range from more targeted Industrial Phycology programs to Psychology, Sociology and Political Science. What these programs provide is in developing your understanding of why people behave the way we do which is a fundamental skill of any HR professional.
I have seen strong HR leaders come from a variety of educational backgrounds. The goal is to develop a solid foundation of core skills that hit on both the interpersonal interactions and the analytical. College is a great place to build this foundation between what you learn in the classroom and in your own development and life experiences.
Dale’s Answer
Hello. I would agree that you need a strong business background. I suggest getting your Business Adminstration degree. This degree will give you a good solid background in all things business, and many times you can also pick a minor or a concentration in human resources. Human Resource departments have several different types of careers under them. These can range from payroll and compensation, to Learning and Development. I would look at the different types of jobs that fall under Human Resources and find one or two that interest you. This should give you more direction on what classes and studies to concentrate on in your higher education. For instance, if payroll is something that interest you, you would want to take some accounting classes. I also recommend trying to do internships while in college. Human Resources can be a competitive field, so the more experience you have prior to graduating, the more desireable you look to employers when interviewing. If you would like further information on human resources, I recommend checking out SHRM website. it gives a good overview. Here is the link https://www.shrm.org/Communities/StudentPrograms/Pages/careersinHRM.aspx
Nicole’s Answer
Catherine’s Answer
I would suggest a generalist business degree that allows you to specialise in HR in your final year. This type of degree gives you a high level concept of other areas of the business (finance and accounting, sales and marketing, IT, etc) this will help you to understand your business units when you become a HR Business Partner. Also find out what are the relevant HR professional bodies you require accreditation from. These include the CIPD in the UK & Ireland, AHRI in Australia & NZ and the SHRM & HRMI in the US. Ensure the degree you choose provides you with at least Associate Membership to one of these bodies. Good luck :)
Simeon’s Answer
Blake’s Answer
Most colleges have HR as an option for a major. If yours doesn't, then I would recommend a business degree, specifically supply chain management.
Thanks,
Blake
Manraj’s Answer
At the school I went to (Vanderbilt University), a big feeder for HR careers was our program called Human and Organizational Development: http://admissions.vanderbilt.edu/major/factsheet/1090. Might be worth exploring a similar major at schools you are interested in. Hope that helps!
Cassandra’s Answer
I have found two different mindsets from HR recruiters. One puts a lot of emphasis on traditional HR training and experience. Large companies like Chevron and P&G would be most interested in recruiting individuals who have majored in Human Resources. As mentioned above, this is typically a major in a business school that requires a core of general business classes and then specialized HR classes in your last semesters.
The other mindset I've seen puts an emphasis on training and experience outside of HR, favoring those who come from a more analytical background. Some companies are more interested in recruiting individuals who have majored in Statistics or Economics because they can bring a new perspective to HR and tend to be more data-driven.
As Dale said, it's really important that you do internships in HR, regardless of your major. Hands-on experience goes a long way!
Kelly’s Answer
I am an HR Business Partner, and I double majored in Sociology and Psychology, both of which I believe have been good reference points in terms of education to draw upon when working in HR. However, what has been the most valuable has been my MBA in Strategy and Organizational Behavior - I would highly recommend pursuing an advanced degree in business...it will prove valuable not only in HR but also in other business roles!
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