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View Full Version : Should I change my BCom degree while I can?



Saffa88
22-05-2012, 04:29 PM
Hi everybody,
I'm from South Africa and I'm currently writing my last few exams for my 2nd year in my BCom: HRM studies, so as of next month I'll be a 3rd year student.

My fiance's family moved to Brisbane at the beginning of the year and we've decided we'll join up with them at the beginning of 2014.
My fiance is a qualified Maths and English secondary school teacher so she will get a job easily I'm sure.

However, I'm becoming more and more negative about my studies as I read up on job prospects for HR Grads in Australia.
I'm starting to get cold feet about leaving SA with a BCom: HRM, and am contemplating changing my major because of the HR situation there.

The thing that puzzles me is that there are tons of job openings on seek.au.com and all those other popular job websites, which is where I looked when we decided that we want to move. This boosted my confidence quite a bit as news articles and job seeker websites painted a very rosy picture for the HR industry.
However it seems things are very different on the ground, and I'm starting to worry.

I've registered with AHRI and the government website australia.gov.au (http://www.australia.gov.au) so I can not only show I some initiative to future employers but also to familiarise with Australian labour legislation. All that is starting to seem feeble though. :confused:

And to think I could of very easily done something in computer sciences...

I've always planned to be more on the numbers or technical side of HR, either Benefits Specialist or HRIS.

Any advice, guidance, reassurance, and even better, the harsh truth would be much appreciated.

Cottoneyes
23-05-2012, 03:47 PM
HRIS with SAP experience in particular should land you a role very easily. I know of one role for a SAP HR specialist that was paying around the 150K mark and was open for around 270 days and I've heard this segment of the market is very lean for candidates, with most successful placements requiring 457 visas.

Will this still be the case in 2014? I can't say, however keep your options open and you should have the best chance

Rem & ben roles are very specialised and can be difficult to get a foot in the door for, especially without knowing the local rules. A qualification will make it easier for you though. The other side with numbers is payroll, in which case a degree like you would have with some experience locally could see you obtain a payroll manager role after a few years, which then could lead onto a role in hr / rem & ben if you could get an internal transfer within a larger company.

Saffa88
25-05-2012, 06:35 PM
Thanks for that breakdown Cottoneyes.

I'm very sceptical about investing too much in the HRIS route. As good as I am with IT related duties I truly despise it :p . I was an IT technician for 3 years and dreaded the PC software maintenance type stuff. That being said, it's a way to get into the HR industry, even if I want to make it short-term.

Will the fact that I've got an in-depth knowledge of everything PC related help make up the experience I lack in the practical use of HRIS?
I've designed multiple websites, have worked with several complex programs in my previous occupation and also modified the open-source code of their booking system to speed up mundane transactions. I'm also high proficient MS Office which seems to get mentioned a lot.
I've download the open source HRIS application OrangeHRM to get the feel of programs related those kind of functions.

I, of course, can't go the Remuneration & Benefits route yet, as I don't have experience or qualifications but that's my long-term goal. So with regards to that, who is has the best accreditation in Aussie for Rem & Ben certifications? World At Work?

EDIT: I just had a brainwave!
My parents have a new-ish business but they don't have a HRIS setup. Surely setting up OrangeHRM for them will look good on my CV?

Tiger
28-05-2012, 10:32 AM
You are correct, it is very difficult for HR Graduates to get a job. I know of several who have had difficulty and one I know is still without a job after more than a year. Employers want some experience.
My advice would be for you to capitalise on the numbers side. Not too many in HR have that strength, compared to other elements of HR and increasinging companies are beginning to focus more REM & BEN as a specialist postion.
By focussing on the commerce side of your studies, more employers will look at you in terms of a graduate job.
As someone who has travelled (and worked in overseas countries) widely, I think that coming from another country in itself will be a huge adjustment for you and you will need to find your comfort zone in terms of work and career.
Importantly, you need to consider the fact that your HR studies in South Africa are not going to include Australian Industrial Relations (a must in HR studies here). You might be better off making the switch now to something which is more transportable to Australia and then once here, if you would like to try generalist:) HR, you can do some post grad studies.

Cottoneyes
28-05-2012, 10:44 AM
Thanks for that breakdown Cottoneyes.

I'mI, of course, can't go the Remuneration & Benefits route yet, as I don't have experience or qualifications but that's my long-term goal. So with regards to that, who is has the best accreditation in Aussie for Rem & Ben certifications? World At Work?


I know of one rem & ben manager who was appointed to that role from an admin assistant.
My experience was I got a payroll manager role that morphed into rem & ben once I had cleaned up the payroll function so it pretty much worked on it's own with the officer to look after it.
My past experience when going for interviews for rem & ben roles, most companies still have no idea on what a rem & ben role should look like and what they should expect from it. Like Tiger says, most HR people are woeful with numbers and should not be involved in that space at all, leaving it up to a professional. There are some small courses you can do, however most of it is really getting involved with organisations like Hays and Mercer and getting to understand their methods of working and network from there at various data releases. Hays and Mercer may also be good companies to pitch yourself at to get a role with, I believe both of these are international, so check them out in SA and see if you can get a foot in the door there before migrating.

Moz
28-05-2012, 12:03 PM
Hays and Mercer may also be good companies to pitch yourself at to get a role with, I believe both of these are international, so check them out in SA and see if you can get a foot in the door there before migrating.

Hays? do you mean the recruitment company?

Or are you thinking of The Hay Group? (management consultants)

Cottoneyes
28-05-2012, 04:37 PM
Hays? do you mean the recruitment company?

Or are you thinking of The Hay Group? (management consultants)


That would be the Hay Group - the one everyone in HR refers as as using the 'Hays Grading System'