HR Student with a Question!

[hrstudent90]

Hi Everyone,

I'm a newbie to this forum. I completed my education degree and taught for two years and then decided it was not for me. Following on from this I enrolled in the Masters of HR and had a succesful and very enjoyable first semester. I have just started my second semester (in Perth) and am really keen to get some work experience. However, I am not all that sure where to look? Is it just a case of emailing resumes or asking businesses etc if they have any availability or is there a better way?

Thank you very much

hrstudent90

[kat33]

I have no advice as I am just new to HR, but just wanted to share that I also have a degree in Education and have taught for almost two years only to decide its not for me. I hope HR works out for the both of us!

[Cottoneyes]

This is only my personal view, however the best HR practitioners have real world experience, preferably in supervisor or management roles. The below is based on an assumption that you didn't supervise any other employees in the few years of teaching that you did, if you did have supervisory experience of other adults, then please ignore

I'd be looking at getting a job not in HR, even part time in either retail or hospitality that would give you a quick career path to be supervising employees in a relatively short time frame. From this you will then start to get day to day experience with personnel issues at the coal face.

I see too many HR people giving advice to managers on how to deal with issues that have had no management / supervisory experience in person - ie handling a performance management issue - terminating an employee - recruiting. Trust me that it shows through very quickly and causes damage to your relationship with the line managers that you will ultimately be partnered with once they figure it out.

The additional benefit of this is that should a HR role come up internally, you will have a better chance as an internal candidate.

[Tiger]

This is only my personal view, however the best HR practitioners have real world experience, preferably in supervisor or management roles. The below is based on an assumption that you didn't supervise any other employees in the few years of teaching that you did, if you did have supervisory experience of other adults, then please ignore

I'd be looking at getting a job not in HR, even part time in either retail or hospitality that would give you a quick career path to be supervising employees in a relatively short time frame. From this you will then start to get day to day experience with personnel issues at the coal face.

I see too many HR people giving advice to managers on how to deal with issues that have had no management / supervisory experience in person - ie handling a performance management issue - terminating an employee - recruiting. Trust me that it shows through very quickly and causes damage to your relationship with the line managers that you will ultimately be partnered with once they figure it out.

The additional benefit of this is that should a HR role come up internally, you will have a better chance as an internal candidate.

This is very sound advice from CottonEyes but reality is you need to get a foot in the door somewhere. Firstly you need to decide just what type of industry interests you; best to focus on larger organizations who are more likely to take on interns/trainees. Obtain the names of the Recruitment Officer and call them - you have a name, you've spoken to them so that person receiving your CV is less likely to toss it into the bin. Wait say a week, to allow it to arrive (or less if you have emailed it in) and make the follow up call. This will be a lot of work because you need to do it with many. You will be discouraged and it may take a while but if you keep at it, success does come in the end.
If there are industry/organizations you badly want a toe in the door then look at their job sites and apply for other jobs not in HR - larger organizations are more prone to internal movements generally and once in, it's about developing relationships, getting yourself known and so when there is an opening, you are in the forefront. Don't overlook contracting roles either - frequently these can lead to a permanent placement.
Taking a PA type role in a smaller organization often means you do everything including a lot of basic HR type work - another way to get experience and this may well be a good start but the supervisory experience is essential because you must learn about business, how it runs, the triggers for Managers with whom you will have to deal if you are to truly partner and be the HR asses to the business HR should be.
Unfortunately, there are heaps of graduates out there who've " studied " HR but because there have zero work experience, the degree is not much use in getting them across the job line - so you need to be different, to stand out so when a potential employer meets you, they remember you. Good luck.
Tiger

[Moz]

Great advice from Cottoneyes and Tiger.

Kat33, when you say you are new to HR, what do you mean? Have you done some additional study or are you trying to make a leap from teacher to HR?