Essential elements you need to build a successful career in HR

Most of your well-wishers will tell you to finish your education and sign up for an internship.

And the magic door to a glorious HR career will slide open for you.

If it were so easy, everyone would have got a wonderful career in HR.

But in reality, it’s not that.

The education you get at your college prepares you to get an internship, but does it make you employable?

Does it impart you the skills, the abilities, the core competencies you require to perform at an HR job?

The challenge is you think they do, but deep down you know you still need something more.

In this brief guide, we will walk you through five important elements you need to build a successful career in HR (and no it’s not doing internships though we’re not against it).

Critical elements you need to build a successful career in HR

You need to have these five critical elements (in sequence) to build a glorious career in HR –

Have clarity about your vision: 

It’s not easy to think about the next ten years when you’re just starting your career. 

But if you’ve clarity, you will be way ahead of most of the HR career aspirants. 

You can talk to HR people who have had reached a position/stature you want to reach. Talk to your seniors who have climbed up in their HR careers. And then find out what makes you fly. Then zero in your sweet spot. 

You won’t have cent percent clarity at the beginning, but if you know in which direction you’re going the decision-making along the way would be way easier.

Do a comprehensive HR certification or two:

We know the challenge you face when someone relatively new in the business is offering you a four-hour masterclass at just INR 49.

Though the course-creator has good intentions at heart, do you think they can match the level of knowledge, skills, core competencies an HR veteran has which s/he has gathered over the last 20+ years?

Amid this huge propensity to consume information, you need to know what’s valuable and what’s dross. What glitters isn’t gold, don’t you know that?

We at Skillhub Learning have been devoted to the mission of making you employable in your HR career. 

[Read more about our thought leadership here]

Find a mentor:

Finding a mentor who can guide you while you start your HR career isn’t easy.

It isn’t easy because most of the mentors are professors and not active practitioners.

We love our professors but if you don’t choose your mentor as someone who is an active practitioner, it’d be difficult to learn the skills you need to learn by modeling your mentor.

At Skillhub, our mentors have taught, prepared, and nurtured hundreds of HR students already.

You don’t need to a magnifying glass and look out for a mentor.

Just reach out to us and we will help you impart the skills, knowledge, and competencies you need to be successful in your HR career.

Think long-term:

Short-term thinking may be beneficial for a few scenarios in life, but what helps you win is your long-term thinking.

Don’t look for quick fixes or magic bullet.

Go old school and put in the effort you need to impart the knowledge, skills, abilities to create a wonderful career in HR.

Become a continuous learner:

If you become a ‘know-it-all’, you will close yourself and won’t upgrade yourself even if there’s an opportunity knocking at your door.

Rather be a ‘learn-it-all.’

Don’t miss an opportunity to learn whenever you can.

Your brain is your greatest asset. You need to continuously learn to use it and use it well.

In the final analysis

The most important pre-requisite along with the above five is your willingness and commitment towards your HR career.

If you’re devoted to building a successful career in HR, no one can stop you from making it to the top.

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