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Why HR?

- 29-04-2008, 12:49 AM

Faced with a choice between an MBA in HR and a general MBA, I had to ask myself a lot of questions. In addition, peers who were in similar situations helped me by discussing their queries, and helping me answer mine. I am trying to reproduce my answers to some questions here, hoping they'll be useful to some of the readers. Disclaimer: All these questions were asked to me or my friends by peers, colleagues or seniors at sometime or the other. Please do not be offended by any of them. The idea is not to malign any college/career/gender/person but to answer some questions. Myth 1: HR is for people who are 'good at interacting with others.' Reality: Any profession needs people who are good at interacting with others. Can you be a successful football player, if you can't 'interact' with others? A salesperson? An advertising guy? Whatever! The core responsibility of an HR person is to maximise the returns on the money spent in hiring/retaining human resources. Of course, this needs to be done fairly, and within certain legal boundaries. HR has vast scope, and is broadly divided into: 1) Recruitment - includes strategic planning, forecasting, hiring, and selection 2) Learning and Development - training, learning management and administration, career enhancement 3) Performance Evaluation - appraisals and promotions 4) Industrial Relations - mainly for blue-collared jobs 5) Consulting Now, think about it. Would just being an extrovert, and having a liking for 'talking and interacting with people' qualify you for a job in any of these fields? No, right? You'd have to work just as hard as any other professional, to do well. Myth 2: No one picks HR. It's only because they have no other choice, that they do an HR course. Reality: Whoever told you that! In the little circle of people that I know, I can count at least 5 people, who have opted for HR over marketing/finance/operations. And mind you, all the colleges that called them were sterling institutes. But, if you are clear in your mind that HR is your calling, go for it, then! Myth 3: HR is a women's profession. Reality: That's been a case because HR was perceived as a 'softer' profession earlier, but not any more. HR is as competitive as any other stream of management today. There are tough targets in hiring, selection, training, appraisals, consulting etc. Men and women are on equal footing. For example, in my 6 years of workex, I've seen a fair gender mix amongst HR professionals. So, have no worries on that front. P.S. I'll be back with more. I don't claim to be an expert or a 'know it all'. These are just my opinions augmented with some research and interaction with HR gurus in my organization. Please feel free to add on, agree, disagree with me. Also, please post further queries and I'll try getting answers from some senior HR folks I know. Acknowledgments: Thanks to nidhi_rawal, skeptic, bugs bunny, harshadk, and diva12 for enriching discussions and opinions. Question: I've never heard of a CEO with an HR background. If I take an HR course, will I ever become a CEO? Ans. I'm not a fortune teller, but I can answer this one without gazing into a crystal ball. My take is that if you have the right skills, attitude, and direction, you can very well become a CEO with an HR background. And if you lack on these fronts, even with a top-notch MBA degree, you won't go too far up that ladder. Some cases in point: (You can click their names to view their profiles) 1. James Strong: ex-CEO of Qantas - majored in Industrial Relations 2. Anne Sherry: CEO of Westpac 3. Geoff Plummer: MD and CEO of OneSteel Some experts feel that it is actually easier for HR folks to move into a CEO's role. 1. Theres no reason that the HR director of a large company could not step into the role of CEO if they have that full understanding of the business. 2. Being a HR practitioner can provide useful insights into being a CEO because of the knowledge gained around how the people in the organisation really work and the processes around it. 3. An HR person applying for the CEO position can make an ordinary business really successful business through understanding what motivates people.

To quote James Strong, "The biggest task for any CEO is to build a team of people around them because I think we all know that youre not going to be able to do everything yourself at any stage. So its about building a terrific team of people. And if youve been a HR specialist, that should be something that youre very familiar with watching people, evaluating people, identifying the qualities that you think are outstanding or vital. Of course, it's a faraway destination from our current positions to CEO, but I looked up the net, and made this post just to put things into better perspective. I hope it reassures everyone about HR. P.S. To sum it up, I'd say that HR folks do become CEOs, if they choose to take that path. Even if not many go in that direction, so what? Gives us the chance to be trendsetters, doesn't it? Like I'm quoting Mr. Strong, someone could be quoting your words here, 15 years hence. Amen!! Question: I have heard that HR managers are paid less than Marketing or Finance managers. Ans. Traditionally, that has been the case. Broadly, organizations split functions into two categories - cost functions and revenue functions. Revenue functions earn money for the organization and improve the bottom line. However, cost functions are a drain on resources, and are given 'stepmotherly' treatment. HR used to be considered a cost function earlier, and still is considered one, by many organizations. However, due to a change in policies, many organizations have converted it into a revenue function. For example, in my current organization, there are two kinds of HR - corporate HR and line HR. Each department of the organization has an HR wing, that takes care of appraisals, employee relations, hiring etc. They have a tough life, coz they are cost functions. However, corporate HR, includes strategic planning, recruitment planning, hiring, policy-making, training and development. These folks earn a lot of revenue by billing other departments. Essentially, by training say 5 people for another department, they're adding on to the productivity of those people. Hence, that department can be billed by HR, and thus the . Yes, there are pros and cons of an HR profile. Being in a cost center can feel thankless and unrewarding sometimes. But then, if you like being in the frontline, and being blue-eyed boys/girls, there is no dearth of dream jobs. Also, not all cost center jobs involve drudgery. Salaries are important, no doubt. The initial start that you get may be lower than peers in other 'important' functions, but as you get closer to the top, things do balance out. Personal opinion: I don't mind compromising a bit on the salary factor, as long as I'm doing something that I love doing. P.S. Please don't get me wrong. The idea is not to glorify HR, but to move people from a mindset of 'Why HR' to 'Why not HR?' ya friend ! This thread is moving in right direction with righ inputs and discussions! Thanks Sumit for this initiative ... me too am under going this trauma of deciding on Offer of HR COURSE. wud like to throw up few questions which i asked myself . 1. What do i look from a job after MBA degree, would the HR PGDM also give the same feel ?? that Yess ! i am a manager ? the feel of making decisions in crunch situations and showing results , moving company ahead with those .. and i found out after analysis that yes it would really do so .. so Why crumble under other's myth towards HR ?? 2. Is HR job a monotonous job ? I feel every job can be termed monotonous or interesting with your outlook towards it ! being an IT guy with Engg Background ,at times i felt it was a pathetic place to work with silly job but with time moving i realised its not bad at all as soon as my attitude changed. engg graduates with tons of Exp in PSUs work on tenders and requirements, in domains they never worked before like commercial dept etc ,mech guy who worked thru life in thermal plant being put into Hydro incharge all of a sudden with promotion ! and doing wonders there !!! etc etc..

so why not an IT guy in HR ?? lets contribute our acumen in this field too .. And i need to move ahead with additions of skills ... so why not HR ?? Yup !! moving ahead ! the Questions above are open to comments and suggestions ! Ummm...my post may be bit Off-topic. But being part of a start-up and looking at HR from a perspective which is not-so-oh-corporatish I guess I can bring in few of my perspectives. This post is more intended for the people who want to build teams based upon the requirements of different departments in their organization.If you are interested in hiring people so that you can get your work done and then pay them some $$$ and move on, please do no waste your time in reading this post. I do not agree with the term HR. You cant treat humans as resources. My be this post will clarify my perspective. I will suggest every person interested in this field should read cPanel and The Seven Day Weekend by the same author , Ricardo Semler For the sake of brevity, let me call HR as EWM - Employee Welfare Manager. My 1> 2> 3> 4> 5> experience of working with corporates till now is that HR only comes into the picture in only these scenarios Hiring Intra-company events Compensation/Salary issues Resignation/Exit Process Coordinating with different departments about requirements and listing them out via different avenues.

Please add if I have missed on any of the functions. Now, my question is, what if a person genuinely loves doing all this , but he wants to assemble a team which works in long run for him."Retention" becomes the key factor , rather than getting the projects done.I have met few MBAs in HR in my life, and I have always seen them bound by process and lacking in new ideas of EWM. IMHO, i would rather have a person who loves doing all this but his brainwave is not bound by what he has learned during his course in MBA -HR. If anyone, can explain me, how a person equipped with MBA-HR degree , can be helpful for a startup like us or various many others floating around? This is a question, which has been there in my mind for a long time, and solutions to this will be highly appreciated. Also, if people here can enlighten me and others, case of few remarkable people in HR field in India, who did bring a turnaround in the way they managed HRM in their companies. If am off-topic here, pls let me know, will edit the post. Cheers, Rohit

I am not an MBA, hence I have to use my brains


Great thread Sumit:idea: Here's my take on this topic: No field of management is less or more important than others. In a successful organization, all depts like HR, Fin,

Mktg etc. come together, complement one another and work in harmony to produce a firm that works like a well-oiled machine, 24X7. I'd like to strengthen my argument by giving a couple of examples: 1. Mohandas Pai, Head of HR, Infosys This former CFO, who's known to be a financial whiz, voluntarily remitted the office of CFO to lead efforts in the areas of Human Resources and Education & Research. Pai, who's also a member of the Infy board, obviously recognized the importance of HR in a people-intensive industry like IT. This loquacious leader has risen the ranks at Infy fairly quickly, and remember: he is not one of the founders. A future CEO in the making perhaps? 2. Peter F Drucker Drucker started his career as a financial reporter, and then worked as a securities analyst at an insurance firm in London. In of his essays in "Essential Drucker", he talks about how he was sick of the Investment Banking fraternity, whose sole purpose was to mint money. Which is why he shifted base from Finance to Human resources. He completely dedicated the latter part of his career in studying and analyzing organizations, how to improve the effectiveness of employees and coined the term "knowledge worker". A few days back I was discussing with my HR manager as to why he got into HR. His response perhaps said it all...he said "You gotta have the passion for it".

Year Numero Dos @ LIBA


A great thread and great posts.... My two cents...... Most junta writing CAT/XAT only want to escape the monotony of their work . Whats the escape route? An MBA ! Stories of 1 crore salaries abound!! So write CAT/XAT and get into a general MBA , follow the crowd , the money trail and be out with a degree and a good job. Its exactly like an Engg Degree. Junta take engg or branches based on popularity, not on interest. So when forced to choose a particular field to do an MBA , most choose Fin , Marketing etc because of the glamour associated with it. All the myths busted above are reasons given by ppl not to take HR not because they have any idea of HR, but because thay have heard it from somewhere. As someone who had a lot of doubts regardsing HR myself, after sufficient discussions with bugs and others I have come to the following conclusions.. 1. Introspect why you want to do an MBA ? 2. What interests you? 3. What are your priorities ? Is it money , job profile , area of interest? 4. Look at the opportunities in your fieldof interest. 5. MOST IMP: One you think that you are interested in a certain field, DO NOT let considerations like the other field will fetch me 12 lakh pa , while mine will fetch me 10 lakh pa deter you. As someone said Life - Dreams = Job Sadly this is a reality for most . Please try to think what you truly want to do instead of blindly follwoing the crowd. If it is HR so be it...... PS: Sorry for the long and rambling post, but I was bugged up with ppl asking me why I am taking up HR, a 'female oriented ' MBA !!!! I happened to stumble upon this thread and it has provided me some great insight . Thanks a lot Sumit ! Even I am interested in HR and I faced the same questions raised in this thread about HR . This thread goes a long way in answering those doubts . Great work Sumit - your research and effort involved in this shows your genuine interest in HR and I am sure you are on your way to being a great HR manager ! The best way to find out is get in touch with HR folks in the Industry and it seems you have done that - kudos ! If you guys have read Dave Ulrich's book on HR - he talks about HR being a strategic business partner in organisations . I got this from Wiki :

Source : Human resource management - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia One widely used scheme to describe the role of HRM, developed by Dave Ulrich, defines 4 fields for the HRM function :

Strategic business partner


Change agent

Employee champion Administration

However, many HR functions these days struggle to get beyond the roles of administration and employee champion, and are seen rather as reactive than strategically proactive partners for the top management. In addition, HR organizations also have the difficulty in proving how their activities and processes add value to the company. Only in the recent years HR scholars and HR professionals are focusing to develop models that can measure if HR adds value . I think today HR has changed from what it was a few years back and it continues to evolve and gain importance . It is playing a strategic role today and is not confined to administrative tasks . Also organisations today can underrate the importance of HR at their peril because the key differentiator today for companies and businesses is people and HR .

Anvesh Kharbanda , TISS HRM & LR (2008-10)

PG Rocks
Hmmm..I was reading " Winning.." by Jack Welch and he was clearly in the opinion that ur HR Director is the next imp position to that of a CEO..!!! Wise words frm the horses' mouth indeed..!! Apart from the gyaan, its really encouraging to find so many dynamic ppl interested in HR...the future of HR and companies in general looks bright..!! As to compensation comes, the packages offered to TISS and XLRI students are as good as any investment banker..!! Just had one thing which I want to confirm whether its a myth or not...sumit maybe u can help..!! We all know that IB guys work round the clock n end up earning big bucks and suffer a couple depressions every year...!! Whereas most ppl say HR is a 9-6 job with fixed working hours and hence you can maintain a balance btwn work and family...in fact that cud be one of the reasons why we find so many women in HR..!! Just let me know if the above is a myth or there's an iota of truth in it ??!!

God Bless Our Martyrs...You'll have made us PROUD, Varun


Quote:

Originally Posted by estranged_gnrs

IMHO, i would rather have a person who loves doing all this but his brainwave is not bound by what he has learned during his course in MBA -HR. If anyone, can explain me, how a person equipped with MBA-HR degree , can be helpful for a startup like us or various many others floating around? This is a question, which has been there in my mind for a long time, and solutions to this will be highly appreciated.
These are my thoughts: (I am also working in a start-up and we are facing similar issues in recruiting etc). - Usually, a typical MBA, is not good for start-ups. The typical MBA is the types whom you would find in a large no. in

PG. (I, myself, may end up being one or is already one!). They like intellectual discussions, they just love it. The "What If" analysis. The hypothetical discussions etc. But the actual impact at work may be lesser. These traits are okay for established companies. In the sense, the trade-off can be adjusted for the perceived benefits. But for a startup I think the "just do it" attitude is more important. I would go as far as saying a "typical MBA" is a concept and the person need not even be an MBA. Though one may probably find more MBA's in that category. - Usually an average MBA is more expensive than a good engineer. We started recruiting really good engineers instead of average MBA's and though there were a few hic-cups, the guys started doing an amazing job by putting in more hard work. This works well for start-ups. Mind you, the engineers don't do engineering work. The company is into proper management consulting right from market entry, turning companies around and all the typical stuff which MBA's learn during an MBA. - If I were in a position as you, I would recruit a person who is experienced in HR and has solved similar industry problems (irrespective of whether he is an MBA or not) and in case the firm is cash rich, can employ MBA HR's as juniors to that experienced individual. Will make the job of the experienced HR guy easy. My point is there is a trade off in terms of money in recruiting an MBA. A start-up must rightly judge at which time it can afford to recruit an MBA and whether the benefits by recruiting one is more than the cost. A well established cash rich firm need not do such an in depth analysis. The mistake would not close the firm definitely. For a start-up, it definitely is important. Our firm finally decided recruiting intelligent and sensible IITians with 2 yrs experience costs 50-60% of what it would cost to recruit tier-2 MBA's. (The IIT guys are the ones who usually are fed up working in some software company but are actually bright dudes who want a good job profile and they definitely take a salary cut). The IIT/NIT guys are recruited because its important in Mgmt consulting to show a pedigree to the clients, at the same time manage the firm with a lean budget. These guys are not the perfect fits but then, they are also less expensive. The firm will eventually move to the SPJAIN/MDI/XLRI/I/K MBA's when it establishes itself and becomes comfortable with cash inflows. My 2 cents. I hope it was relevant. Sorry if it was not so. Pradeep
Quote:

Originally Posted by alagati

We all know that IB guys work round the clock n end up earning big bucks and suffer a couple depressions every year...!! Whereas most ppl say HR is a 9-6 job with fixed working hours and hence you can maintain a balance btwn work and family...in fact that cud be one of the reasons why we find so many women in HR..!! Just let me know if the above is a myth or there's an iota of truth in it ??!!
That's a total myth. Having worked for the training function of HR for nearly 3 years, I can vouch for that. My boss would be in office from 9 am to 6 pm, on most days, but I'd still get emails from him at 11 pm, many times. He had a wife and two kids, and spent a lot of time with them, but he didn't work any less than the others. See, if an organization is handing you a fat paycheck, obviously, you'd be expected to earn it! And as far as work-life balance is concerned, that's something you'll have to strive to maintain, irrespective of your field. As I said earlier, the number of women is higher primarily because of the way HR was perceived earlier. Although, I must concede that functions like Hiring and Recruitment have a higher percentage of women, because of the timings. (Most organizations hire only during normal working hours.) A work-life balance also depends on the way an organization's policies are structured. With flexi-work and telecommuting policies Quote:

Originally Posted by alagati

As to compensation comes, the packages offered to TISS and XLRI students are as good as any investment banker..!! Just had one thing which I want to confirm whether its a myth or not...sumit maybe u can help..!!

We all know that IB guys work round the clock n end up earning big bucks and suffer a couple depressions every year...!! Whereas most ppl say HR is a 9-6 job with fixed working hours and hence you can maintain a balance btwn work and family...in fact that cud be one of the reasons why we find so many women in HR..!! Just let me know if the above is a myth or there's an iota of truth in it ??!!
Its not about HR function having a 9-6 Job. All the support functions ie the functions which are not directly related to earning the revenue are generally have such working timings. Functions like HR, Admin, FInance (accounts & taxation) are perfect examples. The revenue generating functions have to work hard to complete their targets and the same is the case is with functions like HR n Finance also. When such functions have their deadlines people belonging to such functions also slog to meet the deadlines. Also more number of women are generally at the lower acdre in HR function , and as u go high up in the ranks you will find a very high number of men in the HR function. Regarding salary structures, i think we should rather not compare salaries of an investment banker to a HR person, as both the roles are totally unconnected and the returns cant be compared. U can still compare the salary figures with Other functions but not with Invesmtent Banker. Cheers MK
Quote:

Originally Posted by amit.ahlawat

Hi puys! Though i m a fresher, still i believe that owing to my natural inclination towards HRD, i have indeed developed the basic understanding of the role of HR in life in general and industry in particular. It is HR that enables the employees develop and maintain the right frame of mind and approach towards their assigned work. A mental picture is developed as to how any day at the company should be like. A sense of belongingness, responsibility, comradeship and familiarity is inculcated which gives the employee a strong base to begin his/her relation with the company. a REASSURING ENVIRONMENT is provided to the employee, that everyone is there to back him in his endeavor of giving benefit to the company and getting benefited himself in return, and also backing his comrades in return..... ALL THIS HAS A DIRECT BEARING ON THE QUALITY OF TIME SPENT BY THE EMPLOYEE IN THE COMPANY. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY ACHIEVE SET TARGETS RATHER THAN FAKE ACHIEVEMENTS. START (AND ENJOY) DELIVERING FROM THE DAY ONE.
tch...good words and I so wish it was in real.I would really like to know few companies which actually "believe" in this and implement this, and yes, first hand INDIAN experiences only please.NO posts like "I have a friend in whose company this....". May be we will learn few things from there..But may be out of the scope of this thread. As far as putting in number of hours is concerned, I think it is more a function of how well you plan your day and utilize your time in office. If there are too many urgent/adhoc things coming up on regular basis, either you are working for Police or Fire Brigade department or you dont know how to say a NO and tell your superior that your basket is already full. Even though what I do is something i really really love, but I am sure that if am putting in long hours on continued basis, I will have a burn out and the cost of it will be more. I think in this age of working from home,employees not directly under the supervising eyes, technology breaking barriers of communication , the curriculum of HR course should be ready to adopt to this. The better accountability processes they can innovate, the more they will be recognised in the industry.I think it is a very exciting time for

people who want to innovate in HR and may be reinvent the wheel. Cheers, Rohit Start ups online communities which are user driven, like PaGaLGuY.com, need two kind of HR managers - Online and Offline. One for the office/PG HQ and the other for maintaining the forum which is done by moderators. I have been interacting with users for around two years now and have realized that the moderators need to be very good 'people managers' and help in maintaining a healthy online working culture. This is required to maintain the quality of discussions and also making the members feel at home. I gave a presentation on managing online communities in my first year, you all can go through it (attached file) and get the specific of the role which a virtual HR manager or a moderator has to perfom. For the offline thing, well retention is one of the key problem in this sector. Any HR MBA can throw some more light on this I guess..
Quote:

Originally Posted by amit.ahlawat

Hi puys! Though i m a fresher, still i believe that owing to my natural inclination towards HRD, i have indeed developed the basic understanding of the role of HR in life in general and industry in particular.
No wonder It actually makes me think. Is it true that most of us would have worked in some firm post engineering and got so frustrated seeing the way HR behave and then developed a "I don't want to get into HR" feeling ? At least, I definitely felt so when working in my first company. Side question: Does HR courses have more freshers usually than BM courses? {Factual data please. Not "I am sure that is the case" answer.} i agree wid Rohit.... I havent felt HR in my 3 years at current job... all those flaff is only in the books... i would go on the extent of saying that the HR doesnt even sit in the same office as we do and operates from an office which is some 15 km away from this place... in 3 years i havent had opportunity of even meeting 1 person in face.... all the HR does is "operations".. givin out salary slips, asking for declarations, crediting extra expenses etc... acc to me, my boss is my HR rep... any prob i sort out wid him rather than goin to HR (in fact, when did I even think of going).. he sanctions my leaves an he tracks my performance... i would not say he is a great ppl manager but managing decent job as compared to others here at my level... and he is not even MBA... so i dnt think HR is needed in first place to manage HR! mine is an offshore investment banking unit... where we have no client facing roles but are expected to work as others in front end would... our hours are not as long as those guys but still longer than what normal offices would ask... so here it wld be all the more reason to have those HR policies... but still we are here left alone... Now that I have put on my first hand experience i would also give you other side of story... Sorry rohit, but I would really want to give example of a frnd who used to work for similar kind of setup for a rival company.. the job function and nature remains same - only company differs... he was very very happy with the HR there.. they had work-life balance committee which used to organise outings on monthly basis.. you could meet HR whenever you had problems with seniors or colleagues (on anonymous basis)... the interactions were so frequent that he had actually made a good friend with the HR female when he left... so it all depends upon the company to company and function to function and department to department and employee to employee ... One employee can view "HR" as unnecessary word in the organisation or it could be actually viewed as employee centric welfare.... it all depends...

"That's the difference between me and the rest of the world! Happiness isn't good enough for me! I demand euphoria!" - Calvin :sarcasm: My Journey ==>

Jaimin's Journey

Jshah, fair points! I guess many of us get disillusioned with HR, because our line HR folks are unavailable or busy or never have answers. I used to be one such person, long ago. In the two organizations that I have worked with, I have been really happy with the functioning of the corporate HR folks. Though, I must admit, the line HR has left me dissatisfied on more than a couple of occasions. Yes, on a day-to-day basis, it will be your manager who will deal with issues like compensation, leave, medical reimbursements et al, but if you look at the global picture, all these are dealt with, by HR. Your manager can at best be a channel to link you with your HR. Now, here's another question that I was asked: Question: Don't you think you might regret taking up HR, six months down the line, when you feel it is not rewarding enough as a career? Answer: Well, I might regret buying a car after six months, if I feel I could've picked a better model. I might regret marrying a girl now, coz after six months I might be able to pick a better 'model. Not at all. All of us are 20+ years of age. We need to have at least a faint idea of what we want to do with our respective lives. If you're taking up HR, just because it is the only available choice, I'd say you're making a mistake. I feel you need to decide what your priority is. If you have even an iota of doubt about joining HR, either get rid of the doubt, or get rid of the idea of joining HR. Harsh words, maybe, but that's what my take is. :rockon:

Meri Kahani | eleventHR | XL life | Blog

Winning is not everything... it is the only thing!


Awesome initiative Sumit [ u shd have shown me this earlier ]

Heres sharing how i made the decision...

I always knew i was a management guy, even while doing my BE...so that was settled. The specialization was something I wasnt very sure about, not untill a year ago. I realized that IT, Finance arent my cup of tea. Having worked in an IT company i had no liking for it at all, also having spend 6 months on ICFAI's MS in finance course and having wasted 60k on it, i was sure finance aint for me. Operations is something i had no idea about and marketing never really excited me. So i decided to read up on HR and operations. The more i read up the more i liked HR and the more i moved away from operations. So my goal was settled, it would have to be one of the 2 1) HR 2) General Management or Strategy The clincher was reading 'Maverick' by Ricardo Semler, I was all of a sudden fascinated by the potential that lay in the HR field.

Finally i was sure of taking HR if i get either of MDI-HR, or XLRI-PMIR if not i'd have gone ahead with general management or strategy. I am really excited at having made it into the best HR course in the Asia region and probably the oldest management program in India. :rockon: hameed Quote:

Originally Posted by freakinbubu

then again I have one more question directed towards the people.......Rohit Bhai had given the link to a blog in his post probably in the first or second page...... there is a small line in it that says HR PEOPLE ARE SOME OF THE MOST HATED PEOPLE IN THE BUSINESS.......even I have heard things in the similar lines a lot.............I dont know if there is even a little bit of truth in it but I just wanted to clarify if thats actually the case.........:detective::detective:
In some organizations, yes! However, you can't really generalize it to all HR folks. For example, there are folks who deal with employee retirals (firing employees). Even if they do it for a genuine reason, they will obviously not be loved and worshipped. Folks who deal with appraisals and compensations are also blamed by many employees, for lack of objectivity, biases and prejudices, etc.

Meri Kahani | eleventHR | XL life | Blog

Winning is not everything... it is the only thing!


Quote:

Originally Posted by freakinbubu

then again I have one more question directed towards the people.......Rohit Bhai had given the link to a blog in his post probably in the first or second page...... there is a small line in it that says HR PEOPLE ARE SOME OF THE MOST HATED PEOPLE IN THE BUSINESS.......even I have heard things in the similar lines a lot.............I dont know if there is even a little bit of truth in it but I just wanted to clarify if thats actually the case.........:detective::detective:
Yeah more often than not HR is hated the most because of certain things In my internship, the problem i faced with HR were as follows: 1) They never give the details u want 2) My Full n Final was done after 3 months 3) I had to get one form completed for my internship certificate and they took three months for that 4) HR is normally not clear of the orgainsation policies (lack of proper indcution) 5) They are a bit complacent (from what i have seen) 6) As i have said in my earlier post, they are a cost centre for a company and hence Cheers MK Quote:

Originally Posted by monsterkartik

Yeah more often than not HR is hated the most because of certain things In my internship, the problem i faced with HR were as follows: 1) They never give the details u want

2) My Full n Final was done after 3 months 3) I had to get one form completed for my internship certificate and they took three months for that 4) HR is normally not clear of the orgainsation policies (lack of proper indcution) 5) They are a bit complacent (from what i have seen) 6) As i have said in my earlier post, they are a cost centre for a company and hence Cheers MK
and more often than not they are plain dumb... acc to me, reason is that the guys who manage these things at employee level are graduates who could not not get any other decent job... otherwise why would they agree to do such menial jobs... and still mess up things so badly thaht employees lose trust in them... the guys who have done their HR MBA are mostly guys at the top / middle level who have no reality about what is happeining around them or no idea how the guy below them handling menial jobs botches it so badly that employees lose the faith in entire dept... either they are are too busy (doing nothing) or choose to ignore them... not sure why these guys do not put act together... You guys can label me as Anti HR but then that is what i have experienced in last 3 years... not a single positive experience...

"That's the difference between me and the rest of the world! Happiness isn't good enough for me! I demand euphoria!" - Calvin :sarcasm:
There is a particular profession/career path in HR which is not discussed much here. Highly lucrative. Its Senior Management Head Hunting. Sounds boring? Not exactly. This is not the kind of head hunting which normal Head hunting firms do. Like calling up and getting some stupid details. This is for the "C" level employees and Board members. (CEO/CFO/COO) etc. Though its the same job, the challenges are much different. - The news must not leak out by any chance with the media - One must have high level contacts nationally and internationally (which means having the contact details of every VP and above person in India) - It also requires tracking where each one is moving - Interesting part is, one would actually get into the indepth details of the job and discuss with the potential employee in restaurants and golf courses. No, this is not like selling insurance. You are equal to that person and you are a HR consultant. Since many are always interested in new job opportunities, you will be welcome (provided you have the right background and pedigree) - More senior the position, more difficult and challenging the job becomes -Commission/Compensation is pretty high. Avg Salary of recruitee can range from 50L to 4-5 Cr. The HR firm will pocket 1 month salary of that usually for every final deal. - The job is not so easy. There will be compensation lawyers from either side battling out each and every point of the employment and terms and conditions etc. Its not as easy as our job offers where they send something and we sign and send back. The conditions will include how esops will be given, performance metrics will be decided and etc etc. - Usually people enjoy this since you will know a lot of people by their first names and stuff - But this career is like what VC/PE is for finance junta. Mostly done towards the saturated times of their career paths (35+).

Obviously its not necessary that one has to be a HR guy for this. Though few from HR get into this for the better money and lifestyle.

My Blog IIMA's official blog groups.google.com/group/iima2011

During career counselling from a well reputed organisation which also studies Psychology, I was told that having extra ordinary verbal skills is useful for MBA HR. Are they essential?

The question is not framed perfectly. i.e. "Verbal Skills or Basic english skills" are necessary/essential for MBA itself since most of the course content would be in English and having a good grasp of English would definitely be helpful. However, "Extra-ordinary verbal skills", whatever that means, is something I wont vouch for. I don't see a reason why thats necessary. Only way I can understand what they would have meant is HR would have more cases/theory/more to read and less number crunching and hence just as being good in mathematics may help you in MBA Finance, being good in English may benefit you in HR. But making it sound as if that is the core skill required to be a MBA in HR is, according to me, laughable.

Having above average sympathy and empathy is dangerous as far as MBA that too MBA HR is concerned.....Please explain

I don't know how all these companies/organizations come up with all these "packaged material" with all these high sounding words. However, answering your question, I think what they meant in a complicated way is that HR dept exists for the company and not the employees. Which means the company's best interest must be kept in mind. If one is "sisterly and motherly" they feel it may lead to a conflict of interest and one may irrationally support an employee (maybe while firing a person for under performance and he is the sole breadwinner of the family and you start shedding tears and stuff like that). And again, the sympathy and empathy and whatever is good to have at the right proportion. Its not good to have excess of those while working. However, having all those is not dangerous while doing an MBA for sure. meant!) . (which is what your actual question

Can you please enlist best institutes especially for MBA HR? or the list for general MBA doesn't make a difference....?

XLRI-PMIR, TISS My 2 P.

I am younger than the people discussing here and indeed doing a great job for MBA HR aspirants.
The earlier u decide the better

Quote:

During career counselling from a well reputed organisation which also studies Psychology, I was told that having extra ordinary verbal skills is useful for MBA HR. Are they essential?
Good verbal skills dont hurt, especially while pursuing good profiles in the HR field in today's corporate world. Even bschools have the habit of giving calls to ppl with good VA percentiles for HR courses. One doesnt need to have "extraordinary" verbal skills, but yes, the person should have good communication skills.
Quote:

Having above average sympathy and empathy is dangerous as far as MBA that too MBA HR is concerned.....Please explain
above average sympathy and empathy can hurt in any field. But in the HR world one needs to be able to empathize with people. In any other field you can get away with being unsympathizing, but in the HR profession one needs to be able to read the pulse of the employees and identify with thier problmes and situations.

Quote:

Can you please enlist best institutes especially for MBA HR? or the list for general MBA doesn't make a difference....?
XLRI-PMIR TISS MDI-HR In that order of preference. Also IMI and IMT have HR courses :rockon: hameed I had a meeting with the seniormost HR person in my organisation yesterday. The man is an XLRI - PMIR passout. I won't use his name here, just his initials (PM).Here's the complete transcript: PM: Hello! How are you? Sumit, right? Me: Good afternoon, P. Yes, I am Sumit. PM: Congratulations, your admission is confirmed right? Or are you still awaiting some other results? Me: Confirmed. I am awaiting IIML results, but irrespective, I have decided on PMIR. PM: (smiles) That's great! Me: Although, there is a lot of peer and family pressure to join IIM-L, if I get through. What would you suggest? PM: Tell me about your background - studies and work. Me: I have been a Science student. I have a degree in Civil Engineering. I've been working with IBM and Genpact for nearly 3 years each, in the training and elearning functions. PM: Hmmm....that's good...to sochna kya hai? PMIR!! Me: Yes sir, that's what I've decide on. PM: Good choice, although I didn't have any clue about HR when I joined. i was preparing for Civil Services, aur sab log MBA entrance de rahe the, to maine bhi de diya. I didn't clear Civil Services, but got a call from XL-PMIR. I wasn't sure about it, but I've enjoyed it ever since! Me: What are the growth prospects in HR? PM: There will always be a shortage of HR professionals because there just aren't enough quality schools. So, don't worry, plenty of growth. Me: Still, what are the possible areas that one could work in?

PM: Business HR, my favourite! Consulting, line HR, headhunters, lots of stuff! Me: And how does one decide on which stream? PM: I'd obviously vote for business HR. And let me tell you, the day you pass out, you can walk in here, and get hired as part of my team. We'd love to re-hire you. Although when that day arrives, I know that you will say, "Uh...you know...I'll get back to you, but thanks anyway!" Me: (grinning) Thanks! And is there any particular area that is boring and dull? PM: Well, wrong person to ask! I'd say HR becomes a passion, a drive! I've been in this field for 15 years, but never had a boring day in all that time! Me: That's great to hear! And I'm looking forward to joining PMIR. Is there any generic advice that you'd like to offer? PM: Not really, just that study hard, have fun, and remember that it's you as a person who defines where you go. Courses and schools matter, but not more than you. Me: Thank you so much for your time, and have a great day.

Meri Kahani | eleventHR | XL life | Blog

Winning is not everything... it is the only thing!


My two cents to the discussion: Is HR boring? Keep in mind that HR does not involve only recruitment. HR in itself covers a very wide range of corporate functions. You would be involved in training different kinds of people, appraising the performance of different kinds of people. You have to take into account the human quotient which is unique and exciting. Each individual is different and doing a subjective analysis is more difficult than you think. Thinking on your feet while training, maintaining relations etc. become a mantra for you. To repeat a cliche, the internal customers of a company are at times more important. As a manager you have to take into account this human quotient, what can be done to drive the workforce to better productivity with minimal costs. The challenges are there as you would be handling the most volatile and important resource of the organization. Does HR pay, are there oppurtunites for HR in India? I would say definately. India is opening up to the global market with more and more international conglomerates setting up shop in India, or outsourcing to India. The thing is HR as a field is not glossy because, more often than not, it functions behind the scenes. The finance, logistics, marketing et all functions appear more exciting because that is what we have been exposed to right from our school days. We have prepared balance sheets, we have interacted with marketing people, we have experienced what to buy when to buy and how much to buy. But HR has always stayed behind the curtains, as we more or less take our people skills for granted. All the best

YNWA Goa Institute of Management 2009-2011


Quote:

Originally Posted by curtz-imi

Life means: unknown faces, insane ids, hundreds of shouts, 1 SB

"As far as I'm concerned, I prefer silent vice to ostentatious virtue "

Hi,

I guess this thread serves the purpose of not WHY HR? but WHY NOT HR? Most ppl are into HR programs maybe because fate served them the plate. You can refuse it or you can make peace with it. What matters is not to look at something and say that SEEMS bad....or the other thing SEEMS more attractive...Point is not many who go to a B

school in India know what they want career wise after an MBA... I guess the US universities are better in this regard..Just filling their application forms makes one take a long look at oneself... The point is that nothing is the be all or end all. If one thinks that HR is not good...One can always look for ways to move across functions. As someone said...YOU and YOU alone determine where you end up. So dont look for flimsy reasons like money or its boring etc. What it boils down to is your attitude..

XL - PMIR (2008 - 10)


Quote:

Originally Posted by santiago

Hi,

I guess this thread serves the purpose of not WHY HR? but WHY NOT HR? Most ppl are into HR programs maybe because fate served them the plate. You can refuse it or you can make peace with it. What matters is not to look at something and say that SEEMS bad....or the other thing SEEMS more attractive...Point is not many who go to a B school in India know what they want career wise after an MBA...
You've hit the nail bang on its head, mate! That was precisely the intent of starting this thread. Why NOT HR?? There are a lot of myths and misconceptions around HR, which I intended to dispel. People fail to realize that HR is as lucrative, as attractive, and as growth-oriented and competitive as any other management stream. Unlike Western universities, we don't have to be crystal-clear about the program that we'd like to join, when we apply. So, people do the thinking bit after, rather than before getting admission. But then, it'll help if people who got an HR course by accident and not by design, research and think of where they would fit best in an organization. Santiago has put it brilliantly! "YOU and YOU alone determine where you end up." All the best! :rockon:

Meri Kahani | eleventHR | XL life | Blog

Winning is not everything... it is the only thing!


i think a lot of misconception is prevailed about the HR , some guys says it is not that important part of the organisation, some says it is not that challenging and hr lacks glamour and high growth. i think this is completely wrong and baseless. even i am intended towards finance and not hr, but becoz. this suits my personality and i believe this is going to help better utiliztion of my capabilities ,not becoz. their is some fault in hr or i can not be an entreprenuer or ceo of a company with mba in hr. we can have examples like placement agencies etc... i think hr is infact one of the most important pillars of an organiztion along with marketing, even better in that respect than finance(:(). becoz. a company primarily requires proper marketing of its producys and services , and a qualified staff to produce those product and services and bring innovation to them . i think more than any resource like assets, liquidity etc.. the most important resource of the company and the most vulnerable one also is the talent pool of the company that is its staff,which must contain skiied and qualified professionals which can help the company to reach new avenues and rise to new horizons after competeting with the opposition . and we know their is always the dearth of talented profeesionals . and now the HR manger comes into play who have to estimate the manpower requirements of the company and to trace different sources to get that, design diff. strategies to properly compenste the the staff and retain them over a long duration of time , look after their needs . and it is not an easy job so i hats off to the hr mangers of the corporate world . and i would like to share one more info'n that was on the top of business pages of times of india that the salary of T.V. MOHANDAS PAI,who is global HR HEAD of INFOSYS, is more than tha CEO and CHAIRPERSON of the company Quote:

Originally Posted by coolashu

Guys I have a question... to wake u all :sleepy: what are the Upcoming fields in HR Domain? are their some newly added with Industry Demands recently ? and how can one decide which domain to specialize or opt for wile getting offers from Companies during placements ? can we choose at that time or just need to get in and then see for it ? I have quite a time for that but just keen to know and plan accordingly. Please pour in with yr view ..
Mate , HR is vast evergreen field. It ranges from recruitment process, induction, resources utilization forecasting and policies management. Above all HR is something inevitable in every industry or domain.Every industry need proper implemented HR policy to entertain its resources, who are core of any industry. Specialization is more on ur choice I believe. Regards

Vishal Mehra
Quote:

Originally Posted by coolashu

Guys I have a question... to wake u all :sleepy: what are the Upcoming fields in HR Domain? are there some newly added with Industry Demands recently ? and how can one decide which domain to specialize or opt for in HR while getting offers from Companies during placements ? can we choose at that time or just need to get in and then see for it ?
Quote:

Originally Posted by alagati

I think, with all the financial clout that Indian conglomerates have now, and the mergers n acquisitions....I think HR has a big role in facilitating the smooth transition of employees across the border and states....
Ashu, as pointed out by Alagati, HR is exceedingly playing a vital role in mergers and acquisitions (M&A). For example, Tata acquired Corus Steel. The acquisition was not a deal completed inside boardrooms. It was a fusion of cultures, values, and ideals. That's where HR bridges the gap, by organising induction programs, revising policies, and other actions. Apart from M&A, training is another 'hot' field. So is HR Consulting. You can take it easy, and relax till you need to make a choice between career options. During your course, you will be able to pick electives and push your resume in a particular direction. I'm not really sure of when exactly one gets to choose a line, but will try and find out from Bugs Bunny or Skeptic and write back!

I am younger than the people discussing here and indeed doing a great job for MBA HR aspirants.
The earlier u decide the better

Quote:

During career counselling from a well reputed organisation which also studies Psychology, I was told that having extra ordinary verbal skills is useful for MBA HR. Are they essential?
Good verbal skills dont hurt, especially while pursuing good profiles in the HR field in today's corporate world. Even bschools have the habit of giving calls to ppl with good VA percentiles for HR courses. One doesnt need to have "extraordinary" verbal skills, but yes, the person should have good communication skills.
Quote:

Having above average sympathy and empathy is dangerous as far as MBA that too MBA HR is concerned.....Please explain
above average sympathy and empathy can hurt in any field. But in the HR world one needs to be able to empathize with people. In any other field you can get away with being unsympathizing, but in the HR profession one needs to be able to read the pulse of the employees and identify with thier problmes and situations.

Quote:

Can you please enlist best institutes especially for MBA HR? or the list for general MBA doesn't make a difference....?
XLRI-PMIR TISS MDI-HR In that order of preference. Also IMI and IMT have HR courses :rockon: hameed I had a meeting with the seniormost HR person in my organisation yesterday. The man is an XLRI - PMIR passout. I won't use his name here, just his initials (PM).Here's the complete transcript: PM: Hello! How are you? Sumit, right? Me: Good afternoon, P. Yes, I am Sumit. PM: Congratulations, your admission is confirmed right? Or are you still awaiting some other results? Me: Confirmed. I am awaiting IIML results, but irrespective, I have decided on PMIR. PM: (smiles) That's great! Me: Although, there is a lot of peer and family pressure to join IIM-L, if I get through. What would you suggest? PM: Tell me about your background - studies and work. Me: I have been a Science student. I have a degree in Civil Engineering. I've been working with IBM and Genpact for nearly 3 years each, in the training and elearning functions. PM: Hmmm....that's good...to sochna kya hai? PMIR!! Me: Yes sir, that's what I've decide on. PM: Good choice, although I didn't have any clue about HR when I joined. i was preparing for Civil Services, aur sab log MBA entrance de rahe the, to maine bhi de diya. I didn't clear Civil Services, but got a call from XL-PMIR. I wasn't sure about it, but I've enjoyed it ever since! Me: What are the growth prospects in HR? PM: There will always be a shortage of HR professionals because there just aren't enough quality schools. So, don't worry, plenty of growth. Me: Still, what are the possible areas that one could work in? PM: Business HR, my favourite! Consulting, line HR, headhunters, lots of stuff! Me: And how does one decide on which stream? PM: I'd obviously vote for business HR. And let me tell you, the day you pass out, you can walk in here, and get hired as part of my team. We'd love to re-hire you. Although when that day arrives, I know that you will say, "Uh...you know...I'll get back to you, but thanks anyway!" Me: (grinning) Thanks! And is there any particular area that is boring and dull?

PM: Well, wrong person to ask! I'd say HR becomes a passion, a drive! I've been in this field for 15 years, but never had a boring day in all that time! Me: That's great to hear! And I'm looking forward to joining PMIR. Is there any generic advice that you'd like to offer? PM: Not really, just that study hard, have fun, and remember that it's you as a person who defines where you go. Courses and schools matter, but not more than you. Me: Thank you so much for your time, and have a great day.

Meri Kahani | eleventHR | XL life | Blog

Winning is not everything... it is the only thing!


My two cents to the discussion: Is HR boring? Keep in mind that HR does not involve only recruitment. HR in itself covers a very wide range of corporate functions. You would be involved in training different kinds of people, appraising the performance of different kinds of people. You have to take into account the human quotient which is unique and exciting. Each individual is different and doing a subjective analysis is more difficult than you think. Thinking on your feet while training, maintaining relations etc. become a mantra for you. To repeat a cliche, the internal customers of a company are at times more important. As a manager you have to take into account this human quotient, what can be done to drive the workforce to better productivity with minimal costs. The challenges are there as you would be handling the most volatile and important resource of the organization. Does HR pay, are there oppurtunites for HR in India? I would say definately. India is opening up to the global market with more and more international conglomerates setting up shop in India, or outsourcing to India. The thing is HR as a field is not glossy because, more often than not, it functions behind the scenes. The finance, logistics, marketing et all functions appear more exciting because that is what we have been exposed to right from our school days. We have prepared balance sheets, we have interacted with marketing people, we have experienced what to buy when to buy and how much to buy. But HR has always stayed behind the curtains, as we more or less take our people skills for granted. All the best

YNWA Goa Institute of Management 2009-2011


Quote:

Originally Posted by curtz-imi

Life means: unknown faces, insane ids, hundreds of shouts, 1 SB

"As far as I'm concerned, I prefer silent vice to ostentatious virtue "

Hi,

I guess this thread serves the purpose of not WHY HR? but WHY NOT HR? Most ppl are into HR programs maybe because fate served them the plate. You can refuse it or you can make peace with it. What matters is not to look at something and say that SEEMS bad....or the other thing SEEMS more attractive...Point is not many who go to a B school in India know what they want career wise after an MBA... I guess the US universities are better in this regard..Just filling their application forms makes one take a long look at

oneself... The point is that nothing is the be all or end all. If one thinks that HR is not good...One can always look for ways to move across functions. As someone said...YOU and YOU alone determine where you end up. So dont look for flimsy reasons like money or its boring etc. What it boils down to is your attitude..

XL - PMIR (2008 - 10)


Quote:

Originally Posted by santiago

Hi,

I guess this thread serves the purpose of not WHY HR? but WHY NOT HR? Most ppl are into HR programs maybe because fate served them the plate. You can refuse it or you can make peace with it. What matters is not to look at something and say that SEEMS bad....or the other thing SEEMS more attractive...Point is not many who go to a B school in India know what they want career wise after an MBA...
You've hit the nail bang on its head, mate! That was precisely the intent of starting this thread. Why NOT HR?? There are a lot of myths and misconceptions around HR, which I intended to dispel. People fail to realize that HR is as lucrative, as attractive, and as growth-oriented and competitive as any other management stream. Unlike Western universities, we don't have to be crystal-clear about the program that we'd like to join, when we apply. So, people do the thinking bit after, rather than before getting admission. But then, it'll help if people who got an HR course by accident and not by design, research and think of where they would fit best in an organization. Santiago has put it brilliantly! "YOU and YOU alone determine where you end up." All the best! :rockon:

Meri Kahani | eleventHR | XL life | Blog

Winning is not everything... it is the only thing!

i think a lot of misconception is prevailed about the HR , some guys says it is not that important part of the organisation, some says it is not that challenging and hr lacks glamour and high growth. i think this is completely wrong and baseless. even i am intended towards finance and not hr, but becoz. this suits my personality and i believe this is going to help better utiliztion of my capabilities ,not becoz. their is some fault in hr or i can not be an entreprenuer or ceo of a company with mba in hr. we can have examples like placement agencies etc... i think hr is infact one of the most important pillars of an organiztion along with marketing, even better in that respect than finance(:(). becoz. a company primarily requires proper marketing of its producys and services , and a qualified staff to produce those product and services and bring innovation to them . i think more than any resource like assets, liquidity etc.. the most important resource of the company and the most vulnerable one also is the talent pool of the company that is its staff,which must contain skiied and qualified professionals which can help the company to reach new avenues and rise to new horizons after competeting with the opposition . and we know their is always the dearth of talented profeesionals . and now the HR manger comes into play who have to estimate the manpower requirements of the company and to trace different sources to get that, design diff. strategies to properly compenste the the staff and retain them over a long duration of time , look after their needs . and it is not an easy job so i hats off to the hr mangers of the corporate world . and i would like to share one more info'n that was on the top of business pages of times of india that the salary of T.V. MOHANDAS PAI,who is global HR HEAD of INFOSYS, is more than tha CEO and CHAIRPERSON of the company Quote:

Originally Posted by coolashu

Guys I have a question... to wake u all :sleepy: what are the Upcoming fields in HR Domain? are their some newly added with Industry Demands recently ? and how can one decide which domain to specialize or opt for wile getting offers from Companies during placements ? can we choose at that time or just need to get in and then see for it ? I have quite a time for that but just keen to know and plan accordingly. Please pour in with yr view ..
Mate , HR is vast evergreen field. It ranges from recruitment process, induction, resources utilization forecasting and policies management. Above all HR is something inevitable in every industry or domain.Every industry need proper implemented HR policy to entertain its resources, who are core of any industry. Specialization is more on ur choice I believe. Regards

Vishal Mehra
Quote:

Originally Posted by coolashu

Guys I have a question... to wake u all :sleepy: what are the Upcoming fields in HR Domain? are there some newly added with Industry Demands recently ? and how can one decide which domain to specialize or opt for in HR while getting offers from Companies during placements ? can we choose at that time or just need to get in and then see for it ?
Quote:

Originally Posted by alagati

I think, with all the financial clout that Indian conglomerates have now, and the mergers n acquisitions....I think HR has a big role in facilitating the smooth transition of employees across the border and states....
Ashu, as pointed out by Alagati, HR is exceedingly playing a vital role in mergers and acquisitions (M&A). For example, Tata acquired Corus Steel. The acquisition was not a deal completed inside boardrooms. It was a fusion of cultures, values, and ideals. That's where HR bridges the gap, by organising induction programs, revising policies, and other actions. Apart from M&A, training is another 'hot' field. So is HR Consulting. You can take it easy, and relax till you need to make a choice between career options. During your course, you will be able to pick electives and push your resume in a particular direction. I'm not really sure of when exactly one gets to choose a line, but will try and find out from Bugs Bunny or Skeptic and write back! This thread is a great initiative to discuss about the various aspects of Human Resource Management. Kudos to all puys who are active here. While going through this thread, I came acorss the term 'Employee Welfare Manager' instead of 'HR'.I somehow dont agree to this term. Afterall, HR professionals are not just to look after the welfare of the employees. It is much much beyond that. The key challenge in this era would be to make it strategic. Even today, 65-70% of the line HR managers

spend time in day to day transaction based activities instead of strategic functioning. This is the one factor which needs to be addressed to improve the overall operational efficiency of the Organizations. This is where 'Outsourcing' of non-core competencies like Pay roll management etc, comes into picture. Another thing what I feel about future scope of HR is the Demand-Supply gap which the function has right now. India, requiring as many as 35000 HR professionals in the next 10 years, will keep HR as a 'premium' function without any ambiguity. The only criteria by which I choose to do HR is the scope involved.HR poses a lot of challenges especially in the areas of: 1. Talent Management 2. Change Management 3. Alignment to Business strategy 4. Total Rewards Management etc.

btw I love numbers.. [The general perception is HR managers dont love to use numbers]. and there is a huge scope to use numbers in HR as well. Starting from devising effective recruitment plans to designing the complex employee stock option programmes will involve a lot of math. So number lovers, plz do consider HR.. That's it for nw.. Thanks, Vamsi MBA(2007-09) SIBM-HR Also, while reading through the pages, I came across a few view-points and would like to address them: 1. HR is a cost effective center, not a revenue generator one. How I see the categorization of departments in an organisation is that they are either Operators or Supporters. Now, since supporters are not directly involved in creating revenue as operators are, however, they have an equally fullblown potential in generating revenue, in fact, more than that because they are the original INNOVATORS!!!!!!! And, yes, HR is the supporter. 2. HR is a menial job. Now, come on, I really wish to know what is really a menial job. You may feel that compiling data and sending salary slips is a cheap task to do. But think again, can you really do without either of this? And just what is a menial job after all?? If you are the bigger fish in the sea, it doesn't give you a right to abuse the smaller one! 3. Women work in it because of the perfect work timings. Speaking from my experience, yes, I am very happy in my work timings with my L&D work but, trust me, that's not my only reason to be working here. My passion is training and if have to do it, I will find my ways of finding the right timings for myself in it. 4. You need to have good verbal skills to be in it. Yes, you do. Any job that requires public-speaking, requires good verbal skills too. But, hey, if you feel you don't

Frankly speaking, the inclination towards HR is only for the reason that it can provide me a platform to do what I like the most..........."INTERACTING WITH AT LEAST TEN DIFFERENT KINDS OF PEOPLE"...........i dont know
possess a good set, you can always get yourself trained in it. It's really simple, seriously

whether HR is a cost centre or a revenue centre or whatever that u guys can call it..........or whether HR plays a definite role in M&As.............the only thing that drives me towards it is the very fact that it can help me interact with people as a part of my job.........thats what I like most about it............may seem a very naive attribute but then thats a fact............
Quote:

Originally Posted by freakinbubu

Frankly speaking, the inclination towards HR is only for the reason that it can provide me a platform to do what I like the most..........."INTERACTING WITH AT LEAST TEN DIFFERENT KINDS OF PEOPLE"...........i dont know whether HR is a cost centre or a revenue centre or whatever that u guys can call it..........or whether HR plays a definite role in M&As.............the only thing that drives me towards it is the very fact that it can help me interact with people as a part of my job.........thats what I like most about it............may seem a very naive attribute but then thats a fact............

Buddy, you get to interacting with ppl in all streams...maybe even more in marketing than HR....HR is also abt number crunching as one of the puy suggested earlier...u may need to sit just at ur desk nad prepare reports...ofcourse if ur into recruitment, you may need to travel to various campuses and hence meet diff ppl...but thats not a given..!!!

God Bless Our Martyrs...You'll have made us PROUD, Varun

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