Professional Documents
Culture Documents
At one end of the scale are HR Administrators and at the other sites
the HR Director, with a number of varying roles in between. Here are
a few examples of jobs from across the HR spectrum:
HR Administrator: an entry level position and acts as the first point of
contact for all HR-related queries and handling all personnel-related
paperwork and documentation, such as employment contracts
HR Officer: responsibilities cover a wide range of duties, including
recruitment, payroll, training, induction, disciplinary and grievance
procedures, redundancy settlements, equal opportunities and
establishing staff support systems
HR Manager: a strategic role involving a range of policies, processes
and practices relating to the overall business needs of the
organisation. Involved with all of the functions mentioned above in
addition to employee welfare, salary reviews, and employment law
Training Officer: identifies the training requirements among
employees within the organisation and then designing and running
appropriate training programmes for individuals or groups. In other
words, helping people do their jobs better.
Starting salaries are largely dependent on the size of the
organisation and the location but, the typical starting salary ranges
from £21,000 for a HR Administrator to anywhere between £35,000
and £80,000 for senior roles.
Normally you will work the standard 35-40 hour week, although you
may be expected to work a little longer at busy times, such as during
the key graduate recruitment intake. Most of the time you will be
based in the office except for when you may be called upon to visit
an employee on long-term sick, for example, or attend a training
course.
Salary Calculator
Take a look at what you could or should be earning to
help with your next salary negotiation.
Find out what you’re worth.
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Further Reading
- How can I choose the right company?
- What are my transferrable skills?
- Should I work part-time, temporary or permanent?
Job Searches
in the area you want to work. Narrow your search by occupation,
industry, location and career level to get the results that are right
for you.
Tap into your key contacts who may be able to help you in your
search. For instance, ask your former university or college tutors,
many of whom may have worked in the HR industry or may know
people working in the field that they can refer you to. And don’t
forget the contacts you made where you did your work placement as
part of your degree.
out: What constructive advice and tips they can give? More
importantly, are there any jobs going where they work?
Once you have identified a select list of companies that you fancy,
research them. Look at their website to see what they expect of their
staff and the opportunities available. And type their name into search
engines to see what is being written about them.
Industry Associations
There are many associations in the UK covering almost every
job role and sector. To find out if there are any relevant for your
occupation, take a look at:
Find Courses
- UCAS
- The Open University
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If you can demonstrate that you have most if not all of these key
skills, you are half way to getting your foot in the door to your new
career.
And if you lack some of them, then make it your mission to acquire
them as soon as you can so that you can boost your chances of
being taken on.
Remember, some of these skills you will have gained through non-
work related activities, so don’t get hung up in the fact that you
haven’t had the opportunity to use them in a work situation – you are
selling your ‘potential worth’ not your current value!
As you gain more experience you will invariably take on additional
responsibilities which will further develop your skill set. For example,
as a HR Advisor you will learn how to manage staff, project manage,
and advising senior managers on strategic matters. Whereas as a
HR Manager, your skills will be further enhanced to include
budgeting skills and the ability to interpret and explain current
employment legislation, among others.
Further Reading
- What are my transferrable skills?
- How can I improve my skills on my own initiative?
- Should I become a specialist or a generalist?
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What makes a
good HR CV?
There is something a little ironic about applying for a job in
Human Resources. After all, when you are eventually hired it
will be you who is sat on the other side of the fence. But for
now you are the applicant and you need to make sure that
your CV distinguishes you from all others applying for the
same job.
The key to writing a strong CV is to show an employer that you can
do what you claim you can do. Most people fall into the trap of
simply listing all their skills on their CV, but that’s not going to make
your application stand out from the crowd.
Think of the first page of your CV as an A4 poster that offers at least
half a dozen key pieces of evidence that match you to the job and
the ‘essential requirements’ stated in the job description, which can
be found in the advert itself or by obtaining a copy of the full job spec
from the HR department.
Then you need to show how you have used these skills in a practical
setting – whether you have work experience or not. For instance,
substitute ‘Strong communication skills’ for:
‘ Further Reading
- How can I tailor my CV to an audience?
- What are my unique selling points?
- What are the classic CV mistakes to avoid?
Remember that CVs are often read at great speed so make sure it is
clear and concise for the reader.
Free CV Templates
We’ve put together a range of free CV templates that will help
you start your document off in the right way.
Find and download them for free now.
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Further Reading
- How do I make a good first impression?
- What should I wear to my job interview?
- How can I calm my job interview nerves?
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What Next?
If you’re still looking for advice on finding the right job, creating a
great CV or tips on job interview, career-advice.monster.co.uk
contains everything you ever wanted to know, and more!
They say that the grass isn’t greener on the other side, but
often it is. Our series of eBooks brings together expert advice
to help you secure the job you want and build a successful
career.