ARE you the ultimate people person? Then consider a new career in HR.
Formerly known as ‘personnel’, the HR profession has grown by 42 per cent in the last decade – compared to just ten per cent for the general workforce – as firms focus on diversity, equity and inclusion plus building more positive working cultures.
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HR guru and former global head of HR at Vodafone Navid Nazemian explains: “Even the most laggard organisations have realised the true value that an effective HR function can deliver.
“As such, it is no surprise to see that the hiring of HR professionals has very much outgrown the general hiring in the UK workforce.”
With a huge range of roles and the ability to help others, HR’s appeal is growing with many seeing it as a career for life.
Are you ready to find out more? Here’s all you need to know with Sun Jobs.
Which roles make up the HR function?
The primary role of HR is to manage and support a firm’s staff, but this can be done in many ways.
Key areas include recruitment and retention of staff, performance management, learning and development, people resource planning, rewards, industrial relations, health and safety, employee engagement, wellbeing and admin such as payroll.
Within these areas, jobs range from admin clerks to senior managers and HR almost always has a director at C-suite level.
What salary do HR jobs pay?
The average UK salary is £38,000 but this can range from around £20,000 for an entry level administrator to a six-figure salary for a senior director.
There are over 6,700 open roles nationally.
What personal qualities do I need?
First and foremost, to be a people person. You will need to be able to understand and empathise with individuals’ driving forces and personal situations.
It’s also essential to be organised, an effective communicator, detail-focused and a problem solver. Sometimes, HR involves making tough decisions so you need to be prepared to take this on.
Increasingly a focus on data is being used to inform planning and decision making so a reasonable level of data savvy is helpful too.
How do I get an HR job? And how can I progress?
There are plenty of entry-level roles and apprenticeships ranging from small businesses to major corporations.
Once you have secured a role, take advantage of internal training and development courses to progress your career.
A number of universities have begun to offer HR degrees. Find out more at: www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/job-sectors/recruitment-and-hr/hr-courses
Industry body the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development offers professional qualifications which are recognised internationally. See cipd.org/uk/learning/.
more job stories
We have the perfect resource for your Human Resources job hunt. Here are the top three HR jobs this week on Sun Jobs.
HR Advisor, Rocksteady Music School, Liphook, East Hampshire
This HR job will be music to your ears.
The Job: Rocksteady Music School is hiring an experienced HR Advisor to join its friendly team in Liphook.
What You’ll Do: As HR Advisor, you will play an important part in delivering a first-class service for staff and customers at Rocksteady.
You will be the first point of contact for managers with general people queries and advice across the employee life cycle, supporting managers and acting as HR lead on employee relations matters from disciplinary and grievance meetings to sickness, occupational health referrals and performance management.
You will build relationships with managers at all levels and develop a good understanding of the business, developing and reviewing existing and new policies and managing reporting and analysis of key people metrics.
You’ll Need: You will have a proven track record in a general HR role, with a preferred minimum CIPD Level 5 qualification.
Experience advising and managing HR casework across a range of topics, and demonstrable experience dealing with key processes throughout the employment life cycle are essential.
The ideal person for this role will have a strong growth mindset, strong communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to build rapport with a range of stakeholders at all levels.
Apply Now: See further details of this HR Advisor role, along with other roles at Rocksteady Music School here.
HR Systems Analyst, Michael Page, Bradford
Purpose driven? Help people and the planet with this exceptional new job.
The Job: On behalf of a new organisation with a social purpose, Michael Page is recruiting a HR Systems Analyst for a hybrid position (1-2 days per week on site) based in Bradford.
What You’ll Do: You will join this organisation at the beginning of its growth journey, supporting the HR department in the optimisation of operations through efficient management of inherited HR systems and software development.
You will collaborate with cross-functional teams and stakeholders across the organisation to identify system requirements, implement improvements, and provide user support.
You’ll Need: The ideal applicant will have CIPD Level 5 (or equivalent experience), proven experience as a HR Systems Analyst or in a similar role, and a strong understanding of SAP including SAP modules and configurations.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and a strong understanding of HR processes and data management are essential.
Apply Now: See more details of this HR Systems Analyst role here, along with other opportunities from Michael Page.
Audit Team Leader – Human Resources, UBS, London
Bank on a brilliant future with this dynamic city HR job.
The Job: Financial services firm UBS is hiring an Audit Team Leader to join its London office.
What You’ll Do: As Audit Team Leader, you will be responsible for the effective delivery and quality of risk assessment, audit and issue assurance work.
You will deliver impactful, risk-focused insights through the execution of reviews and audits of HR, including thematic and front-to-back, while ensuring all work meets coverage, quality and audit methodology requirements.
You’ll Need: The successful candidate will have a proven track record in the delivery of complex risk and control assessment, ideally within the financial industry, consulting firm or internal audit function.
Knowledge of HR processes and related regulatory requirements are essential, with experience in HR function or HR audit ideal.
You will be a team player with a true agile mindset, strong analytical and problem-solving skills, and a commitment to keeping up with industry, regulatory developments and new concepts and methods.
Apply Now: Apply for this position, along with other opportunities from UBS here.
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