When you apply for a job, you have to go through an interview and, in some cases, through an assessment test. You get plenty of advice on how to impress the human resources (HR) officer that interviews you and carries out the assessment. Most people never think that they could be on the other side. You can have a career in human resources. The prospects are excellent and so is the salary. In addition, the positions in London and in the large cities in the UK are many and still growing in number.
A human resources officer has a wide range of responsibilities apart from issuing job ads, assessing the candidates and recruiting them. The job involves staff planning and management. You will work in close cooperation with other company departments to decide on the number of employees the company needs and on the qualifications required for each position. The human resources officers are also responsible for the salary setting, adjustment and the negotiations between employer and employees.
The HR department in every company deals with ensuring the appropriate work conditions and career development training for the employees. You will be responsible for promotion of the company culture and diversity. The human resources officers also work for the settlement of any conflicts between employers and employees.
There are plenty or responsibilities in the work of an HR officer. On the job, you will work together with a team. Managerial positions are also available. It is not uncommon for employers to hire human resources managers instead of promoting officers to senior positions, but the latter is the usual practice.
The salaries of human resources officers vary depending on their position responsibilities, the size of the company they work for and the location of the organization. You can expect the remunerations in London to be on the higher end. The annual starting salary is between £25,000 and £35,000. The HR officers with five years of experience can receive up to £65,000 per annum. The salary of a professional with over ten years on the job can be as much as £80,000.
The entry requirements for the HR sector can be defined as high. You have to have an undergraduate degree. The individuals with 2:1 or higher degree honours are usually preferred. Generally, you can be recruited if you have completed your education in any kind of academic discipline. However, the graduates in human resources management, business management and psychology have higher chances of securing a job position. The individuals applying for human resources management positions have to have qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).
You have a higher chance of getting a human resources officer job, if you have had some experience in the field such as having done an internship in an HR department. You have to have a wide range of qualities as well. The organizational and interpersonal skills are highly valued. The same is applicable to the analytical skills. You need to have good numeracy and IT skills. The fluency in foreign languages is often highly valued.