A career in human resources can be a fantastic path to take if you love working with people and have a genuine interest in helping run a business well. But although HR jobs focus around the human element of a business, they require much more than just being personable. There’s a lot of planning, negotiation and analysis that goes into ensuring job success. But the rewards can be fantastic. Here’s what you can expect from a career in human resources and the average HR salary.
What does someone in Human Resources do?
Just like any other career, your tasks will depend on your job title and experience in the field. HR departments exist across all business sectors, so there’s really no end to the possibilities when it comes to the fields you can work in.
HR professionals in higher positions can expect jobs with more risk and responsibility involved, including writing employee handbooks, developing HR procedures and policies, and advising on difficult matters like redundancy, employment law and pay negotiations.
You’ll usually need at least three GCSEs in English, Maths and Science with grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) to start an entry-level career in HR. Work experience in an office is also desirable but not essential. However, this is a competitive field so the more experience and knowledge you have the better.
If you’re looking for a long-term career in human resources and want to progress through the ranks, you are likely to require a qualification specific to the job.
There are various ways to get a recognised HR qualification. You can choose a full degree in Human Resource Management which will provide you with the skills to suit most HR jobs and allow you to specialise in certain areas. Alternatively, you might decide to complete an HND (Higher National Diploma) in Human Resource Management. These courses act as the equivalent of two-thirds of a full degree and focus entirely on vocational practices that you can expect to use during your role in an HR position.
However, university courses are not the only option. If you are unable to study full time, you can take a professional HR qualification with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), the UK’s professional body for HR and development. These qualifications can be studied remotely, part-time or online. This allows you to fit your learning around your lifestyle and gain a recognised certificate or diploma in HR. With a Level 3 CIPD course, you could gain a role as an HR Administrator, whereas the Level 5 courses are aimed at those with more experience and lead towards HR management roles.
Learn more about our Human Resources CIPD courses.
What’s the average Human Resources salary?
According to the National Careers Service, HR jobs have salaries ranging from £15,000 to £50,000, depending on the role and experience of the individual.
Those with more experience and CIPD qualifications can expect to earn even more than £50k per year. But be aware, these higher-level roles and human resources salaries do come with much greater expectations and responsibilities.
The CIPD Level 3 Foundation Certificate provides a solid understanding of all areas of Human Resources. Providing you with the basics and then developing your skills further, this course gives those with limited HR experience a great entry route into the industry.
The CIPD Level 3 Diploma in HR Practice goes a little further than the certificate. This course includes modules in delivering learning and development initiatives and supporting change within an organisation, both essential areas in contributing to the success of an organisation.
The CIPD Level 5 Intermediate Certificate centres around developing professional practice over six different modules. It includes learning about the context of HR, resourcing, talent planning, and employment law.
The L5 Diploma in HR management includes more two extra units than the intermediate certificate, meaning you’ll have studied eight by the time you complete. The big difference between this course and the certificate is the focus on gaining leadership and management skills and how increasing employee engagement leads to positive business outcomes. You’ll study a range of HR theories and approaches as well as how to put these into practice, boosting potential HR manager salary.
Many people assume that working in human resources only involves helping people, making their life easier and being the ‘good guy’. However, this isn’t always the case. Like in every job, sometimes there are tough tasks to undertake such as delivering news about redundancies, disciplinaries or dealing with employee complaints.
If you have these personal skills and put in the effort to gain a relevant qualification and build up your experience, you have the potential for a fulfilling career in human resources!
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