HRGuru

10 Steps to Becoming an HR Professional

Considering HR? Your timing is great. Human resources is transforming itself. Once widely viewed as mere tacticians, paper pushers, or in-office enforcers, today’s HR professionals are increasingly seen as integral to their companies’ business success. This growing strategic role means HR now has a place at the table where real business decisions are made, and that offers unprecedented opportunities for those entering the field.

Not only is HR’s stature growing; so are the job opportunities. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of HR professions in the U.S. will rise faster than the national average over the next ten years. So while no position is completely recession-proof, HR is well positioned to ride out most economic turbulence.

But there’s an even better reason to hop aboard the HR bandwagon: The work is rewarding and interesting. Human resources spans multiple disciplines and requires you to blend an understanding of human behavior with practical hands-on tasks and hard-core business basics. For the right type of person, that kind of challenge can be irresistible.

As with any growing and desirable field, the competition to land a job can be intense. That means you’ll need a strategy for getting into human resources. HRGuru’s 10-Step Guide to Becoming an HR Professional will help you develop one.

1: Learn about HR

2: Find out if HR is Right for You

3: Research Careers in HR

4: Consider Education

5: Get into an HR Program

6: Research Salary and Employment Trends

7: Consider HR Certification

8: Expand Your Network

9: Get Hired

10: Continue Learning

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