HRGuru

I am currently enrolled in a Master's Program for HR Management. My undergrad degree is in HR Development. At my current position at work (Service Coordinator) I do not deal with any HR issues, training, development, etc. What advice does anyone have out there for me concerning transitioning from one type of business to an HR. I have applied to different companies and have been turned down, position filled already, etc. Mind you, I am in my 40's, and just recently acquired my degree in August of 2007. Any comments welcomed.

I agree with Vannati.    Education is fine but most of practical, strategic HR is experiencial.  I have started and built many HR departments for companies.  There are few higher level positions for which I would consider anyone with only an educational background background in HR.  Now mind you, I don't know about your "other life."  If you have been in management, supervised 5 or more people simultaneously, handled a real departmental budget with true spending authority, hired, fired, trained people and been significantly responsible for business related results of your department then there may be plenty of room to bring you into the organization at a mid level HR position. 

If I were to consider you it would be a very extensive interview and I'd be more interested in your past business experiences and the reason why you want to get into HR.   If you had the experience I mentioned I would be looking at getting you in as a business unit manager's HR partner, maybe dealing with performance metrics and getting your feet wet on employee relations.  Honestly, if I had to make a choice between an expereinced manager and even a graduate student of HR with no business experience, it would be an easy choice.  If all other things were equal, I'd take the experienced business manager, hands down!   It's always easier to teach HR to a person than it is to teach common business sense.   Besides a great deal of what you learn in your degree is not what is actually practised in the field, unless you are very specialized in your degree like with compensation, etc.   A major portion of HR is good business sense, knowledge of your industry and how business gets business done at a profit.   Most of HR taught in the degree programs is only a portion of the body of knowledge.  If you're not sure what I mean by this, take a look at your course texts and classes and then look at the SHRM sight for the definition of the body of knowledge for the SPHR certification.  The body of knowledge is extensive and incorporates most business degree issues.  (Even SHRM has had to water down the certification process for SPHR certifications because they weren't certifying enough people and it was discouraging people from seeking the credentials.   You used to have to be an expert in all those areas of the body of knowledge and now you don't.)

Unless you got into HR to manage benefits supervise payroll or handle LOA, work comp and orientations, the real fun in HR is at the strategic level making a difference in the company and having a measurable impact on ROI.   Those levels require tremendous business experience and lot of consultative skills in dealing with decision makers and influencing them to make the decisions that are best for company.  

Once you land a position, be sure you boss knows you want experience in other critical areas.  You may get worked hard and not always compensated for every bit of the work, but it is rare that good work, combined with good education goes unrewarded.  You may have to pay your dues, but probably not for too long.   If you're getting into HR for all the right reasons it will definitely be worth it.