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Good news: There is more than one path into the field of HR, as evidenced by these stories shared by Monster users. Follow their examples, and you may soon be the one sharing your success story with others.
Aimee's Journey from Social Work to Retail HR
After a successful, draining -- and not to mention underpaid -- career in social work, I took a position as an HR manager for a retail chain. The hours were grueling, but the experience was beyond compare. I learned an enormous amount about every aspect of HR, not to mention about myself. Through this experience, I honed my skill set and found that this was the career for me.
I have since gone back to school to pursue my HR certificate and PHR (Professional in Human Resources). I have moved into a more corporate environment, but I wouldn't trade my years in retail for anything.
Aimee's story shows the importance of paying your dues. While there may have been better paying jobs out there, she realized early on that money isn't everything. She seized the opportunity to learn and continued to improve her skills as well as her educational background. She is well-positioned for future career growth.
Joe's Voyage from Marine Corps to Employee Relations Representative
I recently retired from the Marine Corps after serving for 25 years. In my last assignment, I was an Equal Opportunity Advisor to a Base Commander. In that capacity, I had the opportunity to work with my civilian counterpart on numerous special emphasis programs. That piqued my interest in working with people.
I went back to school to finish my bachelor's studies and graduated from Park University with a BS in management. After I left the service, I searched for three months for a position in HR. My current employer, Amerigas, took a chance on my capabilities and hired me as an employee relations representative in September 2001.
For the past five months, I have worked directly for the HR director, and he has me involved in a multitude of HR functions including labor relations, benefits, compensation and recruiting. I also had the task of updating the company employee handbook. I learned more in five months than I thought I could in three years.
I have progressed so much that the company VP/HR recommended me to interview for a regional HR manager's position within the company. I am constantly learning and growing in my second career, and I love it.
Like Joe, military personnel can find happiness in the HR civilian world. He knew his lack of degree would be an obstacle, so he tackled the situation before it tackled him. If you're lucky enough to have military educational benefits, take advantage of them. You'll be in a much better position to move into HR when your papers are in order.
Michelle's Trip to the Head of the Class
I was a student at the University of Phoenix, San Diego campus, working on my BS in business management. At the time, I was a paralegal for the California Attorney General's office. I was taking a course in ethics when my teacher began using problems he was having at his place of business as examples.
When he mentioned his personnel assistant and that she had been let go, I raised my hand and asked if he was going to replace her. It got his attention.
After I was finished with the class, he asked me if I was seriously interested. I said yes, sent him my resume and had several meetings with him and his Board of Directors. Within a year, I was hired to create a full-fledged HR department for a fast-growing engineering company.
You never know where opportunity will knock. If you see an open door, walk through it, or you will always wonder, "what if?"
