How to become a HR manager
If you鈥檙e interested in shaping workplace culture and practices and enjoy working with people, a career in HR management could be hugely rewarding. Read on to discover more.
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CONTENTS
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Routes to becoming a HR manager
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Skills you鈥檒l need
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Finding work experience
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How to get a job as a HR manager
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What it's like to be a HR manager
Routes to becoming a HR manager
There are a number of routes to becoming a HR manager including working up the career ladder starting as a HR officer. A recognised academic qualification will usually help progress more quickly.
Some human resource management degrees are accredited by the (CIPD). Accredited courses will give you automatic entry to CIPD membership which has a health of networking and training benefits.
Undergraduate degrees
As well as human resources management courses, you might consider other related subjects such as business management, economics and psychology. Entry requirements vary according to the course but tend to range between 112鈥�153 UCAS points. It鈥檒l usually take between three and four years to complete this type of degree depending on whether a foundation year or placement is involved.
You can learn more about what to expect from a human resources management degree in our subject guide, including what topics you鈥檒l cover and how you鈥檒l be assessed.
Degree apprenticeships
These sorts of opportunities give you hands-on experience in a human resource management role. You鈥檒l learn on the job and get paid for your work. Some time is spent at university but it鈥檚 less than a traditional undergraduate course. Depending on the opportunities that are available, you may need to work your way up starting as a HR assistant and then progress to a degree level apprenticeship as a HR manager. A Level 6 apprenticeship is equivalent to an undergraduate degree.
You can find apprenticeship opportunities via .
Postgraduate degrees
This option is useful if you already have an unrelated degree and want to change careers or you鈥檙e looking to specialise in specific area of HR such as equality and diversity or international employment law. It鈥檚 unusual to need a postgraduate degree to gain a graduate position.
A postgraduate degree takes a year to complete full time or two years part time.
As well as having great business awareness, you鈥檒l also need:
- Strong IT and numeracy skills
- Knowledge of employment law
- Administration skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Influencing and negotiation
- Teamworking
- Leadership skills
- Multi-tasking
- Ability to work under pressure
- Cultural awareness
Gaining some work experience will help you establish if a career in human resources is for you as well as give you valuable examples to draw on at interview.
Try looking for work by:
- Shadowing someone in an office environment, ideally in an operational or admin role
- Securing a placement or internship usually found in larger organisations
- Volunteering in a role of responsibility in a student group or organisation
How to get a job as a HR manager
HR managers are needed in the public, private and voluntary sector so think about what interests you the most. Larger organisations often have their own graduate schemes. Depending on your qualification and experience, you may need to start as a HR officer and work up to a manager role.
You can search for HR vacancies on specialist websites such as Ashdown Group, People Management and Personnel Today.
What it's like to be a HR manager
As a HR manager you鈥檒l support organisations to recruit and develop their employees. Depending on your role and specialisation, your tasks could include:
- helping recruit new employees
- handling complaints and disciplinary procedures
- giving advice on sickness absence, performance and employment relations
- planning and putting into place employee training and development activities
- making sure employees have the right pay and benefits
- arranging employee support services like welfare and counselling
- keeping up to date with equality and health and safety laws
- giving advice on pay negotiations, redundancy and employment law
- developing HR policies, handbooks and procedures
- maintaining confidential employee records
Joining a professional organisation such as the (CIPD) will help develop your knowledge and networks in the field. This might be particularly useful if you work in a small organisation where there are only one or two HR professionals. Larger companies will have a HR team.
The average salary for a HR manager in the UK is around £35,000. Salaries can be higher than £50,000 for those with lots of experience in high-level positions and larger firms. You might start your career as a human resources officer, working your way up the career ladder. You can expect an entry-level salary of around £23,000.
Is a role as a HR manager right for you?
If you have a passion for working with people and making a positive impact on their professional lives, becoming an HR manager could be for you.
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- What do graduates do and earn?