If you have completed your degree or are coming close to graduating, you will need to start thinking about your future career options. A career in human resources is a popular choice and offers huge scope and potential for career development in a wide range of industries. If HR is an area that interests you, then using the following hints and tips can help you to secure a graduate job in HR.
Searching for jobs
To find the best roles suited to you as a graduate, you will need to use a variety of different techniques to look for a job. The obvious solution is to search on online job sites. You may even choose to use websites that are aimed specifically at either recruiting graduates or recruiting for human resources.
However, there are another two methods you can use to search for jobs. The first is networking. This involves letting people know the type of work you are looking for, making contacts within your chosen industry and finding out about what is available. To be successful at networking, you will need to talk to all your friends and family about your career aspirations as they may have important contacts. You will also need to make good use of social media sites, such as LinkedIn.
Tailor Your Applications
Writing a generic CV for all the jobs you are applying for is a bad idea. As a graduate, you will have a lot of competition. It is important that you stand out from the rest. Researching the company and demonstrating how you will fit in with their company ethics in your CV is a great way to make a potential employer stand up and take notice. It demonstrates to them your enthusiasm for the role and shows that you have put some thought into the application.
Gain Some Experience
The major problem faced by graduates trying to get into HR is their lack of experience. It makes sense to apply to companies that offer a graduate trainee scheme. However, competition for these positions can be fierce. When you are applying for such positions, you should demonstrate how your life and previous work experience would make you an asset to their team.
Brush Up Your Skills
It is essential that you possess the right skills for the positions you are applying for. Although this may differ from one role to the next, most HR jobs will have the same expectations. You can find out what the necessary skills are by checking out the job specifications for different positions. There may be some skills you do not yet possess, such as using HR software and you may need to work in the role to learn more about this. However, you can look at CIPHR HR solutions to find out more about the role software plays in the successful running of a human resources department.
Improve Your Interview Technique
An interview is the first opportunity you have to show a potential employer the best you have to offer. Being prepared for the interview process is vital, but it might be a process you have little experience in as a graduate. If you are still at university, seek the help of any careers guidance services that are available for interview tips and techniques. They may even be able to stage a mock interview for you to practise your interview technique. You can also prepare by fully reading the job description, as this will help you to anticipate the questions you are likely to be asked and prepare your answers accordingly.
Getting your first job in HR as a graduate can be tricky as you are likely to face a lot of competition. However, by using these hints and tips, you should increase your chances of success in starting your career in HR.
