This paper presents a structured career development plan for a student pursuing an MBA with the goal of entering the human resources profession. It identifies personal and professional objectives, explains how success will be measured, and analyzes how an HR career supports a healthy work-life balance. The paper also examines key workplace trends — including workforce diversity, employee retention challenges, and technological change — that shape the HR field. Critical competencies such as psychological assessment, mediation, benefits administration, and legal compliance are discussed alongside transferable skills, formal education requirements, and the value of mentorship. The paper concludes by reflecting on the work environment attributes that would provide lasting job satisfaction.
As one HR professional observed, in marketing and merchandising and many other areas of corporate life you are dealing with product, but in "human resources you were dealing with the human potential" (Esdaille, 2004). Helping others reach their maximum potential is my personal goal in life, and my specific career objective is to work in human resources after completing my MBA.
Graduating with my degree and then finding my place within an HR department at a company I respect will mean I have met my first measurable career objective on a personal level. Afterwards, the success of my employee placements and the quality of my work as judged by my supervisors will create the next benchmarks for my achievements in my career.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, "human resources work usually takes place in clean, pleasant and comfortable office settings. Many human resources, training, and labor relations managers and specialists work a standard 35- to 40-hour week," which would seem to be ideal for striking an effective work-life balance, and gives time to balance hobbies, family time, and the downtime needed for health and personal enjoyment ("Human Resources, Training, and Labor Relations Managers and Specialists," 2007, Occupational Outlook Handbook). Also, because HR work exposes a person to so many different types of people, social fulfillment is provided by the nature of the job itself. HR recruiters may need to travel to colleges and job fairs to recruit and conduct preliminary interviews of prospective employees, but this level of travel would be enjoyable and personally enriching rather than a burden.
"The scope, impact, and demands of a career in this field have evolved dramatically since the 1970s…today's top human resources professionals serve as equal partners in the executive suite and are expected to optimally leverage human capital through economic booms and busts" (Esdaille, 2004). Even when the economy is faltering, "human resources graduates are still in demand" (Esdaille, 2004). "Human resources, training, and labor relations managers and specialists were employed in virtually every industry" in 2007 ("Human Resources, Training, and Labor Relations Managers and Specialists," 2007, Occupational Outlook Handbook).
The greater diversity of the workforce, coupled with the need to ethically and legally recruit persons from underrepresented backgrounds, means highly educated HR professionals are more needed than ever to provide insight in striking a balance between the needs of the company, the law, and the need for a company to reflect the face of contemporary society. HR's mediating function is also more frequently required to facilitate conflict resolution between workers and to create a harmonious workplace atmosphere that is compliant with federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines.
The job market today is more volatile, and people change jobs more than ever, which means HR professionals are in greater demand for recruiting employees. Health insurance and pensions are a premium attraction for employees in today's unstable economy, and creating an appropriate benefits package is necessary to attract the best employees to the workplace. Workers must feel appreciated by their company, receive development education, and be encouraged to personally and professionally explore a variety of options in a way that makes them feel valued. "Forty percent of U.S. workers plan to leave their current job within the next five years, according to a survey of 508 full-time workers conducted by Accenture. The primary reason the respondents said would make them stay was more money (71 percent), followed by opportunities for advancement (58 percent) and a different boss or management team (30 percent). Twenty-seven percent said they would stay if they received better or more training, but more than half (51 percent) of all respondents said that their employers are not providing training to expand their skills" (Robinson, 2004). Reducing employee attrition is a core HR goal, and addressing the psychological needs of individuals makes HR more vital to organizations than ever before.
Human resource professionals have been traditionally responsible for attracting the most qualified employees and matching them to the jobs for which they are best suited within an organization. This requires an astute analysis of individual psychology, as well as knowledge of the organization's needs for persons of a certain educational or occupational background. Human resource professionals are often responsible for creating attractive benefits packages for workers, which requires knowledge of general and industry-specific trends and occupational laws governing the allocation of benefits, stock options, pensions, and workplace amenities, in addition to protecting worker safety on the job. Human resource workers are also frequently assigned the role of mediator between conflicting employees, which requires them to remain current on laws regarding harassment and discrimination. In creating a diverse workforce, HR professionals must be knowledgeable about anti-discrimination legislation and allowable affirmative action practices.
One increasingly important yet often overlooked component of HR knowledge is technical literacy. More and more companies, when reorganizing HR to meet a growing company's needs, use technology to deliver better information more quickly to a global workforce — such as employee-accessible web pages for "benefits, staffing, vacation and other policies" (Roberts, 2002).
"Portable skills and planning for career flexibility"
"MBA, certifications, mentorship, and professional reading"
"Values and environment for personal fulfillment in HR"
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