Human Resources Management CAREER INSIGHT
LJMU CAREERS TEAM 0151 231 2048/3719 â?š careers@ljmu.ac.uk
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Career Insight: Human Resource Management
Introduction Studying towards a degree in Human Resource Management will help you to develop knowledge, and a number of key skills, which will put you in a good position to enter a range of careers, your knowledge of: the legal aspects of business and employment, business management and employment relations will make you suitable to pursue a range of HRM related careers. Transferable skills like IT, analytical, interpersonal and problem-solving skills will also enable you to follow a number of other career paths in areas like: finance, retail, sales, general management and management consultancy. In recent years, securing a graduate role has become increasingly competitive, so gaining relevant work or voluntary experience and engaging in extracurricular activities alongside your studies is crucial to demonstrate to prospective employers that you have the motivation to succeed in your chosen area and have developed the required skills. Researching different career pathways and entry requirements is essential preparation for your graduate career, so ensure you make the most of available resources, attend career events or employer talks, and take every opportunity to network with professionals to find out as much as possible about the career areas that interest you. You could also consider setting up a LinkedIn profile and following relevant organisations and vacancy sites on Twitter.
Typical job options This course will set you in good stead to pursue a number of career paths within the HR sector. Most graduates begin their HR career in a fairly general HR role, however, there are opportunities to pursue more specialist career paths within the sector in areas such as: recruitment, employee relations, pay and benefit support/management, training and development and equality advice – specialist roles are more likely to be advertised by fairly large companies/organisations. You could start exploring typical job options via: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/human_resources_officer_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/recruitment_consultant_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/training_and_development_officer_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/management_consultant_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/civil_service_fast_streamer_job_description.htm (HR stream) http://www.prospects.ac.uk/equality_and_diversity_officer_job_description.htm https://targetjobs.co.uk/career-sectors/hr-and-recruitment http://www.prospects.ac.uk/recruitment_hr_sector.htm
Your options within the wider business and management sector include roles within accountancy and finance, marketing and PR and retail: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs_advertising_marketing_pr.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs_financial.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs_retailing_buying_selling.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/business_consulting_and_management_sector.htm The suggestions listed here are by no means exhaustive, so we would encourage you to consider other relevant options e.g. based on previous work or voluntary experience, skills and interests. To
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Career Insight: Human Resource Management
explore job options by sector, check http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs.htm. You can also use career planning tools like http://www.prospects.ac.uk/myprospects_planner_login.htm and https://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-report to generate initial career ideas. Ensure you check entry requirements for each area e.g. will you need a degree in a specific subject? Is a 2:1 degree classification essential? Does the employer offer support to study towards professional qualifications through relevant professional bodies like the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development? Is any specific work experience required? We also recommend that you download a copy of our “Planning your Career” guide from the Careers website at https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/123871.htm this includes a list of useful questions to help you explore your career options and introduces you to the DOTS model to help you with your career planning.
Main employers HR officers work in all sectors and industries in organisations of all sizes – depending on the number of employees working within an organisation, the work can vary widely. Smaller organisations often just employ one or two generalist HR staff who cover all areas including: recruitment, retention and employee relations, training and development, pay and benefits etc. Larger organisations will usually have a separate HR department and may split core areas across specialist staff e.g. recruitment adviser, diversity officer, training and development co-ordinator etc. Some companies outsource their HR functions to recruitment agencies/specialist consultancies; consequently there will also be opportunities for graduates to work within this sector. Large employers in the public sector include the civil service, local government and the NHS. Both the civil service and the NHS offer a human resources graduate training scheme – the Local Government Association’s graduate management development programme offers participants the chance to undertake a placement in HR. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-fast-stream-human-resourcesprofession/fast-stream-human-resources-profession https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/civil-service-fast-stream http://www.nhsgraduates.co.uk/the-scheme/specialisms/hr-management.aspx http://www.ngdp.org.uk/ Many large private companies also run HR graduate schemes. Some links to further information about HR graduate programmes with employers from a range of industries are listed below, but we would advise you to research additional employers from the sectors you are particularly interested in.
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Jaguar Land Rover: http://www.jaguarlandrovercareers.com/jlr-roles/graduate/
Rolls-Royce: http://www.rolls-royce.com/careers/students-and-graduates/graduate-programmes.aspx
Royal Bank of Scotland: https://www.rbsbankyoubuild.com/graduates/graduate-opportunities
Unilever: http://www.unilever.co.uk/careers-jobs/graduates/uflp/index.aspx
Tesco: http://www.tesco-graduates.com/graduate-programmes/
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Career Insight: Human Resource Management
GlaxoSmithKline: http://futureleaders.gsk.com/en-gb/our-programmes/
Hays (graduate trainee programme – recruitment consultant): http://www.hays-careers.com/uk/en/join-hays/graduate-programme/index.htm
All occupational profiles listed on http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs.htm include a section on typical employers and vacancy sources, so use these as a starting point to research potential employers within additional career areas that interest you.
Useful links and websites
LJMU Vacancy website – MyJobs&Placements http://ljmu.prospects.ac.uk/ Prospects - Careers information and graduate jobs http://www.prospects.ac.uk/ Targetjobs - Careers information and graduate jobs https://targetjobs.co.uk/ Milkround - Graduate jobs, placements & internships http://www.milkround.com/ Jobs in the public sector http://www.lgjobs.com/ http://www.jobsgopublic.com/ Graduate Talent Pool - Graduate internship opportunities http://graduatetalentpool.direct.gov.uk/ Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development - HR news and jobs; details about membership and qualifications www.cipd.co.uk Personnel Today - HR vacancies and news www.personneltoday.com People Management - HR news and vacancies http://www.cipd.co.uk/pm/ HR Nation - Named HR/personnel contacts http://www.hrnation.co.uk/ Recruitment and Employment Confederation - professional body representing the recruitment industry http://www.rec.uk.com/home
Follow relevant companies/websites through Twitter for example: @LJMUCareers @targetjobsUK @HRrecruitmentUK
@Prospects @CIPD @hrmagazine
@ProspectsJobs @personneltoday @RECPress
Depending on your specific career interests, you could also follow relevant websites and organisations e.g. @retailweek for news relating to the retail sector.
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Career Insight: Human Resource Management
Sources of work experience Download our mini-guide on “Making yourself employable whilst at University” from https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/123871.htm for an overview of the different types of work experience available and some general suggestions about finding work experience opportunities. LJMU has been managing a summer internship programme for Level 5 students in recent years, so keep an eye on your LJMU inbox for details of any opportunities. Many large organisations/companies offer summer internship opportunities or year-long sandwich placements. These are generally advertised on websites like Prospects, Targetjobs or Milkround, as well as on the organisations’ own websites – opportunities are also advertised on LJMU’s vacancy website http://ljmu.prospects.ac.uk and on www.ratemyplacement.co.uk. Many placement schemes are open to students from any degree discipline. Check your eligibility before making an application e.g. some summer placements are specifically aimed at penultimate year students. Application deadlines for sandwich placements and summer internships can be as early as October/November for a start date between June and August the following year, so start your research early to ensure you don’t miss out on relevant opportunities! Applications for summer internships or year-long placements with large employers are very competitive, so involvement in extracurricular activities, previous work experience or voluntary work can give you the edge over other candidates. It’s never too early to start getting involved in clubs and societies or to gain work experience, so explore relevant options early on in your studies. Many societies/clubs through LiverpoolSU have co-ordinator/officer positions which could be an excellent opportunity to gain valuable/relevant experience which can significantly enhance your employability. If you are interested in completing a year-long sandwich placement, we would recommend that you seek advice from the Employability Support Unit in the Business School, who advertise industrial placement vacancies and advise on opportunities https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/esu/index.htm. Many undergraduate students also secure work experience through a more ‘speculative’ or ‘creative’ approach i.e. after contacting organisations directly through networking events, via email or through LinkedIn. You might, for example, consider contacting an in-house HR department at a local company or a recruitment/management consultancy (depending on your career interests) as a starting point. Once you have some initial career ideas, undertaking work experience or voluntary work in these areas can be a great way not only to find out whether this type of work/role would be right for you but also to build up a network of professionals and organisations in your chosen sector, which can often lead to further work experience or even a full-time role after graduating. Before contacting organisations about work shadowing or work experience opportunities, make sure you research the organisation and find out the best person to get in touch with. It is important that you demonstrate that you are interested in the organisation and have spent some time finding out what they do. Even when applying to secure work experience for the first time in a particular industry, show the employer what you have to offer e.g. briefly outline any relevant skills or knowledge gained from your course. Look at the skills listed under entry requirements in the occupational profiles on Prospects http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs.htm and try to evidence these on your CV, drawing on examples from your course, work experience or extra-curricular activities to demonstrate how you developed these. Useful websites to research a range of voluntary opportunities include https://do-it.org/ and https://www.liverpoolguild.org/main-menu/volunteer. You could also contact LJMU Volunteering Manager Chris Prescott on 0151 904 6356 or c.j.prescott@ljmu.ac.uk to enquire about current
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Career Insight: Human Resource Management
opportunities. It is also worth researching relevant organisations/charities and contacting them directly to find out about voluntary roles on offer.
Recruitment schedule Recruitment cycles and deadlines will vary depending on the type of work you are applying for. Again, research is key to ensure that you do not miss relevant opportunities. As a rule of thumb, the selection process takes longer in larger organisations, as they tend to receive a higher number of applications and use several different stages to reduce the number of potential candidates. As a result, application deadlines can be as early as October/November in your final year of study for a start date in August or September of the following year. If you are considering postgraduate study, find out if there are any specific closing dates for applications by contacting relevant universities directly. Many graduate training schemes with large companies will accept applications from students of any degree background. If you are interested in these roles, you will need to be aware of the recruitment cycle. Many employers begin the graduate recruitment process during the autumn term for final-year students – some placements are advertised then as well. Most closing dates are in November and December, but some are earlier so it is important to start researching companies that you want to apply to early on. The application process for graduate training schemes usually involves completing an online application form, which may require you to answer ‘competency based questions’. This may be followed by psychometric tests, a telephone interview and an assessment centre. You may also need to submit your CV. Most of the large recruiters have a section on the student/graduate pages of their website that outlines the different steps of their selection process, so check these to find out what is required. For more information about graduate schemes, download the ‘Graduate Schemes’ guide from https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/123871.htm. The Careers Team runs a “Graduate Schemes Uncovered” workshop and webinar on a regular basis – please check our events pages on https://careers.ljmu.ac.uk for details. Many of these opportunities are advertised in the Prospects Student Career Guide and the Targetjobs directories (available from Careers Zones) and on websites such as Prospects, Milkround and Targetjobs – also check organisations’ own websites. You may also find work through small and medium-sized enterprises/businesses (SMEs). These types of companies don’t usually have structured training schemes but will recruit ‘as required’. Depending on previous experience, you might find yourself applying for entry-level roles on an administrator grade at first i.e. job titles like HR administrator, recruitment assistant, trainee development officer; but once you have gained experience in one of these roles this should open up opportunities for promotion within your organisation, or give you the required experience to apply for higher-grade positions with other employers. Some SMEs may use their own application form but most applications will be by CV and covering letter. These positions will be advertised on company websites, relevant recruitment websites, the Job Centre and national and local newspapers. The ‘creative’ or ‘speculative’ approach to job hunting, outlined above, is also important when looking for graduate roles. Making contacts and approaching organisations speculatively to look for work is a common route into employment. For more information about the speculative approach to job hunting, download a copy of our guide to ‘The Hidden Jobs Market’ from https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/123871.htm. You can get advice about the recruitment process by booking a one-to-one appointment with a careers or employability adviser at your nearest Careers Zone or you can attend relevant workshops or webinars run by the Careers Team.
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Career Insight: Human Resource Management
Key events and networking
Liverpool Careers Fairs: are usually held in the autumn and spring of each year, see fairs website http://www.liverpoolfairs.org.uk/ for details.
Manchester Careers Fairs: open to students and graduates from any university; check http://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/events/ for details.
Placement fair at LJMU: the Employability Support Unit in the Business School organises an annual placement fair where you can meet employers offering year-long placements to find out more about available opportunities, entrance requirements and application deadlines. If you are considering applying for a sandwich placement, this is an essential date for your diary!
Careers and employability events at LJMU: keep an eye on our events page at https://careers.ljmu.ac.uk for details of upcoming employability workshops, networking sessions and employer talks.
LinkedIn: you could also consider setting up a LinkedIn account https://www.linkedin.com to network online with professionals and organisations in your chosen industry.
LiverpoolSU Clubs and Societies: http://www.liverpoolsu.com/clubsandsocs.
Other information Centre for Entrepreneurship - support for LJMU students and graduates interested in starting up their own business https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/startup/. Postgraduate Study - download our mini-guide on “Thinking about Postgraduate Study” from https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/123871.htm for an overview of the different options available.
Careers Zones Campus-based Careers Zones provide easy access to careers support in convenient locations at Byrom Street, Aldham Robarts Library and at IM Marsh, staffed by the Careers Team. Support available includes CV and application form reviews, Careers Adviser appointments, drop-in quick queries, practice interviews and access to careers resources and information. The Zones also host regular employer visits during term time where you can meet and network with employers and discuss job and placement opportunities. For the latest updates and details of locations and opening times, try our Twitter and Facebook pages.
Examples of employment destinations (LJMU HRM graduates):
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Acting Human Resources Advisor-Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation HR Officer-NHS Human Resources Manager-Warrington Borough Council Human Resources Manager-Balfour Beatty HR Advisor-Sainsbury’s Online HR Recruitment Consultant-Wickland Wescott HR Officer-Home Bargains Group Employee Engagement Advisor-Fairpoint Group Plc Employment Law Consultant-Peninsula Business Services Recruitment Consultant-Care Staff Solutions HR Assistant-FACT Human Resources Administrator-Royal Albert Hall
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