Why Is Being A HR Manager One Of The Greatest Jobs?

Hey all HR guys there ...

Its really great to have a career in HR ..see the below link ..HR Manager is the 4th best job in America ...isnt it great ..

http://time.com <link updated to site home>

I really enjoy HR. It is a difficult job and you never get bored. I do feel sometimes as if I am a babysitter or the mother hen. Working with diverse individuals and various personalities is challenging. Getting heard and understood is a very difficult challenge I face at my job. Realizing what needs to be done to improve the overall performance of the company and to improve the "bottom-line" and not being heard or shot down is very tough. You do not go into this job because you like people. You need common sense, must be able to control your emotions, and have a strong disposition in order handle the tough parts of the job, and must be able to handle various situations.

A career in HR is always interesting and challenging and frequently rewarding -- but low stress? Not a bit.

So now, we’d like to hear more about what you think of the HR profession. What do you like about your job? What do you dislike?”

Please do mention your comments as to how do u feel yourself as your carer in HR?

Regards..

Roop

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It's the most endearing job to have, handling people, understanding their sensibilities, and trying to make sure that they give their best for the organization is fascinating. Yes, it's challenging, but the satisfaction of achieving a major change in an individual's attitude and performance is unexplainable.

The statement mentioned here about the feeling of a caretaker is so true, and what does one get for that... Only complaints (that's part and parcel of life, I guess). Just believing that people start respecting the profession out here and give the credit it deserves. On hindsight, it will depend on every one of us to make sure that we prove as valuable assets (tangible or intangible) to the company.

Regards,
Shiju Mathai

Hi Roop,

It is really heartening to see an HR professional who understands the role and qualities required of someone in HR. When you ask someone about their interest in HR, you often hear the stereotypical response - 'I like people, I like working with people...' and other thoughtless answers. It is quite rare to come across someone like you with a clear understanding of the profession.

I kindly request you to respond to Amitranjan, who is feeling frustrated about his role in HR at his company. Please take a look at his post titled 'Need help about my existence.' (Talk to seniors). I am also trying to provide him with some ideas.

Regards,
Govardhan

Your comments are excellent:

"I really enjoy HR. It is a difficult job, and you never get bored. I do feel sometimes as if I am a babysitter or the mother hen. Working with diverse individuals and various personalities is challenging. Getting heard and understood is a very difficult challenge I face at my job. Realizing what needs to be done to improve the overall performance of the company and to improve the "bottom-line" and not being heard or shot down is very tough. You do not go into this job because you like people. You need common sense, must be able to control your emotions, and have a strong disposition in order to handle the tough parts of the job, and must be able to handle various situations.

A career in HR is always interesting and challenging and frequently rewarding -- but low stress? Not a bit."

I'd like to add some more comments:

Yes, it is a career which is always interesting and challenging and frequently rewarding - but also emotionally satisfying. You need to genuinely understand and relate to people, but as you said, "You need common sense, must be able to control your emotions, and have a strong disposition in order to handle the tough parts of the job, and must be able to handle various situations."

And yes, it is stressful - because the remedies you feel are most appropriate have to be 'sold' to senior management, and that at times, leads to the most frustrating part of your duties, as even if you enjoy good rapport with your senior management, they are not always willing, or able, to listen, or quote vague terms like 'corporate policy'...

However, it can help you build on your strengths, acquire more relationship skills, learn flexibility, and how to compromise more adequately, how to look for solutions, not at problems, and most importantly, it will help build up your character. Equally important, it will teach you to expect the unexpected and be able to deal with it! Believe me, it's never dull being in HR!

And this is what all budding HR junior executives need to realize - it's not just being able to remember and apply rules and regulations, it's throwing yourself headfirst into complexities and complications, and yet emerging successful.

Early in my career, I had spent a few years in IR and HR myself and found this experience of great help when I became a management consultant because it gave me such valuable insights into relationships, conflicts, and compromises.

I'd like to hear more from the rest of you HR executives and managers!

Jeroo

Hi Folks,

I am coming to this forum after a long time and am delighted to note the wonderful contents of discussions taking place here.

Hi Roop,

Thanks for sharing this link with us.

I wonder, where does HR stand in India? :D

Recently, I attended a program by Dr. T V Rao and a realization dawned upon me after interacting with the participants that we, the HR Fraternity, have a long way to go in proving ourselves to be a Strategic Partner :(

We are becoming, or rather being treated as, transaction process-oriented. Sometimes, we fail to quantify our measures/performances linked to the bottom line - which is a key area we all need to focus on and work on.

Partly, the reason is that we, as HR professionals, are not regulated like other professionals such as CAs or Doctors. Therefore, there is a perceived lack of credibility by companies in general.

This was re-confirmed by one of my juniors who recently went for the final round of an interview with the CEO of an MNC. He had to wait for quite some time as the CEO was meeting with the Marketing Head. When his turn came, it only lasted for 15 minutes compared to 1 hour with the Marketing head. Though he got the offer, he had mixed feelings/opinions about the company - which he shared with me. I advised him to rethink this offer.

The bottom line is that we, as HR professionals in India in particular, need to be more focused on Company Goals and add value or align HR processes accordingly.

Partly, the reason is that we, as HR professionals, are not regulated like other professionals such as CAs or Doctors. Therefore, there is a perceived lack of credibility by companies in general.

Please read the September issue of the Harvard Business Review to find out how critical HR is to an organization. Though I agree 100% with what is written, I doubt if HR can play out their strategic role in developing and underdeveloped countries. Interestingly, the article "How to Fix HR" talks about HR being responsible and accountable for performance. HR has the mandate to get rid of incompetent and non-performing people, including those from line management. What it refers to is that HR is no longer seen as an advisory and supportive unit but rather given leadership authority to enforce its functional role.

Well, I would like to ask all of you, how many of you can make this statement "Our CEOs have given HR a "CLEAR" mandate over its line management."

My own experience and networking information suggest that HR is struggling to play second fiddle to line management when it comes to "enforcement."

Regards,

Rajat Joshi