Serious Dilemmaaaaaa

hello everyone

this is just something i wanted to know since the time i have decided to make a career in the field of HR

how old were you when u decided ur career goal?

i am 20 now n i know i want to become a HR manager

i was confused before between HR and something in the field of IT (maybe software eng)

i dont know how, but somehow the will to do something in the field of IT dissapeared and i jus chose HRM

and the passion for it has grown eversince

i have heard of people undecisice at the age of 35 abtt heir career goals

and then there is me, who has already decided till retirement

is it strange?

the other day, our college professor was discussing career cycle and its importance n stuff

she took a poll to see how many had decided their future after BMs

i raised my hand and found just 4-5 more hands up in the class of 40-45

is it too early for me to decide?

please do give feedback

and do any of u have any regrets? this is the main question

PS : the topic serious dilemma is jus to get ur attention, i am jus curious

Hi Sunayaa

We understand your plight very well..

Great ..at 20 you made up your mind that u wannna be HR Mgr..wow at your age i didn't know what i wanted to be!!

Well, i would suggest that BMS is little too early to decide your career goals..after this course work for a while in HR field to validate your chosen passion field..in case you like it then do MBA - HR ..

at your age ..i wanted to be a doc!! as am interested in mind-body connexxions...during MBA - majored in Marketing & Finance..as Sales & Marketing esp advertising was my passion at that time..after working with FMCG as Sales Officer for three years..realized that my passion lay somewhere else..drifted in HR ..again waz finding it little monotonous till i went to IIM - Ahmedabad for a weeklong workshop on Creativity in HR which gave me an insight about the scope ..now i have donned the role of trainer-Creativity alongwith with Corporate HR functions..

The point is our career goals to some extent depends on intrinsic factors..the breaks you get which broadens one's horizon or something which you find while working - gives you a sense of satisfaction...

I know a person who waz among the top five at IIM-A yet at the placements he turned down the offer of 20 Lacs - went to Mumbai to work with street kids...other examples are Rashmi Bansal of JAM magazine..person who started Eklavya magazine..

so don't worry..if you have HR to be your goal..work in this field for sometime - as sometimes academic world is very different from work reality..

Meanwhile you check it out the comperetencies of HR vis-a-vis your present skills which you percieve to have...

Cheerio

Rajat

HR COMPETENCY MODEL

Relationship of HR roles in the model

Leader

HR Expert

Business Partner

Change Agent

HUMAN RESOURCES COMPETENCY MODEL

Role Competency Demonstrates Activity

STRATEGIC PARTNER

•Organizational Awareness

•Problem Solving

•Customer Service

•Stress Tolerance

•Oral Communication

•Understanding of public service environment

•Knowledge of agency’s mission

•Knowledge of organizational development principles

•Understanding on client’s organizational culture

•Knowledge of business system thinking

•Understanding of business process & how to change and

improve efficiency and effectiveness

•Innovation & encourages risk-taking

•Interacts with customers in a way that demonstrates customer concerns and

problems are heard, builds confidence and trust

•Links HR policies and programs to the organization’s mission & service

outcomes

•Applies organizational development principles

•Adapts HR services to the client’s organizational culture

•Designs and/or carries out HR services that incorporate business system applications

•Uses HR principles that change business processes to improve its efficiency and effectiveness

LEADER

•Decision Making

•Planning & Evaluation

•Conflict Management

•Self-Management

•Self-Esteem

•Oral Communication

•Analytic, strategic & creative thinking

•Knowledge of staff & line roles

•Knowledge of business system and information technology

•Acts decisively

•Manages resources e.g. human, funds, equipment

•Applies conflict resolution methods in organizational situations

•Uses consensus & negotiation coalition building skills to improve overall

communication

EMPLOYEE CHAMPION

•Flexibility

•Teaching Others

•Learning

•Interpersonal Skills

•Oral Communication

•Develops employee & agency’s relationships

•Understands, values, & promotes diversity

•Balances both agency’s & employees’ demands & resources

•Develops other’s talents to maximize human potential

•Mentors individuals to develop talent

•Assesses & balances competing values e.g., policies & mission needs

•Builds trust relationships

TECHNICAL EXPERT

•Technical Competence

•Legal, Government, & Jurisprudence

•Personnel & Human Resources

•Information Management

•Arithmetic*

•Mathematical Reasoning*

•Customer Service

•Writing

•Reading

•Memory

•Attention to Detail

•Oral Communication

•Knowledge of human resources law & policies

•Knowledge of work-life & organizational plans

•Knowledge of information technology

•Applies expertise in the full range of the HR arena to support agency’s

mission and business needs

•Uses surveys and other tools to provide information to help create an

effective & efficient work environment

•Adapts information technology to HR management

CHANGE CONSULTANT

•Teamwork

•Reasoning

•Influencing/Negotiating

•Integrity/Honesty

•Creative Thinking

•Oral Communication

•Stress Tolerance

•Organizational development principles

•Understanding of marketing

•Representation of HR products and services

•Understanding of team behavior

•Assesses the readiness for change & identifies appropriate change strategies

•Designs & implements change processes

•Applies organizational development principles

•Applies innovative strategies including identifying and recommending

solutions to various personnel & HR issues

•Uses consensus, consultation & negotiation/consensus building

•Influences others to act

•Practices & promotes integrity & ethical behavior

•Works in teams

•Communicates well

The competencies are not limited to the particular assigned role. In reality, competencies will be fluid among the various HR roles. This model is a compilation of IPMA, NAPA, and OPM models. Also included are

concepts from Human Resources Champions by David Ulrich. Italicized competencies are unique to this specific role; the other competencies are applicable to more than one role.

*These competencies are required for some classification and staffing work.

ADVANCE COPY

The Emotional Competence Framework

Personal Competence

Self-Awareness

• Emotional awareness

• Accurate self-assessment

• Self-confidence

Self-Regulation

• Self-control

• Trustworthiness

• Conscientiousness

• Adaptability

• Innovation

Motivation

• Achievement drive

• Commitment

• Initiative

• Optimism

Empathy

• Understanding others

• Developing others

• Service orientation

• Leveraging diversity

• Political awareness

Social Skills

• Influence

• Conflict management

• Change catalyst

• Collaboration and cooperation

• Communication

• Leadership

• Building bonds

• Team capabilities

*Adapted from the works of Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence and Working with Emotional Intelligence.

Appendix D

DOD HR COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK

Staffing Specialist

Human Resources Generalists

Labor Relations Specialist

Employee Development Specialist

Classification Specialist

Personnel Systems Manager

Personnel Support DoD Manager

Business Management Competencies

• Business Process Reengineering

• Change Management

• Contract Management

• Cost-Benefit Analysis

• Customer Relations

• Financial Management

• Marketing

• Negotiating

• Organizational Awareness

• Organizational Needs Assessment

• Outcome Measures and Evaluation

• Project Management

• Strategic Human Resource Practices

• Strategic Planning

Professional Competencies

• Coaching and Mentoring

• Communication

• Conflict Management

• Decision-making

• Ethics

• Facilitation

• Interpersonal Relations

• Problem-Solving

• Self Management

• Teamwork

• Technology Application

Technical HR Competencies

• Appeals, Grievances, and Litigation

• Attendance and Leave

• Benefits

• Career Development

• Compensation

• Discipline and Adverse Action

• Employee Assistance

• Equal Employment Opportunity

• Human Resource Management Fundamentals

• Instructional Systems Development

• Instructional Technology

• Job Analysis

• Labor Management Relations

• Organizational Development

• Organization and Position Design

• Pay Administration

• Performance Management

• Personnel Assessment

• Personnel Systems Management

• Position Classification

• Reduction-in-Force

• Rewards and Recognition

• Staffing and Recruiting

• Succession Planning

(PRIVATE SECTOR) INTEGRATIVE MODEL OF HR COMPETENCIES

Emerging Structure Competency

1) Corporate HR leaders Core Leadership

2) Senior HR Generalist at the business

unit level Core Leadership

3) HR specialist in shared service

centers Core HR Expertise

4) HR experts in centers of expertise Core

Consultation Leadership

HR Expertise

HR EXPERTISE

•Knows best practices

•Designs & delivers HR

•Applies technology

•Measures HR

LEADERSHIP

•Leadership skills

•Leadership abilities

•Change advocacy

CORE

•Business knowledge

•Communication

•Systematic perspective

•Credibility/Integrity

•Negotiation skills

•Customer

•

CONSULTATION

•Influence skills

•Consulting skills

•Change

•Collaboration/Team

hi sunayna,
i have also just started my career in HR, n i am already in the rethinking state!
but i think it is more because of the kind of boss i have here rather than any dislike for the job!
i really think u r very lucky that u have ur plans fixed! i am seriously thinking of shifting my line or atleast my company!
Cheers,
Pallavi

seee...this is wt my point is

isnt it tooo young for me to decide?

i am so sure abt joining HR tht is scares me

ya..i am planning to do tht nxt yr frm XLRI (if i can) or TISS or symbi

lol..ul laugh if u know wt all ive wanted to become

well...wen i was a kid, like most of the children, i wanted to become a math teacher

thn at oine point of time a social worker, thn at 8th std wen i read my first john grisham, i wanted to be a lawyer more thn anything else in my life

at 11th i was inclined towards finance so wanted to do CA

i soon learnt tht CA is not my cup of tea or water or anythin

i joined BMS becoz i thought Bcom wld be boring

n then ther were sooo many options

i liked psychology coz ppl n their behaviour fascinate me

n thn eversince i m aiming for HR

my psychometric test tells me to take up soething in human relations, public relations or service n stuff like tht

my frenz tooo agree

n i think its the best tht i can do with my skills n will give me a sense of satisfaction...

n pallavi dear

i think ur boss is human (no ones perfct)

i dunno abt u

but i wld take it as a challenge

hihi..my boss's boss at my summers na, i thought he dint like me,,

he never smiled back at me..n gave ..it really annoyed me

but he was actually impressed by me and it was an happy ending

so u jus hang in ther ok

u know...if u change ur career and go do something else,

imagine ok...20-25 yrs frm now

u dislike the job u doin n thn u wonder wt wld hav happened if u wld hav taken sunayna's advice n stuck to HR

i mean change the career u want bcoz of ur boss??

too much yaar

wt if ur boss moves with u? or ur future boss is worse?

It's never too early to set goals, providing you don't close your mind to unexpected opportunities. I am doing work now now that miles removed from my original career goals, but I am happy in what I am doing as it utilises my skills and has developed competencies that I never realised I had.

Dear Sunayana
It is not too early to decidee. at your age i was also thought like you and after 10 years i become HR Head for a Pharmaceutical firm.
You need to be decisive, clear and focused towards your goal that you have decided.
You will definitely attain the goal.
regards
Srinivasu

Sunyana,
There was a bit of anxiety at first, but it didn't take long to find out that many of my skills really were transferrable. The best thing I've done for a while.

hii numerouno
well...i guess il continue my plans for Hr as a career..n keep askin othr ppl
n if i feel like changin..(which i dont think so)thn leave it to fate
hi Srinivasu
do u have any regrets ??

Dear sunayna,
My name is Sadashiv Rao & I am based in Kuwait as Executive HR . Your letter is interesting & you are a very intelligent individual i feel that you have already made up your mind to pusue a career in HRM. let me tell you one thing that you are a focussed individual.
at your age there was nobody to guide me & I did not know where I was headed . Do what is there in your mind & what it tells you but remember it is also good to ask senior people also (as Rajatji has replied to you). My opinion is that you are already on thhe right track & you have a full life ahead of you + you have made a early start. This is a very vast & interesting field & my suggestion is learn as much as you can (there is no age for learning : always remember this!!!) . All the very best to you!!!! & I do hope that after getting so many positive views your dilemma has been chucked out of your mind. God Bless you!!!
Regards,
Sadashiv Rao

thank u sooo much
this is quite an inspiration
i just want to ask u one question...what made u choose HR?
ya....ur right..i have made up my mind, but i m jus scared if it is too early to do that.
thanks again.