I am an executive assistant to a president of a community college and i have an Associates's Degree. I've do e this type of work for almost 30 years. I plan to start working on my BS degree in the near future in human resources field. Once i complete the degree, how do i make the transition into HR after being in the administrative support role for over 30 years?

I am an executive assistant to a president of a community college and i have an Associates's Degree. I've do e this type of work for almost 30 years. I plan to start working on my BS degree in the near future in human resources field. Once i complete the degree, how do i make the transition into HR after being in the administrative support role for over 30 years?

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7 Comments

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  1. Heather Cutler

    Reach out to career counseling services at your community college and ask for advice. Also contact someone in HR and ask for an informational interview where you learn more about best preparing yourself to enter the field.

  2. Anonymous

    See if there are any projects or opportunities for you to work and support the HR function (ensure this wouldn’t take away from your current role and responsibilities). Perhaps you could transfer to that department. If anything you could start to network and connect with those in the HR field.

    be sure to capture transferable skills on your resume and in interviews- handling confidential information, interacting with executive leaders, organization, time management, discretion, drafting professional communications, etc.

  3. Anonymous

    28 years in HR here, worked my way up from HR assistant to CHRO. I agree with the person who suggested project work as a way to get some experience and see what you like - think about things like helping prep and staff a recruiting job fair, assist in annual benefits enrollment, or be part of the team that handles new hire orientation.

    This field is incredibly broad and because it deals with people, your formal education is merely a starting point for the knowledge you'll need. I've hired dozens of HR professionals over the years and in many HR jobs 10 years of directly relevant experience is just starting to scratch the surface of this complex work. You need incredibly high judgement and what I like to call "pattern recognition skills" and the hard truth is that only comes from years of actually doing the work the right way, often in multiple companies.

    For your career change, I'd urge you to think about an HR specialist role for entry level, such as leave administration, compensation analyst, or recruiting coordinator. Secure a role in the largest HR department you can find because that's where you'll learn from seasoned pros and leaders who will show you the ropes (and hopefully the correct, compliant way to do things). Many large companies have HR call centers for employees to use that are not outsourced and this can be a good starting point as well.

    I love what I do and wouldn't have it any other way. But this is hard work and the burnout rate is really high. In HR you'll see a lot of things behind the scenes (especially manager and executive behavior & decision making) that you'll wish you didn't - and they'll pass the buck straight to you. You'll need a really thick skin, but it's rewarding when you introduce something or fix something that impacts people in a positive way. Good luck!

  4. Wanda Shaw

    Great reply.

  5. Anonymous

    Find a way during the degree to do project work, or speak with/shadow in the HR department. You may also see if you can attend (and have it paid for) you to attend (regional or national) HR conferences. Call up the local association and seek their advice too. Speak to your HR department (of it it's too close, find someone in HR in your town and chat with them.

    https://career.uconn.edu/blog/2019/10/31/top-6-professional-organizations-for-human-resource-professionals/

    HR work is broad. Some places want generalists. Some want specialists. It may be good to learn/be credentialed in certain skills / software programs. Some place combine HR with Office Management or something similar to what you currently do. Some folks just work at the local associations for their field.

    In addition to HR jobs, here's a list of transferrable skills/jobs: https://andrewhudsonsjobslist.com/hr-professionals-lots-of-transferable-skills-lots-of-career-opportunities/

    Good luck!

  6. Anonymous

    Why are you interested in HR work? What about your previous job as an Administrative Assistant led you to the HR field. Maybe answer that before deciding to do that.

  7. Barbara

    Work with your current HR department while you’re in school. They might have an interest in having your excellent admin skill set in HR. Sounds like a win for you and for your HR department. Ask !

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