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Career dilemma
Hello ladies,
I would like to get your advice on a tricky situation I am in at work.
I've been an HRBP for an international company the past 3 years. I was initially suppose to take on various HR projects but most of them were aborted. Even anything related to HR administration is kept off my plate because it is "another person's job and we want to keep things centralized". Nothing other than onboarding paperwork...
I've tried to take initiative, ask for more tasks/projects, share ideas but I never get much more than a "sure let's think about it" or "the budget needed is too high". I don't believe in paying cheap just for cheap specially if it won't get us the results we need so I let it go most of the time.
Long story short I have mainly been doing talent acquisition. I now want to leave the company but my challenge is that I have a title (HRBP) but no real experience to show. Any job that matches my current skills involves a severe pay cut that I can't afford.
I don't really know how to get out of this vicious cycle of staying for the pay but not gaining any valuable experience.
I'm looking into trainings but I know that no hands-on experience is a deal breaker for most employers.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Anonymous
10/12/20 at 3:49PM UTC
Thanks to all of you!! Great insight!! Mentoring/shadowing is not an option because HR pros in our company are not in the same location. I haven't waited for their requests or suggestions. I have been coming to them for with improvement ideas and suggestions but the more I thought about it while reading all these replies, the more I am understanding there is a real political underlying issue...
I will definitely look into volunteer work - such a great idea!!!
Thanks so much!!
Melissa Boillot
Passionate people leader and business partner
237
10/09/20 at 11:53PM UTC
As an Senior Manager of a team of HRBPs and Managers, I would say that I 100% agree with what Sreedevi commented. Your role is to be a strategic business partner, develop a talent pipeline, train management on effective coaching and employee retention strategies, recommend process improvement tactics, make suggestions regarding organizational structure and developmental stretch assignments for top performers, etc. I have never had a slow day because I can create an endless amount of work.
I'd also say that if you want to leave your organization, focus on what you DO have, and not on what you don't. Research shows that women want to meet 100% of position 'requirements' in a job description, while men will apply to a role they have 60% of. We know that 70% of learning comes on the job through job experience, so just go for it!
My advice - take a risk and know that you may have to work harder than the next person to research labor laws, gain coaching experience or become an expert at change management strategies, but know that WE ALL have things that we don't know and have to learn on the go! I will hire someone with tenacity, resilience and a hunger to learn and grow, over someone that has experience without those other attributes, any day of the week.
Best of luck!
Valissa PierrelouisI help firms gain insight & enhance operations.
45
10/09/20 at 4:25PM UTC (Edited)
Hello, I agree with suggestions around a mentor, training, volunteerism and outside opportunities. I didn't notice if one thing was mentioned. Network with other SHRM professionals.
Opportunities in current role...
What no cost projects can you create and execute in your current role that have an impact (reduce cost, effort, steps or time) for the team? Listening for team member's, business partner's and Manager's frustration will provide good ideas if nothing comes to mind. This action will give you impactful accomplishments to share for future opportunities.
Another thought...
How possible is it to have an informational interview with the leader in HR administration? What skills are needed? What are their top 3 priorities right now? Share your aspirations as well. Would HR administration and your Manager be open to you participating in a project? How could your participation in a project benefit your current performance and Manager? Framing is key. Managers seem to like threes. What three things would your Manager view as benefits?
Go get it!
Anonymous
10/09/20 at 4PM UTC
Sharing another option to explore. Review job boards such as: Indeed.com or Monster.com and look at Recruiter job postings to see if your Talent Acquisition skills could transfer over to enable you to pivot out of your company. Taking time to conduct a review of all of your skills and areas of strength will help you to compare what you have against what the job postings state. If you have a specialty in Tech, Manufacturing, or Government, etc. determine what it is so that you know how to position yourself. Also, be watchful of Recruiting jobs that are “commissioned” based. You may want to look at companies such as Robert Half International to see if they are looking for staff Recruiters if you prefer a role with more consistent pay. A pivot is absolutely possible, be determined, and rise above the thinking that your current employer has the upper hand. You are resilient, talented and smart. This challenge can be faced with certainty that you will find your way into a new role at a new company where you can grow and shine! Good luck.
Rosa Goes
632
10/09/20 at 3:52PM UTC
I agree with those who mentioned volunteer work. It is a great way to gain hands on experience in the areas you desire to learn more of. Some even give credit towards certification/school. HR administration is not my area of expertise, but another suggestion is to add transferable skills on your resume. Find commonality between the two areas (talent acquisition & HR administration) and focus on that for your resume.
Sreedevi VHRBP, Gallup Strengths coach, & Lean-in Guru
116
10/09/20 at 1:39PM UTC (Edited)
Ok, I'm an HRBP, and here's my advice. An HRBP's role is ideally to partner with the business. Don't wait for projects or work to come to you. How well do you know the business? Your role is strategic, which means there will be down time, esp now when businesses are simply reacting to Covid.
Get to know the business- what do they sell? how do they make money? who are the critical employees and how can you retain them? what is the work culture like, and how can you help improve that? what support does the business need right now? what are the workforce challenges facing the business- instability, performance management, etc? how can you support employees from diverse backgrounds? how can you care for your staff's mental health? what is the talent and workforce/ staffing plan for the company for the next 1 to 3 yrs?
There is so much that you can contribute as an HRBP! Start talking to the business leaders, to the HR admin, finance, etc. Meet them where they are. Get out there and meet everyone in the business. Use this time to build STRONG relationships. Learn how to think strategically and influence the business. Soon you will have more work than you can handle!
Take charge of your role as an HRBP.
Julia Abell
31
10/09/20 at 1:19PM UTC
These are all great suggestions! Another idea is to look at your competencies that you've used in your current role and reflect them on your resume i.e. conflict resolution, critical thinking, collaboration, teamwork, etc. An HRBP would use similar competencies and you can make the case to other prospective employers that you have the training, you have the competencies and are prepared for this role. You might need to focus on smaller organizations who are willing to give you an opportunity...it might also require that you take a lateral position in order to move your career upwards. Good luck!
User deleted comment on 10/09/20 at 12:46PM UTC
Anonymous
10/09/20 at 12:34PM UTC
I’ve had a very similar experience! Being siloed is frustrating and really stunt our growth. Unfortunately, for some companies, professional growth within the actual job isn’t a priority and it can be emotionally and mentally draining. Do you have general know about these areas? From my experience, you can always work in the technical skills, but you can’t force a culture fit. The culture piece is becoming more and more important as companies look to retain employees!
Meredith SwainTalent Strategy & Pipeline Development Leader
122
10/08/20 at 4:33PM UTC
It's great that you have your SHRM certification. I agree with Jennifer, it's a really valuable baseline of knowledge to have. And while I know you want hands on experience, are you able to shadow other people on the team who are doing some of the work that you want to do? Even if it's for a few hours a week, it might give you more insight into that work and may present small ways for you to actual take on bits and pieces of the work overtime!
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