Job Responsibilities
In Human Resources, I participate in a variety of
responsibilities. These include employee benefits; training and
development; and keeping updated on employment law, especially as
it relates to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
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Job Requirements
The coursework at the University of Phoenix is intense. Most
students take one course at a time, and each 3-credit course
lasts six weeks. In other words, we covered an entire semester's
worth of work in a month and a half. The program was entirely
planned for me as far as what courses I took and in what order.
The instructors for the most part are working professionals;
their experience in the content area of a course provides a great
deal of insight and enlightenment. I have found that the grading
has been quite fair. As I said, the work is intense. Each week
has its own set of text and supplementary readings. Each week
also has a set of discussion questions that we answer and post to
the main online room; this forms the basis for class discussions.
Furthermore, there is at least one paper due each week, either
individually or in conjunction with our Learning Teams. I
estimate that I have put in an average of 25 hours per week on
classwork, both online and off. It has been an exciting journey
toward earning my advanced degree.
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Uppers
The best part of my job is the people with whom I work, both departmentally and
throughout the organization. Upper management is very supportive of the entire
workforce, and they do not remain in the Administration wing - they are out and
about.
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Downers
The worst part of my job is having to deal with dissatisfied
employees; this entails investigating complaints and other
(sometimes) unpleasant occurrences.
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Lifestyle
Work hours are 8:30 to 5 daily. I have no weekend hours. My position requires no
travel at this point. There are a few social events, but the organization
respects the work/home separation. The dress code is business casual, but I
prefer to wear a tie most days. The company is very diverse and accepting. Our
supervisors frown on overtime because they know we have lives outside of work.
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Compensation
I do not know what the base salary for my position is, but the
company has excellent health insurance benefits as well as an
attractive package for retirement.
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Advice to Jobseekers
Human Resources needs individuals who will be committed to
working FOR employees as well as performing the duties on behalf
of the employer. While it is true that many companies have been
outsourcing their HR departments, the future for HR looks bright.
I recommend that people interested in HR seek membership in
professional organizations such as SHRM. The excellent
practitioners of HR will keep this occupation alive and exciting.
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