Job Responsibilities
post & advertise job openings (write job requisitions), screen
resumes, interview candidates (write interview questions),
conduct assessment tests, coordinate hiring decision with various
managers, check references & backgrounds, make hiring decisions,
negotiate offers, orientate new employees, process benefits,
maintain employee database and files, update various types of
changes in employment status, distribute payroll, respond to
employee questions as they arise, promote company moral
(activities planning, touching base with new employees, etc)and
catch-all for various duties that don't fall into anyone else's
job description.
This is a fairly sales oriented position - I'm selling jobs so I
have a choice of the best candidates. You also need to be very
organized.
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Job Requirements
I have a BS in Psychology and started working as a Secreatry
after college. As an exec secretary, I was conducting new hire
orientations, and served as a liason for the HR dept at corporate
HQ to the employees at our site. At my next position, I became
benefits administrator. Having enjoyed my HR responsibilities I
went to a local college and began working on a certificate
program in HR Management. I then took a position as a Recruiter,
learned a lot and changed jobs to where I am now.
Because HR is a reletively new field, it can be difficult still
to find a good HR degree program. Related degrees are still
accepted, but it really looks best if you show some education
specifically in Human Resources even if it's only a couple of
classes.
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Uppers
I am able to make a positive impact on the company by bringing in good, highly
qualified people, and affect the personality / dynamic of the company by bringing
in new employees with positive attitudes. My job is varied enough that I am not
stuck at my desk - I am walking around the building, talking to people and
coordinating things from new desk space to merging positions or creating new ones
to better serve their departments. I also get to meet and talk with a lot of new
people.
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Downers
I have to meet and talk with A LOT of new people. Sometimes you
have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find the right man for the
job. I even had one guy come in for a job interview with blood
on his collar. When you're hiring for non-exempt, lower paying
positions, you end up meeting with a lot of "no-thank-you
candidates" that are less than fun to talk to.
The other tough thing is having to deal with managers who don't
have a clue what I really do or think my role is unnecessary. I
have a co-worker now that wants to just hire everyone who applies
without screening them first. His plan is to just hire everyone
we can and then fire those who don't sell. I've educated him as
much as I can on all of the costs of dealing with bad hires, but
he's still a pain in the butt. Unfortunately, there's a manager
with this type of attitude or one equally tough to deal with at
almost every company.
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Lifestyle
It's nine to five, and I almost never have to work weekends. There's only an
occasional late night when I've spent the past few days interviewing and need to
catch up on paperwork. I definitly take my work home with me in terms of making
decisions and thinking things over, but rarely do any paperwork outside of the
office.
I dress more formally than most of my co-workers, almost always wear a suit, and
don't wear jeans even on casual fridays.
Business travel is only local for me, but Recruiters for larger, multi-site
companies have to do a lot of flying. I travel to career fairs from time to
time.
As part of the HR team, I usually have a part in planning company events like
the Christmas Party and Summer Outing, and help serve as company cheerleader
(though, trust me, I've never held pom-poms in my life, and never would).
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Compensation
I make 36.5K and have an excellent benefits package.
(I have a BS and 4 years of experience in HR)
benefits for my company include:
choice of HMO or PPO for medical and for Dental
vision coverage,
basic life of 1x my annual salary, for which the company covers
the whole premium (supplemental life is not offered here)
Flex (125) Plan is also available
401(k) after one year of employment with full vesting
immediately - the company matches 100% up to 4% and 50%
thereafter to 6%.
Salaried employees get two weeks of vacation per year, and 7
holidays plus a floater.
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Advice to Jobseekers
learn as much as you can about employment laws and keep your HR
experience diverse. If you're interested in recruitment some
psychology is important - I use it every day. I you want to move
up in HR, you'll need to be able to handle many different aspects
of HR: recruitment, benefits, training, employee relations,
compensation, etc etc, but nothing is as important as knowledge
of employment law and how to handle the every day HR actions in a
fair and legal way.
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