A Guide to Starting a Career in HR
HR (Human Resources) plays a crucial role in both business performance and employee development. If you are considering a career in this field, the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) provides valuable guidance on the best routes into HR.
Why Choose a Career in HR?
HR offers access to jobs across all industries and sectors, from the public and private sectors to professional services, retail, manufacturing, and charitable organisations. Virtually every business requires the expertise of HR professionals to manage its workforce effectively.
A career in HR provides long-term prospects and a diverse range of roles. You could be recruiting or training employees one day and developing reward strategies the next. With such variety, it’s important to understand which HR role suits your skills and career goals.
Some organisations offer generalist HR roles, where professionals gain a broad range of experience across multiple HR functions. Others allow specialisation in specific areas, such as recruitment, learning and development, or employee engagement.
Below, we explore key HR career paths to help you decide on the best fit for you.
HR Generalist
As an HR Generalist, you will experience a wide variety of tasks and responsibilities. One day, you may focus on attracting and developing talent, and the next, you could be facilitating discussions on workplace culture and employee motivation.
HR Generalists act as key advisors within a business, offering insights and guidance to management. You will work closely with senior leaders, supporting them in managing teams effectively while also having the confidence to challenge decisions when necessary.
Recruitment and Talent Acquisition
If you enjoy strategy and people management, recruitment and talent acquisition could be a great fit. In this role, you will help meet both short- and long-term staffing needs, particularly in a candidate-driven job market.
Key responsibilities include workforce planning, analysing talent trends, managing staff turnover, and addressing skill shortages. You might be actively recruiting to fill immediate vacancies or developing a long-term talent pipeline to give your organisation a competitive edge.
Learning & Development (L&D)
L&D professionals focus on enhancing employee skills and capabilities to improve business performance. This role involves aligning training initiatives with an organisation’s strategic goals.
L&D roles vary depending on the organisation’s size and structure. Success in this field requires creativity, analytical thinking, and the ability to implement engaging training programmes that drive employee growth and performance.
Reward & Recognition
To sustain a high-performance culture, businesses must ensure their employees feel valued and appropriately rewarded for their contributions.
Reward and recognition professionals develop salary structures, allowances, and incentive schemes. This role requires strong numerical skills, stakeholder management abilities, and a keen awareness of legal and regulatory frameworks governing employee compensation.
Employee Engagement
Larger organisations often have dedicated employee engagement specialists who focus on building a strong connection between employees and the business.
This role overlaps with employer branding and internal communications. Employee engagement professionals work to enhance job satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy by fostering a positive workplace culture. Responsibilities may include developing employee surveys, running workshops, and presenting key insights to senior leadership.
Organisation Development (OD)
Businesses must continuously evolve to remain competitive. Organisation Development (OD) specialists play a key role in managing change, ensuring businesses remain agile and prepared for future challenges.
As an OD professional, you will work systematically to future-proof the organisation, manage workforce restructuring, and communicate change effectively to employees. Your goal is to support sustainable business performance through well-planned development initiatives.
Explore HR Career Opportunities
A career in HR offers diverse pathways and exciting opportunities for growth. To find out more about which HR career path suits you best, visit the CIPD website, the professional body for HR and people development.