Being a mid-level Human Resources professional really puts your career in a good position.
While aiming for a mid-level Human Resources position in your career, then you must have either started your career or have very strong transferable skills. The Human Resources career ladder is important to know when planning to start or grow your career as a Human Resources professional.
I went through each level of the Human Resources Career ladder in this video. Use this as a starting point to not only see which positions are available in the human resources career field and to see the compensation for each. Use it to see where you can position yourself to grow your career or pivot into Human Resources.
Mid-Level Human Resources Career Positions
One of the most common mid-level human resources positions is the Human Resources Generalist position. In this position, it requires that you have knowledge of human resources and can easily adjust to the varying day-to-day duties that may come with this position. In this video, I give a deep dive into what it is like being a Human Resources Generalist.
Many confuse this role with the Human Resources Business Partner position. Though they both require that you know the entire Human Resource department, can work autonomously and will work on every part of Human Resources; they are different roles.
Human Resources vs. Human Resources Business Partner
I give a comparison of the Human Resources Generalist role, as it compares to the Human Resources Business Partner role. You can check out that video here.
Many assume that because these positions are so similar then they are in the same career level. In actuality, they are not. Human Resources Generalist is such a common position and only requires knowing the processes in Human Resources, as a result, it is considered a mid-level position. Human Resources Business Partners are strategic professionals. Click here to get the Human Resources Executives list of “8 Skills Human Resources Business Partners Need for Success”.
This comprehensive list includes:
- Intellectual curiosity and empathy
- Problem-Solving skills
- Risk-taking and courage
- Digital Acumen
- Business-language knowledge
- Change-management skills
- Discretion
- Networking Skills
Now it really shows why I emphasized the importance of networking in this video. It’s so pivotal to your career going with ease. Don’t dwell on the idea of “you need help” because honestly, I can’t count how many times I’ve sent an email, DM or text message to another Human Resources professional asking for help.
I really realized it wasn’t a bad thing, when they started reaching out to me for help. The only time to raise concern is when you’re asking the same question over and over again. Other than that, you’re on the right track.
(Office as an HR Generalist) (Recruiting at Black Expo) (Recruiting at Nursing Career Fair)
Pictures Say a Thousand Words
In the pictures at the top, you see yet another office that was designated to the Human Resources Generalist. Yep, that’s my old office, with pictures of my daughter and mom in the back. Sorry about how dark it was, but I didn’t need the floor to ceiling windows. Working by lamp light not only made me comfortable, but employees loved it too.
The second picture is when I found an event that wasn’t a job fair, but I made it one! It’s the Black Expo event where I knew I could find my target talent. Many times you have to be creative in getting the results you need.
Now that last picture, I was on a hunt for brand new nurses, so I showed up at many career fairs dedicated to nursing students who were approaching graduation at colleges and universities across the entire state of South Carolina. You guessed it.
As a Human Resources Generalist, I found myself literally recruiting after processing worker’s compensation claims, approving Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leaves and preparing a report of updates and changes for payroll.
To get a complete guide on how to navigate your Human Resources career, then grab the Human Resources Career Tool Kit.
Comment below and tell me where you would like to see your Human Resources career take you.