How to Become an HR Professional

How To Become An HR Professional

Want to learn how to become an HR professional but not sure where to start? You're in the right place!

I have been an HR Professional for over 15 years....but...... I learned human resources the hard way…..mostly just on the job.

Learning on the job isn't a terrible thing. After all, you're getting paid of course, but it took me years to become a GOOD HR professional.

I created this site to help people (like you!) interested in becoming an HR professional, learn the ropes the quickest way possible and get the knowledge needed to be an amazing HR professional by providing tools and training to help you get started.

There are so many directions and specialties available to you as an HR professional.

Whether you want to work full-time, on-site for a company, work more on a contract basis or be an entrepreneur, it's all available to you as a skilled HR professional. You will not have trouble finding a job! 

HR is an amazing skill to have. It took me a long time to appreciate my HR skills, but now I certainly do!

But let's be real, not everyone should be doing HR.  If you're not a people person at all and deep down you have no interest in it, then don't pursue it just for the career and flexibility it can give you. You won't be happy. But if it does interest you, then I highly recommend you get the skills to pursue it!

You may be looking to sharpen your HR skills so you can get an HR job, or advance in your current job. 

So let's dive in and see how you can become a successful HR professional!

KEYS TO SUCCESS

Let's first look at whether being an HR professional is a good choice for you.

In my experience, here are the skills you need to be successful as an HR professional:

1. Working with People

To succeed in HR, you don't need to be the life of the party or the loudest voice in the room. While social skills are important, what's even more crucial is a genuine desire to work with people. HR is all about fostering positive relationships, supporting others, and understanding their needs. Whether you're helping someone resolve a conflict, guiding a new hire through their first week, or developing policies that promote a healthy workplace, empathy and communication are key.

Successful HR professionals listen more than they talk and focus on creating environments where people can thrive. You don't have to be the center of attention, but you do need to be approachable, compassionate, and willing to work with individuals at all levels of the organization. Strong interpersonal skills, along with a keen sense of fairness and an open mind, are what truly drive success in the HR field.

2. Good Communicator

If you can communicate timely with your employees and employers, you are already many steps ahead.

This may sound like common sense, but it really is very common. HR professionals can get very busy, making timely communication difficult. Don't fall into this trap.

Of course, being timely doesn't mean being available 24/7. I fell into this issue earlier in my HR career and hit a serious case of burnout. You must have boundaries.

But, you can have boundaries and impeccable communication.  This is a recipe for a great business.

3.  Problem Solver

To me, HR is like putting a puzzle together. When you start working with a new issue, or starting a new project, it's about figuring out how all the pieces fit to create harmony and achieve the bigger picture.

The ability to apply logic to your work is going to be one of your biggest assets as a HR professional.

Being able to look at recruitment initiatives or employee issues and think, "does this make sense?", is key to producing good work. You need to step back from the weeds and be able to look at the bigger picture. That will help you be a superstar in HR!

This is true in most occupations, but many people may not think it applies to HR. Trust me, it does. If you have common sense and a good logical mind, then you have what it takes to be good at HR.

4. Detail-Oriented

I've had to train myself to be more detail-oriented by simply just doing the work and knowing what to look for.  It just takes practice and some experience.

So if you think, "oh shoot, I'm not detail-oriented, I can't do this", think again.

But, it does help if you are detail-oriented naturally. 

LEARN THE SKILLS OF HR

I took business classes in college, but I never took formal HR classes.

I like to say I took the HR school of hard knocks. I learned on the job over the years and I still learn new things every day.  I don't think you can "master" HR. Like anything else, learning is a constant.

But with that said, you must know the fundamentals of HR before you start calling yourself an HR professional.

Here are two ways to go about learning HR. Let's talk about them!

1. Learning on the job

Many jobs combine administrative duties with HR responsibilities, offering a great opportunity to gain experience while learning. However, this approach relies on having a knowledgeable mentor within the company to guide you.

I think it's better to take an HR course to learn the fundamentals so that you are better equipped to step into an HR role with some knowledge under your belt.

Plus, you never know if the person training you in a job really knows HR themselves. You don't want to learn bad habits!

2. Take an HR course

I learned on the job from an HR person and it still took me a LONG time (years!) to feel confident as an HR professional. 

If I was starting over, I would have taken an HR course before working with any company so I had that knowledge and confidence from the get-go.

There are a lot of great resources out there for learning HR. Of course, my favorite is my own course, Breakthrough Human Resources Bootcamp.

I would suggest signing up for my Bootcamp as a starting place. You'll learn all about full-cycle human resources.  This is great for beginners! 

GET EXPERIENCE

Once you have learned how to do HR, it's time to get some real-world experience. You can do this either by starting with internships, part-time roles, or even volunteer opportunities within HR departments. Many HR professionals begin by assisting with recruitment, employee engagement, or training initiatives, gradually building their skills and confidence.

Another great option is to explore remote or contract HR jobs. These roles can be a flexible way to gain hands-on experience, often allowing you to work with different industries or companies. Remote positions are especially valuable, as they can help you develop strong communication and organizational skills while managing tasks from a distance. Contract roles also provide the opportunity to take on diverse HR challenges, further broadening your skill set.

If you're looking to gain specific expertise, look for opportunities that match your interests—whether it's employee relations, talent acquisition, or learning and development. No matter which path you choose, the key is to start building a solid foundation through real-world HR experience.

When you do start to look for a job, I would advise leveraging your friends and family.  Let them know you are starting on this exciting new career path, you've been trained and now you would like to gain experience.

Most people know someone who works in HR and would be willing to give you a shot.

You may have to start out for a lower rate, or even pro bono to get some experience for a few months, but it will be worth it.

THINK ABOUT NICHING

Having a niche is great for HR professionals, but I don't think you need this niche right out of the gate.

Niching is picking a particular industry to specialize in, such as healthcare or technology.  I think it makes HR so much easier when you know the industry and can specialize.

By specializing, you can ask for a higher salary and bring more value to companies.  But don't put pressure on yourself to do that in the beginning. Your niche may have to find you over time.

KEEP LEARNING

The HR profession is constantly evolving. New online tools pop up all the time that will help you become more efficient.

The key is be a GOOD HR professional and that means doing quality work, and providing a ton of value to your employees and employers.

There is a TON of HR work out there, so if this profession interests you, then get started today by enrolling in the Breakthrough Human Resources Bootcamp.

One final note - when I shifted my mindset around HR and began understanding that HR is a very valuable partner to the business, my career took off. I landed larger roles, negotiated higher salaries, and ultimately found greater job satisfaction.

Just remember - you can do it and to keep learning and growing!

xoxo

Beth Horn

Founder of Let's Chat HR!