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Competent Human Resources (HR) professionals are a vital asset to any business. They are responsible for the recruitment of quality staff, along with ensuring that they are managed and developed successfully. Dependent on the structure and size of the company, Human Resources staff may be specialists in one area, or have a variety of roles within several main areas. These might include:

Job description preparation and applicant interviews.
Training and appraisals for employee development.
Involvement in disciplinary proceedings and redundancy programmes.
Health and safety issues.
Administering payroll.
Planning staffing requirements for the future.

Prerequisite Qualifications
Although there are formally no prerequisite academic qualifications, most HR professionals possess a degree or Higher National Diploma (HND). Entry qualifications for a degree course are two or three "A" levels (or equivalent) along with five GCSE passes at Grade C or above (or equivalent). Any subjects are acceptable, but the likes of English, Business Studies and Law are preferable. Entry qualifications for an HND course are not quite as demanding. For "mature" students, there are no formal academic entry requirements for either type of study. Selection is usually by way of interview, in which the prospective student must demonstrate sufficient experience for, and interest in their selected course.

Development
The majority of employers will expect staff to be working (or show a commitment to working) towards the qualifications awarded by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (C.I.P.D.). Large organisations offer their own "in-house" training schemes.

The relevant professional qualifications offered by the C.I.P.D. include:

1. Certificate in Personnel Practice
This qualification gives a sound footing in a wide spectrum of personnel-related skills.

2. Certificate in Recruitment and Selection
This is appropriate for those seeking to specialise in the above fields. The Professional Development Scheme consists of four components:

Core Management
People Management and Development
Specialist and Generalist Personnel and Development
Applied Personnel and Development.

Personal Qualities
Human Resources professionals need good "people" skills. Excellent communication skills, both orally and in writing are essential. Precision, thoroughness and teamwork are important. A good deal of confidence is required, as a wide range of circumstances are likely to be encountered in the course of a day's work. A composed and diplomatic approach, to all types of situation, is essential. Human Resources staff are often required to operate in demanding situations when handling issues such as disciplinary procedures, dismissal or the personal problems / grievances of individual employees. A measure of hardiness and an understanding of the importance of discretion, along with a non-discriminatory and unbiased attitude, are therefore prerequisite attributes. An appropriate balance must be struck between the needs of the individual and the organisation's business interests.

Prospects
Promotion prospects in the field of Human Resources are usually far more dependent upon the potential of the individual than on academic achievements. Generally, larger organisations offer more promotion opportunities. In order to pursue career development, a change of employer may well be necessary.
For senior positions, experience in a range of organisational departments, along with HR, is considered extremely desirable. Experience Human Resources professionals often set up their own specialist consultancy service, offering services such as recruitment and training counselling.

Alternatives
For those to whom the idea of becoming a "people" specialist particularly appeals, alternative careers as an occupational psychologist, personal or careers adviser or management consultant might also be worthy of consideration.

Salary
For a new graduate starting as trainee in Human Resources, salaries are comparable to other Graduate Trainee positions. Generally, large manufacturers and public corporations offer more attractive starting salaries than smaller organisations. It should be possible for C.I.P.D. members to command higher salaries, especially if possessing appropriate postgraduate qualifications and relevant experience. The C.I.P.D. conducts regular salary surveys among its members. As a guide, the recent survey shows that the average pay of an HR professional in London is approx. 30k. This undoubtedly includes some "London weighting," so salaries are likely to be less "in the provinces." Nationwide, the average remuneration for a middle manger tends to be in the region of 27k to 30k. A Human Resources or Personnel Director in a large organisation earns, on average, somewhere in the region of 65k.

Hours
Generally, a standard working week involves thirty-five to forty hours. However, additional hours may be required, as necessary, for example, during a major recruitment "drive," or at times of industrial dispute.

Further Information
Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development: www.cipd.co.uk