Skip to main content

Top Tips to Secure your Next HR job

Published on: 25 Aug 2015

If you are searching for your first Human Resources job, or are already working in the HR field and would like a new challenge or alternative company to work for, there are many things you can do to give yourself the best possible chance of success.

Some of these are common sense activities, applicable to various other fields within the market, and some are specifically applicable to HR. However, they are all definitely worth trying if you really are looking to land a new role.

Our top tips for increasing your chances of success are discussed in the following sections.

Don't limit yourself

So, you're currently a HR administrator – does this mean that you can only look for alternative HR administrator roles? No – don't limit yourself to the confines of your current role.

If you have two or three years experience in an administrative position, then feel free to begin looking for HR officer/advisor roles, particularly if they are not forthcoming in your current place of work.

Similarly, if you are a HR manager looking to make the step up to directorship level, start applying for these jobs straight away. The worst than can happen is that you gain some invaluable interviewing experience which will only serve you in good stead for future opportunities.

There are many different roles available within the HR industry. If you believe you have the necessary skills and experience to make a step upwards or sideways into a new position, then you will suddenly find that you have a much larger pool of HR related jobs from which to choose when you refuse to limit yourself to certain positions.

Join a HR association or society, such as the CIPD

Joining a professional association will enable you to become part of a 'community' of other HR professionals, and will do wonders for your networking opportunities.

Joining an association will also enable you to stay up to date with all of the latest HR trends and advancements – this is powerful information if you have an important interview or meeting with a senior manager coming up soon.

By far the most powerful, influential and well-respected HR association in the UK is the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development).

Amongst other benefits, joining the CIPD ensures you will receive discounted offers on a range of qualifications and training programs, weekly newsletters detailing all the latest HR news and trends, as well as the opportunity to network with other members of the institute.

Acquire further qualifications

Every time you receive a certificate of attendance for a HR related training course, and every time you receive a new qualification in the HR field, you are greatly increasing your chances of success in finding your next HR role.

If you are serious about HR, you should make it a life-long mission to carry on learning and improving your portfolio of qualifications/certifications throughout your career, as they really can make the difference when a potential employer is looking through your CV or interviewing you.

Not only do the actual qualifications increase your advantage, potential employers will also be impressed that you are continuing to learn and expand your knowledge of the HR filed.

If you can couple this with an extensive level of HR experience, you should