Feeling Stuck Between HR and Marketing? Seeking Advice on Choosing the Right Career Path

I am doing my MBA from IES, Bandra college. Currently, I am working on my summer project at ONGC, focusing on the implementation of IT in the HR department. I have almost completed my project. However, towards the end, I realized that HR is not the career path I want to pursue as it involves similar tasks like PA, payroll, benefits, and other standard HR responsibilities that are consistent across different organizations.

I am considering pursuing a dual specialization with a major in marketing and a minor in HR, as I find it challenging to focus solely on HR as a major. However, I am unsure about the specific area within the market where both HR and marketing skills are equally important. Opting for a dual specialization might offer a temporary solution but not a long-lasting one.

I am seeking guidance on which career path would be more suitable for me. Many suggest deciding based on where I feel most comfortable, but as a fresher, I lack in-depth knowledge of both fields. I am looking for someone's advice to help me make an informed decision. Your guidance will be greatly appreciated. Could you please assist me in making the right choice?

Hello friend,

If you have clarity on what HR function is all about and it is not of your interest, then it is better to opt for Marketing. It may be worthwhile to know what the marketing function is all about and then make the final decision. Always try to select a career that interests you. If you know someone who does psychometric analysis, he will be able to advise you even better based on your report.

Regards, Nishikant

Dear Varsha,

It is very important to find out what your interest would be - HR or Marketing before you take a final decision towards your career.

As far as your opinion goes towards HR, I would like to tell you a few things that might help you in making a decision. Every department has a certain amount of routine work and some amount of creative work.

Let us look into HR - all HR professionals do the same: Recruitment, Payroll, Retention, Training & Development. Accepted, but why is there so much variation in payslips of different organizations? Every time there is a change in the tax structure, HR and Finance teams come up with new strategies to save taxes for the employees. Today, Human Capital Management (HCM) is the biggest challenge for any organization in any domain.

Regarding Marketing, they also do routine work like product launches, promotions, etc. The difference lies in how you launch the product.

From my experience, I can say that all jobs can be monotonous; the difference lies in your approach and execution.

So first, find out your interests and based on that, make a decision.

Put in your best efforts in the work given to you, and you shall never face boredom.

Remember, even all filmmakers do the same job of making films...

I hope this helps you make the right decision.

Thanks,
Vamsi
www.nefer.in

Hi, I am working as an Officer in the H.R. department. I must say that Marketing is a job with glamour. In the initial months or years, you will work mostly outside with clients or customers of the organization, followers, running to achieve targets, and with no time limit to reach back home. Social life won't be enjoyable either. So, these are some of the real components you need to understand.

In HR, the time is fixed, typically day time, such as 9 hours; from 9 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. In the initial couple of years, you will spend time doing and understanding how to implement what you have studied in MBA-HR. HR not only has responsibilities but also has authority in the organization to control, fix, and innovate for the organization. There is also a privilege in HR. HR plays a significant role inside and outside of an organization. HR is a decision-maker, problem solver, and leader. HR helps keep organizational culture smooth and staff motivated, also acting as a representative of Top Management, Middle Management, and Subordinates.

Now it's up to you to gather more information than I have mentioned here and decide what to choose. By the way, females also excel in HR roles. Good luck!

It all depends on your planning for the future. If you are looking for a quick settlement with good pay initially, prefer marketing as your career. If you have good Marketing skills within you like convincing skills, negotiating skills, etc. If you are looking for a commanding position and are interested in dealing with people (even this will be done in Marketing as well) and are interested in dealing with different challenging people-related tasks in HR, then it's better to go for that. But what I feel is it may take some time to have a correct settlement in the HR department.

Rest is your interest.

Regards,
Satya

Thank you Satya, Bhardwaj, Vamsi, and Nishikant. I have observed that there is slow growth in HR, but the market growth is faster compared to HR. Now, I have to decide where I should go; still, I have 2 weeks in hand to make a decision. I hope I will make the right decision. Once again, thank you all friends.

Hi Varsha,

Hmm. .one project has left you confused..well there are many aspects of HR which are interesting and relevant..like Training & development, Talent acquisition, managing attrition rates..etc.

Would recommend that you should do two projects for two months each in HR and Marketing..perhaps this would help you to decide the stream or choices to be made.Frankly speaking , i agree it is not easy to decide based on the projects alone but you have trust your intuition and gut feel..

Am from the Sales & Marketing and Finance background..and today am in HR ..it's all about yourself in terms of interests and passion you have. Would recommend that you see the movie of Tom Cruise - Jerry Maguire..

Don't worry much..just give the best shot whatever you do and as they say the Life is not a destination but a Journey..:-P

Best Wishes,

Rajat Joshi

Hi Varsha,

I am an MBA in HR and Marketing, a fresher just like you. I can relate to your situation. Summer projects serve as a guide to help you choose your interests and electives. As you mentioned, marketing offers more opportunities. If you possess good convincing skills, enjoy traveling, and can meet targets, you may consider majoring in marketing. On the other hand, if you excel at taking responsibility, have strong communication skills, and are good at analyzing people, HR might be the right choice for you.

Remember, regardless of your specialization, your performance in the interview is crucial. It's essential to be versatile, as HR roles may require marketing skills and vice versa. Collect as much information as possible about different specializations to determine what interests you the most and why. Follow your passion.

During placements, if you are applying for an HR role, you can highlight your specialization in HR, and vice versa. Don't stress too much about your specialization; take some time to think and choose based on your interests. Consider doing your main project in marketing; if you find it captivating, pursue a career in marketing. If after a year or two, you realize marketing isn't your calling, you can always switch back to HR or any other field that ignites your passion. Remember, the grass isn't always greener on the other side.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Regards,
Ajithaa

Hello RAJAT and AJITHA,

I have 5 months of experience in a market research firm. However, during the initial period, I had to do fieldwork, so my family didn't support me in pursuing a career in marketing. Therefore, I chose HR as a career path. I want to do my summer project in HR to understand how HR functions and to determine if I am suited for a career in HR or not.

I feel like I am the kind of person who always seeks new challenges, as I tend to get bored if I stick to one thing for too long. In HR, we are required to work according to established rules and practices, without much room for implementing our own ideas.

Therefore, I believe I should focus on the training and development area, where there are constantly new things to discover. However, it may be challenging to secure a job in this field as I am a fresher. Let's remain optimistic for the best outcomes.

Thank you,
RAJAT and AJITHA

I feel that, like you, Rajat, after a few years, if I find that HR is not the right fit for me, I may shift towards marketing. Let's see where this journey will take us.