Feeling Stuck in HR: Should I Transition to a Sales Role Despite Family Concerns?

Good day to all of you,

I wish to receive feedback from members regarding the above subject.

I have been working in HR for the past six years, and to be honest, I'm frustrated with the direction of my malfunctioning top management. Perhaps that's why I am considering working for myself rather than being employed.

While I understand that being employed is the safest way to earn a wage, I feel like something is missing in my life. I am expecting a baby soon and I want to balance my family and work life. However, working in a corporate environment does not allow for flexibility in working hours.

I am very passionate about recruitment and always enjoy meeting people to discuss their career aspirations, challenges, dreams, etc., rather than dealing with payroll – a task I find quite monotonous.

I am at a crossroads as I am looking to transition from a corporate career to a sales role without an existing network. Do you think I can thrive in this new environment?

My family does not support this decision due to the lack of network connections. I am in a dilemma!

Warm regards,
Sabrina

Hi Sabrina,

I am also in the HR field, and that is my ultimate goal as well. It is somewhat true that you need a database, but with a little homework now and access to recruiting portals, you can also develop a database. Don't be too ambitious at first. Slowly try to gain a foothold by providing excellent service and good PR. I am sure that in a couple of years, you will be very proud of yourself.

Dear all,

Many thanks for your moral support. I guess I am supposed to go on with this plan, although there is no guaranteed way whether this plan will work or not. But if I don't try, I think I will regret it for the rest of my life. I haven't tried my ability and want to test my competency skill. All the while in HR, besides coaching, conducting performance appraisals for people, and managing the office, I keep reminding people to achieve their targets, but I am thinking, why not for myself? (Silly, right? I think so too!)

Hi Krishna, many thanks for your kind help. At this moment, I would like to do things on my own and research starting a recruitment firm. Everything is in order. If I need your guidance, I will surely ask for your assistance.

Nevertheless, I am very grateful for all the support. I hope my decision to excel in this line will lead me to life satisfaction in the later stage.

Warmest regards,
Sabrina

Dear Sabrina,

Remember one important fact before starting your consultancy.

First, you have to invest some money in a place for setting up your office, a computer, telephone, interior decoration, etc.

Secondly, there is no limit to collecting the database, so you have to keep moving from one place to another. Then, you should employ 1 or 2 persons to look after your office, attend calls, etc. You have to pay a minimum salary of Rs.5,000/-; otherwise, no one will work.

Thirdly, your conveyance expenses will increase daily before you start yielding income from your investment.

Fourthly, it is not easy to secure a reputed client, and getting payment from them is no joke, especially in the current economic recession.

Finally, the candidate you employ at your client's place should commit to a minimum period of 3 months; otherwise, you have to provide a replacement candidate for free.

Ultimately, you must decide for yourself whether it is better to be an employee than an employer. So, think carefully and decide.

This is my advice as a fellow HR professional.

Thanks and Best wishes.

That's a great thing to hear because people like you are very few to start a consultancy or own business, which gives much more satisfaction rather than working under someone's authority. I am also interested in starting a business in the HR field.

Anyway, good luck.

Dear Sabrina,

First of all, please accept my warm wishes for having a beautiful baby.

1. Utilize this delivery period calmly by gathering information and nurturing your dreams to maintain a steady mindset.

2. Try to gather as much data as possible through websites, such as the number of companies, telephone numbers, etc. (I recall someone posting a complete list of corporate executives and contact numbers).

3. Once you have an idea of what to do as a consultant, document all those thoughts on paper and refine them.

4. Subsequently, send out mailers to companies showcasing your capabilities, ensuring recruiters understand your interest in not only recruiting candidates but also in providing HR solutions like training, etc.

5. In the meantime, build a database of potential candidates by sourcing information from educational institutions regarding recent graduates. Reach out to these candidates via mailers. Initiating contact with fresh graduates will likely lead you to their seniors, helping you create a substantial database.

6. Recently, I have come across information indicating a forthcoming mass recruitment drive in the early part of the next financial year. Corporates are expected to favor consultants with diverse expertise, presenting you with a significant opportunity.

Wishing you all the best.

Hi Sabrina,

I am a finance background guy and had started my HR consultancy 7 months ago when there were not many vacancies, even in insurance. I began my consultancy on 1st April, a day known for jokes, but I was serious about my business. While I may lack HR experience compared to you, I believe in your success. Be confident and forge ahead without waiting in line.

All the best,

Prashant Jagad
The HRism
[The HRism](http://www.thehrism.com)

Hi,

Congratulations on starting a new HR Consulting firm. I would like to share some of my experiences from my previous firm. Our MD was an Ex-Deputy Vice President of a reputed company. Due to his passion for the consulting business, he resigned and established an HR Consulting firm. Unfortunately, we lacked contacts and knowledge of the decision-makers in organizations, which hindered our ability to generate sufficient business. Moreover, companies tend to prefer consultancies with established credibility and experience.

I recommend thoroughly researching and preparing before entering the market. Be SMART and strategic in playing the business game.

All the best,
Sreenivas

Dear Sabrina,

Think always high. If you think high, you will reach high. If you think low, you couldn't do anything for high.

Hi all,

Yes, I'm from Malaysia actually. I'm so excited to see a lot of feedback from Cite HR members, and you guys really give me moral support!

Sorry to say that in Malaysia, our culture is definitely different from India. Not to be pessimistic, but the fact is not many HR practitioners are willing to share their experiences or views. I have tried this before, but none of them were willing to participate actively in the forum.

Anyway, just to update you guys, normally in recruitment, they are not willing to share information unless you spend some money and buy candidate databases from them (for example, from JobStreet or JobsDB).

Each recruiter tries to get more business, and the market is highly competitive. As Prabhakar said, it is not easy to attract reputable clients (building a strong rapport with clients is quite tough too!).

Don't worry, I intend to set up my networking based at my home. Should anyone want to know more about Malaysian HR practices, you are welcome to drop me an email at sabrina9253@yahoo.com.

Warmest regards,
Sabrina

What exactly do you want to do from home? And how can you do it if you have no internet? Please clarify. Or do you mean you don't know people on the internet?

Dear Sabrina,

Once you start working on something, don't be afraid of failure and don't abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest.

"Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions - Why am I doing it, What the results might be, and Will I be successful. Only when you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead."

"A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first, and honest people are screwed first."

Dear Sabrina,

I appreciate your ideas, but it appears that the desire to start the business stems more from increased responsibility rather than a passion for recruitment. I am sorry to convey this; it does not mean that I am discouraging you. However, before taking a step forward, ensure that you make clear background preparations. In my experience, I have seen many consultancies start up today only to wind up within a few months. This trend is mainly due to the competitiveness of today's world. Consultants face numerous challenges, some of which I have observed include adaptability to globalization, strategic prioritization, process analysis, lack of a database, lack of clients, and lack of competitive advantage. I hope you consider these factors and proceed carefully.

Best wishes for your future endeavors.

Regards,
Sunil Sundar
+91-9902580922
Bangalore

Sabrina,

I appreciate the decision you made. But as your family told, it's not so easy without a good network. You can build up your network, but it will take some time. You have to wait at least one year for this and forget about the profit for this period. And you have to keep an amount for the operational cost for this year. All the best.

Vipin

Hi Sabrina,

Wish you all the luck. What I would suggest is to look for good consultants, view their experience, and discuss. It is not impossible. Take care.

Regards.

Dear Sabrina,

I think it is absolutely fantastic that you have decided to start your own recruitment agency. Being a career woman, raising children, and supporting our homes and our husbands' careers is very challenging. I decided to start a recruitment agency (from home) in January 2009. I had 20 years of banking/finance working experience and hold a BCom in Human Resources and Strategic Management, but with no proper recruitment experience. It took me 6 months to set up my legal entity and go for extensive recruitment training before I was confident enough to go out and target clients. In your case, you have the working experience, so you can start up immediately.

In the South African market, there are thousands of recruitment agencies, and finding new clients to recruit for is extremely challenging, especially when most are retrenching their staff. What worked for me was I notified all my family members who worked in medium and large enterprises to hand out my agency portfolio to their HR departments. All you need is one client. I also joined a few women-empowered networking groups and made contact with HR personnel; I found referrals worked best. Three months into operation, with two clients, the next challenge was a database of suitable candidates. I started with a job portal (the cheapest) to advertise positions and find candidates and slowly started creating my own database of star candidates on Excel. Do not be discouraged as the work comes in; the candidates will find you. Tell everyone you know what you're doing (hand out business cards as you shop or travel), and the word will get around, and before you know it, you'll be a success and will be thinking of expanding and growing your business.

The best news I can give you right now is I only work half a day (two clients are enough for one person to handle). The other half of the day, I can be a mother, a wife, the home cleaner, and the gourmet chef for my family, something I could never balance while I worked for an organization, and the annual income you received in an organization can now be earned in your first month on your own. I encourage you to fully trust your instinct and the Lord above to provide, and you WILL BE A SUCCESS.

GOOD LUCK, if you require any assistance or advice, contact me at JobXpress@iburst.co.za

Regards,
Anita

Dear Anita,

Fantastic encouragement! I always dream of balancing my work life with my family. As a mother, I strive to provide the best for my kids, who are incredibly precious to me. However, I don't want to lose my income, as my children have changed my mindset.

Before I got married, I never dreamed of starting my own career or had a clear vision of the future. But having children truly changed my perspective.

Reflecting on your stories, I truly admire your journey in starting your own firm. Your determination, faith, and courage have the power to change destinies.

I hope to be like you one day – working half the day and spending the other half with my children.

To all members,

"If you think you can, you can!"

Warmest regards,
Sabrina

Dear Sabrina,

I think it is absolutely fantastic that you have decided to start your own recruitment agency. Being a career woman, raising children, and supporting our homes and our husbands' careers is very challenging.

I decided to start a recruitment agency (from home) in January 2009. With 20 years of banking/finance working experience and a BCom in Human Resources and Strategic Management, but no proper recruitment experience, it took me 6 months to set up my legal entity and undergo extensive recruitment training before feeling confident enough to target clients. In your case, with your working experience, you can start up immediately.

In the South African market, there are thousands of recruitment agencies, and finding new clients to recruit for is extremely challenging, especially when many are downsizing. What worked for me was informing all my family members who worked in medium and large enterprises to share my agency portfolio with their HR departments. All you need is one client. I also joined a few women-empowered networking groups and made contacts with HR personnel; referrals worked best. Three months into operation, with two clients, the next challenge was building a database of suitable candidates. I started with a job portal (the most cost-effective option) to advertise positions and find candidates, gradually creating my own database of top candidates on Excel. As the work comes in, candidates will find you. Tell everyone about your business (hand out business cards while shopping or traveling), and word of mouth will help you succeed and expand your business.

The best news I can share is that I now work only half a day (2 clients are manageable for one person). The other half of the day, I can be a mother, a wife, take care of the house, and cook for my family – something I couldn't balance while working for an organization. The annual income you received in an organization can now be earned in your first month on your own.

I encourage you to trust your instincts and have faith that you will succeed with the help of the Lord above.

Good luck! If you need any assistance or advice, contact me at JobXpress@iburst.co.za

Regards,
Anita

All the best to you in your new business. I am from KL. After more than 20 years of working in IT and HR in various capacities, I now run projects, do training, engage in a lot of content writing, and carry out consulting work on my own. I work from home or from the client's office, depending on the project.

You can gather data from LinkedIn, Facebook, CiteHR, and other professional networks, as well as from people you meet at conferences and seminars. All of this information would be useful.

It would also be beneficial to be a member of a professional body. For example, I am a member of MIHRM.

Best regards,
Venkat