Curious About HR Careers: Can I Break In Without an MBA? Seeking Training Advice

Dear all,

I have completed my MS in IT and M.Phil. I am interested in pursuing a career in HR. I am wondering if any company offers HR training. Is it possible to enter the field of HR without an MBA in HR? Is having an MBA in HR a requirement? If so, I am open to pursuing it through distance learning.

Could anyone provide details on this matter?

Thank you.

Hi,

If your communication skills are good (read as clarity in communication, not language), then you shouldn't have any problem getting into the recruitment section of an organization. Depending on the promise and interest you show, the organization, based on its capability and interest in developing staff, would surely give you additional training in other HR topics. However, I am curious as to why you wish to join/become an HR professional after having completed your M. Phil.

Let me know if you want to discuss this further.

Regards.

Hi,

Just for fun, I pursued an MPhil without any specific aim. At that time, I didn't know much about HR, etc. Now, I am very interested in HR. In this case, should I pursue an MBA in HR?

Hi,

You can do HR as you wish; the key aspects to becoming an HR professional are being people-centric, possessing good communication skills, people management skills, a strong personal network, and a good amount of knowledge in philosophy and psychology.

If you want to pursue a career in HR, you should not be concerned about the salary. You can also transition into the field of lecturing after receiving training in consultancy.

You may find it challenging to enter the corporate world without relevant experience and educational background.

My suggestion is, if you undergo training for about a year and establish a good network of contacts, you could be well-suited to work in HR in the future.

Regards,
Arun

Hi,

Thanks. I hate the field of teaching. Can you suggest a company that provides training for HR? I don't care about salary at the beginning since it will help me learn more. Salary is not a problem for me.

Hi Arun,

For a beginner, "Consultancies" are gurus. We can learn many things about HR (I am also a fresher). Slowly, you can do distance education courses in HR given by Pondicherry University and LIBA, Chennai, and degrees from IFMR-MMA, Chennai.

Regards,
Arun

Hi,

Can you give me the address of such consultancy? I need to move to Chennai, Pondi, or Trichy. I hate to work here. Now I am in Delhi.

Hi Revathi,

I don't know the syllabus, but you can go to the website of Pondicherry University and get the details. When you come here (Chennai) and call the toll-free number (City Guide), they will refer you to many consultancies, and you can attend interviews regularly. Where are you working at present? When will you come to Chennai for work?

Regards,
Arun

Hi Arun,

Thanks. Let me take the syllabus from the site. If I am sure that I'll get the job, I'll readily leave my job here and move over there. At present, I am working in Delhi at Newgen. I am so much interested in working with HR. Soon, I'll be there in Chennai for work. If I get a job there soon, then I'll be there the next day itself.

Hi Revathi,

Good to hear from you. I am also a fresher looking for a career in HR. Will you come to Chennai only for attending the interview and then return to Delhi? You can resign there and then you can come, right?

Regards,
Arun

Hi Arun,

If it is possible for me to attend the interview and go back, I can go; else, I'll stay in Chennai and search. I can't be there in Chennai for more than a month; otherwise, I have to return to Delhi. I am planning to resign and join an MBA in HR through distance education. Can you suggest which university will be easy for me to finish my course?

Thanks,
Revathi

Dear All,

As I am trying to study IT HR policies of various companies, I would request all of you to please help me by sending policies you have. Can anyone explain how IT HR is different compared to general HR?

Regards,
Amol

Hi,

It's good that you have an interest in HR, but please do introspection on whether you would like to spend the rest of your life interacting with people, managing their monetary issues, and facilitating training and development. An HR professional should possess good people skills and lots of patience.

Thanks & Regards,

J. Sudheer

To be an HR professional, it is not sufficient that you have good people skills and have completed an HR course. Today, you need to have your pulse on the market. It is necessary to know a little bit about every other kind of job that exists (like Sales, Marketing, Finance, IT) because you are interviewing candidates for these positions.

It's very easy to say that the line manager will evaluate knowledge content in the respective fields - and this is true in IT. However, I personally feel that we HR professionals should be able to eliminate or select a candidate based on their job knowledge. This means that we must know the basics of their job.

This can be daunting because not only do you need to keep up with trends in your own HR field, but you should also have a smattering of information regarding trends in other fields. In-depth knowledge is not always required unless you are personally seeking knowledge, but an understanding of the new trends is necessary.

Additionally, you need to keep track of changes in the financial, economic, and stock markets so that you can build cost-effectiveness into your HR operations and also know whom to headhunt, etc.

Some of this knowledge may also be required in other functions, but it is more critical in HR simply because we recruit for all divisions, not just HR!

So now, tell us - Do you still want HR as a career?

Hi,

Revathy HR is not the kind of field where just training will help you make a career. Initially, you may succeed, but in the long run, for a successful career in HR, you are going to face challenges. So, why take any chances? I suggest you take a full-time course in HR rather than a part-time one because that too will not serve your purpose. Subjects like OD and OB require serious thought processing. Therefore, find yourself a good full-time HR course that will truly benefit you. This will surely help you in the long run.

Regards,

Kamal Modi
Executive-HR
STPL

Hi Revathi,

Nice to hear a quick reply from you. I'll suggest you to take up a job in the field of HR in a consultancy, learn some basic concepts for 1 to 3 years, then you can study a course.

Chennai Business School in Chennai is offering a 1-year full-time MBA course for working professionals.

IGNOU in Delhi offers a 3-year full-time distance education course.

Madras Management Education, along with some institutes, offers courses for working professionals.

So, I suggest you land up in HR and take flight with greater speed and accuracy by doing courses to increase your engine (knowledge in HR).

Thanks and Regards,
Arun

Hi, sir,

Thanks. I'll surely send my resume to you. With this reply, I have attached it. Could you please look it over, or else I will also email it to you. Kindly review it.

Thanks,
Revathi

Hi Revathi,

It's so nice to see your high interest in HR that you are considering a career change. However, I feel that you should pursue a professional degree in HR to gain an edge in this competitive environment. Alternatively, you could start by gaining experience in HR at a firm and learning the basic concepts. Focus on understanding Human Relations, which is a fundamental aspect of HR.

Good luck!
Cheers,
Simta

Hi ma'am,

I am planning to pursue my professional degree through distance education. To gain experience in HR, I first need to join a company that provides training in HR. That's what I am currently searching for. Do you know of any firms that offer HR training and help to learn the basic concepts?

Please guide me if you have any information on this.

Thank you,
Revathi

Hi Revathi,

It's best to invest time and effort in a full-time course as this will enhance your job prospects. If you have financial constraints, then a part-time course would be more suitable than a correspondence course. Please note that in a part-time course, you will be better positioned to connect theoretical subjects to practical aspects, making application smoother. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to see live case studies from your classmates who are working in similar roles, an advantage not typically available in a full-time course unless there are students on a study break from regular work.

A correspondence course will provide knowledge similar to buying and reading books recommended on this forum. Therefore, I would recommend avoiding a correspondence course unless the specialization subjects align with a particular institute's offerings. For example, if one wishes to specialize in Training & Development, the most recognized course should be taken from ISTD, Delhi, which offers a Distance Learning Program.

Regards,

Ryan

Dear Revathi,

It seems to be good that you already have a background in the IT field. As there are more IT companies in a boom, they need HR people with systems background to administer, where the pay is high and the job is good. If you really want to do an MBA, the regular course is a 2-year program. If you opt for distance or correspondence learning, it will be a 3-year program. So, if you really want to pursue an MBA, consider doing HR with Systems. However, in corporate industries, they prefer MBA candidates who have completed a regular course only; they do not consider those who have studied through correspondence or distance education.

In Chennai, regular MBA programs are offered in Anna University affiliated colleges, St. Joseph's College of Engineering, SSN College, Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA), and ICFAI Business School.

To be frank, HR needs experience more than any specific background. If you want to go with an appropriate HR background, you can opt for a 2-year regular course in PGDHRM (Post Graduation Diploma in Human Resources and Management), considering your IT background and experience. In Chennai, regular PGDHRM programs are available at LIBA and the Madras School of Social Work.

Please verify various other sources for more details. You can also consult your company's HR officers to get more relevant information, as they have experience in HR and know what companies expect. I have just provided an outline of HR courses, so please consult an HR professional for full details before taking further steps, Revathi. All the best.

Regards,

G. Sharmila

(6/5/07)