Feeling Stuck in Recruitment? Seeking Advice on Transitioning to an HR Generalist Role

Dear All,

I have been working in the field of recruitment for the last 2 years (1 year in a placement agency and 1 year in corporate), but slowly I have started realizing that I am losing interest in the same profile. I wish to be an HR generalist. With my 2 years of experience in recruitment, will other corporates absorb me for a generalist position, or do I have to continue in the same field for the rest of my life? Can anyone suggest how to prepare a good CV so that I receive offers for HR generalist roles and not just recruitment positions?

Please advise.

Regards,
Minal

Even I am also having the same question. I have rich experience of 5 years in secretarial line and want to shift to HR field. I am pursuing PGDHR. Help.

Dear MU,

Greetings!

Without prior experience in Gamut HR activities, you cannot secure a job as an HR Generalist. I am not trying to demotivate you. In your current company, you can take on tasks like Training & Development, Statutory Compliance, Employee Grievances, etc. Gain exposure in these areas and then pursue an HR Generalist position.

All the best.

Regards,
John N

Dear Mr. John,

Thank you for your reply. May I mention in my resume that I wish to work as an HR Generalist? I am open to learning functions other than recruitment.

Regards,
MU

Dear MU,

Greetings!

Nice to see your reply. When you start searching for a job, try for an HR Generalist position even if you receive a good offer from a reputable company for a Recruiter role; don't show your interest. It's better to start your preparation from today onwards.

All the best.

Regards,
John N

Dear Mr. John,

Thank you very much for your reply. I am working in a manufacturing setup. As the company is in the growing stage, heavy recruitments are going on. Because of this, at times, even when I stretch my working hours, I am unable to complete the recruitment process. Consequently, I really don't have time to learn other things, and people are also not at all cooperative. However, I will surely follow your advice. It is never too late to learn.

Thank you,
MU

Hi Minal,

I am working as an HR generalist for over 2 years and finding it difficult to secure a good generalist opening. I have attended some interviews in the past few days and noticed that recruitment was more favored and asked about. However, having knowledge of other areas should be taken up, so keep updating yourself. Don't be disheartened about your profile; it will surely help you secure a good break.

Cheers,
Seema

Hi Minal,

If you are transitioning from Recruitment to Core HR, the number of calls you receive will be significantly lower. I recommend talking to as many people as possible and expressing your interest in moving to Core HR. If you are serious about pursuing a career in HR, be prepared to essentially start from the beginning, as your experience in Recruitment may not be relevant to potential employers.

Consider seeking a role as a Jr. HR professional where you can assist senior staff with report maintenance and generation. Additionally, it is crucial to refresh your knowledge on key HR topics that play a vital role in evaluating your skills and interests, such as Performance Management, handling employee grievances, and initiating new tasks.

Keep in mind that you may receive offers for contractual positions, so mentally prepare yourself for that possibility. You may encounter challenges in achieving your desired role, so maintain a positive outlook and exercise patience throughout the process.

Wishing you all the best.

Regards,
Satish

Dear MU,

Greetings!

Doing SAP HR from an elite institute like Siemens & Genovate will be beneficial, and your career prospects will be good. However, if you pursue SAP HR from a non-certified center, it will not be advantageous.

Regards,
John N

Dear Satish,

Thank you for the advice. What do you think about a contractual job? I am already working on the payroll of a limited company. It's really true that initially, when I had posted my resume for a Recruiter's position, a lot of calls were coming in, but now as I am more keen on a generalist role, the number of calls has almost stopped.

Is it advisable to switch my job profile from Recruitment, in which I have two years of experience, to a generalist role?

Regards,
MU

Dear MU,

Greetings!

Shifting your career from Recruitment to Generalist will be a good move for the future, because, in my opinion, recruitment can be handled by any graduate with strong communication skills, and 2-3 months of training are sufficient. As an MBA graduate, recruitment may be suitable for only a certain period. Therefore, you can consider exploring opportunities in a more generalist role.

Best regards,
John N

Dear Mr. John,

That's the only reason why I thought of switching over my job from recruiter to generalist. I know it will take time for me to get a job of similar nature, but I should not lose hope, right? If I get a contractual job of the same (generalist) nature, should I go for it, even though I am on the roll of a limited company?

Regards,
MU

Dear MU,

Greetings!

If it is a 1-year contract and after that, they transition you to a regular employee, then you can proceed. Otherwise, don't accept the offer.

Regards,
John N

Hi Minal,

There is nothing wrong with working as a consultant/contractor in a company. I started working in a small firm but got an opportunity to work in one of the big MNCs as a contractor. Initially, I hesitated, but it proved to be my trump card. I moved on from there and am currently holding a senior position in a different firm.

As a consultant, you will be kept busy almost all the time. So be prepared for it, and if you get an opportunity, use it as a platform to learn new things on the job.

Yes, you can switch over to CoreHR if you are really keen on it. One more option for you would be to get into a company in Recruitment and try to move to an HR Generalist role within the company. Remember, it will take a lot of time, and you have to prove yourself in Recruitment so that people can trust and have confidence in you.

Even if you are in Recruitment, try to participate actively in all the things with HR.

Regards,
Satish

Dear Mr. Satish,

Your mail is really inspiring. Thanks for the motivation and for the advice. I am already in corporate; again, working with a recruitment company (agencies) will spoil my resume, isn't it?

Regards,
MU

Hi Minal,

Yes, it doesn't make sense to get into a recruitment agency from a company. If you do it, you would be taking a few steps back rather than moving forward. What I meant was, try to get into a mid-size company in recruitment and then transition to core HR after proving yourself in hiring within the same company. Midsize companies will provide a lot of opportunities to learn, making it the perfect foundation for transitioning your career from hiring to HR generalist.

Regards,
Satish

Dear Mr. Satish,

Okay, now I got it. Oops! I misunderstood your explanation. Yes, that's right. I think whatever you have suggested to me would be really helpful.

Thanks & Regards,
MU