How Can I Transition from Administration to an HR Generalist Role at 35+? Seeking Advice

All respected seniors,

I am a 35+ year-old lady with 15 years of experience in Administration and Secretarial functions, currently working in Pune. I have a keen interest in HR, which led me to pursue a part-time Master of Personnel Management degree, achieving first-class honors. Presently, I am responsible for Executive Assistant duties as well as recruitment within the company. I am passionate about HR and aspire to transition from Administration to an HR Generalist role. However, it seems that most opportunities require experienced individuals. Should I consider continuing in secretarial functions? I excel in communication and have a strong background in recruitment, but my current position lacks the broader HR scope I desire.

I would greatly appreciate any guidance on the appropriate course of action.

Thank you.

Thanks for the replies. I have assisted in PA and Training, but have not handled payroll. A short training would be useful to gain a better understanding.

Also, my CV is on job portals, but perhaps due to my admin background, calls for opportunities are minimal. Can anyone suggest a short-term training program for 4-5 days to acquire knowledge and practical experience in HR functions, including statutory compliance?

It's a good initiative you have taken to step forward. As you indicated, every employer requires experienced professionals for HR Generalist roles. In usual terms, recruitment is the stepping stone to move ahead, explore, and enjoy various HR activities. I would suggest keeping your current profile active and trying to gain experience in other HR functions within your current organization. Once you gain clarity on the job, facts, and other details, it will help you project your experience as required for a Generalist role.

Best wishes,
Karthik

Dear Vaisalee, the decision you have taken is very good. In a secretarial function, you will go up to a certain level. After that, there will not be any scope. For example, you may become the Secretary - CEO of a good MNC, but in HR, based on your experience, there will be a lot of scope for your growth and development.

Regards,
P.K. Sudarsan
Executive - HR

I appreciate Sunil Sadar's offer to assist you—one of the primary reasons why this Forum continues to grow more popular every day. I suggest you take his help without a second thought.

Coming to your situation, I suggest you redo your resume where you put more focus on the HR aspects and less on the Secretarial functions. Usually, the skills accumulated in such a function can easily aid you in Administrative functions/roles directly. The people-handling skills that you would surely have gained in the secretarial role—especially with senior-level people—will help you handle the HR function more easily and better than someone who has been in the HR function all through.

Regards,
TS

Dear Vaishalee Parkhi, you have landed in the right forum. Kindly go through the threads raised by members every day (it almost runs to over 20 pages), and under each thread, you will find answers, views, suggestions, ideas, and responses by other members. You will also find informative material on this website. I would recommend that you spend at least 1 hour each day, and I am sure that you will cover a lot of ground in a span of 1 month.

We are all here.

Regards,
M.V. KANNAN

Dear Vishalee, I would like to offer you a different suggestion. As you mentioned that you have a master's degree in personnel management and substantial experience in administration, I believe you are well-versed in the core functions of the Human Resource Department. It is common for the Human Resource Department to be a part of the Administration Department in many organizations, or for both departments to work closely together (H.R. & Admin Dept) in many companies.

I suggest that you consider incorporating some HR responsibilities into your resume to enhance your chances of securing opportunities in HR. Highlighting your skills as a good communicator and presenter will be beneficial in handling yourself effectively during interviews.

I believe taking this step is crucial for accessing better opportunities. Otherwise, companies may not consider you for interviews.

Best wishes to you.

Regards, M. Rizwan Razi Lahore, Pakistan

Indeed, I am delighted to have your replies and feel happy to join this forum, which I did just 4 days ago.

Mr. Sunil – Your suggestion is valid, and I appreciate your help in this regard. I stay in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area and can attend training on salary and statutory compliances on my weekly off. My contact is [Phone Number Removed For Privacy Reasons]. Also, if possible, please give me your email or contact number.

To other seniors – In my current job, I have already expressed my desire to handle other HR functions, but management does not want to spend on recruiting another person for Admin and then take me into full-fledged HR. Moreover, career planning activities don't exist here, so I cannot keep any hopes. I have also highlighted HR work on my CV in job portals, but I don't get interview calls, maybe because of my secretarial background or due to my over-experience.

On second thought, I would even work with a recruitment consultancy, but they also must be thinking about my stability there, which is but natural on their part.

I just need a break in HR, and I am confident I can take a grip. I even like employee relation management, so I am absolutely open to any branch of HR.

It goes without saying, you have made my day by backing my decision. I look forward to continued support from you all.

Wish you a very happy and prosperous New Year 2011.

Thanks again & regards,

Vaishalee