Confused About Career Transition: Is an MSW and Labor Law the Right Path for HR?

Hi Sir,

Good morning. I joined yesterday. I have completed my graduation and have been working in a company in an Admin/Facility Executive role for the past 4 years. Now, I am looking to transition my career into HR/Administration. A friend suggested that I should pursue an MBA in HR, a diploma in labor law, and an MSW for better career opportunities. However, I am confused because I am not familiar with MSW. Could you please guide me on what steps I should take and what the combination of MSW and Labor Law entails?

Thank you.

Hi Sir, Good morning.

I have joined yesterday. I have completed my graduation, and for the past 4 years, I have been working in a company as an Admin/Facility Executive. Now, I want to make my career in HR/Admin. A friend suggested that I should pursue an MBA in HR, a labor law diploma, and an MSW for better opportunities. However, I am confused because I don't know much about MSW. Could you please guide me on what I should do and how MSW and Labor Law can be combined effectively?

MSW stands for Master of Social Work, which is a professional course related to HR. This degree offers three specializations: Personnel Management and Industrial Relations, Community Development, and Medical and Psychiatry Social Work. If you are already working, I recommend considering a distance education program like PGDM in HR Development and Administration. This course can help you enhance your skills, leading to potential salary increments and promotions within the same department. It could be a valuable addition to your qualifications and career growth.

I hope this information helps you make an informed decision about your career path. Let me know if you have any further questions or need more assistance.

I am requesting Ms. Amirthavarshini to reply to this thread, as she can explain the pros and cons of MSW in a good way.

Dear Singh,

Greetings!

As your friend suggested, you may prefer to study MSW (HRM). Since I have completed my MSW, I would advise you to choose MSW HRM. The difference between MSW and MBA is:

1. In MBA, you will study either General MBA or MBA with two specializations (such as Finance and HR or Marketing and HR, etc.).
2. Since there are two main subjects, you will learn the basics of HR and the basics of Finance/Marketing. Therefore, you may not have a clear idea about a particular subject.
3. In MSW, there are various specializations such as Community Development, Youth Development, HRM, M&P, etc. These specializations do not mix with other subjects, allowing you to delve deeper into the subject.
4. In an MBA, you have the option to choose either HR or Finance/Marketing. However, in MSW, you specialize in HR alone, and furthermore, labor laws are comprehensively covered in MSW. As an MSW holder, this is my perspective, and I seek the opinion of experts/seniors on the same.

Some universities offer MSW HRM in distance mode as well. Since you are currently employed, this option may be suitable for you.

Regards,

Jesu Kumar K

Dear U Singh,

As suggested by Anilkatteri, there are three specializations, namely:

- Personnel Management and Industrial Relations, which include Labor Laws
- Medical and Psychiatry, which include Psychological Social Work
- Community Development

If you want to enter the Administration field, it is better to choose MSW (PM and IR). Nowadays, people who opt for an MBA also study MSW because it provides a deeper understanding of HR than an MBA, as stated by Jesu Kumar. Additionally, you can pursue PGDHRM or a PG Diploma in Labour Laws if you are interested in working in industries as a Labor Welfare Officer or Personnel Officer. Labor Laws offer specialized knowledge of different acts, whereas choosing an MBA allows you to explore various HR-related fields like HR Executive or HR Recruiter.

I do not agree with Jesu Kumar that you can pursue MSW in a distant mode. If you have experience in the industrial field, you can opt for distance learning, but with regular mode, you have fieldwork opportunities where you can directly engage with industries and gain knowledge about Personnel Department functions.

I hope our views are clear to you.

All the best.

Dear All,

Thanks for your valuable advice on the subject. I have a question: If I am working as an HR executive and after completing a Diploma in Labour Law, I want to transition to a Labour Welfare Officer role, would my experience count in that field (as a Labour Officer)?

In other words, if I have been working as an HR executive for 4 years, will my HR experience be considered when becoming a Labour Officer after obtaining a Diploma in Labour Law?

Please reply soon. Thanks in advance to all experts.