Transitioning from HR Generalist to Recruitment: How Should I Explain My Career Shift in Interviews?

Dear Colleagues, Recently, I attended an interview. In my current company, I am responsible for a Generalist role, but I attended an interview for a Core Recruitment position. During the interview, the interviewer asked me why I wanted to transition from an HR Generalist profile to Recruitment. In that case, what should be my answer?

Regards, Sweety

Dear Sweety,

This is Rahul Rana. I have over 5 years of experience in HR (recruitment and generalist). I started my career as a recruiter and then transitioned to a generalist role. Currently, I independently manage both profiles. When I moved to a generalist role, interviewers often questioned my shift from recruitment. I explained that recruitment is just a small aspect of HR. I aim to gain experience in all HR fields such as attendance, payroll, statutory compliance, legal matters, industrial relations, and letter drafting. This desire to broaden my HR knowledge is the fundamental reason behind my transition. Whether I work in recruitment or as a generalist, my role falls under the HR umbrella.

In your case, with your extensive experience in generalist roles, you can explain to interviewers that while you excel in generalist duties, recruitment allows you to scout and secure the best talent for your organization.

I hope this clarifies your query. If you have any further doubts, feel free to contact me at [Email Removed For Privacy Reasons].

Regards,
Rahul Rana
[Phone Number Removed For Privacy Reasons]

Hi Samiks, can you tell me why you want to move from a generalist profile to recruitment? It is usually vice versa; people typically move from a recruitment profile to a generalist profile. Please think about it again.

Regards, Samiks

As mentioned earlier, people often transition from a recruitment role to a generalist profile. While there is no issue with making this shift, it does limit you to a specific HR role. In contrast, working as a generalist exposes you to all aspects of HR, including recruitment.

I'm not sure if you are in a generalist profile or if you are specifically focused on the recruitment part within the organization. I agree that people often shift from recruitment to generalist roles, but I do not agree with the statement you gave to Sweety, which was "think about the same before shifting..."