Transitioning from HR Recruiter to HR Generalist: How Can I Overcome the Experience Barrier?

Hi, I have completed my MBA in HR and worked with an IT company for 3 months as an HR recruiter. I want to transition to an HR generalist profile; however, I am a fresher for this role, and most companies require experienced individuals. I am confused about what to do. Should I join a consultancy as an HR recruiter? Please advise.

Regards.

Hi Varuna, this is something that has been in the market for a while. In general, the number of generalist/operations positions in HR is much lower compared to specific HR roles. However, you should consider starting as an HR coordinator in a corporate setting. Over time, you will gain valuable experience in HR operations.

Many people choose to enter recruitment because they do not want to spend time searching for an operations role in HR. I cannot provide more insight as there are over 3 lakh candidates entering the job market every academic year, and there are not enough companies in our country to employ all of them. Nonetheless, I wish you the best of luck!

You need to create chances of getting into a Generalist profile by yourself. If you try for such a profile altogether in an industry different from which you have hitherto worked, the chances will be that much more difficult since companies prefer candidates with some experience in this profile. Therefore, I suggest you try for a mixed profile of recruitment with some generalist operations in the IT industry itself to start with, as your chances of getting it are brighter with your IT background instead of trying for an out-and-out generalist profile. This will enable you to suitably update your CV and look for a pure Generalist profile in the future, either in the IT industry or related service-based industries.

Regards,
B. Saikumar HR & Labour Law Advisor Mumbai