Feeling Stuck in My Career: How Do I Choose the Right Path in HR or Secretarial Roles?

Respected Seniors!

Greetings of the day! I am standing at a crossroads, unable to find my right way, so I am putting my query in front of all of you for the right direction.

Background Information

Before I start with my problem, I would like to mention a few things about myself which will help you to give suggestions to me (as these factors are important to keep in view):

1. I am a 34-year-old woman, who is the only earning member of my family.
2. I cannot go outside of Delhi-NCR as I need to take care of my mother.
3. I completed a PGDM (one-year diploma) in HR last year.

- I was working as a front office executive for the last 12 years.
- I have been in my current company in NCR for over 5 years.
- Due to my good performance, I was promoted to AM-HR in April 2012 by the management (this promotion was a surprise for me).
- Then things took a turn around.
- A few unethical people joined our firm, leading to great clashes between my ethical standards and their unethical terms of work.
- Due to some worse situations and no exposure to learning (the work given to an AM was actually the work of a casual/peon), I decided to change the job.
- Management assured me of a solution to this.
- They transferred me temporarily to the Delhi Branch, where I have been working as a PA to a VP for the last two months. I may be relieved in a few days as soon as the permanent PA joins. I cannot go back to the NCR office, and management may not allow me to stay here longer.

Current Dilemmas

Problem 1: What should I do now? I am confused.

Problem 2: Which profile should I follow and show in my CV? Front Office, HR, or Secretarial? I am getting calls for HR jobs, but I have no exposure to core HR.

Can you please help me by suggesting what I should do?

Regards,
ZX

As you have more experience in answering calls and drafting letters to senior management, I would suggest taking up a job in HR, especially in recruitment. Recruitment is an area where companies don't necessarily look for core HR experience. If you have a command of communication skills, you can excel.

Regards,
Shashank

A good opportunity was provided to you, but destiny took you to the other side of the road, and you lost your way with confusion about where to go and where not to. I completely understand your problem, but there are a few more things I want to know from you.

You mentioned that you were promoted to Assistant Manager-HR but have 12+ years of work experience as a Front Office Executive. Therefore, I want to know something more from you.

- How much knowledge do you have?

You have shared that you have completed your PGDM, but knowledge and experience really matter, so:

- With your Front Office job, did you ever work on anything related to Admin & HR?

- Do you really want to pursue a career in HR?

- You have completed PGDM, which means you already have a mindset to go with HR, but as you have spent a good portion of your career elsewhere, it might not be easy to get more chances to work in HR, and you may have to fight for it too.

Secondly, you said that you have been working as a PA for the last two months, and since it is September and you were promoted to AM-HR in April this year, there wouldn't have been much time and chance for you to learn many things related to HR and work in the same profile, which was obvious. Therefore, you were transferred and assigned the job as PA to VP because you have extensive experience in Front Office. I will not say it is a bad job or position because you have really reached a good position from the Front Office.

You can continue with this PA post as you can get a handsome salary (a big help financially) with relief in the job, though it is difficult for someone who wants to pursue HR. But after a certain period or spending much time in your career, you have to decide according to the upcoming opportunities.

I am definitely not saying that you can't pursue HR, but for this path, you have to go a long way to establish yourself with really minimal time.

Sometimes situations put us on a road where we can't easily achieve what we actually want or find a way/motive to move ahead, but we can never say we are lost because the milestones we have achieved are also significant experiences and learning for us. In that case, our experience and learning help us a lot. With twelve long years at the Front Office, you must have learned a lot related to Administration work and knowledge about it that can also be beneficial.

Regarding your question no. 2, you are working in a PA (Secretarial) profile with 12 years of office experience; you just need to go with a "Personal Assistant cum Admin" profile, which is the best thing you can pursue.

Your current experience range seems to comprise front-office and secretarial functions, with a theoretical base in core HR. However, as Shashank and Anil Arora pointed out, admin is usually a part of any front office role – only the scale and scope vary depending on the level and company. Furthermore, admin tasks are invariably under the purview of the HR department anywhere. So, in a way, you already possess admin skills in the broader HR perspective. That leaves the recruitment and core HR aspects.

Regarding Recruitment

Recruitment is a role/function that is both easy to pick up and yet tough to sustain. After the initial steps in the recruitment process (getting the resume, checking suitability, preliminary interviews, coordination, etc.), people psychology skills come into play more than the tangible aspects of the process (observing and understanding body language, etc.). Based on your overall experience, it seems you have strong people-handling skills. It is advisable to capitalize on these existing skills rather than lamenting the lack of core HR skills.

Concerning Core HR Skills

These can be acquired along the way, given that they essentially involve analysis, comparative, and long-term vision skills in alignment with organizational needs. The foundation for this lies in documented HR policies, etc. In essence, core HR function utilizes tangible skills in individuals more than intangible ones, whereas the recruitment function is the reverse.

Applying the half-full/half-empty principle, it appears that your glass is more-than-half-full, albeit you may not realize it yet. I hope you grasp the point being made. Presumably, you have a good understanding of your strengths and weaknesses – therefore, it is up to you to decide which direction to pursue.

All the best.

Regards, TS

Respected Seniors,

I need your help on an urgent basis. Kindly let me know if any designation can be designed between Senior Executive and Assistant Manager.

Regards,
Upendra

Since you have to be in Delhi and have more than a decade of experience in at least three areas, you can accept anything that comes your way, either in your present office or a new office.

Suggestion for Career Path

How about a junior manager or an officer designation?

Regards,
V. Raghunathan
Navi Mumbai

I am sharing this news as I shared my problem with all of you a few weeks back. Finally, the time has come; I have been given two options: either go back to Ghaziabad or take a transfer to Gurgaon (which is a 3-hour travel one way). I can't go back. I uploaded my resume to various sites but didn't receive any required response. I am also trying for new opportunities simultaneously. Initially, I am accepting the transfer to GGN. It may be a phase of life that will pass sometime.

Regards,
ZX

Well, since you have decided to go back to Gurgaon, I am here. Please PM me your email and send me your CV. I'll try to provide you with a good option as I have some good contacts here in Gurgaon.

Respected All! Please let me know if any of you can help me in finding a job in Delhi/Ghaziabad/Noida, etc., in administration/HR/Secretary/Front Office profiles. I am trying at my level, posting it here as I shared my actual current situation with all of you. You all understood my situation very well and replied with inspirational answers. Thank you to all! Kindly share with me if you come to know of any openings suitable for me.

Regards,
ZX

My suggestion would be to search for a job in the Facilities department. Depending on the organization, the Facilities department takes care of office administration along with secretarial work like booking, the travel desk, etc., and assists the Human Resources Department in various activities too.

Do not forget to study the job profile or description thoroughly before agreeing to be interviewed. This will help you:

- **A)** to understand your KRAs, and more or less, your job would be based or outlined on the same lines as the JD provided.

- **B)** to be careful that you don't take any casual-peon work going ahead.

Advice on Job Selection

An advice: No job can ever be peon or casual types, or in other words, donkey work, as long as you know what to say in your interview, how to say it, and most importantly, have thorough knowledge of all that you are saying.

Happy Job-search 