Transitioning from Retail Operations to HR: How Can My Experience and Education Help?

Background and Experience

I have 10 years of experience in Retail Operations and Customer Service. I have attended Train the Trainer (TTT) Programs in two of my previous companies and received a certificate for the same. I was an In-store Trainer in my previous company, although it was an additional responsibility and was not provided in writing. I am interested in becoming a Trainer and am currently pursuing a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management with a specialization in Human Resources (PGDBM - HR) from SCDL.

My Queries

1. What are the prospects for me in Retail HR with my experience base? Will my experience in Retail Operations be considered an added advantage?
2. Will the PGDBM - HR course be sufficient for an HR or Trainer job?
3. If not, then what further course should I pursue to increase my chances for better prospects?

I kindly request all of you to help me out with my doubts. I am waiting for your valuable inputs.

Regards,
Uma Parthasarathy

The operations experience you hold would be very good, but it would be a big risk for a recruiter to consider you for an HR role because you lack relevant experience. As a trainer, they will want to know how many hours and participants you have trained before they consider you. Also, have you ever designed content? If so, what content have you designed?

Having 10 years of non-HR experience makes it difficult to consider you for an HR role, no matter what course you complete. In all probability, if selected, you will be expected to start at the bottom and work your way up. Forget fancy designations and high salary packages. You may be given a lot of coordination and administrative kind of jobs. It will take time, but if you are willing to learn, then there will be some growth after 3-4 years, depending on your performance.

If you were involved in recruitment in the retail world, then you may have slightly improved your chances of getting into HR - but as a recruiter only.

Let me know if you wish to discuss further.

Regards

Thank you so much for clearing my doubts. I would like to discuss a few more points with you.

1. Firstly, I am very aware that I am venturing into a very different career path, but I am prepared to devote as much time as I gave to operations.

2. I would like to make my basics strong; hence, I am prepared for an administration job.

3. I have been imparting training but have never developed content.

4. Also, if I would like to opt for being a trainer in retail, do I have to gain experience in HR first?

5. Additionally, do I need to know content development to become a trainer?

I would request you to please help with these points.

Regards,
Uma

Nice to know that you are committed to the hard work and sacrifice involved in the path you are undertaking. If you wish to apply as a trainer only, then it is best to become a Subject Matter Expert. This means knowing everything there is to know about your niche area, viz. retail training. Once you do that, you can build content independently. This makes you a better trainer since you would have built the session with understanding, and not just parroting some PPT which you would find on the net.

An HR qualification is not required for this. Instead, you can look at completing a Diploma in Training & Development from ISTD (Indian Society for Training & Development). Check their website. Hope this helps.

Regards,

You may agree that by obtaining a sheer degree in a particular field, a recruiter will not risk their reputation on their selection. Along with the degree, what matters is the relevant experience. However, regarding the degree/diploma, the Indian Society for Training & Development provides a Diploma in Training & Development. The information pertaining to the same is given below.

Diploma in Training & Development

The registration fee is Rs. 500/- and the course fee is Rs. 20,000/- payable in two installments. The duration of the course is 18 months. You can contact:

Member Secretary, Diploma Board, Indian Society for Training & Development, 'Training House', B-23, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi-110016.

You have to explore the training avenue in the retail field itself based on the training experience you possess in that industry even after doing this diploma and think of a switch over in due course of time thereafter.

Regards,
S.K. Johri