Feeling Stuck in Recruitment: How Can I Broaden My HR Skills and Keep Learning?

Respected Seniors,

I've got over 5 years of working experience (mostly in BPO operations), and for the last year, I have been working as an IT recruiter in a small IT company where I learned IT recruitment. I've received an offer from another company, and I'll be joining there soon. My new job roles will include taking care of ERP recruitment. My experienced colleagues in my current company told me that I've got a good opportunity; however, I am confused. I am going to be a Sr. Recruiter, but everyone knows that there is a lot more to HR than recruitment. I am not scared of recruitment, nor am I running away, but I don't know a clear path to follow in the HR domain. I've worked with a small company (my BPO experience was with the best brand names, though!).

I want to do something more than recruitment. Sometimes I feel my learning has stopped, as there is nothing more than recruitment (for the same profile time and again) being done by me (I don’t want to stop learning!). I am looking forward to some guidance to understand what extra can be done by me to enhance my level of understanding about the HR discipline. From where can I learn other concepts of HR like OD, L&D, etc.? Although I am working in HR, I am completely in recruitment, and these concepts are not practiced in the company I am working for.

Looking forward to the valuable guidance of seniors in the forum.

Regards,

Your profile looks pretty balanced to me and seems that you are rightly on the track. Learning about the processes in an organization is one thing. However, learning about the industry is essentially different.

In the last 5 years, you have gained deep knowledge about the processes in your firm and about the recruiting practices in your sector. You may not have learned the processes with your new employer. However, the maturity that you have gained in the last 5 years will help you find a better learning curve. Your colleagues in your new firm may know more. However, with an initial hand-holding through the process, you too will soon excel.

Interrelation of HR Functions

Every function of HR is interrelated. One is not independent of the other. You may not lose out on learning if you continue to work as a recruiter. You have already learned about compensation, employee engagement, training, attrition, and what makes an employee leave a job or accept an offer. You may not be working on the operational part of these sub-functions. But you still know the process and must have heard how escalations are resolved.

Value every learning that's coming your way. You may continue to compare, but pretty soon when you would see the difference in the delivery, you will understand the difference. We all are only as good as we deliver and not what we know.

Remain as curious as you are. Read about the specific areas you want to grow and volunteer. Soon enough you will excel.

Wish you all the best!