MBA Final Semester Dilemma: Should I Join a Recruiter Firm or Become an HR Generalist?

I'm in the last semester of my MBA, waiting to be placed. I want to know whether it is wise to join a recruiter firm or join a company as an HR generalist. I'm confused.

Thanks for your time.

Hi Sherwani,

This is a very normal query or confusion any new MBA graduate would have. Recruitment and HR Generalist roles are both critical parts of HR. Recruitment deals with the selection and staffing of employees, while the HR generalist role covers the entire employee lifecycle from onboarding to separation. This includes Compensation & Benefits, Performance Management, Employee Engagement, and Exits. As a fresh MBA graduate, you should not have any reservations. Both experiences are necessary to become a true and successful HR professional. Just proceed with whichever role you secure in a reputable firm.

Good luck, and feel free to reach out for clarification.

Thanks,
Hena
hena.alam@gmail.com

Hi Hena,

Thank you for your suggestion. I feel that joining HR as a generalist will help me learn more, isn't it? Though I'm open to both, let's see what happens.

Thanks again.

From a career point of view, my suggestion is to grab the opportunity to join a company as an HR generalist. This position offers a good learning and development opportunity to:
- Learn wider aspects of HR
- Test your aptitude for specialization
- Gain exposure to a wide section of business operations
- Acquire experience in interpersonal interaction

Wishing you a Happy New Year 2006.

Regards,
Leo Lingham