Navigating Career Change: How to Explain Leaving HR for IT or Non-IT Roles?

I am from B.Tech. I wasted one year searching for a software job. I then transitioned to HR instead of staying idle. Now, I have two years of experience in HR. I left my job five months ago due to issues with the work location; there was inadequate transportation via railways or roads. The salary provided was insufficient for me to afford accommodation, compounded by family financial problems. I am now seeking another job. I have received calls from two companies, but they have not followed up after the initial contact.

Seeking Career Transition Advice

Please suggest the best approach for my situation to help me succeed in interviews outside of HR, such as in IT or Non-IT roles. How should I respond when asked why I want to leave my HR job?

Your case is unfortunate to hear. However, your actions do not seem to align with your job prospects or family situation. Please remember that everyone has family problems of some kind. The interviewing committee selects a candidate to fit their requirements and very rarely on compassionate grounds to consider one's personal problems.

In my view, you should keep your mind focused and decide the path you want to choose—IT or Non-IT—and work accordingly. You may try to add new learnings in IT if you want to return to that field. Whenever you get a job, do not leave it unless you secure a better one, regardless of the circumstances.

Regards, V.Raghunathan

Career Path Considerations

First, be clear about the path you want to pursue in your career—IT, non-IT, or HR—because it makes transitioning to a new job in the same stream easier. Issues like work-life balance may compel you to switch to a new job. There is no one correct or incorrect answer to such questions. Citing family problems as the reason for a change may not resonate much with employers.

Suggestions can be provided by members. One such suggestion could be to inform the prospective employer that you have decided to pursue a career in IT now, as it can offer a better career path than HR due to your engineering background. Additionally, having domain knowledge in a subject like HR will also assist in better integration of technology with the domain if you have to work on people-oriented software programs or ERPs. Consider other possible responses as well.

Regards, B. Saikumar