Navigating HR Career Paths: Which Industry and Internship Should I Choose for Growth?

Hello Experts!

I am a student of MBA in Mumbai and have opted for HR specialization. Could you please let me know which sector(s) I should look forward to prosper in? From my knowledge, the industries that I have been advised are:

1) FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) Industry

2) Manufacturing Industry

3) IT industry, mainly BPOs and KPOs

During our counseling session, our professor guided us to choose from the following to take up HR in:

* CORPORATE HR
* RECRUITMENT
* TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
* PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
* TALENT MANAGEMENT
* EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

Following are my queries:

a) Which industry provides growth opportunities for HR?

b) Is the service industry (Banking and Hospitality) not suitable for HR?

c) Which project should I take up for my Summer internship?

d) I am interested in pursuing Employee Engagement and Talent Management for my summer internship as I have heard that it is the next best thing in the HR field; should I go for it?

e) What do these areas really include? Is Training and Development better than the chosen two types?

Hoping to hear from you soon.

Thanking you in advance,

Regards,

Ketki Sinha.

Hi,

Me too, having a similar problem. But as I spoke to a management professional from BITS Pilani last week, he told me to do research on each on my own. By doing so, one will have a better understanding of the pros and cons of each sector. Each sector wants different functionalities that best suit its objectives. So, you decide on your own.

Hi Ketki,

As per my experience in HR, I would suggest it is better to start your career in the service industry. In the manufacturing industry, you would get more exposure to the personnel part of HR. Furthermore, there are more opportunities in the service sector.

As far as your summer project is concerned, I would say you should go for recruitment, as recruitment experience is a must when you step into the industry. These were my views based on my HR knowledge and experience.

If you require my assistance, you could get in touch with me at apunit11@gmail.com. I am working in one of the biggest logistics firms in corporate HR.

Regards, Punit

Hi Punit!

Thank you for your quick response. I will keep that in mind. The reason why I had queries regarding HR was because I was advised by my elders in the same profession to forgo the service sector as I may not have a say in that industry. Can you recommend which project(s) to deal with in Recruitment? Or is it the general/regular Recruitment process that needs to be understood and practiced?

Regards, Ketki.

Hi Punit,

I am Prashanthi, an MBA final year student facing a similar problem. Please suggest to me the role of an HR manager in a small company.

Hi Ketki,

It was nice to know that you are active in choosing the topic. I think you should consider going for BPO, KPO, or any telecom sector where you can find many opportunities. Additionally, you can get practical experience in real HR or Corporate HR. The reason to choose this sector in particular is that it provides HR professionals with significant challenges, and you can also work with individuals who have a similar educational background or skill set. On the other hand, in the manufacturing sector, you would have to interact with unskilled or semi-skilled workers. Therefore, from my perspective, I suggest you consider BPO, KPO, or the telecom sector as a whole.

Abhishek