How to Become HR

How To Become HR In India

Roles Of An HR

Other than looking after the recruitment process, HR must connect the management with the staff, and consult the executives in strategic planning. Other roles of HR in different organizations are:

• Recruitment process - It is the responsibility of HR to recruit the candidates according to the requirements of the organization because recruitment is a costly and elaborate process.
  
  The advertisement must attract the right candidates. The recruitment process requires analysis of the market, consultation of the stakeholders, and management of the budget.
  
  It also includes the arrangement of interviews, followed by paperwork to be filled by the onboard candidates.
  
  
• Payroll - Payout includes calculation of working hours, taxes, remuneration, reimbursement, raises, and bonuses of the employees. It is necessary to consider all of these aspects in the invoice.
  
  
• Policies - HR must update the policies officially and suggest changes if they don't serve the employees or employer.
  
  
• Disciplinary actions - If the employees show traits like lack of discipline, uninformed leaves, misbehaviour, or assault, HR has the right to investigate the matter and counsel the employee.
  
  
• Employee records - According to the law, it is crucial to maintain employee records. HR maintains these records to identify the skill gaps, regulations, and analysis of demographic data.
  
  Implementation of benefits programs for employees
  
  Bridging the gap between the management and the employees
  
  Regular training sessions for new and existing employees
  
  Maintenance of a positive work environment
  
  Collaboration with other departments
  
  Compilation of labour laws, health and safety of the employees especially during pregnancy, adoption, or critical illness.

Eligibility Criteria

To become an HR and reach a higher position, the candidate must have the following eligibility:

• Bachelor's degree - The candidate must complete a Bachelor's degree like BCom with HR or BBA with HR or any other relevant stream with an aggregate of 50% from a recognized university. They can start their career as a recruiter or sourcing analyst.
  
  

• MBA in HR or PG diploma (PGDM) in HR - The candidate must pursue an MBA degree in Human Resource Management or relevant field from a recognized university to get roles like HR management trainee, HR trainee, or recruiter in organizations.
  
  

• M.Sc. HR courses - Humanities Department of IIT Kharagpur offers M.Sc. in HRM to pursue a career as an HR trainee, payroll analyst, benefits and compensation analyst, or recruiter. 
  
  

• Certification courses - Professional Certification courses are available to the candidates with experience in the HR field and help them in enhancing their skills, thus leading to career growth.
  
  

• Executive HR PGDM courses - This course is offered by IIM Calcutta and IIM Lucknow to the candidates who have a minimum of 5-10 years of experience in the HR field. 

Education Level

To pursue HR as a career, the individual must have the following education:

• 10 + 2 or equivalent - The candidate must complete 10+2 in any of the fields with a minimum aggregate of 60% to get admission in an undergraduate program or diploma course.
  
  

• Bachelor's degree - The candidate must clear an entrance exam to either pursue a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) or Bachelor of Arts (BA) in HR, finance, economics, or any other relevant field from a recognized University.
  
  They can also pursue a diploma in Human Resource Management (HRM).
  
  

• Masters' degree - To get admission in Master's courses, the candidate must have an aggregate of 50% in graduation. They can pursue MBA in HRM or other relevant fields or M.Sc. in HRM (from IIT Kharagpur).
  
  

• Certification course - Although Certification courses are not compulsory to become an HR, they help in providing better perspective, opportunities, and skills to an HR.
  
  Some of those courses are Society of Human Resource Management Certified Personnel (SHRM-CP), Indian Society of Training and Development (ISTD), Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), etc. 

Skills required by an HR

To become an HR professional, an individual must have good communication skills along with in-depth knowledge of labour laws, and budgeting. Various skills requisite for an HR are:

• Organizational skills - HR professionals must exhibit skills to ensure the completion of complex multiple tasks in an organization.
  
  Organization skills include delegation of tasks, analytical thinking followed by a systematic approach towards the problem, strategic planning (scheduling meetings, creating to-do lists, using time-tracking apps), setting measurable goals And working under pressure.
  
  
• Decision-making skills - HR professionals have to maintain logical decisions under pressure for the benefit of the company and employees. They might have to take tough decisions to resolve conflicts.
  
  
• Problem-solving skills - HR must be efficient to resolve the problems based on the facts while maintaining mentioned employment standards.
  
  
• Time management - Recruitment of new employees, or training programs can be tedious and time-consuming, so HR must perform the task within a time limit. 
  
  
• Good communication skills - HR professionals must have clear conversations with the head of the department, stakeholders, and employees about the issues, or new policies. They must have a good command of written as well as verbal communication.
  
  
• Negotiation - To bring out the best outcomes at the workplace, HR must be efficient in negotiation. This negotiation can be during the decision of the final package of the new recruit, or conflicts with the employees.
  
  
• Empathy - HR must empathize with the issues related to the employees to enhance their productivity at work. It builds the rapport of the company. 

Popular courses or classes for an HR

Enrollment in HR courses is beneficial to increasing employment opportunities, network, and salary prospects. These courses not only improve the skills of an HR but also provide them with an upper hand over other professionals in the same field. Various popular certification courses for HR:

• Certified professional by SHRM - After completing graduation and one year of experience in HR, candidates can pursue this certification course.
  
  
• Diploma in training and development by ISTD - It is a 3-month distance learning course recognized by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD).
  
  
• Certified payroll professional (CPP) by KPMG - This course updates them about the payroll process and income tax in India.
  
  
• Managing human capital in retail (Wharton School) - This course helps HR professionals to understand the fundamentals and role of human capital.
  
  
• Human resources: Recruitment and Selection by The Open University - It is a 12-hour free-of-cost intermediate-level course explaining the concepts of recruitment and selection.
  
  
• Preparing to manage HR (University of Minnesota) - It is a 5-part course covering people management, non-monetary compensation, and alternatives to traditional human resource approaches.

What books should HR read?

The field of human resource development keeps on changing with the economical, political, social, and environmental conditions. It is essential that

HR professionals must be updated about such changes. There are many books that can help them have a deeper understanding of their profile and ways to improve their skills. Many of those books are:

• Human Resource Management by Gary Dessler -This book defines the aspects of HRM in 5 parts: recruitment, talent management & placement, compensation, training & development, and employee relations.
  
  
• The HR Scorecard by Brian Becker, Mark Huselid, and Dave Ulrich - This book explains how to quantify and link people, strategies, and their performances.
  
  
• The Essential HR Handbook by Sharon Armstrong and Barbara Mitchell - This book focuses on various aspects of human resources including building relationships and practices with the employees.
  
  
• Victory through Organisation by Dave Ulrich, David Kryscynski, Wayne Brockbank, and Mike Ulrich - This book is based on the research conducted on around 30,000 HR professionals, business associates, and leaders.
  
  
• Predictive HR Analytics: Mastering the HR Metrics by Kristen and Martin Edwards - This book contains analytics and metrics related to recruitment analytics, employee turnover, diversity, and employee attitudes.
  
  
• Work Rules!: Insights from inside Google that will transform how you live and lead by Laszlo Block - This book helps the HR professionals to know about the future of human resources and how to maintain a balance between company structure and creativity.
  
  
• Investing in People: Financial Impact of Human Resource initiatives by KrisWayne Cascio, John Boudreau - This book contains technical information about employee turnover, engagement, and absenteeism and covers structured aspects by providing the readers with tools to measure the impact of various interventions.

The average salary of an HR

According to the reports of BLS pay data, HR managers earn around $113,300 per year. In India, the average salary of HR managers is ₹ 3,62,327 per annum.

After getting experience of around 5-20 years, the average salary of HR managers is ₹ 4,00,000 per annum. The salary of HR varies according to the organization, job location, experience, educational qualifications, and skills.

In India, according to Michael Page's Salary Benchmark 2018, HR professionals can get a 16-20% hike after switching jobs.

HR with administrative skills earn 65% more salary than the average, while those with sourcing skills earn 85% higher salary. Usually, companies operating from Metro cities offer more salaries than towns.

HR managers in Gurugram receive a 30.2% higher salary than the national average. The salary also depends on the state. In Mumbai, the average salary of an HR manager is ₹ 6,34,965 per annum, while that of an HR manager in Pune is ₹3,62,327 annually.

Conclusion

Human resource professionals or HR search for new talent, and supervise the payment and recruitment of the employees. They work to ensure the effective operations of the organization.

They must have strong decision-making skills, good communication skills, team spirit, problem-solving tendency, and negotiation. After completing graduation, an individual is eligible to become an HR intern.

A master's degree from a reputed institute provides them with better salaries, although experience and skills are the key components to achieve success.

HR professionals get good salaries from the companies and are an important part of any organization. Acquiring various skills like vendor management, ADP payroll system, and international human resources provide them with a salary above the average. 

I hope you liked our article on how to become HR in India , if you have any comments or suggestions do share them in the comments below.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is the qualification to become an HR?

To become an HR, you must have graduated with at least 50% aggregate from a recognized university in human resources, business management, finance, or economics.

A master's in Business Administration (MBA) in HRM or labour laws will offer you the best salaries in the organizations. Complete certification courses to get a better insight into your job profile like the Society of Human Resource Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP).

Q2. How do I start a career in HR?

To start a career in HR, you must enrol in a professional HR certification course. Find a job or complete internships during graduation or post-graduation as an HR intern to learn the basics of this job profile.

Paid or unpaid internships will not only give you experience but will also help you to improve your skills and build networks with people in the same field.

Q3. What degree is best for HR?

MBA in Human Resource Development is the best course for HR after completing graduation. During the course, students complete an internship of 4-6 weeks.

This course includes various subjects like quantitative techniques, strategic HR management, HR audit, and human capital management.

Other than this, certification courses will lead to expertise in your particular field, like the Indian Society of Training and Development (ISTD).