How to get a job in HR
Central to most organisations, human resources (HR) professionals are in demand. Find out what qualifications and skills you'll need to succeed
Do I need a related degree?
You don't necessarily need a degree in human resources to work in HR, recruitment, or learning and development (L&D). Most employers accept graduates from any subject, but having a degree in business management, economics, finance, HR, or psychology can improve your job prospects. Employers usually prefer graduates with at least a 2:1 degree.
To increase your chances of getting a job, consider applying to a recruitment consultancy that specialises in an industry related to your degree.
You can also pursue postgraduate study, with many courses accredited by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). Even if you don't do a Masters in HR right away, you will likely need a CIPD qualification at some point in your career.
Some universities and colleges offer foundation degrees in human resource management (HRM), often combined with business. These are equivalent to two-thirds of a degree and can give you a vocational qualification to enter HR careers in commercial and public sector organisations. Explore other alternatives to university.
See HR courses for examples of what's on offer.
How do I get HR work experience?
It's important to develop personal qualities, commercial awareness, and practical human resources skills such as budget management, coaching, and teamwork for HR and related professions. Having work experience or a part-time job in an office or administration role can impress employers.
When working for a recruitment consultancy, skills similar to those needed for sales, marketing, and public relations (PR) roles are often required, so experience in any of these areas would also be useful.
To stand out and progress in your HR career, gaining work experience in an HR department is crucial. Relevant human resources work experience will give you an advantage over other candidates.
One way of gaining this relevant experience is by doing an internship. Some examples of what's available include:
- Accenture - the HR Summer Internship is a four-week virtual programme aimed at students in their penultimate year of university.
- L'Oréal - the HR strand offers professional training and project work during the three to 12-month opportunity.
- PwC - its HR department, known as the Human Capital Consulting Services team, facilitates 11-month work placements within one of its four HC teams - learning and development, student recruitment, global mobility and human resources.
You can reach out to local businesses and sign up for job email alerts. Check CIPD - conferences, exhibitions & events for upcoming networking opportunities you may want to attend.
To find a placement, search for HR and recruitment work experience opportunities.
Once you have some HR experience, the CIPD offers various volunteering programmes for HR and L&D professionals to use their skills to help others. This might involve presenting at schools or mentoring a job seeker.
If you want to gain experience while earning a wage, you might consider an apprenticeship. HR apprenticeships are available at two levels:
- Level 3 (HR support apprenticeship)
- Level 5 (HR consultant/partner apprenticeship).
To see whether this route is right for you, take a look at HR apprenticeships.
How do I get a graduate job in HR and recruitment?
If you're interested in specialising in recruitment, consider sending a speculative letter along with your CV to local consultancies you'd like to work for. Visit REC for steps on choosing the right agency.
When searching for work in HR or recruitment, check out dedicated industry job sites like:
To find entry-level positions in this industry, search for graduate jobs in recruitment and HR.
You can also explore the various paths into HR by the CIPD, and discover which companies offer graduate schemes in HR.
Which HR skills do employers want?
To thrive in this often-pressurised environment, you'll need to show:
- adaptability, flexibility and patience
- ambition and confidence
- business acumen and an entrepreneurial approach
- curiosity and the courage to challenge
- discretion and trustworthiness
- emotional intelligence
- excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- organisational skills and the ability to multitask
- strategic thinking
- the ability to work to deadlines and meet targets
- that you can work as part of a team.
For more information on entry requirements and relevant qualifications for specific HR and recruitment careers, see job profiles.
How do I get into HR consulting?
HR consultancies come in various sizes and offer a range of services. Working in this field may expose you to different environments, although a significant amount of your time will be spent at client sites. These positions are typically available to experienced HR professionals with CIPD qualifications.
Pursuing a postgraduate qualification in HR, such as the one-year full-time MSc Human Resource Management programme at the University of Bath, could increase your employment prospects in this industry.
Keep an eye out for consultancy jobs at PM Jobs, and consider reading the management consultant job profile to gain more insight into HR consulting careers.
Find out more
- Read all about the recruitment and HR sector.