Careers in Human Resource Management

Seth OppongSam Jonah School of

BusinessAfrican University College

of CommunicationsCareer Seminar, Sam Jonah School of Business, AUCC, August 2014

Presentation Outline• Why HRM?• Where do HR professionals work?• Occupational areas in HRM• Professional qualification • Why HRM won’t be suitable?• Can I easily get a job?

The Narrative

Career Success • Career Success = f(Interest, motivation, ability, organizational support)

Why HRM?• Do you enjoy helping people?

– Or is helping people not your top priority?

• Do you enjoy having many things at a go at the same time?– Or do you like to get stuck into the detail of one thing at a time?

• Is constant contact with people important to you?– Or do you prefer to work on your own most of the time?

Why HRM?

• Can you always keep confidential information to yourself?

• Are you good at arguing your point of view?

• Do you shy away from people if they talk about their personal issues?

• Do you think certain groups of people are naturally more talented?

Why HRM? (Cont’d.)• HRM is the science and profession that designs policies and coordinates the activities relating to the attraction, retention, development, and deployment of employees within an organization.

Where do HR professionals work?

• Size– Large organizations – Small organizations as an office administrator or administrative officer

• Sector – Private – Public– NGOs

Occupational areas in HRM

• Recruitment and selection

• Human resource planning

• Employee/Industrial relations

• Learning and development

• Health and safety• Compensation management

Allied Careers• Consultancy

– Management development– Organizational development– HR software development

• Labour law• Academia

Typical HR Job Roles• HR Manager• HR Director• Training Manager/Training Coordinator• Training Officer• HR Officer• Human Resource Business Partner• Compensation & Benefit Officer• Employee Resourcing Officer• Employee/Industrial Relations Officer• Health and Safety Officer

Competitors in the Labour Market

• Psychology graduates• Sociology graduates• Political science graduates• Education major graduates

Unique Selling Points• Exposure to business management• Exposure to financial tools for HR budgeting

• Exposure to knowledge and skills that prepares you for the world of work

Professional qualification tracks

Track I• BSc Admin/BBA (HRM option)

• MBA (HRM option)• Institute of Human

Resource Management Practitioners Ghana (http://www.humanresource.org.gh/ )and/or Society for Human Resource Management (http://www.shrm.org/)

Track II• BSc Admin/BBA (HRM option)

• Institute of Human Resource Management Practitioners Ghana (http://www.humanresource.org.gh/ )and/or Society for Human Resource Management (http://www.shrm.org/)

Why HRM won’t be suitable?

• I am looking for an easy option in the business school.

• I don’t like mathematics and HRM is a “reading” subject so I will choose it.

• Most of my friends are choosing HRM so I will choose it as well.

Can I easily get a job?• All large organizations hire HR professionals.

• As an entrepreneur, you need to know how to manage people to succeed.

• The success formula: 3 P’s, people, product, profit in that order.

• It depends on …– State of the economy– Class of your degree (Third class or pass) – Job search strategies (CV preparation, interview skills, etc)

– Your ambition (if you are too choosy)

Thank You