5 Things I Wish I Knew Before getting into HR

I’ve heard the cries of several people/graduates state “Oh I want to do HR” it seems like a lovely career path and I look at them with horror written all over my face.

In my mind I’m thinking… What?!

Do you know what HR entails and how stressful this job is?

My job on most days requires me to be a mixture of Olivia Pope dealing with Crisis Management and Employee Disciplines to the most monotonous days of preparing reports and processing payroll.

On reflection, in college no one ever told me or was straight up with me to tell me what HR really entailed before I started a whole Bachelors in the field of study; had I known what I know now then…things probably would have turned out a lot more differently.

Here are the top (5) things I wish I knew before entering HR:

1. Expect to be judged!

There is no such thing as personal life outside of your professional life.

People judge what you wear, what you say, what people you associate with not only at the workplace but in your personal life.

People view you as an arch angel that should not be engaging in any fun related activity in life. They seem think that your professional conduct at work is who you are as a person. ERROR!

Fact: Hr professionals are people too, we have our regular lives and we enjoy a good drink and party as much as the next person.

2. Prepare to change your WARDRODE

HR professionals are a walking example of the companies’ dress code at work and outside of work. One must maintain a certain level of decency even when going out. Personally, you wouldn’t want your employees to see you at a beach party in a thong. #justsaying

3. No visible tattoos and Non-Traditional piercings

If you are a lover of body art, kindly note that visible body art is no-no in this field.

4. You would not be a favorite!

If you are used to being Miss Congeniality or the most popular person in your company or clique… This won’t be you anymore boo. In HR you will can’t please everyone (let that sit with you).

There will be times you have to terminate employees and guess what you will be removing that person’s ability to provide themselves their family… making you the least liked person by them and their associates.

5. Expect to be in the middle!

HR serves as the representative of the company as well as the employees or may often act as the bridge between the two. HR is the facilitator for negotiations between both parties, and also communicates the decisions from Management to employees.

Thus when some unfavorable decisions are made, HR normally takes the backlash from employees as the messenger.

Your rights and liberties could be infringed!

Depending on your level in HR, your phone will ring 24/7 at work, vacation, on the beach; wherever your phone will ring and your inbox will blow up. People tend to feel HR professionals aren’t people too and they show little respect for your personal time.

What makes matters worse is the fact that decisions affecting HR staff such as raises need to go through a long process unlike normal staff which often deters you asking in the first place.