An HR career is not only limited to the mechanics of an organization, it also involves being in tune with the workforce, culture and well-being of employees.
According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS), HR jobs are on an upward growth trend. The number of employment opportunities in human resources is expected to grow by 6% from 2019 to 2029. The BLS estimates approximately 13,300 HR job openings annually.
Additionally, organizations across all sectors are increasingly looking to hire. Human resources job postings have risen sharply and are now 52.5% above the pre-pandemic baseline.
HR practitioners must be agile and focused on their soft and practical skills. In the day-to-day operation of an organization, the HR professional is continually evolving and learning, regardless of which area of HR they manage.
Whether it is recruiting, hiring, onboarding or implementing a new policy or HRIS system, the HR leader must practice inclusivity, have long term vision and clear strategy and goals. One such area is the well-being and continued growth of the workforce.
Organizations can exert a lot of influence and mileage with their professional development programs that encourage career growth and skill enrichment. For instance, offering one of HRCI’s eight gold standard certification programs to develop future leaders is a good investment in the retention of exceptional talent.
In a conversation with Ruth Hartgen, PHR, HRCI Director of Human Resources, she indicated that through her 20-year HR career, she has experienced multiple HR disciplines including, but not limited to, benefits, recruiting, compensation, employee relations and performance management.
Hartgen also shared that she learned various HR practices and how they were handled differently early in her career. Accordingly, she credits earning her PHR certification as the catalyst that solidified her broad knowledge of HR topics and processes.
“Having this rich, foundational knowledge not only gave me confidence in achieving my career goals, but it also provides my employer with a sense of security, knowing that their HR professional is highly knowledgeable and passionate about their role in the organization,” says Hartgen.
HRCI’s rigorous certification programs are primarily experience-based. Each certification has requirements for the minimum amount of education and/or experience needed to be eligible to take the exam. Learn more about which HRCI certification is right for you.
Why stop at a certification? HRCI also offers a multitude of courses covering over 250 topics via our HRCI Learning Center.