Are you a fresh graduate, thinking of what career path to take? Or, are you an experienced hire that is seeking for a change of career? If you like: meeting people, analyzing problems and some strategic/administrative works, you may consider a career in Human Resources Management. Like other fields in a corporate office, you need good communication skills.

I would share with you my path to HRM. I simply started by taking certification examinations and reading any HR related articles and magazines. Mostly when you join any HR group on a professional site like LinkedIn, you will have access to some HR advice and write ups. I started by registering with the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPMN). I took the qualifying examinations. I later got a job in the financial sector as an officer in the Human Resources Department. While on the job, I sharpened my skills by writing more certification examinations under Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI) and Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM).

Another route to HR is to sign up for a training programme. You can opt for class room training or online training. The training topic depends on your area of interest. If you want to become a generalist, “Mastering HRM” and “HR Master-class” are the training titles you want to search for. Other sub-fields within HR are: Business Partnering, Compensation and Benefits, HR Compliance, Recruitment, HR Operations, Talent Management, Performance Management and HR Admin/Records. You can be trained in any of the areas mentioned and apply for jobs in HR as a starter or Junior Officer.

If you are in middle management, it is advisable that you take your course and seek for transfer to the HR department within your organization. It is better to indicate interest, so that when the need arises, you will be considered. It is easier to garner experience in your desired new field within your current organization before moving on to a new employment.

Once you are in, you are in, just keep learning!