How Can I Become a Human Resources Director?
If you are interested in coordinating the implementation of all services, programs, and policies through the human resources department to help develop an employee-oriented company culture, becoming a human resources director may be the perfect career path. As a high-level executive position, human resources directors are typically responsible for planning and implementing policies related to staffing, employee relations, recruitment, compensation, compliance, employee training, budgeting, and labor negotiations. For those who are seeking a leadership role in the thriving human resources industry, the following is a step-by-step guide on how you can become a successful human resources director.
1. Earn a HR-Related Bachelor’s Degree
Typically taking three to four years of full-time study to complete, a bachelor’s degree is often the minimum requirement for assuming entry-level human resources positions to gain experience. It is recommended that aspiring HR directors choose to earn a bachelor’s degree related to human resource management, business administration, business, or labor relations. Within these programs, the curriculum will likely cover topics in human resource planning, recruitment, career development, labor management, disputes resolution, organizational behavior, and personnel policies. Since some employers may prefer an HR director to be bilingual due to the geographic area or industry, students are also encouraged to study a foreign language to facilitate communications in diverse workplaces.
2. Gain Valuable Hands-on Work Experience
For the eventual promotion to being a human resources director, it is essential that graduates obtain significant amounts of work experience to be knowledge about the multiple areas in the human resources field. Since most entry level human resources jobs require at least one year of experience, it is recommended that undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students complete an internship to build vital communication, public speaking, interpersonal, and leadership skills. In order to increase your chances of finding and landing an internship or mentorship experience, you should join one of the student chapters for the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) for more professional networking opportunities.
3. Pursue a Master’s Degree in Human Resources
Due to the fact that human resources directors must have a comprehensive knowledge on the topics of training, collective bargaining, employment law, compensation, and more, it is normally required that candidates for these high-level roles have an advanced graduate degree. While pursuing a master’s degree specifically in human resources can help professionals fill holes in their work experience with in-depth instruction, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program can also help to broaden students’ business skills with focused coursework in human resources subjects. Regardless, graduate students are encouraged to enroll in a master’s degree program that has been aligned with the standards established by the SHRM to ensure the highest level of academic excellence.
Resource: Top 10 Best Online Masters in Human Resources Management Degrees (MSHR) 2014
Once you have earned a master’s degree related to the field of human resources, you may also want to consider attaining additional credentials through certification by the professional organizations in the industry. Along with the most popular Society of Human Resource Management, the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) as well as the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) are excellent certifying bodies for the human resources field that indicate a candidate’s level of specialized knowledge. After completing these steps and obtaining certification, you will have an advantage in the competitive human resources industry for obtaining the role of human resources director or other high-level positions available.
