Advance Your HR Career With These 5 Professional Development Strategies
- Obtain Accounting and Finance Certification for the Human Resources Professional
- Get Onsite Training in Finance for HR Professionals
- Become an Active Member of the Local SHRM Chapter
- Attend Talent Management Alliance Conferences
- Become an SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP)
In a world where automation is disrupting the workplace, Human Resources professional development is becoming increasingly crucial. It is more important than ever for HR professionals to add value to their organizations and distinguish themselves as players whose efforts more than justify their earnings in terms of value they create for their employers.
HR professional development is one of the most reliable ways for human resources professionals to stay ahead of workplace trends, develop their professional networks, learn critical skills and stay connected to the other major players in their industries. The following 5 tips can help HR professionals advance their careers through the strategic application of professional development activities.
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1. Obtain Accounting and Finance Certification for the Human Resources Professional
World at Work offers a course and certification exam on the topic of accounting and finance for the human resources professional. At first glance, accounting might not seem like it has any relevance whatsoever to a human resources career; it’s people, more so than dollars, that are at the heart of the HR professional’s business. It would be unwise for the HR professional to dismiss this crucially important competency as irrelevant. A thorough understanding of financial principles is more important to long-term HR success than it might initially seem.
According to Alan Collins, who achieved the lofty job title of VP of human resources for PepsiCo, financial considerations are one of the most important drivers in an HR professional’s career. In his popular Success in HR blog, Collins states that financial intelligence is the one quality that all human resources superstars share.
2. Get Onsite Training in Finance for HR Professionals
SHRM offers a one-day seminar entitled “Finance for HR Professionals: Building Business Fluency”. HR professionals who have never learned how to analyze and interpret financial data will benefit from taking this class, as one of the course objectives is to teach them how to understand income statements and balance sheets.
3. Become an Active Member of the Local SHRM Chapter
Local SHRM chapters offer participants a wealth of Human Resources professional development opportunities. Prominent speakers are often featured at SHRM chapter meetings. This organization offers many events to participate in and many opportunities to seek out mentors.
4. Attend Talent Management Alliance Conferences
The Talent Management Alliance hosts numerous conferences and events that bring recruiters, talent managers, and human resources professionals together for shared learning and networking experiences. Their events sometimes target single industries such as healthcare, energy or technology.
5. Become an SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP)
SHRM-CP is a competency-based certification that many employers favor. The organization boasts that 5,000+ employers typically seek to hire SHRM certified professionals each month.
Utilizing these 5 professional development strategies could help HR professionals to understand their industries better, broaden their personal and professional networks and gain an edge over their peers who lack the insights they’ve gained through these activities. Any HR professional who is seeking a promotion, a pay increase or a better job would be foolish to ignore the benefits conferred by continual activity in the area of Human Resources professional development.