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Recruiting the right staff requires a good understanding of the organisation's needs in terms of workforce skills and experience, which means that HR managers may be involved in communicating with individual departments of the organisation about overall recruitment policy and liaising with external recruiting agencies. They would work with line managers to analyse and evaluate staff training needs and would manage the training programme, perhaps delivering some training themselves or buying in training from outside providers. Additionally, they may be involved with policies for equal opportunities, health and safety, pay and conditions of employment. They may also design procedures to keep employee records, maintain discipline, measure performance and handle complaints.

You could choose to be a generalist across all of these areas or to specialise in a topic such as employee relations, health and safety or recruitment and selection.

Entry level
There are no minimum academic entry requirements but there are very few opportunities for school leavers. The majority of HR managers have a degree or higher national diploma (HND), which would normally require two or three A levels/AH grades or three or four H grades, together with five GCSEs/S grades A-C/1-3 for degree course entry, slightly less for the HND. Any subjects are acceptable, but business studies, English, law and psychology can prove particularly useful. Relevant experience is always regarded as desirable.

Making the grade
Many employers expect staff to work towards the professional qualifications awarded by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), which may be achieved by exemption, if you have a relevant degree or HND, or by full- or part-time study. Many large organisations also offer their own in-house training schemes.

CIPD professional qualifications include the Certificate in Personnel Practice, which gives a wide range of practical personnel skills, and the Certificate in Recruitment and Selection, for those seeking to specialise in this area. The main Professional Development Scheme has four parts: Core Management, People Management and Development, Specialist and Generalist Personnel and Development and Applied Personnel and Development. Completing one field leads to Licentiate membership of the CIPD, while successful completion of all four can make you a Graduate member.

Generally speaking, certificate programmes can usually be completed part-time in one academic year; the professional qualification scheme full-time in one academic year or part-time in two or three years.

Personal qualities
HR managers need good 'people' skills and require the confidence and communication skills to deal in a calm and tactful manner with a variety of situations, balancing the needs of the individual employee against the business interests of the organisation. You may be required to operate in stressful situations when handling issues such as discipline, redundancy or the personal problems of individual employees, so you would need a measure of resilience and an understanding of the importance of confidentiality. Accuracy, attention to detail, co-operation and teamwork are as important as a fair and objective attitude.

Good spoken and written communication skills are essential to avoid errors and misunderstandings when dealing with employees' personal details.

Looking ahead
Chances of promotion in HR generally depend far more on your personal achievement and potential than on paper qualifications. You may find more opportunities for promotion in larger organisations, or you may need to switch employers in order to develop your career. For some very senior posts, moreover, experience outside the HR department is either essential or an advantage.

As an experienced HR professional, you could set up your own specialist consultancy, offering services such as recruitment, training or outplacement counselling.

Alternative suggestions
If you like the idea of becoming a people specialist, you might also consider training as an occupational psychologist, a personal or careers adviser or a management consultant.

Take-home pay
As a new graduate starting on a traineeship in HR, you could expect your salary to be similar to other trainee positions, with large manufacturing firms and public corporations tending to pay more than local authorities and smaller retail organisations. You should be able to command a higher starting salary if you have relevant postgraduate qualifications or experience.

The CIPD conducts regular salary surveys among its members. As a guide, the 2003 survey shows that the average pay of an HR professional in London is £28,625. Typical middle manager pay across the country ranges from £27,000 to £32,000, while a human resources or personnel director in an organisation with over £500 million annual turnover earns an average £67,000. Salaries tend to be higher for CIPD members.

Effects
You would normally work a standard 35 to 40 hour week, but may be required to work extra hours at busy times, such as during a major recruitment campaign or during an industrial dispute.

Most of your working day would be spent in an office, although there may be some travel.

Sources of information
Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development: www.cipd.co.uk

CRCI: AA