Suggestions on Career Direction

[Jakestar]

Hi all,

I've been having a think lately exactly how I want my career to progress and I'm kinda stuck with exactly which direction I could take. I'll give you a few points, but I'm interested in what kind of direction you would suggest!

Situation

Nearly 23
1st Class Degree BSc (Hons) Environmental Health
1 year experience as a recruitment consultant (IT / Finance / Senior Contractor markets)

I worked in Bristol for a national firm for 9 months and didnt feel like there were very good prospects for progression (I was doing well as a consultant), so I moved to a bespoke consultancy in the City but finding it tough for one reason or another and not earning as much as I'd like!

Profile

Very hard worker
Extremly motivated by money
Enjoys a business/city style environment (work hard play hard etc)
Performance related pay (as appose to anything public sector orientated)

Since I place contractors I've thought of going into HR (as its in someway related to recruitment, since my degree is non-related), train up in a perm role then go into HR / Change management as a contractor say 5 years down the line, althought not exactly sure the best route to this.

I know there must be other avenues that would suite me aswell... Oh and I did try the graduate training scheme route but didn't have much luck with any applications (prehaps because I dont have 10 Duke of Edinborough awards, or havn't swam the channel..)

Thoughts / opinions / suggestions ?

Cheers

[edc]

As somebody working in HR who came from recruitment, I think that you will not get the level of role you want in HR right now. With the sort of experience you have you would be looking at sub £20k admin role, grad scheme, an 'in' via a referral, or a small outfit who probably don't care too much for HR but have some recruitment to do. Even the HR and 'management' grads in the City are at risk these days. As with many sectors, and with the sort of work that is required now, most want people who have been there seen it and got the t-shirt. There are a fair chunk of well-experienced HR people sitting on the bench now.

[Jakestar]

edc said:

As somebody working in HR who came from recruitment, I think that you will not get the level of role you want in HR right now. With the sort of experience you have you would be looking at sub £20k admin role, grad scheme, an 'in' via a referral, or a small outfit who probably don't care too much for HR but have some recruitment to do. Even the HR and 'management' grads in the City are at risk these days. As with many sectors, and with the sort of work that is required now, most want people who have been there seen it and got the t-shirt. There are a fair chunk of well-experienced HR people sitting on the bench now.

Ah right, may have to stick it out for a while then, as my basic is higher than that.. have you been successful in your move into HR?

haworthlloyd1 said:

why did you do your degree and what did you want to do when 18?

don't get sucked down a particular path you don't want to go down as otherwise you will prob stick with something you don't want to do.

When I was 18 I thought I wanted to have a career related to the degree I was about to start, but my placement year in London changed my aspirations completly and I realised I wanted to work in the City in 'business' and earn alot of money rather than the Public Sector promoting health and safety!

Problem is this leaves me with a non related degree (allbeit a good grade) and a role that hasnt delivered the £££ I'd like..

I still dont really know what I want to do, I'd be happy with a grad scheme type role but already tried without luck to get one of those.

Edited by Jakestar on Tuesday 16th June 20:57

[okgo]

I remember your thread last year about the recruitment place. As I was interviewing for a similar role..Feel your pain. Funnily enough I think I am going stale in the role I took at the time..

[edc]

Jakestar said:

edc said:

As somebody working in HR who came from recruitment, I think that you will not get the level of role you want in HR right now. With the sort of experience you have you would be looking at sub £20k admin role, grad scheme, an 'in' via a referral, or a small outfit who probably don't care too much for HR but have some recruitment to do. Even the HR and 'management' grads in the City are at risk these days. As with many sectors, and with the sort of work that is required now, most want people who have been there seen it and got the t-shirt. There are a fair chunk of well-experienced HR people sitting on the bench now.

Ah right, may have to stick it out for a while then, as my basic is higher than that.. have you been successful in your move into HR?

haworthlloyd1 said:

why did you do your degree and what did you want to do when 18?

don't get sucked down a particular path you don't want to go down as otherwise you will prob stick with something you don't want to do.

When I was 18 I thought I wanted to have a career related to the degree I was about to start, but my placement year in London changed my aspirations completly and I realised I wanted to work in the City in 'business' and earn alot of money rather than the Public Sector promoting health and safety!

Problem is this leaves me with a non related degree (allbeit a good grade) and a role that hasnt delivered the £££ I'd like..

I still dont really know what I want to do, I'd be happy with a grad scheme type role but already tried without luck to get one of those.

Edited by Jakestar on Tuesday 16th June 20:57

Successful? Depends on how you measure success compared to me. I earn decent money have had the opportunity to move roles and companies and progress. First 'real' HR roles were in SME companies who were a bit clueless when it came to HR. The first company wanted somebody with some get up and go to consolidate and effectively open an HR function. Next place was a software house and I had a team of 2 and there was a real focus on recruitment.

To be honest HR isn't about knowing all the intricacies of employment law. It is about knowing the business, knowing what problems it faces, knowing where it needs to go, putting in place measures or practices to get there and providing practical solutions to all of the above.

My background is also different to yours. I studied for a Law degree, with a keen interest in employment law. As my recruitment career was ending I completed an Msc in HR.

[The jiffle king]

You pose a good question about how to change career and I can give 2 examples:
Me: I was earning very good money aged 23, working in Distribution for Sainsburys, and raking in overtime. I had to work weekends and being deluded, I thought IT would be Monday to Friday 9-5.... How wrong I was. I took an IT course in VB which was useless and I've never used it, but it got me an Interview at Mars... and I used my skills to sell myself.. 11 years on after roles in IT and Sales, I'm now moving to Barcelona in a great role....
Moral - Do something related to a job you might want to do to see how interesting it really it. It might open a door and you might not have to drop in salary too much

My wife: 5 years ago after being a radiographer and earning good money, she was bored of it. HOw do you go from taking x-rays to doing something else? She did a CIPD course and thought she wanted to do HR. At the end, she got a role in the NHS as a training manager... She took this beacuse it had projects to manage... this is what she really likes doing and now is a senior project manager in the NHS and manages a big team...
Moral - Take a punt on something you like doing... push hard and you may not have to drop too much in salary to do the jobs you like doing...

My wife is moving to Barcelona as well (not suprisingly) and she is looking to do some teaching (TEFL) and learn enough Spanish to be be able to get a job in a medium to large organisation..

At the same time, many of my wife's radiography colleagues have moaned for the last 5-6 years about not being able to afford to move.... and they are still doing the same thing. They tell her she has been lucky with the roles she has and they may be right, but lucky people tend to push more, try harder and take risks...

T-J-K

[V8mate]

Why aren't you an Environmental Health Officer? Especially given your degree classification.

[Jakestar]

Good arguments put forward there, food for thought at least

V8mate said:

Why aren't you an Environmental Health Officer? Especially given your degree classification.

Two reasons, when I was studying and during my placement year I didnt think the career would earn me much money so decided to go try something that would. Also to become chartered there are 3 other (extremly large) hoops to jump through one of which I really couldn't / can't now see me completing.

10 months down the line Im thinking maybe I should have stuck it out, gained experienced then switch to contracting... Its got me thinking I may still try and use some of the qualifications within the private sector

Edited by Jakestar on Wednesday 17th June 21:20