How I Broke Into HR: A Practical Guide for Non-Traditional Candidates

Breaking into HR

Breaking into HR was harder than being a 911 dispatcher. See, I was trained to handle life and death emergencies with ease. What I wasn't trained to handle was the doors, closed doors that seemed to have padlocks on them and no soliciting signs in big, intimidating letters.

When I first started my journey into HR, that was all I seemed to encounter. I didn't have traditional HR experience and was constantly up against the notorious 3-5 years of experience requirement for entry level jobs.

So I tried all of the things I was taught: send out as many resumes as possible, hope for a call back, choose from the roles I interview for. The only problem? I wasn't getting calls or interviews.

It took a year to land my first, full-time HR role and I am sharing everything I would have done if I could go back.

1. Get to know yourself first:

Listen, I get it, bills need to be paid but you don't want any ol' job. You want the job that best fits you, your strengths, and ways of working (that way you're not looking for a job within 90 days). Some tests I have taken and suggest are CliftonStrengths, Sparketype, and Enneagram. Each one helps you dig deeper into who you are, why certain types of work places didn't fit you, and what lights you up. There are so many HR roles out there so make sure you are looking at the ones that allow you to thrive, not just survive.

2. Get clear on your own mission, vision, and values:

Companies have their own mission, vision, and values so why don't you? By getting clear on each of these things you can better identify which companies are a match and which you might want to stay away from. Having a clear mission also helps you identify the roles that would align and help you get to where you want to be. One sound bite of advice is to act like the CEO of your own career and move accordingly.

3. Create and own your story/narrative:

Your non-traditional background is your super power and so needed in the HR space. It is important to create a throughline between that experience and your pivot into HR by creating and fully owning your story. This means using storytelling techniques in both how you write and talk about yourself. For example, creating a hook that immediately draws someone in, tying the two together, and showing how it makes sense that you are now on the path you are on.

4. Reach out to learn not for a job:

If you're anything like me, you might not have learned how to network as you grew up so it can feel really uncomfortable and confusing. My best piece of advice is to lean into curiosity and wanting to learn about someone and their journey. When you've identified companies that you're interested in, look at folks who work there in positions you want to pursue. Reach out to them to learn about how they got to where they are today (bonus if they also have non-traditional experience!). You'd be surprised what you can learn from these conversations and the relationships you build!

Pivoting into HR (especially these days), can feel like a never-ending journey and you may wonder, "is it really worth it?" The answer is yes and we need you here. So, lean into the tips here, the unknown, and keep going! If you need resume or interview help from someone who has been where you are, drop me a message!