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  |  Experts  |  Careers - Irene Krechowiecka  |  Do I still count as a graduate trainee?
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Do I still count as a graduate trainee?

by Irene Krechowiecka

question
I have a business studies degree and have worked for six years out of university in sales/marketing roles. I am now interested in human resources. Do you think I would still be able to join a well-established firm as a graduate and have them pay for my training? Or do you think they would expect me to obtain the necessary qualifications before approaching them. Also, how hard do you think it would be for me to make this change in career?

answer
I don't think this is going to be a difficult change to make. Your degree and work experience are highly relevant to an HR role, but there are things you can do to move in the right direction. There's no harm in trying for graduate trainee posts, particularly if you're willing to take a graduate trainee's salary. If you do decide this would be OK for you, don't just leave your applications to speak for themselves. See if you can arrange to talk things over with recruiters in the company you're targeting before you apply. Take this opportunity to explain your motivation. The experience you'll be bringing is really valuable, but if they have set ideas about how they normally recruit they may need a little help seeing the benefits of doing things differently.

Your other options are to undertake full- or part-time retraining. Don't overlook the potential of your current employer. If they have an HR department could you look at making this move with their support? The most widely recognised courses are those accredited by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). Have a look on their website for details of their Professional Qualification Scheme (PQS): the route followed by most aiming for higher level jobs in this area.

The PQS can be completed in one year of full-time study or two to three years of part-time study. It can be done through full-time, part-time and block study periods. There is also a Flexible Learning option – home based study plus attendance at tutorials and workshops.

A good place to look for vacancies is the jobs section of Personnel Today and reading the rest of the magazine will give you a feel for what the work involves.

Now read this:

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