Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
A person on LinkedIn was recently talking about intentionally studying to become an HR professional versus “accidentally” ending up in HR. You know what I mean, someone who studies for a different career but ends up working in an HR role. Unfortunately, this person tried to make it sound like accidental HR isn’t as good as intentional HR.
I don’t want to take anything away from individuals who have known their whole lives that they wanted to be a human resources professional and went to school to study HR. That’s great. It’s equally great when someone accidentally finds HR as the career of their dreams.
Maybe I’m taking this conversation a bit personally since I’m one of those accidental HR professionals. My college degree isn’t in human resources. HR wasn’t even on my radar as a career choice. I got into human resources after being in a car accident. My injuries prevented me from doing my job, so my employer looked at my education and work experience and asked if I’d like to give HR a try. They also paid for me to attend training programs and encouraged me to become a part of the HR community.
For me, that encouragement to “give HR a try” led to a VPHR corporate career and then president of my own HR firm. I’m grateful for the people and organizations I’ve worked with. And the opportunities I’ve had like travel, professional development, oh! and I can’t forget HR Bartender which has opened doors for me as well. I’ve been invited to speak at conferences, written four HR books, and hosted a podcast. I’ve had a very fortunate HR career that started by accident – and I mean that both literally and figuratively.
I want to believe that it’s okay to accidentally find HR and then learn the theories, etc. In fact, this could be true for many other professions. Not every job can be approached this way. Obviously, we can’t fly a plane then go get a pilot’s license. But there are careers where we can get the job and learn the job at the same time.
Hopefully, that’s the point. When you find a career you like, it’s essential to get the requisite education. This applies throughout your career. HR twenty years ago isn’t HR today. Frankly, HR five years ago isn’t HR today. We need to keep learning so we can stay relevant. And we should want to because we enjoy the work we do. The good news is that career development offers so many options.
READ the latest books, blogs, articles, etc. There are classic business books that everyone should read as well as new titles. Let me suggest that you don’t have to agree with every word. (Like I did with the person’s comment on LinkedIn.) Use books to gain context and develop an opinion about issues related to your chosen profession.
LISTEN to webinars, podcasts, and educational sessions. There are lots of free sessions that you can attend to hear more about what’s available in the business world. Again, you don’t have to agree with everything. I find it to be helpful to hear other voices and ideas. It might spark something that I hadn’t really been paying attention to, but I should.
CONNECT with other people in your profession. You can do this both online and in-person. There are HR related professional associations as well as casual groups. Find what works best for you. Keep in mind that it could make sense to belong to more than one. I like having a nice blend of local groups as well as global groups to maintain perspective.
Finding your dream career is tough. Personally, I don’t think it’s necessary to add the pressure of saying that you can’t accidentally find the job you’ve always wanted. Regardless of how you land your dream career, be ready to learn all along the way. It will keep your skills relevant and help maintain your interest in the field you love.
Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring Disneyland in Anaheim, CA
