| Profession of Human Resource Management and | | | | living...so need to do some work to earn and grow |
| Development (HRM & D), call it by any name - HR | | | | hence at last I joined HR".What others think about this |
| Operations, HR-Generalist, Recruitment, Talent | | | | profession?1) "Oh, your job is not that difficult. What |
| Management, Training and Development, Employee | | | | you people does, anybody can do and for that you |
| Relations, Industrial Relations, Organization | | | | don't even need MBA. Even a graduate can do this |
| Development, Performance Management or | | | | job.2) "Oh, ok, so you job is that Na...which involves |
| Compensation and Benefits...they all come under the | | | | filling so many forms, maintaining files and settling the |
| umbrella of HRM & D. So, let me start with one | | | | claims".3) "Ok, so you give the salary"4) These days |
| question for HR Professionals across the globe, why | | | | HR is a Synonym of recruitment. Tell anybody that |
| you joined HR Profession? Was it your first choice or | | | | you are in HR and they will reply, "Oh, ok so you are a |
| you joined because you didn't had any other choice? I | | | | recruiter".5) There was one CEO (my friend) looking |
| like to ask the HR aspirants, why they want to join this | | | | for HR Manager for his company (He is a CEO of one |
| profession? What do they think is the skill required to | | | | IT company, where they have 150+ employees) and |
| enter into this profession and excel in this profession? | | | | he asked me to help him in finding a right person. They |
| Is it that anybody or everybody can join this profession | | | | one day he said, "Sanjeev, I have dropped the idea of |
| and there are some qualities that one must posses | | | | hiring a HR-Manager, Admin guy is doing the "HR |
| before even thinking of joining this profession? | | | | Work" and he is handling it in a better manner. Now the |
| Recently we had discussion that many people hate | | | | things are running smooth and I don't want to |
| HR, so what you have in you...as a professional that | | | | complicate the process by hiring a HR Manager. Earlier, |
| people should love you and this profession.These and | | | | I had one HR Manager and at that time my |
| many more similar questions just stormed into my mind | | | | organization was in mess".ConclusionImage of HR |
| and I thought of discussing these questions with you. | | | | Profession in the public or in the corporate world is not |
| Let's start with a set of skills which, I think a HR | | | | very good and we are not doing much to improve the |
| Professional should posses, first do be in this | | | | same. I feel sad when people ask queries like:1) What |
| profession and secondly to excel in this | | | | is the concept of CTC?2) What is the difference |
| profession.Why should you join HR Profession? Who | | | | between Offer-Letter and Appointment-Letter?3) How |
| should join?One should join HR profession, if they have | | | | many leaves we should give to our employees?4) |
| any of the following qualities:1) You are very good in | | | | How to calculate attrition rate or rate per hire?5) What |
| legal aspects particularly Labour Laws. You have | | | | components of salary are taxable?And then when |
| thorough knowledge about various provisions of | | | | someone comes and says that we hate HR...such |
| Labour Laws, Various forms associated with those | | | | people just look at their face. It looks silly and sad. We |
| laws and implications.2) You are excellent in Database | | | | need to raise our own standard, attitude and style of |
| Management and can Generate N number of reports | | | | work. Nobody can help us. We need to help ourselves. |
| in just fraction of seconds.3) You are very good with | | | | Or else the day is not very far away, when the |
| Number- statistical tools, Mathematical Formulae, | | | | companies will be outsourcing the total HR-Functions |
| Income Tax Provisions (particularly those related to | | | | and HR will only be there as "Consultancy Firms" or |
| Salary), Costing (Cost Analysis).4) You have a sharp | | | | "Outsourced Company". Nobody wants to hire and |
| eye for recognizing the talent, talent identification, talent | | | | keep problems. I think, that will be good. Companies will |
| management and talent development. (Just like Bhuvan | | | | be having choice to choose BEST (Consulting firm or |
| did in movie Lagan - Oscar Nominated Movie)5) You | | | | Outsourcing Partners) from the |
| are great negotiator and can negotiate a best deal | | | | _____________They also shared their views:1. Mr. |
| with management and employees (Read it as Trade | | | | Atul Marwah: "I must congratulate you on being so |
| Unions)6) You are an excellent motivator and can | | | | candid and honest . I fully agree with every word of |
| motivate any person to get best out of him. You have | | | | your article. I think that people like you who have guts |
| a talent to motivate and inspire a non-performer in | | | | to bring out the truth - rather stark nacked truth would |
| such a way that over a period of time that person | | | | be the one who would make a difference".2. Ms Rose |
| gets counted in the high-performers of your | | | | Balana: "Thanks Sanjeev. I learned a lot. You are right |
| organization and starts getting rewards for his | | | | we should raise our standards".3. Ms. Shirin Ladhani: |
| performance.7) You are a great strategist. You can | | | | "Thanks for this article.........nice reading material on |
| think like "Chankaya"; you are clever "Birbal" (Both are | | | | HR....infact a good help to people like me who are |
| characters from Indian History) and an Cajole people | | | | strongly motivated to start their careers in HR".4. Mr. |
| like Lord Krishna (A mythological Character) | | | | Dip Ghosh: "The article really touched me. One cant hit |
| 8) You are much matured. You don't think from your | | | | the nail on the head more. After 12 years in this HR |
| heart but you are empathetic. You are not emotional | | | | profession in cross section of industries, I have seen |
| but can understand the way people think. You can | | | | the ignomy and lackadaisical attitude of people |
| solve any work related or professional problem of any | | | | towards HR as if it is a necessary evil. And as you |
| of your employee, without getting carried away.9) You | | | | said rightly, none but we r responsible for the mess we |
| are great in crisis management. If there is any incident | | | | are in. Often I hear complaint from my colleagues that |
| or accident in the organization; if there is any rumour in | | | | "Oh the CEO (Who is generally a marketing / Finance |
| the organization or any crisis...you can ensure that a | | | | Engineer guy) doesnt bother to consult the HR". But |
| minimum possible damage is caused...keeping in mind | | | | do HR contribute significantly in core company activity |
| the interests of the organization and its people.10) You | | | | so that we can warrant attention from the CEO. |
| have deep knowledge about various industries. You | | | | Probably not. The chances of a Chartered Accountant |
| are like a knowledge hub. You know all about who's | | | | compromising with his professional ethics is far less |
| who in the field; business models; success stories | | | | compared to a HR guy who easily succumbs to the |
| (case studies) and best practices being adopted by | | | | whims and fancies of the top management because |
| different companies in different industries.11) You are | | | | he hardly have a professional body to eport back".5. |
| not a great leader but an excellent leader, who can | | | | Mr. Prasad SKR: "You have raised an interesting topic |
| inspire their team and can get best out of them. No | | | | that needs to be discussed at length".6. Mr. IVNS Raju : |
| one wants you to be Mahatma Gandhi or Nelson | | | | "I like the line of argument of Mr. Ghosh who is very |
| Mandela but yes, you need to be like Ricky Pointing or | | | | clear in what he says. The HR profession probably |
| Steve Waugh (Cricket Captain of Australia ) or like | | | | becomes justifyable only when it can latch itself to a |
| Hansie Cronje (Former Cricket Captain of South | | | | body of knowlege that is more reliable than the |
| Africa) or like Saurav Ganguly (Former Cricket Captain | | | | psychometric tests and various HR Models that are |
| of India).12) They are life long learners. They never | | | | rooted in the ability to use the English Language with a |
| think that...it's enough. They keep on learning...new HR | | | | unique knack. The Institutes rolling out batches after |
| related Techniques, HR Strategist, about new-new | | | | batches need to introspect about the knowledge and |
| businesses etc.But, why people join this profession?A. I | | | | skill that they impart and the attitudes that they profess |
| spoke to few people, those who are freshers or who | | | | to have a positive impact on the delivery of HR |
| are just pursuing their MBA's with specialization in HR | | | | services".7. Geetha Murthy : "Thanks Sanjeev. It is |
| and they mentioned that they want to be in this | | | | great food for thought.Agree with the 'qualities which |
| profession because it is a "Tension Free Profession".B. | | | | are a must' for HR professionals.I can take pleasure |
| Most of the females join this profession for following | | | | and pride in saying I am in HR by choice and not by |
| reasons:a) Of course they want to work and this is | | | | chance. I have a passion for HRM & D. And personally, |
| the only "decent job" in corporate world which, gives | | | | when HR Aspirants ask me, I tell them what it takes to |
| them respect and dignity.b) They don't want to join | | | | be there apart from their MBA degree. Within my own |
| "field jobs" (Marketing).c) They hate mathematics so | | | | individual capacity, trying to bring about change in those |
| don't like finance andd) This is the only profession | | | | who think wrong about HR professionals and I am |
| where time suits them...as per the family needs and | | | | sure such pieces from you would do us all good if we |
| restrictions.C. Some people say "we tried to get into | | | | can forward the link to those who have |
| many professions...my father wanted me to be a | | | | mis-conception about HR |
| doctor; my mother wanted me to be an engineer; my | | | | ________________Looking forward to your |
| brother wanted me to be a Chartered Accountant | | | | comments and feedbackRegardsSanjeev Himachali |
| and I wanted a scientist; my brother asked me try in | | | | Blog: |
| Hotel Management and my uncle who is a Air force | | | | E-mail: ; sanjeev. |
| wanted me to be a pilot...I tried all...but I failed. Now, I am | | | | |