How to Successfully Climb the Career Ladder as a Human Resources Professional

Human resources professionals don’t climb career ladders—right? This career pathway is relatively short, with few opportunities for personal or professional growth.

This assumption couldn’t be more wrong. 

If you’re a young human resources professional, the world is your oyster. Your skills are required in many industries, and—more than ever before—you have the resources to showcase your capabilities. 

Are you wondering how to make that happen? Below are the practical steps to consider if climbing the human resource ladder is your goal.

Start Here: These Steps Will Help You Climb the Human Resources Professional Ladder

Moving from an entry-level position in an HR department to a higher-level role with more authority and perks can substantially increase your quality of life. 

However, you don’t get there without serious hard work, savvy use of your resources, and skillful positioning of what you bring to the table. Fortunately, doing this successfully doesn’t have to be difficult. 

Here’s what we recommend:

1. Get a high-quality degree to demonstrate your qualifications. 

Human resources is a specialized field. It requires distinct training and experience with specific processes. It’s not something just anyone can do. 

Most companies recognize this and prioritize hiring or promoting individuals with related training and qualifications. Often, going back to school to earn an HR degree can be a remarkably efficient way to upgrade your career outlook. 

This doesn’t have to be disruptive or expensive. Today, you can earn highly competitive degrees, including a BBA in Human Resource Management, MBA in Human Resource Management, or MSM in Human Resources. You can tackle each of these completely online. These options allow working professionals the flexibility to advance their careers while managing other responsibilities, such as a full-time job or a growing family. 

2. When possible, go above and beyond at work.

Are you excited to start your career in human resources? Don’t be afraid to show it! 

In just about any job, the more excitement and passion you bring to the role, the more likely it is for the leadership at the company to believe your work is first-rate. In HR, where you’ll face many challenging situations that require creative thinking and hard work, people will notice if you’re proactive. Avoid waiting to be told what to do, and figure out what needs to be done yourself. Use your expertise to improve ineffective processes, enhance the working environment around you, and help your company grow and thrive more and more each day. 

This will pay off in a few ways. In the short term, it will make your day-to-day job duties more interesting and your workplace more pleasant. Over the long term, when executive leadership realizes what you’re doing for your company, you’re more likely to see promotions.

3. Develop your skills thoughtfully. 

After you are settled into your new job and have a good routine, it’s time to ensure you have ways to level up your skills. This will help you do your job better each day and show your upper management that you’re dedicated to your craft. 

Here are a few ways to invest in skill development for human resources professionals:

Subscribe to HR newsletters.

Attend webinars.

Participate in professional groups.

Obtain relevant certifications and further credentials (such as the Professional in Human Resources (PHR) and Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) certifications).

Source and complete online workshops and courses.

Find a mentor in the field. 

This type of research and skill development can also help you understand where your unique talents lie and what role you would like to have in the future, leading us neatly to our next point. 

4. Understand the extent of the HR industry. 

No two jobs in the HR industry are the same. To do well in your field, you’ll need to make it your own—honing your skills and selecting your specialty to make yourself indispensable. 

It may be a good idea to start with a generalist position. This can help you learn more about the extent of the industry and the myriad functions HR professionals perform, from benefits to employee development to payroll and beyond. 

Then, once you feel comfortable, specialize. But how do you determine what you want to specialize in? Here are some ideas: 

Work on projects that expose you to areas your current role does not feature.

Shadow members of your team or outside teams to experience other tasks. 

Ponder your career goals as you try different positions to determine which are most beneficial long-term. 

5. Invest in interpersonal relationship skills. 

Communication is one of the most important skills you’ll possess as a human resources professional. Often, you’ll act as a bridge between employees and management. Even when you’re not directly working with other people, your job is to foster an environment in which everyone feels heard and understood! 

This will involve managing policies, procedures, and paperwork—but your opportunity goes deeper than that. 

If you can master critical communication and interpersonal skills—including empathy, understanding, and the ability to understand and act on perspectives other than your own—you can make a huge difference in your office (and your industry). 

Let’s look at a quick example. What happens when an employee comes to you with questions about balancing their work and personal life? If you, as their HR professional, can help them navigate their challenges and brainstorm flexible solutions (while ensuring business needs are met), you’ll vastly improve that employee’s life. Similarly, when you’re liaising with your upper management, you’ll need to find ways to accurately communicate employee feedback while ensuring that management's decisions are informed and considerate of the workforce's morale and well-being.

It can be a tricky tightrope to walk! But if you do it well, you’ll play a key role in maintaining a peaceful, productive workplace in which every individual feels valued and supported. That ability is gold in the modern business world, and if you display it, it won’t go unnoticed!  

6. Make the most of free online resources. 

Although making a paid investment in your career may be a good idea when it comes to high-quality degrees from accredited academic institutions, after you graduate, you can likely rely on the countless free resources for HR professionals online. 

These materials can help you learn just about anything you need to climb the HR ladder, including:

Social media platforms, such as LinkedIn or Slack, for networking with other professionals in the field and discovering new job opportunities.

Local in-person gatherings or webinars for learning more about your profession from other HR professionals.

Open communities for sharing and borrowing ideas with field experts, such as HR Open Source. 

Informational newsletters or professional journals to provide advice from your experiences and possibly make new connections.

Want to Start Climbing the HR Career Ladder?

Investing in your experience, skills, and breadth of industry knowledge can help you become more successful in your HR career. 

To put your best foot forward, give yourself a solid foundation with a degree from an accredited university! Begin by enrolling in an online human resources degree program from MVNU Online. Our focus is on flexibility for busy adult learners. All our bachelor’s and graduate programs help students get an education while balancing other responsibilities. Are you interested in learning more? Contact us today for more information!