Falling into HR
Jessica Lee, on Twitter, recently asked this question, “How did you fall into HR?” Show of hands, how many of you grew up saying, “When I grow up, I want to be a human resource professional?” Hold’em higher while I count to nearly zero. Hmmmphht, interesting experiment.
Side note, recently I reviewed JL’s blog as part of my intermittent 365 HR Blog quest.
I grew up through the late 60s through the 70s and into today. Gemini in orbit, Apollo to the moon & Neil Armstrong’s first step were my mile posts and motivation. I wanted to be an astronaut. (As an aside note, I still remember the Apollo 1 disaster announcement. The television simply showed the teletypewriter message. Early twitter?) This was also during the Vietnam War when war protests were all over the news. Despite being a military brat at the time, I didn’t want to go into the military. I did want to and became an FCC licensed amateur radio operator, also known as Ham Radio, abbreviatable to HR….Who knew what was to come.
In the summer of 78, after a year of college, then a year of factory work, I walked into the Air Force recruting office and enlisted in the USAF with the guaranteed job of becoming a Ground Radio Equipment Repairman – AFSC 304X4. For the next 21 years I fell forward through these jobs – apprentice, repairman, technician, supervisor, foreman, quality control inspector/evaluator, branch superintendent, operations superintendent, and academic instructor. Along the way, I advanced through the ranks from Airman Basic to Senior Master Sergeant. The last six years of my career were spent increasingly more on personnel (human resource) concerns delegating the operational concerns to task appropriate work centers. These personnel concerns included; manning – aka staffing the organization with the appropriate mix of job specialities to the mission; training – both on the job & formal; planning for BRAC directed mission closure -downsizing the organization; progressive discipline; performance managment and performance rewards. The last three years were in a special duty assignment to the Air Force Senior Noncommissed Officer Academy teaching leadership, management, communication skills, and military studies. Throughout my Air Force career, I took continuous advantage of experience, training & education opportunities and benefits to retire with three college degrees – communications maintenance, adult education and human resources.
While getting ready to transition from active duty and into the civilian sector, I looked back to see where I had been most successful and determined the civilian equivalent. Human resources (HR) was the obvious answer. My breadth of experience served me well. Ham Radio became Human Resources.
I didn’t fall into HR. No one should ever fall into a career this critical. I advanced into Human Resources.
Not only that, we have our own action hero!
thanks for sharing the story – you advanced into HR. i love the mindset. cheers – JLee.
jessica lee said this on April 26, 2009 at 7:49 pm
Great Article. I advanced into HR as well, and I am looking to transition away from Agency to HR Assist work. No one should fall into HR, You either have a passion for this or you do not.
Keep up with the great articles
Cheers!
Shennee Rutt said this on April 27, 2009 at 7:48 am
I didn’t fall into it either, but I did know for a long time, after working a few years, that what I wanted to do was to be in HR. I fortunately got the opportunity when living in NM and have only been out a short time since and back in again when the opportunity arose. I believe you have to have a passion like Shennee says. I believe that no matter what you do, if you are going to be good at it, you must have the passion for that work. I don’t think you can be good at something for very long if you dislike what you’re doing.
You always get me thinking RMSJr.
pbr3 said this on April 27, 2009 at 8:49 am
Loved your article – made me think of my own path to HR. I especially had to chuckle about the first paragraph, though. My senior year of HS, I took an interest invetory in conjunction with registering for the ACT. The top pick that it indicated as consistent with my interests was, in those days “Personnel Management.” I remember thinking “What is that?” Fast forward a few months, and I was considering joining the Army instead of going straight to college. When the Army Guidance Counselor told me that one of the jobs I was qualified for, and he thought I would like best, was Personnel Management – I suppose I saw that as a sign of something, even though I still new little about what it involved. That was in 1982. Your military experiences remind me of my own, with the addition that I experienced it from within the military HR community. As I approaced retirement, I kept looking at other options, but continuing in HR in civilian life was definitely the right choice – and military educational opportunities assisted me with attaining my MBA with a focus in Human Resources, as well as preparing for my SPHR exam and even GI Bill reimbursement for the exam fee.
ndslotnick said this on April 27, 2009 at 9:09 am
I knew I was going to do HR when I was young. I just didn’t know what it was called!
My parents own their own business, and they were always having trouble w/ hiring and retaining good employees. I knew there had to be a solution. Went to college planning to major in management. Had a class assignment and was “forced” to write on HR. Realized that there truly WAS a way to solve the problems I’d seen all my life, and here I am today!
Ben Eubanks said this on April 27, 2009 at 12:46 pm
@ JLee – you were the topic inspiration
@ Shennee – always lean forward
@ pbr3 – show’em your teeth
@ ndslotnick – feeling the pull since high school (please never ask me how many college majors I have twisted at…..)
@ Ben – solution finding is a core HR competency!
RMSJr said this on April 27, 2009 at 6:00 pm
I totally and completely fell into HR.
And I’m proud of that. We never know where our decisions – big or small will lead us. Mine led me to HR. Well, more accurately, me needing to work a full 40 hour work-week led me into HR.
I was working at a hotel as a full time reservation agent. The hotel was out-sourcing it’s reservation departments to call centers and my job was going to be reduced to part-time. I needed to work full-time, so they offered me a position in HR as an assistant while the director was on maternity leave.
I took the job as a way to make my rent – not a strategical career move.
Once I got there, I didn’t want to leave. I had finally found my niche.
Six months later I got a full-time HR position (12 years ago) & I’ve been here ever since. I worked my way up to HR Director six years ago.
So… I definitely fell into HR, but I’m glad I did.
Oh – my ACT scores said I should do something in Nursing or Social Work. Yep – some days in HR are exactly like that!
(Great post AB)
-Jen
jensmack said this on April 27, 2009 at 7:18 pm
@jen – well-spoken by my mentor
RMSJr said this on April 27, 2009 at 7:51 pm
Fell into it. Happy I did. Already moving beyond it. Happy I am LOL.
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