HR Pathways
"So you want to be an HR practitioner....?!"
By visiting the website of the Human Resources Institute of New Zealand you have already taken the first step to finding out how to become an HR Practitioner.
If you enjoy working with people, enjoy problem solving, like to think outside the square and are happy in an organisational environment, then these are some of the qualities that you will be able to bring with you when become an HR practitioner.
The following information should help you to discover how to become an HR practitioner:
- Entry Levels
- Professional Development
- The Work of a HR Practioner
- Education
- HRINZ Professional Services
- Where to next?
- Professional Accreditation
Entry
Non Graduate Entry
A number of HR practitioners started their professional life in general administration and gravitated to payroll and personnel administration. This is a good starting point and the general experience gained in an organisation at this level can be put to good use ultimately as an HR practitioner. Many tertiary education institutes offer Certificates and Diplomas in HR and taking such courses can only enhance your chances of entering and thereafter progressing in the profession.
Graduate Entry
Ideally, it would be to your advantage if you were able to attend university and graduate. Whilst a degree of any discipline will demonstrate a requisite level of academic achievement, if you have not yet gone to University/Polytechnic but have decided to make your career in HR, you may wish to study an appropriate course such as management, business, psychology or law. There are a number of HR related degrees on offer by certain Universities/Polytechnics.
Most universities and polytechnics will offer human resources courses and your decision to study at this University or that Polytechnic will depend upon many factors. You may, for financial reasons, wish to stay at home and attend university or you may wish to study by distance learning with the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand who run HR courses. Massey University also runs extra mural courses that would be appropriate for aspiring HR practitioners.
Professional Development
HRINZ runs various courses with the aim of ‘developing’ HR skills. These courses are offered on a national basis. There are also courses offered at Branch level. There are general courses and more professionally specific courses.
The general courses are:
- HR Foundations: This course is designed for those who are relatively new to the profession and graduates who wish to add a practical dimension to their studies.
- HR Business Performance: This course is designed for those who have been in the profession for a 3-5 years, and are moving towards a more senior management level.
- Strategic HR Management: This course is designed for those in senior HR positions operating at a more strategic position within an organisation, possibly with responsibility for strategy, policy and planning.
More specific courses are held as demand dictates.
Please keep checking the Professional Development section of our website for updates.
The Work of the HR Practitioner
The following represents a non-exhaustive list of the type of work that the HR Practitioner will carry out on both a day-to-day basis and a long-term basis.
- Developing human resources strategies, policies and practices that meet the needs and objectives of the organisation;
- Ensuring that the organisation complies with legislation;
- Recruiting the most appropriate personnel for the organisation and function;
- Developing staff through appropriate in-house or outsourced training;
- Dealing with all aspects of employee relations, including implementing disciplinary and grievance procedures;
- Dealing with all aspects of remuneration and benefits;
- Ensuring systems and processes so that all personnel are safe from any hazards in the workplace;
- Maintaining appropriate HR information systems;
- Implementing and monitoring the effectiveness of a Performance Management system appropriate to the nature of the organisation;
- Implementing strategies in the event of corporate change.
You will note the wide ranging tasks and responsibilities that the HR Practitioner carries out but remember that there are other tasks and responsibilities not listed here.
To view the HRINZ HR job role definitions, please click here.
There will be many people in the organisation making demands of you and expecting tasks to be carried out speedily and so prioritisation will be a key skill in your work. It will also be to your advantage to have general business knowledge/skills.
To view HRINZ Remuneration Surveys (members only area).
HR Education
To find out about studying for a career in HR, click here
Professional Representation - belonging to HRINZ
Before explaining the role of, and professional products and services provided by, HRINZ, it may be useful to look at HRINZ’ Mission Statement:
- To encourage and support the development of professional knowledge and competence and high standards of performance amongst our members; and
- To promote understanding of all aspects of human resources management and development and the contribution they make to organisational and individual performance; and
- To provide an authoritative and influential viewpoint on all matters affecting HRINZ members and the management and development of human resources.
HRINZ Professional Products and Services
Professional Development
HRINZ provides an extensive programme to assist its members at all levels of experience and expertise to develop the skills and knowledge they need for effective professional practice and to keep up to date with the latest trends in HR management and development. Professional development is carried out in a number of ways and through various media:
- Seminars;
- Courses;
- Training Programmes;
- National Conferences;
- Professional Development Framework.
Local Networking
Branches at Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Taranaki, Manawatu, Wellington, Nelson, Canterbury and Wild South meet regularly. This provides opportunities for members to:
- Exchange ideas and experiences;
- Participate in discussion groups;
- Visit business sites;
- Attend locally driven seminars, workshops and courses.
Global Links
Global relationships exist between HRINZ and other human resource organisations to assist members to access information and make contacts world-wide. HRINZ is a member of the World Federation of Personnel Management Associations.
Professional Practice
HRINZ is strongly committed to professional competence in HR and encourages members to become professional members. Professional Members may use the letters MHRINZ (generalist) or SHRINZ (specialist) after their name providing a recognisable symbol of professional competence.
Through the development of codes and standards of professional behaviour, HRINZ provides information and guidance on best practice in HR. The following publications assist with this:
- Code of Professional Behaviour;
- HRINZ Guide Series;
- Framework for Professional Development of HR Practitioners.
Publications and Information
It is important that people working in the area of HR stay informed of trends and developments in this critical field of management. To assist with this, HRINZ provides the following products and services:
- HumanResources magazine
- HR News
- New Zealand Journal of Human Resource Management
- Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources
- Research Publications
- HRINZ website
- Links with other organisations.
Representation
Whilst HRINZ is a non-political, not-for-profit organisation, it nevertheless makes its voice heard on issues affecting the professional practice of HR management and development. HRINZ does this through being involved in consultation and in making submissions to various public sector agencies.
Where to from here?
Once established in your career, you may need some career direction. Click here to see the HRINZ Guide to Career Development.
Membership of HRINZ
There are two basic levels of membership of HRINZ.
- General Members: These are people who are likely to have some Human Resources or Personnel function within an organisation, though may not be described in the organisation as HR or Personnel.
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Professional Accredited Members: There are two levels of professional membership - Generalist (MHRINZ) and Specialist (SHRINZ).
Professionally Accredited Members:
These are members who receive professional recognition for their career achievements by their peers, industry and HRINZ recognised. HRINZ General members will have to demonstrate their experience, knowledge and competency to the HRINZ Gradings Panel that they have met the HRINZ Competency criteria, is satisfied.
Associate Fellows & Fellows:
These are Professional Accredited Members who may become Associate Fellows and Fellows by invitation by the Institute in the light of outstanding contribution to Human Resources and the Institute itself.
HRINZ Competencies
When applying for Professional Membership, an HR Practitioner will have to demonstrate to the HRINZ Grading Panel that they possess skill and knowledge of five competencies that indicates effective performance:
- Business Knowledge
- Personal Credibility
- HR Delivery
- Strategic Contribution
- Business Technology
The HRINZ Grading Panel will assess the application and match criteria to the knowledge, skills and experience of the applicant. You will note that the five competencies above match the tasks and responsibilities of the HR professional. The Grading Panel make it clear that they look for a combination of knowledge, skills and experience when making their assessment of an application for professional membership.
Summary
This information has been aimed at those who aspire to be HR Practitioners, but it may also be of use to those members of General Management who carry out HR functions as an adjunct to their main discipline, for example, line managers.
Going now to the other end of the spectrum, many HR Practitioners, after a number of years in the HR industry, can proceed to become independent HR Consultants.
Independent HR Consultants are people who are brought in for a short period of time to advise an organisation on a specific matter or to advise an organisation that has no discrete HR function.