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Welcome to the 11^th issue of the TimeTrax HR Professionals Newsbeat!

New entrants in the field of HR

At this time of the year more new business graduates have entered the job market. Most of them are aware that they are competing with close to 3000 recent graduates for the limited number of entry positions. Are they setting themselves up for disappointment, are their expectations too high compared to the market conditions? Have they made the wrong choice of opting for an HR degree or are they simply optimistic of the market conditions? One thing is certain - they will be the most resilient generation; in retrospect they will be have fought hard to create a name for themselves and because of their struggle, they might end up with more fulfilling careers than most of us have right now.

Happy Reading!

Nadir Khan Feroz
CEO, EfroTech

By Syed Moqaddas Abbas

Thinking of opting for Human Resources Management as a career? Great, but before making this career decision, you need a crash course in the real HR practices prevailing in our local business scenario. All those case studies in your books will now have to take a back seat.

Here's what you need to do to start off as an HR professional:

1. Intern for at least a month in a two or more different organizations and industries. The more DIVERSE organizations, the better exposure you get. Try observing all the HR functions within these organization to figure out what interests you the most. Get hold of any relevant project/assignment that you can get your hands upon.

2. Interact with HR people from all levels (from junior management to department heads) and ASK all the questions that come to your mind regarding working in the HR arena, especially their personal experiences.

3.  After getting a little taste of HRM, decide whether you can spend the major remaining portion of your life doing this.

4. Once you join the league, keep your eyes on the challenges that may come your way from day one. The challenges range from ethical dilemmas, balancing the employer's and employees' interests to MANAGING our own emotional labor. Keep in mind that any entry level position in HR here in Pakistan can pose you with repetitive, clerical/data-entry sort of work. BE PATIENT as this phase will pass out eventually and you will get to do a lot of analysis and decision-making tasks as you gain expertise and exposure.

5. Acquiring the RIGHT skills and keeping them up-to-date is vital in these times. Your key characteristics & skill-set to be a successful HR professional should include an excellent customer service attitude, a high emotional quotient (EQ), clear ethical values, ability to learn, UNLEARN and re-learn, analytical skills and most importantly a tech-savvy mindset so that you can implement the latest technologies to AUTOMATE HR processes. Always be on the lookout for the latest industry developments that can help your department achieve higher standards. 

Welcome to the club!

(Moqaddas Abbas is an Islamabad based HR Generalist working in a middle management position in the country's largest R&D organization. He has been educated at renowned institutes in three different countries.)

Salman Farooq: The most negative aspects are nepotism, lobbying, stereotyping and favoritism, which at some level get into main stream of an organization. The outcome will be more diplomatic approach in organizational affairs and authority revolving around like minded authoritarians. Secondly anyone promoted internally can't bring that vibrant change, which another personnel can bring from other organization with more or even less exposure. As in case of more exposure will be willing to give a positive change whereas personnel with less exposure will give his more efforts and dedication to prove his/her position. Rather than those employees who are familiar and working in a conventional ways.

Essa Jan Allawala: In my opinion internal hiring shall be a preferred choice as it serves 2 important purposes, (a) better commitment by the individual who gets promoted (b) the cost of hiring is not as significant in terms of financial and in terms of time it takes the new individual to get adjusted, however its very necessary to bring employees from outside as well as it sparks fresh competition inside which is healthy plus a rush of new ideas in the organization and prevents stagnation.

Irfan Hashim: There are none. Rather those technical/rare positions which are difficult to find externally must be nourished internally. Internal hirings also provide opportunity to employees of thinking about continuous improvement for growth not only for themselves but for the organization. I'm in full favour of internal hirings. The person being considered for an elevated position in the name of internal hiring shall put in his best to justify the decision made in his favour.

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Syed Ali Asad asked: How can Fresh Graduates with less then one year of experience catch the attention of Recruiters & Head hunters?

Sikander Hussain replies: Fresh graduates and persons with less experience should look for entry level jobs as Management Trainees. That is the best way to enter a well reputed organization. Keep your CV simple and with a picture, you will be noticed if you apply at the right place. I have seen fresh graduates applying for the job for Managers or Deputy Managers. How can one be noticed if he/she does not even know where to apply. Moreover your degree should be from a recognized University,otherwise you will not be short listed. And finally have a nice personality to impress the interviewers first time.

Sadya Siddiqui replies: My advice for new graduates & the downsized is the same- look for opportunities in local companies. It seems everyone is so fixated on the big brand names, that they overlook the opportunities (really good ones) in the local / small / mid-size companies. This is true for graduates of all business schools. For business schools relatively new in the market or relatively unknown, the strategy is get in touch with the alumni. Find out where they are and in what fields. If there is an HR / recruitment manager from your uni , then your chances of being interviewed/hired are higher.

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For feedback, advertising & business opportunities please send emails to nadir.feroz@efrotech.com