I'm planning a career change from Engineering to HR within the next 6 months and want to get some idea on how much different position titles will affect how I'm viewed to potential employers I start sending out my resume.
Right now I'm enrolled in a HR certificate program through Duke University and have a B.A. from the University of Washington.
In my current role, I'm a field engineer for a defense contractor - I hate traveling and being away from home 3-4 nights a week, my co-workers are insufferable, and I have no chance of being promoted within the next 3-5 years. Long story short, I needed a job after I got out and took the first one offered to me.
After attending a few job fairs, reaching out to HR professionals on Linkedin and speaking to a few of my former colleagues, I realize that I'm in the wrong field and HR is where my professional interest lay.
Prior to leaving the service I held a variety of roles (often concurrently) including:
• Senior Enlisted Leader - Senior Enlisted Leaders (SELs) represent their commander, communicating the commander's goals and direction for the command to the enlisted workforce, while simultaneously representing the enlisted personnel's views and concerns to the commander. They enhance communication and foster a better understanding of the needs and viewpoints of all members of the Navy family. By advising, consulting, and participating in the senior leadership team, SELs play an important role in the continuous improvement of the command. SELs advise ALL Navy members on personnel policies, programs, ideas, and opportunities pertinent to their well-being, allowing them to focus on performing their mission and enhancing their careers. SELs report directly to their commanders and keep the chain of command aware and informed of sensitive and current issues whenever appropriate. One of the greatest values a SEL brings to the command is their relationship/understanding of the enlisted workforce. To remain credible and to prevent gaps from growing in these critical relationships, SELs must spend as much time visiting and communicating with command personnel as possible. Based on my research this is along the lines of a H.R. Manager / Employee Relations Role
• Career Counselor - Help Sailors put their experiences in motion and in making wise career decisions. They help Sailors explore and evaluate their education, training, work history, interest, personal traits, and physical capacities and limitations. They work with Sailors in developing skills and assist them in applying proper job placement. They arrange aptitude and achievement tests and feedback and career guidance. They provide second career counseling for Sailors who are transitioning or retiring.
• Training Specialist/ Training Manager - Responsible for strategic planning, planning for new training, and coordinating facilities, budget and personnel to conduct training. Training managers demonstrate knowledge of content development in the Integrated Learning Environment. Duties include preparing and reviewing training documents. Perform evaluation management that includes monitoring internal and external evaluation programs, determining need for and conducting course/content reviews, analyzing training quality data, and conducting human performance analysis.
• Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist/ Command Climate Specialist - Equal Opportunity Advisors serve as the Navy's trained experts on Equal Opportunity (EO) issues and policies to commanders. They provide briefings on all aspects of EO; facilitate various seminars and workshops; conduct EO inspections of subordinate discrimination and sexual harassment complaints; provide guidance and training to Command Managed Equal Opportunity (CMEO) Managers; and participate in EO meetings, conferences and seminars.
• Command Sponsor and Indoctrination Program Coordinator - Outreach program for new personnel prior to arrival to organization, answers questions and provides info about new assignment and duty station. Assists in setting up lodging and accommodations for families prior to arrival. Serves as primary point of contact for personnel/ performance issues for first few months at new command.
• Navy Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Specialist - Drug and Alcohol Counselors conduct screening and assessment interviews, develop treatment and continue care plans, conduct individual and group counseling, maintain progress notes, prepare summary reports, provide crisis intervention, referrals, consultations, and educational services including prevention and outreach related to drug and alcohol counseling.
< Full disclosure: These position descriptions are straight off a Navy website>
How do I showcase my roles? Do I break them out individually or do I lump them together?
Will I look like an undesirable candidate if I change career fields (Engineering - H.R.) and if so how can I overcome those challenges?
I'm currently studying for the PHR and noticed that my only weakness (lack of experience) is in compensation and benefits, what web resources/ books/ blogs should I be reading to brush up on this area of knowledge?
Thanks!
Answers
Your background applies very well to an HR role. As you note, some of what you've done is a lot like an HR manager or Employee Relations specialist. Your engineering background will be especially valuable for a company with technical products and services. You may find a role in recruiting, as others have noted, but I see your background also being very valuable in an internal role, interfacing with employees. My first degree was in engineering and I always found it very helpful in the HR work I did during my career with technical companies.
I suggest that you target larger companies where your initial job scope might be narrower and give you a chance to learn the things you have not yet mastered. Smaller companies will look for generalists who already have a broad HR background (because there are fewer HR people, each has to do more different things) and you are not there yet.
You might find the comp and benefits area especially interesting, as it can be quite quantitative and analytical, and your engineering background gives you the tools you need to succeed here.
Based on your professional background, I don't think this is too big a leap at all. Rather, it sounds like you're getting back to your roots in terms of your own skills and experience. You might think about looking for HR roles which take advantage of your technical background from your most recent job. This could be something like contract recruiting, or building critical technology teams.
You've got some great answers here, John. I'll just add a little encouragement. In my first job out of college, I reported up to a VP of HR who had been an engineer. And now, 30 years later, I find myself having followed a winding path through academic administration and economic development to what is basically HR. It happens, and if the work satisfies you, you absolutely can do it!
Thanks for the feedback. I definitely received some perspective on what industries I should be targeting and how to best market my skills to potential employers.
In your search for HR employment consider technical service firms as well. Some of those companies are huge and have offices worldwide. Pick where you want to live and secure a position in that office. It is mostly a sales position, but putting the right person in the right position at the right time can be very $$ rewarding.
Check out CE Weekly for the largest of these companies: http://www.cjhunter.com/
Good Luck
I agree with the other posters. Jessica makes a good point that someone with your background could be valuable as a recruiter, especially in a firm that is looking to hire people with engineering backgrounds similar to yours. And to John's point, I think he is correct that the salary expectations may not be as high -- but it sounds like you have thought it through and you are not happy in the field engineer role. Good luck!
I agree 100% with Behzad. There are a number of engineering companies that typically look for someone with engineering experience to fill other internal roles. For example, my former employer (Randstad on-site at Bose) would always hire recruiters that came from the field for which they would recruit. Being able to speak their language is something that many outside of HR would embrace in their HR rep.
You would be a great asset for industrial companies such as United Technologies, Eaton, GE, Boeing and many others which constantly recruit a great number of engineers. The engineering manager would love to have a HR person that actually understand something about the background of the person that s/he is trying to recruit. Good Luck!:-)
Hi John. Based on your background it does not sound like a big leap. I would strongly recommend that you start networking NOW! Start conducting some informational interviews with companies that interest you. Take full advantage of resources like LinkedIn, alumni from your degree programs. Before you conduct your interviews and set up your network, identify areas within HR that appeal to you and be able to articulate why the change and what you bring to the table. I would not start sending resumes until you have done your research and established your network. Otherwise your resume will wind up in a pile with everyone else's. When you do send your resume make sure you tailor it to each position and make sure it reflect accomplishments and not tasks.
Good luck.
Jim
Too big a leap? Maybe not, but too big a pay cut.
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