Human resources generalists are the “jacks of all trades” in the HR field. Their responsibilities are vast and vary from company to company. HR generalists handle everything from hiring to benefits administration to ensuring compliance with federal, state and local employment laws. A generalist position is a great way to get exposed to various aspects of Human Resources before choosing a specialty, though many people choose to remain generalists with an eye on HR management. No matter what HR career path you are on, use these strategies to make the greatest impact in your generalist role.
“Go into the field and get to know your employees on the front line. Learn about their key performance indicators, learn how they are successful as a team and listen to their description of the company culture, perks and benefits offered. Take special note of the challenges that prevent them from complete control over helping to move the company forward. Being an HR Generalist and a true business partner means you’re willing to take risks to improve the impact you have on the employees!” says Sharon Tsao, Owner and CMO of Contemporary Staffing Solutions.
Become A Master Multitasker
One thing is certain: no matter what size company you work for, you’ll be busy all day, every day as an HR generalist. Not only will your days be packed with meetings, interviews, and various tasks, but you’ll also have to shift gears quickly. You might be giving HR presentations in the morning, then on to candidate selection meetings and then shift gears again for to spend your afternoon submitting compliance reports for the government. You’ll have many balls to up in the air, so it is critical to be able to multitask and stay organized no matter how long your to-do list gets.
Practice Public Speaking
HR generalists spend a lot of time talking. They talk to candidates, they meet with management, they give benefits and policy presentations to staff, and sometimes they have to go out and speak to groups of students or professionals about the organization. If you want to make a great impact, practice your public speaking skills. Focus on speaking with clarity, using the right tone, projecting genuine warmth, developing good posture, and using the right body language.
Hone Your Analytical Skills
HR generalists spend a lot of time reviewing documents and reports to glean meaning from the information presented. This includes everything from legal forms to presentations from companies wanting to offer your company benefits to salary data. Generalists must be able to quickly and accurately pull relevant data from documents and use that information to take action.
Build Your Planning Muscles
HR generalists are relied upon heavily when HR management needs to plan for the future. Because you have a hand in everything, your perspective is important when it comes to budgeting, staffing, benefits planning and strategizing. Future planning is a critical skill to develop if you want to make a big impact as a generalist.
Develop Leadership Skills
Even though you might not be at the top of the HR totem pole, generalists are often called on to lead. You have a lot of autonomy and company leaders, your own managers and even organizational staff look to you as someone with authority in the organization. If you want to move up in your career, take time to hone your leadership skills and develop an effective leadership style.
If you are a talented Human Resources (HR) generalist looking for new opportunities to grow your career, or if you are a business looking for talented professionals for your human resources department, contact the professional recruiters at Contemporary Staffing Solutions today. Our recruiters are experts at matching the right companies with the right people. We look forward to helping you achieve your goals.