It is hard to categorize exactly what job scope is for each PC as it differs from company and many a times it is more seniority and expectations than anything else. But I will list down a few dimensions of a C&B non-managerial role (i.e. 49-59) that determine this wide variance:

1. Geography - Country level, SEA, Asia, APAC, APAC-EMEA etc.
2. Scope - Pensions, general benefits, STI, LTI, benchmarking, JE, Banding etc.
3. Seniority - Analyst where main focus is playing spreadsheets to a more advanced level where emphasis is more on stakeholder engagement
4. Initiative - From task execution to expected to drive complex projects across multiple regions

In terms of smaller MNCs, usually those below USD10 billion turnover & <5,000 FTE worldwide my personal recommendation is to try & avoid those roles. Theoretically there is nothing wrong with starting from a smaller company, but such companies face many constraints:

1. The C&B team is too small. Usually they have like 2-3 C&B person in HQ & maybe 1 guy in each region & little or no C&B knowledge at all in the country level. I've heard stories of peers from such companies running around headlessly receiving no direction from HQ, getting cornered by the line & local BPs while having to deal with all sorts nitty gritty nonsense without support at all because it's a 1-man show.

2. Smaller MNCs usually have very weak knowledge from the line & HRBPs. This means lots of endless phone calls to even educate them on the basics like how to do a pricing, calculate bonus, what does a job grade mean, different types of insurance etc.

3. They usually aren't going to spend too much on vendors, your personal development or software tools. My analyst used to work in a smaller Fortune500 company, he tells me that they actually ration survey participations to every alternate year and once every 3years for countries that have <100 people. He was unable to attend any forum, seminar or networking sessions unless they were free.

4. Try managing expats without Cartus, ECA, Mercer etc. No kidding, it is much easier to manage 10 expats with these vendors then to do it yourself for 1 single expat in a smaller MNC.

Woo.. Sounds like a true HRBP!

Not like me.. Working for almost 5 years in manufacturing company.


I started off with HR admin work that focus on NTS (foreign workers) and only drawing $1600 (dip- consider fresh in HR line)

Now the role "evolved" into so call HRBP.. But seems like generalist more.. Purely on recruitment, contact point for the business units..

Still alot of admin work like wp renewal, projects like OJT program etc..

Position as HR officer.. Drawing only $2400 per month..

And now, new boss is hiring new HR executive with no HR experience that draws more than me...

Probably after graduating my Deg in HRM.. Can jump ship...

Seems like you are just doing an admin job with a fake title of HRBP.

If you really want to move forward in your career, you need to already have a focus on which area you are going to specialize in. Can be BP, Talent, L&D, OD, C&B, HRIS whatever, but just getting a deg & jumping into yet another generalist ops job will not get you anywhere.

The HR field is full of old aunties & uncles who are near retirement holding a 5k "HR Manager/Director" admin job, it's a sad state of affairs.

moral of the story, do not join as hr admin generalist, its a career death sentence like an accountant who start off in a SME instead of big 4

once wrong very hard to recover career wise

Hi, need quick help here.

I am a HR Associate with >3 years experience in a European insurance firm as an assistant to a HRBP.

Due to reorg, company offered a transfer within HR as Resource Planning Associate together with an increment to a basic of 6k. Not very sure about job detail, but base on briefing it is a role that specializes in manpower planning in terms of headcount, budgeting and analyzing of various HR metrics.

I am worried that this role becomes too specialized as base on what I hear from others, there is no similar role in other companies, don’t want to get into a position few years down the road without relevant experience and have to join some generalist position. Anyone have similar experience with similar job scope can share?

do you have other options? 6k is very good for someone who has only 3 years of indirect experience. go for it first and consider other options as they come.

The alternative is to stay in current job, but boss told me prospects are not bright since I am unable to relocate to take up other roles due to personal issues.

My 3+ years experience is not indirect, I am already doing all these things in my current role, just that it now it is less intense & more diversified.

6k is pretty much the standard in my company for all my peers who join the same time as me, so I dont regard the pay as very attractive. I am more concerned about the portability of skills next time if I move into HR in another company.

You can take up the offer unless your interest is in other areas.

If after 1 – 2 years don’t like the job, at least got enough experience to apply for a junior BP opening – nothing to lose. Btw is this your first job after school or you have experience in other industry?

Thanks for the comments.

Yes it's my first job since graduation. I was a graduate trainee, signed up for Marketing, but somehow got allocated to HR instead.

Hi, I'm an NUS male Business grad with 3 years + experience as a recruiter currently working in an agency. I would like to switch to the corporate side to do resourcing. (Recruitment, budgeting for manpower, planning) etc and saw an opening at a government education institution to do so. I am aiming for a junior HRBP role in about 3 years time. Is this a good step? Would anyone be able to advise on the salary range I could be getting compared to a foreign MNC?

Thanks!