HR-related Jobs - How much are you earning?

Hi, thanks greatly for the input.

I am also a business studies graduate from SIM and thinking of joining HR. I am quite realistic of my expectation and know for sure with just a SIM degree (2nd upper), no chance for a HR specialist opening right away, so my thinking is also to join HR generalist admin department first and work my way up to the specialist roles.

My current interest base on all the knowledge shared is business partnering or compensation benefits. What are the steps I can take to steer my career towards this 2 specialist side once I join as the admin side? Are there any certs or important experience I must get before I can move to BP or C&B?

Also in terms of pay what is roughly the difference between a BP/C&B and normal HR Admin Manager after 8-10 years of working?

Originally Posted by gina

Here’s my 2c.

First off, I don't think character traits are all that important, it really depends on the situation. Sometimes being aggressive and smooth talker works, sometimes it doesn’t. Just be yourself, no need to act out a character that you think the employer is looking for.

For a freshie to start off in HR, the first important thing is actually academics. Ideally your chances will be higher if you get at least a FC honors from the 3 local uni or even better oversees institutions. The reason is because if you want to jump into HR straight away, the 2 most common ways are very competitive – 1) Join a reputable HR management consultancy or 2) Join a global MNC management associate program for a HR opening. Base on my observation anyone with less than first class in the 3 local uni is at disadvantage.

The other slower way to do it is to first join operational or general administrative jobs first and slow gain experience and move your career towards HR. These jobs are much more common in job ads & portals like “HR Executive” “HR Generalist” “Operations HR” etc. But the danger from this way is like people who join banking back office hoping to leap to investment banking, it seldom happens and there is a high chance you end up trapped in some crappy job.

As for the HR PSD job, I suggest you not waste your time if you do not have a FC honors + Deans list in a local university. Such PSD jobs are future training grounds in the public sector to select candidates for mid-career AO (i.e. scholar elite) program. If your academics is average or above average, totally no chance of taking a shot. This is open secret within civil service.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hi, thanks greatly for the input.

I am also a business studies graduate from SIM and thinking of joining HR. I am quite realistic of my expectation and know for sure with just a SIM degree (2nd upper), no chance for a HR specialist opening right away, so my thinking is also to join HR generalist admin department first and work my way up to the specialist roles.

My current interest base on all the knowledge shared is business partnering or compensation benefits. What are the steps I can take to steer my career towards this 2 specialist side once I join as the admin side? Are there any certs or important experience I must get before I can move to BP or C&B?

Also in terms of pay what is roughly the difference between a BP/C&B and normal HR Admin Manager after 8-10 years of working?

maybe can take up some post deg cert with SHRI? but then i heard its a defunct hr association for oldie clerks and administrators to get together, so not sure how recognise it is

Originally Posted by gina

Here’s my 2c.

First off, I don't think character traits are all that important, it really depends on the situation. Sometimes being aggressive and smooth talker works, sometimes it doesn’t. Just be yourself, no need to act out a character that you think the employer is looking for.

As for the HR PSD job, I suggest you not waste your time if you do not have a FC honors + Deans list in a local university. Such PSD jobs are future training grounds in the public sector to select candidates for mid-career AO (i.e. scholar elite) program. If your academics is average or above average, totally no chance of taking a shot. This is open secret within civil service.

I wanted to assess if my character was suitable for those HR roles as I'm not the aggressive or competitive type. If the role requires it, I wouldn't be able to succeed in such a role then.

Hmmm.... saying if one is able to get into HR PSD. As a non-scholar, the opportunities are very limited and one has not much career progression while all the scholars move ahead. Would it then be possible to move to outside HR specialist roles after a few years of experience? Would the experience in PSD be relevant to an outside HR specialist role? Or it is more of policymaking and thus not-so-relevant?

Thanks for the response!

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I wanted to assess if my character was suitable for those HR roles as I'm not the aggressive or competitive type. If the role requires it, I wouldn't be able to succeed in such a role then.

Hmmm.... saying if one is able to get into HR PSD. As a non-scholar, the opportunities are very limited and one has not much career progression while all the scholars move ahead. Would it then be possible to move to outside HR specialist roles after a few years of experience? Would the experience in PSD be relevant to an outside HR specialist role? Or it is more of policymaking and thus not-so-relevant?

Thanks for the response!

Can you elaborate what you mean by you are not the competitive type? Because honestly speaking, HR specialist is a highly paid but brutal career track, if you do not want the stress and prefer a more laid back approach to your career, perhaps you should take up administrative generalist roles instead. Competition, hardwork and relentless drive to excel is sort of a given especially in areas like business partnering, recruitment and compensation. HR specialist are a bit like the front office of banks. Companies do not pay big bucks for nothing.

There's no point in hypothesizing about "IF" you can get into HR PSD specialist route as a non-scholar because the short answer is you can't. PSD support functional roles are either scholars or people who have very strong academics who PSD sees having the potential to sponsor their further education in world class overseas universities. They don't state it in their recruitment ads because it is considered elitist and not in good form, but everyone in public sector kind of knows that. The only HR jobs PSD opens to non-academic types are operational ones which have as much value as joining any private company as a HR generalist.

My advice is you need to be honest to yourself and think about what sort of career and work life balance is more suitable for you and make a realistic choice. If you want to compete at levels that pay far beyond average careers, you need to put in 100% effort to survive the jungle. If you cannot / don't want, better not venture there in the first place.

Originally Posted by gina

Can you elaborate what you mean by you are not the competitive type? Competition, hardwork and relentless drive to excel is sort of a given especially in areas like business partnering, recruitment and compensation.

There's no point in hypothesizing about "IF" you can get into HR PSD specialist route as a non-scholar because the short answer is you can't. PSD support functional roles are either scholars or people who have very strong academics who PSD sees having the potential to sponsor their further education in world class overseas universities. They don't state it in their recruitment ads because it is considered elitist and not in good form, but everyone in public sector kind of knows that. The only HR jobs PSD opens to non-academic types are operational ones which have as much value as joining any private company as a HR generalist.

My advice is you need to be honest to yourself and think about what sort of career and work life balance is more suitable for you and make a realistic choice. If you want to compete at levels that pay far beyond average careers, you need to put in 100% effort to survive the jungle. If you cannot / don't want, better not venture there in the first place.

Hi Gina, thanks for the reply.

With regards competitiveness, I remember back in University, when we were doing a group project, one group had its members reserve a recommended reference text one after another such that the book would only be available to others at the end of the module! I found that competitive and extremely distasteful. There was no need to resort to that kind of inconsiderate and selfish behaviour. Competition in that sense brings out the worst in people. It's not that I can't do the same, but I don't want to need to stoop to that level. With regards to relentless hard work, I have no issues with that. I am more concerned about fair play. I had a circle of friend where we studied together and worked hard together and we all did well. We supported one another and all did well in uni. If the roles for HR specialist requires people to resort to dirty tricks, I may not be a good candidate or I may feel worn out constantly defending against other people instead of trusting people (yes I'm quite trusting with people). Thus I asked if there is a specific personality type more inclined to work as a HR specialist.

I do have a 1st class and Dean's list from one of the 3 local Us, as you mentioned earlier. I didn't take a scholarship though.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hi Gina, thanks for the reply.

With regards competitiveness, I remember back in University, when we were doing a group project, one group had its members reserve a recommended reference text one after another such that the book would only be available to others at the end of the module! I found that competitive and extremely distasteful. There was no need to resort to that kind of inconsiderate and selfish behaviour. Competition in that sense brings out the worst in people. It's not that I can't do the same, but I don't want to need to stoop to that level. With regards to relentless hard work, I have no issues with that. I am more concerned about fair play. I had a circle of friend where we studied together and worked hard together and we all did well. We supported one another and all did well in uni. If the roles for HR specialist requires people to resort to dirty tricks, I may not be a good candidate or I may feel worn out constantly defending against other people instead of trusting people (yes I'm quite trusting with people). Thus I asked if there is a specific personality type more inclined to work as a HR specialist.

I do have a 1st class and Dean's list from one of the 3 local Us, as you mentioned earlier. I didn't take a scholarship though.

Maybe it was not referring to dirty tactics, maybe she was referring to "legitimate" means to obtain whatever it is you need to obtain. In this day and age, people are fcuk in the brains. if you do not know how to play along, you will lose out and be eliminated.

The survivors are those who know how to play the game and yet know how to stay true to oneself, be honest and truthful. They only act this way to survive, and not a complete change in personality of beliefs or character.

if you want to go for big money and climb the corporate ladder be prepare for office politics and backstabbing when lots of money is at stake.

want to play nice trust people go join a charity or NGO.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hi Gina, thanks for the reply.

With regards competitiveness, I remember back in University, when we were doing a group project, one group had its members reserve a recommended reference text one after another such that the book would only be available to others at the end of the module! I found that competitive and extremely distasteful. There was no need to resort to that kind of inconsiderate and selfish behaviour. Competition in that sense brings out the worst in people. It's not that I can't do the same, but I don't want to need to stoop to that level. With regards to relentless hard work, I have no issues with that. I am more concerned about fair play. I had a circle of friend where we studied together and worked hard together and we all did well. We supported one another and all did well in uni. If the roles for HR specialist requires people to resort to dirty tricks, I may not be a good candidate or I may feel worn out constantly defending against other people instead of trusting people (yes I'm quite trusting with people). Thus I asked if there is a specific personality type more inclined to work as a HR specialist.

I do have a 1st class and Dean's list from one of the 3 local Us, as you mentioned earlier. I didn't take a scholarship though.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hmmm.... saying if one is able to get into HR PSD. As a non-scholar, the opportunities are very limited and one has not much career progression while all the scholars move ahead. Would it then be possible to move to outside HR specialist roles after a few years of experience? Would the experience in PSD be relevant to an outside HR specialist role? Or it is more of policymaking and thus not-so-relevant?

Thanks for the response!

Hmm..... does anyone have an answer for this?

Thanks!

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hmm..... does anyone have an answer for this?

Thanks!

No use in short. Pte sector is reluctant to hire people who spend >3 years in civil service due to difference in culture and work pace.

[SG_User]

what are the skills needed if one wants to work in a HR job