by Aoife O’Donovan, HR Recruitment Consultant at Brightwater
Human Resources is fast becoming one of the in-demand job sectors in Ireland. Our HR recruitment desk has doubled in the last year and forecasts in the HR jobs market look hugely positive and continues to attract talent at all levels. Salaries have increased in junior roles for HR by 8%, while more senior level salaries have risen by between 5% – 10% over the past 2 years. All in all, great news!
Starting off, HR graduates could begin at Recruitment Coordinator level on a salary of €25,000 – €30,000. Typically 2 years’ of experience is gained at this level followed by progression to HR Administrator, where salaries rise to €30,000 – €35,000. Junior HR Generalists earn between €35,000 rising to €55,000 after a few years’ experience. As individuals gain more and more experience in a HR department there is the option to progress to Manager and in some cases, Director positions which can command generous salaries along with bonus and benefits.
In terms of qualifications for HR – CIPD is essential, it really helps a prospective employee stand out to employers. Working on your CIPD qualification during your undergraduate studies ensures graduates are in the best position possible. From our own perspective, the current market for candidates is getting more and more competitive. Candidates are plentiful in the HR field so prospective employees need to stand out from the crowd with additional qualifications. HR internships are certainly a great way to start in the field. Gain as much experience as absolutely possible, it’s important to remember you need to start somewhere, once you prove yourself, work hard and stand out there is so much room for progression to Generalist/HR Business Partner level.
A career in HR is brilliant for anyone who enjoys dealing with people, problem solving, has great listening and communication skills, high levels of emotional intelligence, organised with great time management skills. I recently attended the Ibec HR Leadership Summit along with Brightwater Partner Orla Brennan, during the conference Freek Vermeulen, professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the London Business School highlighted the importance of these skills and how they can affect the whole business positively. Maeve McElwee, Director of Employer Relations with Ibec discussed the importance of HR in an organisation in terms of areas such as. These skill sets really help potential employees stand out to organisations collective bargaining, employee engagement, rewards and recognition and their impact on an organisation.
Overall the future for HR looks bright, especially with so many organisations developing the department to attract and retain the best talent!
