5 Skills You Need to Boost Your HR Career

I attended Human Resource (HR) Conference over the weekend and something that the guest speaker, Anna, talked about really caught my attention.

“For those already in HR, or if you’re thinking of moving into the field, there is never been a better time to increase your skills and make your next career move. If you want to become more visible in your organization, secure a promotion, or gain leadership experience, the most proactive way is for you to find a skillset that can advance your HR career.” She said.

Yes, talent acquisition is a discipline that requires practical training necessary to build the skills that business executives are looking for. HR practitioners who have a deeper knowledge of relevant areas and more practical skills generate more opportunities in the corporate world.

Here are the fundamental skills shared by Anna that every HR personnel must have.

1. Communication skills

The most frequently mentioned skill in HR job openings is communication skills. Communication is essential in Human Resource Management, as the HR professional is the link between the business and the employee. On the one hand, you are an activist for employees, and on the other hand, you represent the employer.

This requires great communication skills. You will be communicating with different stakeholders, and at different levels of authority and influence. How you communicate with the CEO of your company and with junior staff would be very different.

2. Recruitment and selection

Another often-mentioned HR skill involves recruitment and selection. Many HR professional courses in Kenya emphasize this.

Finding qualified candidates, selecting the best, and exploring if there’s a match between the candidate, the company, and the manager is one of the most important HR tasks.

A substantial part of recruitment and selection is interviewing candidates. One of the competencies of an HR manager is ensuring that the recruitment and selection process is fair.

3. Critical thinking

Critical thinking is the ability to critically analyze evidence, facts, and observations and come to a solution. It helps steer clear of stereotypes, judgments, and partialities in the workplace.

When you learn to think critically, you will approach problems methodically, with the highest quality of fair-mindedness and analysis.

4. Emotional intelligence (EI)

Now, this is one of the HR core competencies that has gained popularity in the recent past. It is defined as the ability to control, understand, manage, and showcase emotions correctly.

Emotional intelligence is a competency that is valued during high-pressure situations. So, what can you achieve with the right levels of EI at the workplace? You can resolve conflicts better, encourage and motivate others, prevent personal emotions from affecting workplace relationships etc.

5. Performance management

Performance management is defined as how a company involves its employees in improving effectiveness toward the accomplishment of company goals.

The tasks under this include: setting expectations for employees, monitoring performance, developing their capacity to perform, and rating performance. This skill relies heavily on strong communication and interpersonal abilities.

Are your HR job skills up to par?

Stay at the top of your performance by continually seeking to improve your HR skills through practical training in HR. This will equip you to lead your HR department, and organization, to excellence.