Human Resources

It is important to understand that employers hire people, not degrees. The skills and knowledge you develop as a result of your education, as well as in your work and community activities, have the greatest impact on hiring decisions. Listed below are some key skills and knowledge you will acquire as a result of your university education and your focus on  Human Resources.

Specific Knowledge Skills
Valuable Transferable Skills
Some Career Options for Human Resources
Websites

Specific Knowledge Skills

• Ability to understand principles of planning, organizing, controlling and evaluating the operations of human resources within an organizational setting
• Awareness of the key components of and interdependencies among human resource policy and decision making including financial, operational, employee relations, unionization, employment branding and organizational cultural impacts
• Understanding of current and emerging labour market trends and issues, legislative policy and employment standards components at a local, national and global level
• Knowledge of strategic human resource planning, including aspects of employee attraction, retention, evaluation, training and development
• The ability to describe and interpret human resource and labour relations policy, changes and decisions to a variety of internal and external audiences
• Skills to research and assess information and data related to occupational classifications, job descriptions, salary scales and competency appraisal measures and systems
• Ability to administer staffing, total compensation, training and career development, employee assistance, employment equity and diversity training programs
• Skills to assess and recommend the appropriate allocation and distribution of resources, finances, materials and personnel based on an analysis of resources and calculation of probability
• Knowledge of the budgeting process and the ability to understand and interpret financial information in relation to human resource strategies
• Skills to conduct quantitative/qualitative analysis of information/data to forecast labour market and industry-specific trends and make plans

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Valuable Transferable Skills

Information-gathering and Communication Skills

• The skills required to identify and access a wide range of relevant information and resources
• The ability to compile and organize facts and information and to comprehend and apply new and/or unfamiliar information to different situations and settings
• Skills in preparing interesting, creative and informative presentations which target diverse audiences
• The ability to develop effective reports, presentations and materials using current technology

Thinking, Planning and Organizational Skills

• The ability to learn, understand and interpret information and apply knowledge to new situations
• The ability to set priorities, meet deadlines and effectively plan/manage time, data and resources
• Problem-solving skills and the ability to make well-reasoned decisions, think creatively and search for, identify and consider all sides of an issue
• Skills to effectively analyze and interpret a wide range of information and data to discuss, support and/or reject ideas, opinions, reports, theories and proposals

 
Teamwork and Management Skills

• Skills enabling you to work effectively as part of a team by identifying your role and contributing, through leading, teaching, motivating and/or encouraging others, to the objectives of the team
• An understanding of how to successfully identify, plan and contribute to the goals of a team/project
• The ability to oversee, supervise and/or contribute to a project from beginning to end including determining outcomes, planning details, making decisions, assigning roles and completing tasks

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Some Career Options for Human Resources

(Additional education, training or experience may be required)

Human Resource - Generalist
Generalists in human resources often plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the operations of human resources and personnel departments, and develop and implement policies, programs and procedures regarding human resource planning, recruitment, collective bargaining, training and development, occupational classification, and pay and benefit administration. They represent management and participate actively on various joint committees to maintain ongoing relations between management and employees.
Human resource managers are employed throughout the private and public sectors.

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Human Resource - Specialist
Specialists in human resources develop, implement and evaluate human resources and labour relations policies, programs and procedures and advise managers and employers on personnel matters. Specialists in human resources are employed throughout the private and public sectors, or they may be self-employed.

For more career options and job descriptions, visit the following sites:

Career Cruising - www.careercruising.com. Please contact the Career Centre at 519.884.0710 ext. 4495 or careercentre@wlu.ca for the username and password.
Career Insider (Vault) - Access through the library website at www.wlu.ca/library. Click ’Find Articles and More’, click ’Databases by Title (A-Z)’ and then ’C’ - Career Insider (Vault). You need to access this resource from a Laurier computer or through the library’s remote access service.
National Occupational Classification - www.hrsdc.gc.ca/noc  

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Websites

Human Resources Professionals Association 
International Association of Business Communicators 
Canadian Council of Human Resources Associations
Society for Human Resource Management
Human Resources Professionals Association - Grand Valley Chapter 
American Society for Training and Development

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Professional Designation and Laurier Course Equivalency List*

• Certified Human Resource Professional (CHRP)

*check http://vdev.hrpao.org/schoolsearch/school_search.asp for a complete listing of course equivalency requirements

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