Keys to Success for Entry Level HR Pros

If you were asked to offer a piece of advice to entry-level HR professionals, what would you say?

Would you talk about saying "yes" to anything that comes your way? Would you tell them to actively listen, ask questions like crazy and understand why before recommending a change? How about learning the business of the business? Would joining a local SHRM chapter and networking like mad make your list?

Well, I was asked this very question by Ben Eubanks, Mr. Upstart HR. He is developing the "ultimate guide" for entry level HR professionals as a resource to help those who are just stepping into (or thinking about stepping into) our profession and was seeking tidbits of advice.

My tidbit is this:

Don't be lulled into believing your education ends with your degree. Your education is just beginning. No one HR gig will expose you to the full realm of HR so study for your Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification from the Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI) as soon as you are eligible to understand the full context within which you are operating. In HR From the Outside In, the authors note, "The domain in which HR tends to be the weakest is in understanding and applying technology to build HR efficiency, to leverage social networking, and to manage the flow of strategic information." Dig into HR technology and be the advocate and educator for your organization.

Wondering what others had to say? Well, wonder no more. Check out the Entry Level HR Jobs Ultimate Guide for info on places to find jobs, job descriptions, salary Ranges,career resources and more tips from the pros. Enjoy!

What piece of advice would you add?

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Top 20 HR Mentors for Students

It all started with a conference and some construction.

There I was, making my way through Minneapolis construction to the 1st ever MN Bloggers Conference and I met Josh Braaten holding up a sign directing attendees to the parking lot.

One thing lead to another and Josh unofficially became my official Big Picture Web Squarespace connection.

Josh introduced me to Grant Tilus via an offer to guest post and Grant developed this list of Top 20 Mentors for Students to Learn from on Twitter.

It starts off like this:

"As a student studying to become a human resources professional it is important to realize that not everything can be learned within a classroom.  In order to help you bridge experience gap prior to graduation we’ve put together a list of the top 20 HR mentors for students to learn from on Twitter. This list of human resource professionals will help you learn and understand current HR related issues while further preparing you for a successful career within the human resources field."

Got your interest? It should. There is a ton of experience on that list. Check out the entire list here.

Not any one list can capture the greatness so who would you like to add as a resource for students aka the future of HR? I'll start with Steve Brown, @sbrownehr.

Your turn!