Human resources adviser
You'll help a company hire, develop and manage employees.
Also known as: human resources officer, personnel officer, hr adviser
About the job
What it's like
Human resources advisers help their organisation find and hire the right employees.
As part of your role, you'll organise employee development and training opportunities. If someone is going through a hard time – either professional or personal – you’ll arrange for them to access support and services that can help.
You'll make sure employees have everything they need to perform well at work. It's also your responsibility to make sure everyone understands the workplace culture and receives fair treatment.
If you work for a large organisation, you may specialise in a particular area of human resources. In smaller companies, you'll usually deal with every aspect of the role.
As a human resources adviser, you should be approachable – but you'll sometimes have to be firm. It's vital that you respect people's confidentiality.
Once you've built experience, you could progress into a human resources management role. Some people also move into consultancy and set up their own business.
Your tasks might include:
hiring staff by advertising and interviewing candidates
working alongside managers within the company to plan future staffing needs
keeping employee records and making sure new staff receive the correct pay and benefits
providing staff training and development – you'll also arrange services, such as counselling or employee discount initiatives
developing HR policies and dealing with complaints or disciplinary procedures when they arise
advising colleagues on matters like pay negotiations, redundancy and employment law
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) – explore the professional body for for HR, learning and development
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Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
Finance, law and professional services
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- observation
- empathising
- building relationships
- cooperating
- written communication
- verbal communication
- listening
- attention to detail
- developing a plan
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Business Management
Psychology
Sociology
Foundation Apprenticeship: Business Skills
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
There are many different routes into a career as a human resources adviser.
University
A degree may be helpful for getting into this job. You could study subjects such as:
Human Resource Management
Business and Human Resource Management
Business Management
Business Studies
Psychology
Use the My World of Work course search to find degrees.
College
Getting qualifications at college, such as an HNC or HND, could help you find a job or progress to more advanced study. Useful subjects include:
Human Resource Management
Business
Business Administration
Social Sciences
Administration and IT
Apprenticeships
Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) mean you learn on the job. You get paid and work towards a qualification at the same time. You might want to consider an MA in Business Administration.
Graduate Apprenticeships (GAs) are designed for industry. You'll spend most of your time learning on the job but will also go to university. You'll have a job, get paid and work towards a degree qualification at the same time.
You might want to consider a GA in Business Management.
Work
You can become a human resources adviser by getting an entry-level office job and working your way up through promotions and on-the-job training. For example, you could start your career by working as a
human resources assistant
human resources administrator
recruitment assistant
payroll administrator
customer service adviser
Use the My World of Work job search to find vacancies.
Getting work experience in a relevant role can strengthen your CV and give you something to talk about at job or course interviews. Search for human resources-related opportunities on Volunteer Scotland.
Once you're working, you can study in-person and online qualifications through the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). These could help you take the next step in your human resources career.
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