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Let's be rid of the notion that HR is a profession. It most certainly is NOT. Physicians, lawyers, engineers, pharmacists, scientists, etc are professional people. You don't need any specialized education to work in HR, certainly nothing that will keep you up burning the midnight oil. Few, if anyone, with working experience want anything to do with HR types.
Imagine a highly-educated professional, with an advanced degree and years of experience, having to explain him/herself, and the work they do, to an HR drone, who likely can't get past the "tacky" clothing choices of the applicant, and whether or not they "fit" the corporate image. Too harsh? Maybe, but probably more accurate than not.
Why don't you try living in the real world for a moment.
HR is a profession, staffed by professionals, and some not so professional people. This is no different than any other career field.
It is interesting that you included lawyers as professionals, as many HR leaders ARE lawyers.
Finally, your fictional scenario is a straw man attack. I can make similar scenarios about sales/marketing teams making promises that tech/manufacturing cannot keep, or tech being so involved with producing a perfect product that nothing ever gets to market. There are silly, ignorant stereotypes about every profession out there, and promulgating these does you no credit.
Why don't you try living in the real world for a moment.
HR is a profession, staffed by professionals, and some not so professional people. This is no different than any other career field.
It is interesting that you included lawyers as professionals, as many HR leaders ARE lawyers.
Finally, your fictional scenario is a straw man attack. I can make similar scenarios about sales/marketing teams making promises that tech/manufacturing cannot keep, or tech being so involved with producing a perfect product that nothing ever gets to market. There are silly, ignorant stereotypes about every profession out there, and promulgating these does you no credit.
My world is quite real, and no , HR is not a profession, nor will it ever be.
HR types do not need any type of specialized education, or worry about passing any licensing exam, or even being well-educated in any classic sense of the word. There are no entrance requirements to working in the field---if you're somewhat lucid, and can nod your head, and behave appropriately in public at a minimal level, then you have the makings of an HR stalwart.
OP, I'll answer your other question, but HR is something less than beloved in the working world. It's possible to have a passable experience with HR, but there's no reason to tempt fate if you don't have to...
Not necessarily all, but many do qualify, I think..
I tend to think of professionals as having advanced education, in the form of higher degrees, or having a degree in a very challenging academic field ( as those I mentioned earlier). A high school teacher teaching an complicated subject, explaining both the theoretical and the practical aspects of it, is a pro, too. Someone well-versed in literature and history, or religion and culture, would probably qualify, too. Psychologists and counselors ( guidance, marital,etc) are, too.
In general, they are rightfully not respected. They are given far more authority and credibility than they deserve, their profession as it relates to hiring and performance programs are based on pseudoscience, the people I've met in the professions tend to be unintelligent, rude, two-faced, disorganized/scatter brained, quick to jump to baseless conclusions, quick to embrace fads...
I'm really surprised HR and Special Ed are even considered comparable in terms of repeatability by anyone.
I'd consider somebody who is studying special ed. to be in a far, far more respectable field than HR. HR attempts to serve business management AND employees. Of course, this is impossible and really they only care about saving their own jobs. They are two faced, spineless, and cowards who sit up in offices pushing papers and maligning decent workers. Of course, they're only doing their job. Resolving personnel issues to the greatest advantage of management and business ownership.
Special ed by contrast can be a highly respectable profession. You're helping kids to learn. I don't think anyone would really say it's not important or respected work. It might be underpaid. But respected? As much as teachers are, and I think they get a fair amount of respect in society.
Our HR group recently messed up big time. They accidentally dropped everyone from the health and dental plan, right after the enrollment period, and had to send out a message to the entire company admitting they did it, and that everyone was being manually re enrolled. This is a company with thousands of employees. So embarrassing.
My dentist recently called to say my dental insurance had rejected a bill because I was "no longer enrolled", and it took me several emails with these HR fools to get them to admit that it was their fault. They were so catty and evasive. I'll never trust them again.
My world is quite real, and no , HR is not a profession, nor will it ever be.
HR types do not need any type of specialized education, or worry about passing any licensing exam, or even being well-educated in any classic sense of the word. There are no entrance requirements to working in the field---if you're somewhat lucid, and can nod your head, and behave appropriately in public at a minimal level, then you have the makings of an HR stalwart.
OP, I'll answer your other question, but HR is something less than beloved in the working world. It's possible to have a passable experience with HR, but there's no reason to tempt fate if you don't have to...
I think you are generalizing an entire field here. I know plenty of people that work in 'HR' on the human capital side that have PhDs. Their education included advanced calculus, linear algebra, and essentially the equivalent of a masters degree in statistics.
Any profession that deals with the people side of the business is typically HR, which means people with PhDs in ORg. Behavior, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, etc. will fall under 'HR'.
Hell I have an I/O PhD and am now a data scientist working in the tech industry. I can assure you my education in measurement and statistics is as good if/not better than many of the people I work with.
In my experience programming is much more easily self-taught than understanding the nuances of the philosophy of measurement and the appropriate methodologies for a given analysis.
Let's also not forget HR can pay well too. When I was in a role that fell under HR On a cost of living adjusted basis I made about 75% more than MSChemist and I am younger than him so perhaps that's where some of the bitterness comes from.
I think you are generalizing an entire field here. I know plenty of people that work in 'HR' on the human capital side that have PhDs. Their education included advanced calculus, linear algebra, and essentially the equivalent of a masters degree in statistics.
Any profession that deals with the people side of the business is typically HR, which means people with PhDs in ORg. Behavior, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, etc. will fall under 'HR'.
Hell I have an I/O PhD and am now a data scientist working in the tech industry. I can assure you my education in measurement and statistics is as good if/not better than many of the people I work with.
In my experience programming is much more easily self-taught than understanding the nuances of the philosophy of measurement and the appropriate methodologies for a given analysis.
Let's also not forget HR can pay well too. When I was in a role that fell under HR On a cost of living adjusted basis I made about 75% more than MSChemist and I am younger than him so perhaps that's where some of the bitterness comes from.
The fact that you actually sat down, and calculated your net worth, and compared it to another City-Data poster based upon "cost-of-living" adjustments, says all you need to know about HR types.
You just confirmed all the worst stereotypes that people may have about Human Resources. Thanks.
Let's also not forget HR can pay well too. When I was in a role that fell under HR On a cost of living adjusted basis I made about 75% more than MSChemist and I am younger than him so perhaps that's where some of the bitterness comes from.
I don't care about that. I don't care for psychology, head-games, nor pseudoscience like many people who just want to go to work, do a good job and go home. Anyone who inflicts that stuff on people is going to be widely despised. You could not pay me enough money to spend all day hurling junk science on people. Like I said, I had to sit trough an all morning Korn Ferry HR lecture and it made me want to hurl.
I don't care about that. I don't care for psychology, head-games, nor pseudoscience like many people who just want to go to work, do a good job and go home. Anyone who inflicts that stuff on people is going to be widely despised. You could not pay me enough money to spend all day hurling junk science on people. Like I said, I had to sit trough an all morning Korn Ferry HR lecture and it made me want to hurl.
looks like these "professionals" have a really really bad rep! yikes
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so perhaps that's where some of the bitterness comes from.
