New to HR? Don’t Be Afraid of the Unknown

HR is a field of twist and turns in every direction. The number of areas one could specialize in is almost never-ending, and this can become overwhelming for some individuals. Trying to understand the laws, policies, what to do in harassment claims, how to handle your first open enrollment, understanding tax time, and that’s just the surface of our work. There is a lot to learn and a lot of work to put in, but if you really love this career, it’s worth all of it. But how can you learn all of this without stressing yourself?

Get a Mentor

Having a mentor isn’t just about someone to tell you the right steps to take in your career. If they happen to be in the same profession, they can help guide you to vendors that might be beneficial to your company. They also usually have a great network of people who’ve been in your position in the past. People who know who you should talk to solve even the trickiest problems, if they haven’t personally gone through it.

Reach Out

We are no longer in a world where you can’t reach out to people in your profession. You might need to take steps to make sure it’s someone that doesn’t mind helping, but if you’re on the correct social boards, you’ll see who is willing to help and who might not be at this point. Send a quick message informing them of your situation and see if they will/can help.

Be Prepared

Understand that you can, and should, learn something new every day. There is nothing that says you must learn something big every day, it could a new acronym that you didn’t know the meaning behind. Take your time, you’re learning to have a clear understanding, not just to pass. You should always have a notepad and pen handy, especially early on in your career. Sometimes you’re given a piece of information and now, you can to go back and research it.