The Work Clinic

I've been working for a large company for 15 years and started as a secretary/desktop publisher on the trading floor.

Eight years later, due to internal changes, I had the opportunity to alter career paths and moved internally to the divisional HR team, where I was first promoted to analyst and 18 months later to associate.

Eighteen months into my generalist role, and coinciding with economic downturn, the firm had a major restructure of the HR function (40-45% of the division took voluntary redundancy) and I lost my boss and mentor, as he had 10 years HR experience.

The person I ended up working with for two-and-a-half years didn't really want me there other than because I was "useful" to begin with. She tried to fire me on the basis of underperformance rather than personal dislike. However, I did so well that she couldn't go ahead with her plans.

The HR division went through another restructure and it was announced in our team that one person would go. Given my boss disliked me so much, it could only be me.

• One of the business managers (that I had known for five years) offered to help me in the shape of transferring to his business unit in a support role that
• I moved on a "trust" basis, knowing that while it wasn't ideal then, it was going to be developed.
• The role was not developed and I am in the unusual position that as an associate I have ended up doing work that is commensurate with secretarial work: co-ordinating meetings, booking rooms, flights, and coffees for visitors.

When I first voiced my frustrations I was told that changes were going to take place. They did not. My salary has not changed (it hasn't gone up since 2004) and my year-end bonus has suffered in spite of having had a top quartile performance review in 2006. The hiring manager knew he was hiring an associate level employee, not a secretary.

I continued to pursue professional/skill development and gained the Investment Management Certificate in 2006. I then applied for an internal role but after nine interviews over a period of four to five weeks, I was told that in spite of having gained the IMC, "I did not have enough product knowledge" for the role.

So when three or four months later they offered a similar role to the one I've applied for to someone internal who has only done secretarial work for three to four years in the firm and did not have the IMC qualification, I requested clarification that was not forthcoming, and when I requested to see feedback from my interviews they "collated" it. There seems to be a breach of the terms and conditions of my level of employment (professional v secretary) and perhaps a bit of ageism... I am over 40.

• I have since visited a few external HR recruitment consultants who find me "professional", "presentable", "marketable" and "more than capable", but though I have a considerable range of transferable skills and experience I have not managed to secure a single interview.
• I have enough experience as front office generalist and unusual degree of general business knowledge for someone in HR
• I would really like to get back into HR as a generalist and clearly finish my business management degree as I think that in addition to the Investment Management Certificate, it gives me a unique business/commercial edge in the world of HR.

How do I go about finding another role in HR and convince these seemingly strategic but tangibly shortsighted HR professionals (clearly I won't say that to them) that are influencing today's business managers that the experience and skills I have are, indeed, transferable?"

Anon

Jo Causon:

With the extent of your experience and the wider business knowledge you have clearly developed, it is worth taking a step back and reflecting over your next move. You mention that you have visited HR recruitment consultants to see what the job market is like, but perhaps you could take discussions with them slightly further and talk about long-term options. The importance of having a career plan cannot be overstressed; it's a useful monitoring tool giving you a realistic picture of your progress and the wider options available to you. So spend some time working out this plan to maximise your talents, skills and experience.

If you decide that HR is the route you wish to pursue, you are absolutely right to continue your professional development. You state that one issue holding you back may be a lack of specialist knowledge, so consider developing your expertise in some specific areas. After all, undertaking external study is one way to demonstrate to potential employers that you are committed to the issue and it could open doors to employers in that sector.

Also, take some time to consider the wider skills and competencies you have developed. In today's dynamic business environment, the ability to transfer skills across sectors is critical to long-term career opportunities and, indeed, portability of talent is something that employers are looking for in increasing numbers.

Nick Holley, Nick Holley Associates: (people and performance consultancy)

While I cannot comment on the individual case without hearing both sides of the story it does raise an important issue. How important is commercial acumen in being an effective HR professional?

For what it’s worth I believe that good HR people have three key traits:

• They intuitively get the business agenda
• They are willing to challenge
• Finally they are consummate HR professionals

All of these matter but I feel commercial acumen is the real differentiator. It ensures we focus on what makes a difference to the business not on selling HR solutions to problems the business doesn’t even have.

The challenge for HR is how to attract people who already have this commercial sense as it’s tough to develop it from scratch. It’s too late learning it once you’re an HR director. It needs to come naturally.

Does HR need to take more risks and hire and then value people with line experience recognising it’s a challenge to develop their HR professionalism? Sometimes they can be a challenge for us but isn’t this what we need? Perhaps we can learn from as much them about being commercial as they can from us about the craft of HR.

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