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Workplace Issues and AdviceThe HR profession

My best and worst decisions: Amanda Harris, head of HR, The Institute of Ismaili Studies

by Personnel Today 16 Apr 2009
by Personnel Today 16 Apr 2009

Best decision

My best career decision was taking an MSc in organisational psychology at Birkbeck, University of London.

I did it part-time while working full-timeand although it made for a very busy two years, it was valuable in terms of enabling me to stand back and have a broader perspective on my work.

It allowed me to be more critical about the work as well, and meant that I was able to adopt a more strategic approach.

I’d been working in an HR management role for about 10 years by that stage, so operationally I knew the job, but in terms of being able to take a more strategic approach, I found that academic inputvery useful.

Another good decision, taken early in my career, was to accept a very busy HR manager role in the NHS.

I think that NHS HR jobs are extraordinarily challenging, but if you are prepared to work hard, they provide a huge amount of scope, and the opportunity to really learn about all aspects of HR.

I took on a job that at first I thought might actually be too big for me, but it proved to be one of the most interesting roles I could have taken at that stage. I learned my trade very quickly in that job.

Worst decision

My worst decision involves always staying too long in jobs. Despite having learned all I need to learn in a job, and knowing that it is time to move on, I always end up staying another year or two.

I’ve never regretted moving on, yet there have been times when I have still been hesitant about going.

I don’t like to be bored in a job – that’s the worst thing, as far as I’m concerned. I don’t mind how busy the job is, but the second that I feel that I’ve done it, and I know it, and I’m bored, it’s time to move on.

As long as you’re learning something new, and are interested and engaged, that’s fine. Otherwise, it’s time to go.

I suppose people also stay longer than they should because of job security and because the role is easy. But that has always been the wrong decision for me.

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