Any one work in HR?

[Redhothoochycoocher]

tldr: I've got cipd level 3. I work in HR. Should I now do level 5 or level 7?

I posted a year ago when I was leaving teaching and got some really good advice about starting a career in HR. I've now completed the Foundation certificate and I've been working as an HR Officer. I'm thinking about next steps. A friend who is an HR manager has recommended skipping the level 5 course and going straight for level 7. I've got a good degree and strong professional experience already so I'm keen to not waste time studying level 5 if I don't need it but equally I don't want to be over qualified given that my specific HR experience is relatively short.

Are you self funding? If so, it could make sense to hop straight to L7. If work is funding, L5 will be more appropriate/ relatable for your role. L7 is more strategic and aimed at HRDs/ CPOs which I assume you’re not currently if you only moved into HR a year ago :)

If you are still new to HR I would recommend the level 5. The level 7 is aimed at a strategic level i.e. Head of HR and can be a struggle if not used to having strategic influence 😊

Honestly I don’t care whether people are CIPD qualified at all. I care what experience they have and what they can do.

I have cipd 3 I found it tough but I was working hard at the same time. Based on that I would do 5 next.

It's highly likely I'll self fund as I work in the public sector and I'd prefer to use the provider I did the 3 with rather than whoever my employer would choose but possible they'll fund it. I need to ask.

Thank you that's helpful and something I've heard. Would you mind expanding - what HR roles do you recruit for and what experience do you look for for a mid-level post like Advisor?

Thanks all for your input.

Just had a thought - I know someone who did a degree which was equivalent to a level 7 before they'd started their HR career, or any career actually.

@Redhothoochycoocher i recruit for all levels from advisor to director. I look for practical experience and relevant skills. Being CIPD qualified tells me nothing about your ability to do the job, it just covers theory.

Same as the PP above , I look for relevant experience and commercial focus. Somebody coming into the workplace with a L7 degree would still be recruited into an entry level role, theory is useful but skills and experience much more valuable. My advice is to go for an HR Business Partner role as your next career move.

Lots of employers do care whether you are HR qualified or not. I think ask for the module specification for both 5 and 7 and try to match to what you are doing and also with a mind to your next job.

Depends what you want. Level 5 will be more useful to your job now but if you intend to continue to climb upwards then you might need to do level 7 eventually.

How much future employers care about it often depends more on your industry than anything else. I’m in a regulated sector and so having level 7 and/or being a chartered member of CIPD is often a basic requirement of job descriptions.

I did an L&D level 5, the important thing to remember is the levels are geared toward role requirements and don't necessarily build on each other. For an L&D example, the level 3 focuses on adult learning theories, the level 5 on building out larger and more comprehensive learning programmes within various sized organisations and functions, and level 7 is strategic alignment of L&D department as a whole, both internally and across the business. Each of these are L&D, but the focus is very different.

The courses are also designed to be undertaken alongside your current role, so you can apply your experiences in the coursework and your new knowledge in your day job. Eg, someone taking a Level 5 would be looking to move into team management, while currently being given larger projects to create and run, therefore building their skills and experience towards that next career step.

That's been my experience, anyway.

I'm an HR Advisor and have CIPD Level 5. I'll probably have to do Level 7 at some point but my employer funded my course so I skipped level 3 and just did 5 which I found enough of a challenge to be interesting but also really useful to my role which is mid-level.

My manager is an HR Business Partner wanting to move to an HR Manager role and is now doing level 7.... it's far more strategic.

What I would say is in HR experience is everything. Of course they want you to know the theory but that can be taught (or found out) reasonably easily. What they're really interested in is how you engage with others, whether you're able to influence senior managers, handle difficult conversations etc. Years on the job do count because it's all of the stuff you learn either by doing or watching others. My CIPD studies were great but it's shadowing more senior colleagues that has helped me the most in my development. I appreciate for lots of HR jobs having the qualifications does tick a box though!

This is all really helpful. It's just me and my manager on my team so I've no one to have these informal convos with. So thank you.

@ThreeRingCircus I've changed career and have relevant experience from my previous career which spanned over a decade. I've influenced leadership, engaged with all sorts of internal and external stakeholders etc.

I'm still unsure but leaning towards 7. I'm not in a hurry to leave this job but when I'm ready I feel it might be helpful to have the qual to back me up. I spent a few months in a regulated org and the cipd quals were all they talked about.

For regulated sectors, CIPD is an easy way for them to evidence the competency of their HR team. Professional memberships in general tend to be more valued across the organisation for this reason.