To ask for help getting a HR job

[Smarshian]

So I’ve been working as a restaurant manager for 11 years. The hours don’t work for me anymore with 2 young children.
I’d like to work in HR. Have a lot of experience managing people and therefore have worked with people through various ER issues (disciplinaries, grievances, flex working agreements etc.). I KNOW I won’t be able to walk into an advisory role or similar and am quite happy to take a pay cut to work my way back up, but I can’t get an interview for even an administration job, which is essentially entry level stuff.
What skills/ experience can I highlight or develop to help me get into the industry? Or any advice?

Firstly, you need to get onto doing your CIPD Level 3, and work your way up.

From experience working in recruitment, I would be very reticent to look at your application for anything beyond a HR Support role, which is basically an administrator for HR Advisors but an opportunity to work your way up. These type of jobs aren’t too well paid but they are an inroad.

Your CV needs to say about your HR experience and what you’ve done in the past, concentrating on that experience rather than anything else you’ve done in your current role - and most of all it’s about getting lucky and finding an employer willing to give you a chance. We’ve done it where I work and ended up with two great HR Administrators working their way up and doing their CIPD.

Highlight your experience with recruiting staff and try and go through an agency.

Are you also aware HR roles are generally full time? And can vary in start and finish times? Our Shared Services department operate between 8am and 8pm, so flexibility is usually still required, especially when it’s entry level.