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Human resources, or HR for short, is an important function every company. After all, they are the ones responsible for acquiring and looking after a company’s most valuable asset; its people.
Hiring and overseeing employee issues are of course part of the job scope of someone in HR, but can you say with 100% certainty that you know of everything they do? Here are 6 misconceptions we need to get over…
#1 They shake leg all day when there are no job applicants
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People in HR don’t just sit around all day waiting for someone to drop them an email or a phone call asking for a job. They have to actively seek out potential candidates to fill the spot in case a current employee decides to resign. So, if you see them on social media, they may actually be headhunting, maybe.
#2 They like to talk about you behind your back
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Yes, they’re likely to call the people you’ve listed down as your reference in your job application, but in order to avoid getting a biased viewpoint, the recruiter will also reach out to their own network of contacts to find someone that has worked with you.
#3 They have to keep all the work problems you tell them confidential
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People in HR are trained to listen to your problems and be sympathetic, but they are also required to adhere to company policies, which are designed to protect the company. Unlike a doctor or psychiatrist though, they are also not obligated to maintain your secrets.
#4 They have the final say when it comes to your salary
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The offer you get from a recruiter is usually weighed according to the industry market value and position you are applying after taking into account your experience. So, it’s not that the recruiter is stingy, that’s just how things work.
#5 They’re all about hiring and firing
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This is one of the biggest misconceptions about the human resources department of a company. HR professionals are involved in 7 crucial functions that has a significant impact on the business. They are:
- Human resource planning, recruitment, and selection
- Human resource development
- Human resource information system
- Compensation and benefit
- Legal aspects (industrial and labor law, employee relation)
- Performance management
- Occupational safety and health
#6 The only skills you need to succeed in HR is communication
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An excellent communication skill is, of course, a vital skill that every HR professional must have. But to be efficient in the field, every HR professional must also master the art of organisation, multi-tasking, negotiation, discretion, conflict management, problem-solving, and change management.
So you see, people in HR are in fact skilled professionals with skills that can be applied at all levels of an organisation.
#7 Anybody can be in HR
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Well, yes and no. Much like all other professions, anybody can pursue a career in HR, but excellence in this field starts with a quality education that equips you with the skills and knowledge you’ll need in the areas of recruitment, training and development, occupational safety and health, payroll, and employment act and industrial relations.
In Malaysia, the best place for such quality education is atSaito University College.
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Apart from Human Resource Management courses (Diploma and Bachelor (Hons) degree programmes), Saito University College is also at the forefront of quality education when it comes to its Diploma in Business Management, Foundation in Business Studies, Diploma in Law Enforcement Administration, and Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Law Enforcement Investigation programmes.
At Saito University College, students will also receive on-job experience in their related field in addition to being entitled to RM10,000 worth of scholarships, PTPTN study loan, lower registration fees, and free hostel accommodation and transportation for the first 6 months.
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Students who pursue a Bachelor’s Degree after completing a Foundation course at Saito University College will also enjoy a waiver of Foundation course tuition fees!