Changing HR careers: implications for management education

Abstract

Purpose The human resource (HR) function is experiencing considerable change with pressure to demonstrate added value and a trend to outsourcing. This paper aims to examine the early careers and career development of HR professionals in this time of change, and to consider the development implications for employers, the individuals themselves and providers of management education. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from participants on a postgraduate programme in human resource management (HRM) at a regional university in the UK. Findings The participants displayed characteristics of the protean career including both frequency of job moves and moves between management functional areas before they were in a position to acquire a professional qualification to take their career to another level. Originality/value The research indicates that HR careers are changing and the old certainties of a secure HR career in a large or public sector organisation can no longer be taken for granted. This has implications for higher education institutions providing specialist programmes in HRM.