Jobs: HR & Business Support

Opportunities to further your career within the HR & Business Support industry

In the wider scope of HR and Business Support, we also offer roles for project administrators, office managers, customer service, and executive & personal assistants. Project administrators cover a wide range of industries and require a varying degree of expertise depending on the level of the role. Office management positions involve undertaking administrative tasks and facilities management, but also require experience in people management and knowledge of corporate finance.

Customer service roles play a large part in an organisations’ wider customer experience, and require a varying degree of expertise, from data entry to providing comprehensive customer solutions. Jobs in personal or executive assistance cover a range of levels, from assisting a team to C-suite positions. These positions are evolving, and demand skills from many areas. These roles also play a crucial part in the support of senior business managers.

Recent Changes

There has been a consistent demand for all types of HR and Business Support roles. Rather than taking on permanent members of staff, there has been a positive trend towards contracting within this space,  the large volume of property and infrastructure projects has resulted in a higher demand for junior to mid-level positions.

Like other professional service industries, the tenure of HR and Business Support professionals is decreasing, and many practitioners who have been in their current role for between two and three years will seek new opportunities. Alongside a competitive salary, talented candidates are also drawn to flexible working locations and working hours, tools of the trade, and an attractive physical office environment.

Technology is likely to play a leading part in the evolution of executive and personal assistant roles. Employers are increasingly in search of candidates with technical skills that stretch far beyond simple proficiency in Microsoft Office, and knowledge of cloud-based applications, social media, and website and database management, is particularly in demand. Candidates are also expected to have a deeper awareness of their manager’s role, particularly in the legal and finance sector. In these cases, these assistants will be required to understand specific jargon, processes and market trends. Managers may also decide to hire a candidate with greater industry experience, as opposed to someone new to the field.

Future Prospects 

The career prospects for HR and Business Support candidates depend a lot on their work performance and the organisation with which they are employed. However, with more experience, candidates will be able to progress to more senior roles within the HR and Business Support departments and at other companies. For specialised administrative roles in project management or coordination, there is often the opportunity to challenge the advertised salaries and the length or term of contracts.

• Employers’ Requirements

  Most HR and Business Support jobs require excellent communication skills, an understanding of the employee life cycle, analytical skills, and in most cases a tertiary degree. Employers will occasionally fill vacancies internally from other managerial departments within the organisation.

  For positions as an executive or personal assistant, candidates will need to demonstrate a high level of competency across many software packages. When it comes to customer service positions, employers will be looking for job seekers who are knowledgeable, agile and adept, and will be as likely to value those who have call centre experience roles as those with relevant qualifications.

• CV Requirements

  When applying for jobs in HR and Business Support, there are several key elements which should not be omitted from any CV. Key skills and competencies, experience, and achievements are all essential inclusions. Employers will want to know that you can work well across departments and have a solid grounding in the IT systems, which drive modern HR processes

• Interview Preparation

  Interviews for HR and Business Support jobs are often split across several stages, with the first usually being a behavioural assessment with jobseekers. If that goes well, you will be invited for further meetings with senior management or key decision-makers within the company. These may involve psychometric testing, demonstrating computer skills, giving a prepared presentation or, for customer service positions, role-playing.

• Educational Requirements

  Organisations will often prioritise candidates who have relevant qualifications in business, employment law or human resources management. Humanities degrees in subjects like psychology may also stand you in good stead. For more specialised HR and Business Support roles, postgraduate courses in HR will improve your chances in the eyes of any prospective employers.