Human Resources

Human Resources departments attract, hire and train the talent, making sure every department has the best people in the best positions.

From interviewing potential staff to reviewing salaries and performance, HR professionals organise and motivate, identify skills gaps, build confidence and occasionally lay down the law to maximise the human potential in the business.

From the sales assistants on the retail frontline to the chief executives in the head office, a retail business is only as good as its people. The secret behind any top retailer is having the best possible people in the right positions.

Working in HR is all about recruiting, developing and retaining a leading workforce.

Recruiting involves everything from writing job descriptions, monitoring salaries, developing benefits packages and pay structures, advertising vacancies and interviewing potential staff.

Developing requires HR teams to build good relationships with employees, identify any skills gaps, organising training and reviewing performance. Anyone working in HR must possess excellent communication and multitasking skills and enjoy project management.

When required, the role can also involve staff discipline and dismissal, as well as motivating and restructuring in difficult circumstances. Specific HR graduate training schemes are rare, but you may experience working in HR during a graduate programme. Usually recruiters will offer direct entry to HR roles so relevant university degrees or college courses are essential. Other qualities required are first class teamworking skills, flexibility and excellent organisational ability.

What can you earn?

Graduate trainees’ starting salaries are around £25,000 - £27,000. A HR manager can earn between £29,000 and £40,000 and HR director £78,000+ per year