Last Updated On 04 Jun, 2020

How to Become a HR Consultant

About HR Consultant

HR consultants are hired by an organisation or business to meet and solve the human resources-related need of the organisation. They help employers to choose, hire and recruit the job applicants on the basis of the company's needs. Besides this, they also take care of evaluating and training employees. HR consultants work on ensuring that the organizations are utilizing the personnel effectively and obtaining a high level of productivity. 

Some of the major duties performed by HR consultants are creating methods for the collection and review of special projects and reports, Conducting audits of HR operations to ensure compliance, maintaining records and reports related to HR projects, revising, developing and implementing HR procedures and policies and organising training sessions related to the HR programs. 

HR consultants are hired by companies because they don’t have internal HR support needed for creating a new employee handbook and implementing new benefits projects. Apart from this, companies also hire HR consultants to get an outside perspective on HR-related projects. 

Candidates who are interested in managing HR-related activities can choose a career as an HR consultant. Apart from this, they must have strong management and leadership skills in order to apply for this position. 

Eligibility to become HR Consultant

Candidates must meet the minimum eligibility criteria given below in order to work as an HR consultant 

Education: Candidates who are looking for a job as an HR consultant can check the job description of the company to know the detailed education requirements of the company. Some of the company hires candidates who have a master's degree in management, accounting, finance, political science, international business and human resource. 

Experience: Candidates who have completed their education in human resources should gain some experience before applying for a job as an HR consultant. They can gain experience by applying for entry-level human resources positions such as an HR specialist, assistant,  associate, or recruiter. Most of the companies hire candidates with at least two years of work experience.

Skills: Candidates should have some additional skills apart from the educational requirements to have a successful career as an HR consultant. Some of the skills required for this position are listed below:

  • Active Listening
  • Speaking
  • Coordination
  • Negotiation
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Systems Analysis
  • Time Management
  • Persuasion
  • Active Learning
  • Mathematics
  • Communication skills

Types of Job Roles HR Consultant

Companies hire HR consultants to manage all their activities. Some of the profiles where the HR consultants can apply are mentioned below

  • Human Resource Manager
  • Human Resource Director
  • Training & Development Manager
  • HR Entrepreneur
  • Executive Recruiter
  • Associate Consultant
  • Senior HR Consultant

Employment Opportunities for HR Consultant

There are many sectors that hire candidates for this role. Some fo the available sectors where the HR consultants can apply for a job are

  • Education
  • Consulting Firms
  • Media and Entertainment
  • Banking and finance
  • Advertising
  • Pharmaceutical Industries
  • Telecom
  • Real estate

Top Recruiting Agencies for HR Consultant

Some of the major recruiting companies hiring HR consultants are

  • ABC Consultants
  • Mercer
  • Kelly Services
  • Contique Global
  • Covent Informatics
  • Growup Technologies
  • XtraNet Tech
  • Neterson Technologies
  • Adecco India
  • CareerNet
  • IKYA Human Capital
  • ManpowerGroup India

Planning to choose HR Consultant as your career?

Pay Scale/Salary of HR Consultant

The average salary of an HR consultant varies depending on the skills and experience of the candidates. The annual pay for the profile will increase with experience. Candidates can start working at any start-up company and then they can apply at any reputed company with some experience.

Profile

Starting Salary per annum (in INR)

Mid Level Salary per annum (in INR)

Senior Level Salary per annum (INR)

HR Consultant

1,85,000

5,12,000

20,00,000

Books & Study Material to Become HR Consultant

The main duty of an HR consultant is to hire employees as per the need and demand of the organisation. They should be able to manage all activities and provide training to the employees. There are many books which can be referred to for getting more information and knowledge regarding this profile. Some of the recommendations are listed below. 

  • Purple Cow by Seth Godin
  • The Power of People by Nigel Guenole, Jonathan Ferrar & Sheri Feinzig
  • HR on Purpose by Steve Browne
  • Standout HR by Vero Vanmiddelem
  • HR Disrupted: It’s Time For Something Different by Lucy Adams
  • HR from the Outside In By Dave Ulrich, Jon Younger, Wayne Brockbank and Mike Ulrich 
  • Bring Your Human to Work by Erica Keswin 
  • The Essential HR Handbook by Sharon Armstrong & Barbara Mitchell
  • Data-Driven HR: How to Use Analytics and Metrics to Drive Performance by Bernard Marr
  • Driven to Distraction at Work by Edward M. Hallowell

Pros of becoming a HR Consultant

  • HR consultants can choose their clients.
  • There are no fixed working hours for HR consultants. They can decide when to work. 
  • They can get more salary as compared to other employees.
  • HR consultants get the opportunity and have the flexibility to work in different types of industries. 

Cons of becoming a HR Consultant

  • Success in this field is not always guaranteed.
  • There is no job security in this profile. Their work will totally depend on the quantity and quality of employees they have sent to a particular company.
  •  HR consultants are responsible for providing training to employees.
  • Sometimes they will have to suffer a loss in case the client refuses to pay for any reason. 

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