The Junior HR Skills Gap – Are We Expecting Too Much Too Soon?
One of the conversations I'm having more and more with HR leaders is about the challenge of finding strong HR talent at Co-ordinator and Advisor level.
Clients regularly tell me they're looking for candidates who can step straight into the role, confidently manage employee relations, understand employment law, think commercially and add value from day one.
The challenge is that I'm increasingly seeing fewer candidates who can genuinely demonstrate all of those skills at this stage in their careers.
I don’t believe that this is because the talent isn't there.
In my experience, it's because many aspiring HR professionals simply haven't had the opportunity to develop those skills yet.
Commercial pressures, leaner HR teams and increasing workloads mean organisations have less capacity to invest in developing junior talent than they once did. As a result, I'm seeing a widening skills gap between what employers need and the experience many candidates have been able to gain – and it's creating something of a catch-22.
Businesses understandably want people who can make an immediate impact, while candidates need employers who are prepared to invest in their development so they can become those experienced HR professionals in the future.
What I'm seeing across the market every week:
HR Co-ordinator and HR Advisor vacancies taking longer to fill
Employers holding out for candidates with more experience at junior levels
Less senior HR opportunities
Salaries becoming more competitive as candidate availability increases
Increased pressure on existing HR teams to deliver with limited resource
As someone who specialises in HR recruitment, I don't believe the profession is short of talented people. I believe we're short of opportunities that allow those people to develop.
That's exactly why launching the HR Practice Academy in partnership with The HR Branch has been so rewarding.
The Academy was created to bridge the gap between HR theory and real-world practice, giving HR Co-ordinators and Advisors the confidence, practical knowledge and commercial understanding that employers are increasingly looking for.
The response has exceeded our expectations. Our first cohort filled incredibly quickly, and it's been fantastic to see the enthusiasm from both HR professionals and the organisations that support them.
One of the things I've enjoyed most is watching people openly share experiences, ask questions and learn from one another. Building a local HR community where individuals feel supported, challenged and encouraged to develop is something I'm incredibly passionate about.
At ACR, recruitment has never been just about filling vacancies. It's about supporting the long-term success of the HR profession. By helping individuals build their capability today, we're also helping organisations create stronger HR teams for tomorrow.
After all, every experienced HR Business Partner or HR Director started somewhere. The future of the HR profession depends on giving the next generation the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive.
Written by Rebecca - Rebecca@annecorder.co.uk
