Career Research Assignment: HR Professional in Retail Industry

Question

Task: OVERVIEW
Prepare acareer research assignment report demonstrating an awareness of the knowledge, skills and experience required by a recent graduate to enter a chosen area of graduate employment. The research required to prepare the report will support you in your future career planning and decisions. This report will provide the basis of the information for your self-reflection and career action plan report – CW2.

THE TASK – • You are required to identity an area of graduate employment that you would consider for when you leave university. This could be EITHER a profession (for example marketing/Finance/Accounting/HR) OR an industry you are interested in (for example retail, sports & leisure, public sector, not-for-profit, travel and tourism.) Your research should be either in an area you aspire to work within or maybe an area that you want to understand more about.

• Your research in your chosen profession/industry should include likely future trends in graduate recruitment, and should equip you with the knowledge to write a summary of the key skills, knowledge and experience expected from graduate applicants.

• You are encouraged to use both primary and secondary research for this assignment. Primary research might include attending events run by the careers team, and/or events run by the professional bodies, or else through personal contacts. It might also include information from the guest lecturers for the module. You could consider talking to managers at work, if you have a part-time role, or else friends and family to enhance your understanding. Include in the appendix a log detailing who you contacted for primary research

• Having identified the profession/industry, you are then required to identify one current job being advertised that you would be interested in applying for in the future. This will form the basis of the second assignment. The advert should appear as an appendix, which you should refer to as necessary within your report. It is important that this is a graduate level job, and not one for an individual with many years’ experience.

Answer

Executive Summary
This report on career research assignment mainly summarizes the analysis of the general trends that will impact the HR professionals in developing their personal skills and knowledge. It will also provide an in-depth understanding of the specific skill set and expertise that is required to be applicable for the targeted job role. In this report, the major highlighted points are mainly the identified vacancy for HR professionals. With the help of the article, the proper relationship has been established regarding the potential choice and the suitability of this position has also been described properly. From this identified job role, the emerging position in the retailing industry can also be figured out.

Inroduction
I have identified the aims of this particular report in which I will demonstrate the employability of the graduates regarding my career options. I will engage and evaluate the preferable career as well as labour market information to consider the best choice for my area of employment. I am considering the profession of Human Resource in the retail industry in which I need to find and consider effective candidates who have the capability to fulfil the expectations of the retail organisation. I will figure out the current trains in the retail industry along with illustrating my personal skills and area of expertise as an HR.

Methodology
Research philosophy: This particular research is considered with positivism philosophy which helps to identify the workload of HR professionals in the retail industry.

Research design: the researcher has been developed the entire research by considering mixed research design that instructs to engage primary and secondary data on the basis of different job responsibilities for HR professionals in the retail industry. Research approach: this particular research demonstrated with the deductive approach which helps the researcher to consider specific theories to complete the research.

Data collection:This research project mainly conducted the data collection by considering primary and secondary research data. The secondary data collected from the authentic articles and journals from the previous research and primary data has been generated from popular newspaper articles in which the verified job application has been found.

Data analysis: the data analysis has been considered with mixed analysis in which secondary data has been analysed by thematic analysis and primary data has been evaluated by descriptive analysis.

Analysis:
General trends which will impact on HR professional
The process of considering HR as a job role in the retail industry impacts the technological innovation and globalisation in which the secondary research has been conducted. According to Minbaeva (2021), it has been figured out that the trend of remote working is innovative in current days for HR. The impact of globalisationhas been properly identified in the trend because remote working helps to engage diverse employee bases from different locations across the world. As a graduate-level HR, it will be beneficial to provide accessibility through the equipment by which the employees can continue work from home along with maintaining proper relationships by providing necessary information to the HR. Secondary research data has described that another major trend is the virtual team building initiatives in which the employees experienced considerable change due to work from home in the post-pandemic era. For that reason, as an HR it is important to consider the experience and redesign the employee relationship by which they can strengthen the organisational position in the retail industry. As stated by Wang and Taylor (2017), a digital collaboration platform is a necessary trend in which the employee base of the retail organisation can continue their discussion regarding marketing strategy, financial performance and other areas of knowledge through video conferencing. As an HR, it is important to align with the trend of digital collaboration by which the retail company can easily implement improvisation within the product and development as well as the employer satisfaction.

Figure 1: Responsibilities in HR job role
(Source: Statista, 2021)

From the secondary research, it has been identified that the major focus on developing the employee experience helps to engage digital collaboration platforms that maintain the proper human interaction. The process of digital tracking helps HR to track the progress of various tasks assigned to the employee base. The technological impact of the trend is identified while the entire process is considered through IT. As described by Ulrich and Grochowski (2018), in the pre-pandemic era, the employees naturally come to the office and get their attendance by scanning ID cards; however, the system has been changed after the pandemic. The information collected from secondary research has depicted that the altered situation is properly influenced through digital tracking in which it can track the activities and timings of the employees. Another potential trend that has been identified from the secondary research outcome is the virtual employee experience. In a retail organisation, the experience of the employee base is important because it helps to decide the activities such as employing or terminating an employee on the basis of the in-person conversation. With the help of technological implementation, this entire communication can be conducted through a virtual manager. As explained by Logoftu, Cosman and Cerntescu (2019), HR has no requirement to meet the individual in-person to employ or terminate them from the workplace. From the secondary research outcome, it has been identified that HR has an important responsibility to provide mental health support to the employees by communicating with them.

The skills / knowledge and experience required
After enhancing the knowledge level from the guest lecturers, it has been identified that there are some effective personal skills for health and individuals to be developed as an HR. The personal skills are, Communication: as HR needs to employ and monitor the performance of the workers, it is important to have proper communication skill that helps the individual to be capable of resolving conflicts along with maintaining the company standards by hiring potential employees (Pmjobs.cipd.co.uk, 2021).

Confidentiality: the job role and responsibility of an HR professional is a bit critical because they have to be confidential for the process of handling employee information. Adaptability: The HR professional needs to be adaptable which another personal skill because, in the retail organisation, the HR needs to experience different circumstances and has to deal with multiple agendas (Ragimol and FJ, 2021).

Emotional intelligence: this is one of the most important soft skills for any kind of leader because they have to handle a group of individuals by receiving their emotional understanding (Fred and Kinange, 2018).

Problem-solving: The final and efficient skills of problem-solving help an HR professional to be capable of encountering difficult situations (Pmjobs.cipd.co.uk, 2021).

The areas of expertise are, Employing and staffing workers: in the retail industry, hiring workers is a tough job because they need to choose suitable candidates from multiple job applications.

Payroll and information of human resources: the professionals also need to maintain the payroll of the workers along with handling their personal and professional information (Mauro, 2017).

Evaluation:
Identified vacancy from Royal British legion
I have observed the specific vacancy from an authentic newspaper and identified that a specific organisation is hiring graduate HR for the job role of HR coordinator. Royal British legion is one of the largest Charity Organisation in London which provides services and care to the areas by creating a fast network of partners. I have also identified that the organisation has 60000 volunteers and 235000 members for providing support wherever and whenever required (Guardian Jobs, 2021). This job role will provide me with the primary experience as an HR.

Why this job role is of interest to me
As an interested candidate for HR coordinator, I have identified that it is properly related to my potential choice of the profession however the industry is not available for me as I am only graduated and do not have any extended degree or qualification. This job role has provided me the opportunity by which I can achieve a huge advantage to be employed on a part-time or full-time basis. On the other hand, I can continue my education after completing my profession for a particular time period of the day.

Relation to my potential choice of industry/profession
There is no proper relationship with my potential choice, however, I have identified that my role is to focus on the result-oriented, dynamic and energetic coordination of human resources by which the prime support of recovery service and care can be implemented within the operational process of the organization (Angnakoonet al., 2017). It conducts different types of operations for providing care and recovery services for which my designated post will provide a huge opportunity and will create excitement by which I will be capable of delivering an efficient HR service.

Personal suitability for this position
I have identified that this position is properly suitable for me because it offers part-time employment which will be beneficial for my career and I will gain the chance by which I can continue my education after the profession. In this particular job role, I have to conduct different working process as a HR coordinator and it will be Suitable for me. While working this profession I can be capable of maximizing my qualification and the company push myself as per my potential by which I can be developed as a better individual.

New/emerging job role within this profession
I have noticed that employees there are several emerging job role identified in the retail industry however I prefer to consider the charity organisation for some specific reason. I can achieve the chance to work on the different industry along with maintaining my preparation in the educational as well as the real life prospective which will help me to be stable as an HR professional. I have also targeted to achieve the best for my professional career by which I will generate more wages than this part time job role.

Conclusion
After analysing the general trends in the retail industry as an HR professional and the required skills for an HR, I can significantly conclude that this job role will provide a stable career in the near future. I already have proper skills of communication and I can easily perceive the emotional understanding of people. It will help me to be established in the considered job role after my graduation and I will effectively focus on fulfilling my responsibility which will be assigned by my upper management. I have considered to join the part time job role which helps me to use my learning in the real-life situation and help me to develop as a better professional in the near future. The retail industry will provide a vast area in which I can prove my efficiency.

References:
Angnakoon, P., Chung, C.H., Evangelopoulos, N. and Pasquini, L.A., (2017). Examining Competencies of Entry-Level HR

Professionals.https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Chih-Hung-Chung/publication/317613551_Examining_Competencies_of_Entry-Level_HR_Professionals_Implications_for_Higher_Education_in_HR/links/59433b9c45851525f88d75a2/Examining-Competencies-of-Entry-Level-HR-Professionals-Implications-for-Higher-Education-in-HR.pdf

Fred, M.O. and Kinange, U.M., (2018). An Empirical Study on HR Skills for Employees Recruitment Decision Making with special Reference to Information Technology Enabled Service Sector in Bangalore City. Asian Journal of Management, 9(2), pp.954-960.https://ajmjournal.com/HTML_Papers/Asian%20Journal%20of%20Management__PID__2018-9-2-15.html

Guardian Jobs (2021). | HR Coordinator job with THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION | Available at: https://jobs.theguardian.com/job/7478573/hr-coordinator/LinkSource=TopJob (Accessed: 29 October 2021). Logof tu, M., Cosman, A. and Cern tescu, E.C., (2019).Trends InHr Structure Of Education System In Romania By Residence Area.Career research assignmentAnnals of'ConstantinBrancusi'University of Targu-Jiu.Economy Series, (6).https://www.utgjiu.ro/revista/ec/pdf/2019-06/33_Logofatu.pdf

Mauro, L., (2017). Attitudes and Skills in Business Working Settings: A HR Management Tool. Bus Eco J, 8(291), p.2.https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/56893319/attitudes-and-skills-in-business-working-settings-a-hr-management-tool-2151-6219-1000291_1_-with-cover-page-v2.pdf Expires=1635500987&Signature=aSS8Mtxq8NbA-Xxkvd0dXevhsXyyI7zMDQ9UVAaYN7XKQCOEjJmZVDFvu9YZvNCDjJGtBvuA8MkmUOValeHzEt~~ybzXmyOBe-s8h0zK4VHgH3O22uAPG-IpknPhXqbdGuM4hiUyYfJvloMyclpqKS4hSRAVBrVdIvxmukqQBIRSgTp2tdDNHZYMKuuC9zTrgFgqI9Uwq7 ~sE~tmce~2RVYxxm-FDSRY~-VrYioecJ~h~OvALdc-13M~-BdJwHS46~WXLh2iAWG1gAoFZrd~w0~Y6S5SElEQ01U3FBeX9mnXGmDxNYI8Em UvBKTfy75x7pwdF6o330O9rw~pMRdtPA__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA

Minbaeva, D., (2021). Disrupted HR.Human Resource Management Review, 31(4), p.100820. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dana-Minbaeva/publication/347698287_Disrupted_HR/links/5ff716a1299bf140887d5324/Disrupted-HR.pdfPmjobs.cipd.co.uk (2021). What soft skills are required to work in HR. Available at: https://pmjobs.cipd.co.uk/article/what-soft-skills-are-required-to-work-in-hr- (Accessed: 29 October 2021).

Ragimol, M., AG, S. and FJ, P., (2021). Effective Workforce Management using HR Analytics. International Research Journal on Advanced Science Hub, 3, pp.82-86. https://rspsciencehub.com/article_11900_20b1c0178789f206d428cfce5bb41e31.pdf

Statista (2021). | Human resources: expected increasing staffing changes 2019 Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1040411/expected-hr-staffing-changes-worldwide/ (Accessed: 29 October 2021).

Ulrich, D. and Grochowski, J., (2018). Building a world class HR department.Strategic HR Review. https://e-tarjome.com/storage/panel/fileuploads/2019-05-05/1557042656_E11043-e-tarjome.pdf

Wang, K. and Taylor, J., (2017). Can You Provide the Current Trends in HR on People Analytics.https://ecommons.cornell.edu/bitstream/handle/1813/74364/ Can_You_Provide_the_Current_Trends_in_HR_on_People_Analytics.pdf sequence=1

Appendices: