Benchmarking HR careers in 2011/12

The latest XpertHR Benchmarking research on HR careers reveals a wealth of fascinating information on the gender profile of the UK profession, HR qualification levels and career experiences.  Three-quarters (75.1%) of UK HR professionals taking part in XpertHR's HR careers survey are female. This is in line with earlier analysis from XpertHR Salary Surveys, which also suggested that the UK HR profession was three-quarters female.

Other findings from the XpertHR HR careers survey on the gender composition of the UK HR profession include:

• By seniority level, more than three-quarters (76.6%) of UK senior HR professionals are female. 
• By specific HR job level, women are most heavily concentrated at HR assistant/administrator level. Women are least likely to have attained head of HR roles. 
• However, responses from HR directors run counter to the trend toward the concentration of women at the lower levels of the profession. Seven-tenths of HR directors taking part in this survey are female. 
• By broad sector, public sector HR departments are less female-dominated than those in the private sector. 

The XpertHR survey of HR careers in 2011/12 is based on responses from 668 UK HR professionals, representing organisations with a total combined workforce of 3,705,220 employees. Subscribers to XpertHR Benchmarking can drill down into the complete benchmarking data from the survey. 

CIPD dominates professional qualifications for UK HR professionals

CIPD qualifications are widely held by UK HR professionals:

• Four-fifths (80.2%) of respondents hold individual CIPD membership, rising to 85.3% of those at HR director level. 
• Two-fifths of respondents who are CIPD members on an individual basis hold Chartered MCIPD status, while one in four is an associate member and one in six holds Chartered FCIPD status. 
• Nearly half of HR directors hold FCIPD status, while two-fifths have attained Chartered MCIPD status. 

CIPD qualifications seen as essential for getting ahead in HR

CIPD qualifications are also viewed as essential to progression through the ranks of the UK HR profession:

• "CIPD qualifications are vital to an individual wishing to enter the HR profession." Two-fifths agree with this statement, while one-fifth strongly agree. 
• "CIPD qualifications are vital for advancement in the HR profession." More than two-fifths agree with this view, while a further quarter strongly agree. 
• "It is more important to have sound business knowledge than HR experience when taking up a senior HR position." More than a quarter of respondents agree with this proposition, while one in eight agrees strongly. By sector, less value is placed on sound business knowledge in the public sector than in the private sector. 

Why did you choose HR?
The most common reason for beginning an HR career was that it happened "by chance," cited by 45.4% of respondents. A further two-fifths say that they wanted to work with people. Around a quarter say that they were asked to take on HR responsibilities in a previous role. 

Perhaps tellingly, the least commonly cited reason for taking up a career in HR is that it "pays well," mentioned by fewer than one respondent in 25. 

Are you an HR lifer?

Survey respondents were asked if their first job was in HR. 

Just under one in five HR professionals say that they began their career in HR. 

But this figure rises at the most senior level of the profession: one HR director in four says that their first job was in HR. 

Among those who have worked in functions other than HR, the most common non-HR functions mentioned were administration, retail and customer services. 

Would you choose HR again?

Overall, three-fifths of UK HR professionals say that they would choose HR if they could start their career over again. 

The survey reveals that "HR lifers" would be less likely to choose HR again than those who did not start out in HR. 

You can also access XpertHR's detailed written analysis of the HR careers survey findings: HR careers survey 2011: qualifications versus business experience. 

Michael Carty, benchmarking editor

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