Remember the days when companies were scouting for HR practitioners who knew about Psychometric testing or how to manage Rewards programs? Those were considered premium skills to have as an HR professional and the career of choice for many. As times have changed and so has our business landscape, while these have remained important, there are some emerging areas that are now believed to be the top career choices in HR. HR certification programs are designed to cover these aspects as well so that they remain relevant for those who enrol.

Let us take a look at the 5 top career choices in HR as of today.

1. Social Recruiter – This is the new and reinvented avatar of the all-important role of a recruiter in an organization. This is a new career option which enables an HR professional to combine social media know-how with hiring, to make an impact on the organization’s recruitment process.
2. HR Technologist – This might not be an actual designation but it is increasingly becoming a key role. HR practitioners who know or have an interest in technology, as well as the new-age applications it has, with respect to people processes, choose this option.
3. D&I Expert – Diversity and Inclusion are not buzzwords any longer. They are business imperatives. And an HR person is at the forefront of this change. This is a top career choice because it needs a specialized approach to understand and address prevalent biases. It also involves knowing how to leverage the strengths of diverse pools of talent.
4. E-Learning Expert – Employees are taking charge of their own learning now. They are involved in reviewing which online or e-learning course will work for them. An HR person who can be an expert in advising such modules, based on the identified developmental needs of the employees, is essential to the organization.
5. Talent Mobility Specialist – The workforce today is ready to shift countries in search of better roles and work. HR people who are specialists in Talent Mobility and how to make the transition seamless for the employees are much sought after. This is a top choice as well from a career perspective, because it allows the HR professional to work with the traditional people processes like relocation, compensation, induction and so on, but in a totally different context.

So these are the big career choices that HR people have in the present business world. They connect with and reflect what organizations truly value, and want from their HR functions. They are also great career paths to scale up to, even if you have been in a regular HR role so far.