My profession- the mystery 101

My LinkedIn profile has a lot of connection requests from people I hardly know of not because I am an influencer or anything but because of the title tag. I am a HR professional. 

Hold your horses if you think that is my work since that is what I am supposed to do - AKA- Talent hunting.  Well, I work in a Profession that is highly misunderstood not just by the people around me but also by the ones who themselves are a HR Professional. Believe me when I say this. Recently, I had a whole lot of HR folks sharing forward messages on International HR day (yeah, there is a day for it apparently). It read- "HR the unofficial Psychologist, event planner, Peacemaker, lawyer and Teacher" and many from the HR world happily posting them, making videos on what they are! Sadly- none of these is what a HR does. I feel sorry for the ones who felt this is all what HR does and for just making our profession equal to the one who ensures there is a 'Rangoli' for Diwali. 

Let me break it down for you. 

I am a People Business Partner which means I have no relation to the world of Talent acquisition. If you send me a profile, or ask me for a job, there is nothing I can do other than referring you (if I know you) like any other employee would do. Me being a HR doesn't have an additional advantage. 

No, I do not hold the compensation and decide on what is the hike that a certain employee should get. I partner with my business to make that decision and Lo and behold- it is every single employee who is responsible to bring that money on the table. In fact it is you the employee who will eventually decide what I as a support partner would gain. And for God's sake- Appraisal and hikes are two different terms!!

I no way take care of the coffee machine, the restrooms, the cabs or the AC temperature in office. We have a separate team for that called as Real Estate. psst- am not responsible for that Rangoli either. TGIFF or god forbid what you may want to call it is upto you to celebrate or not. 

No, I am not here to Patronise you when it comes to dealing with an employee meltdown. No am not a Peacemaker or a lawyer or a Teacher. They are separate professionals themselves. 

So if you ask me what is it that I do- that's the catch 22. If there is a Profession where there is so much of a value add that you do but cannot truly describe what you do, it is my role!  But for the benefit of the beginners- HR has multiple verticals to it. There is a Talent acquisition, Talent development, Compensation, Benefits partners, Operations specialists, Analytics specialists and the Business partners. 

Next time you see a HR professional- don't go on about referring a profile of your third cousins brothers cousins daughters friend. There is more to us and to my fellow HR folks- no offence, but stop putting yourself down as ring masters!

Cheers!

Me Myself