CAT results are out, MBA admissions are in full swing but you are in dilemma about which colleges to apply. To add to your woes, institutes with specialization in HR want you to select your major even before applying, as most institutes that offer HR specialization offer it as a separate course. Now if you reach out to people to help you make decision, they will always tell you not to join HR, even if your intuition says otherwise.

Here are few reason why people will tell you not to join HR:

1. HR works for the business and not for the employees

This is the biggest reason why people perceive HR as a failure. There

is a huge gap between what people expect them to do and what they

actually do. HR, like everyone else, works for the organization in

selecting, grooming and retaining the best possible workforce. In the

process, they often have to take steps like giving less than expected

performance rating, issuing disciplinary warning or even firing the

employees. They might have to cut costs or take away some benefits

from the employees. These things leave employees disappointed tagging

HR as failing at their job.

2. HR function seems easy to People

People working in Finance deal with numbers, programmers write

sophisticated algorithm, project managers are managing tight deadlines

and sales managers are banking big accounts. HR on the other hand is

different. It has a sort of quasi-auditing and quasi-legal functioning

in the organization. People see HR as setting up complex processes and

policies to deal with things that may seem simple to others. They are

seemed to be arranging fun activities on Christmas or Diwali and

stretching at their desks for long hours like programmers.

3. People see HR as solving petty issues

This is true. You are not getting along with your colleague HR has to

step in to resolve the issue; you feel you are not being treated

fairly by your manager you rush to HR or you have to hide from HR if

you wear a jeans on a day that is not casual Friday.

Although the above points are true they are less than half truth. HR

as a function has a lot more to offer then it really meets the eye.

Look out for the second part: Why People Are Wrong About Not to Join HR