HR professionals often come from a range of academic and professional backgrounds, ranging from psychology to learning and development.

But what are the soft skills you’ll need to get ahead?

Be inquisitive

As a HR professional, those who are curious, engaged and open-minded are likely to make an impact on the organisation as well as be noticed. Make sure you strive to develop innovative ways of supporting the business, and make sure creative thinking is present in everything that you do. Key questions to ask yourself include; could this be done in any other way? Are there other stakeholders who can advise on the solution?

Key questions to ask yourself include: could this be done in any other way? Are there other stakeholders who can advise on the solution?

Be credible

The best HR professionals never stop refining their technical and commercial expertise. Remember to always keep it professional, updating your professional qualifications and understanding of the market wherever possible and acting as a reliable face of the HR department.

Partner with your business

Obtaining a level of commitment and buy-in from a range of different stakeholders can not only significantly increase your understanding of the business as a whole but it can also increase your opportunities for career progression. Make sure you get yourself out there, plan to meet with other parts of the business to really understand how they work, putting your new insight to best use by building these into your processes.

Be a role model

Often the HR department is the first team staff are exposed to when entering a business. This is the perfect chance to not only make their transition as smooth as possible but to consistently raise the bar for others to follow.

Be results-focused

Your stakeholders will usually only see the results rather than the journey. Consistently meeting and exceeding your KPIs shows not only a commitment to your role but a level of resourcefulness, increasing your levels of motivation as well as your impact on the business.