Top Human Resources Jobs In Malaysia 2024
From their typical day, career paths to how much they make, explore the most in-demand HR positions in Malaysia for 2024.
By Kimberly Chang on 2023-11-27 at 7:12 AM
Updated on 2024-08-21 at 6:20 AM
Career in Human Resources: What's It Like Working in HR?
Human Resources is the heart that pumps blood to all sectors of a company. Without a proper HR team in place to handle critical aspects such as employee performance, employee engagement, and employee development, a business can easily lose its way.
HR professionals play a critical role in recruiting, onboarding, and retaining talent, ensuring that the organisation runs smoothly and meets its goals. It offers a rewarding career path that requires extensive training in various people skills, including interpersonal skills, active listening skills, and leadership skills.
This article that we’ve prepared for you is to have a clear idea of what goes on in the HR department and how you can get started on this career path in Malaysia.
What does a typical day in HR look like?
Before we get started, it's important to understand the daily tasks within an HR department. When people talk about HR, they often think of recruitment, payroll, and managing employee records. However, HR encompasses so much more, including employee satisfaction, employee training, and performance management.
HR is responsible for handling the complex and extensive world of employer-employee relations. It is exactly what it sounds like, a resource for employees, the heart of the organisation that keeps things going. From hiring new employees to helping employees thrive at their workplace, it’s all about creating long and meaningful relationships with the people around you.
A lot goes on in this exciting department. It’s as if you’re putting out a wildfire at work. Don’t take it the wrong way, it may be hard sometimes, but it can also be tremendously rewarding. The end goal is always to make the people around you be on their feet and achieve goals together.
What does the career path of a HR professional look like in Malaysia?
Let’s dive into what roles you can start with. You might not know this but in HR, you can either be a generalist or a specialist.
If you’re clueless on which career path is the right fit for your professional skills, this will help decipher the differences between a HR Generalist and a HR Specialist:
HR Generalist
This role is akin to a management trainee program, covering all aspects of HR, from compensation analysis and compensation strategies to enforcing company policies. It's a versatile position that prepares you for higher-level positions such as HR Manager.
HR Specialist
A specialist focuses on a specific HR function, such as Learning & Development (L&D), Payroll, or Employer Branding. Specialising allows you to gain deep expertise in areas like compensation benefits or employee engagement, which can lead to positions like HR Director or Organisational Development Director.
Recruiting
Recruitment is all about filling vacancies. Unlike Talent Acquisition, it is more short-term in which a recently open position has to be filled up immediately. Hence, they oversee an organisation’s recruiting process and manage the hiring process from start to finish. A career in HR recruiting could lead to an HR Manager or HR Director position.
Talent Acquisition
TA Specialists focuses on long-term planning. They scout for the most qualified candidate for a specific full-time position to potentially achieve a lower turnover rate. The career path for this track could lead to positions like Talent Acquisition Director or Manager.
Learning & Development
L&D Specialists are in charge of providing support to employees through different types of training. They create, deliver, and arrange training programmes to boost employee and corporate productivity. Many people who take this route wind up as Training Directors or Organisational Development Directors.
Payroll Specialist
Payroll specialists are mainly responsible for keeping payroll systems up-to-date and processing paychecks on time and in the right amount. A career path in this position could ultimately lead to a position as a Payroll Coordinator, Payroll Data Analyst, and a Payroll Manager.
Employer Branding Specialist
Employer Branding Specialists work to persuade candidates that your company is the ideal next step in their careers. They are in charge of driving up the attraction and engagement of candidates through communication. Many in this track eventually become HR Managers.
Do you need qualifications to be in HR?
To help kick start your career in HR, it is common for someone to start with some sort of certification. For those who are looking to get certified other than attaining a Bachelor’s Degree, you’re in luck because here are 5 great learning online resources for you:
1. Alison.com
Alison.com is one of the world’s largest free learning platforms for education and skills training. This course covers everything you need to know about the basics of HR. This certification is recognized by top employers and would look great on any resume or CV.
2. Coursera
This course is offered by University of Minnesota. It is designed for anyone interested in using human resource management principles to get more out of their workforce.
This course has proved useful to those new to HR or those long established in the field with an eye to the multinational workplace or a career abroad. This free online course covers three main areas: HR management, fundamentals of recruitment, and staff training and development.
The free HR online course covers the history of work as well as studying how organisations adapt to stress and change. Many of the required readings are available as downloadable PDFs.
5. Open Learn
This free online HR course emphasises a full and fair recruitment process that results in satisfied employees and appreciative employers who have followed the law. This free course from Open Learn results in a complementary statement of participation upon completion.
How much does a person in HR make in Malaysia?
When it comes to salary growth for a career in HR, you can expect it to increase reasonably with the level of experience.
Source: Payscale
A new HR Specialist will typically make RM46,000 with experience between 1 to 4 years. The salaries increase significantly to RM67,000 for those who have worked between 5 to 9 years. HR Specialists can look forward to earning as much as RM69,000 annually with 10-19 years of work experience under their belts.
Source: Payscale
A new HR Generalist with less than 1 year experience will typically make RM30,000 a year, and RM38,000 with experience between 1 to 4 years. The salaries increase significantly to RM49,000 for those who have worked between 5 to 9 years. HR Generalists can look forward to earning as much as RM63,000 annually with 10-19 years of work experience under their belts.
FAQ
1. What are the most important skills for HR professionals?
Key skills include leadership, analytical skills, technical skills, and a high degree of emotional intelligence.
2. What qualifications do I need for a career in HR?
Specialised certifications in areas such as employee engagement or performance management are highly valued. Additionally, obtaining an HR degree or a professional human resources certification can open doors to roles such as Human Resources Officer or HR Manager.
3. What Entry-Level and Mid-Level Roles are there in HR?
Starting a career in HR typically involves entry-level roles such as HR Assistant or HR Associate, where you'll develop your technical skills and understanding of HR functions. As you gain experience, you can progress to mid-level roles like HR Generalist or Development Manager.
Whichever career path you choose, make sure to research the field thoroughly before applying. When you’re ready, kickstart your HR journey with Hiredly!
By Kimberly Chang on 2023-11-27 at 7:12 AM