Considering A Human Resources Certification
Michalis "BIG Mike" Kotzakolios
Kotzakoliou, SSA

With the aggressive climate of modern business there is not only competition between different companies, but within any given company. For this reason, sometimes the cogs of business rust up, tempers flare, and work becomes less than optimal. In some extreme cases, the workplace becomes so seeded with anger and resentment that it becomes an intolerable place to be. This is the least optimal scenario, and for this reason and all of the lesser problems leading up to it, that human resources departments were established.

For anyone seeking a human resources certification, there are generally questions as to the specifics of the job, ergo this article. First, if you desire a human resources certification, you cannot be shy. The principle aspect to this profession is skillful and effective communication. This not only means that you will be expected to speak with a number of people, but that you must also learn to understand them. For this, you cannot be verbose, either. There is a time to speak, and a time to listen. In fact, this is a lesson that you will find yourself explaining to others at times.

Further, you must be able to understand human psychology and realize that different people “tick” in multiple ways. America (and increasingly, the world) is a pluralist place, with multitudes teeming in from other countries and cultures. For this reason, a human resources certification will teach you not only to play parent and psychologist, but anthropologist, as well. For instance, maybe during an arbitration between two employees, it is expressed that one person seems “untrustable.” When asked why, the first employee may state “he never looks me in the eyes.” Maybe it will come about that employee number 2, the “untrustable” employee, is simply from a country where to look another person directly in the eyes is deemed rude! (Some of the island nations near Cuba and Puerto Rico have just this aspect to their culture, in fact.)

Very often arguments will arise between a man and a woman. This is a point that cannot be made too lightly in human resources certification. Social scientists and neurologists have proven conclusively that men and women simply express themselves in different, often seemingly opposite ways. Yet the same basic desire may be wished; only expressed in “male” and “female” language.

Often when learning the basics of mediation in human resources training, new students get stuck on ideas of who is “right and wrong.” However, for many people, what may be wrong for them, may be perfectly acceptable and correct for others. This is one of the most difficult aspects of this job description. For this, a brief smattering of such ideas as law, regulations, and ethics will be studied.

There are many aspects to studying for a human resources certification. While it is not an easy course, it is certainly colorful and rewarding. Many people that have worked in HR have gone on to areas such as law and diplomacy. In fact, this training has even been of service in their personal lives.