How to get a job in HR with experience in operations?

Some people enter Human Resource management by design others, including myself, by luck.

If luck is not on your side yet, the management did not entrust you with the new role in in-house HR, you need to do something to impact your ability to work in HR field.

With solid experience in operations, but little to no formal education in HR and no experience in HR, this is what you can do:

* Try to take on additional tasks in your current job that take you in the HR direction. Make your workplace (boss and HR person) aware that you are interested in an HR role. Maybe there are ways the departments can share you. You can support HR Manager in a component of Human Resource management, like training, e.g. orienting new hires, preparing their training plan, conducting training sessions; or recruiting, e.g. scouting talent in social media, engage with users to recruit talent, conducting screening interviews.

* Consider taking a sabbatical to do a HR internship abroad, there are companies out there who paid will surely find you a placement.

* Consider taking up a voluntary HR assistant job with a local nonprofit organization in your neighborhood.

* Make your current skills and tasks relevant to HR. Don't expect your prospective employer to connect the dots in your CV. Get the support of a decent CV writer to take your current experience and make it sound useful in an HR department. There are many skills needed in HR department - project management skills, analytical and problem solving skills, (internal) customer orientation, excellent verbal and written communication skills, with an emphasis on tact and diplomacy.

* Look at niche job boards to find specific openings for HR professionals. Read the job ads carefully. Some companies look specifically for HR staff with experience in operations.

* Apply for term jobs (fill in for a person on sabbatical or maternity leave). These are usually not attractive to HR professionals with linear CV, so the competition might be not so strong.

* Inform your network on Xing, LinkedIn and even Facebook about your desired career direction.

* Network in HR groups on social media networks and engage in discussions.

* Get a twitter account and start twitting on you insight and link your experience to HR.

* Once invited for an interview, prepare well. Be enthusiastic and turn every HR need into an opportunity you could fulfill.

* Read books, blogs, and magazines on Human Resource Management and Talent Management.

* Get a formal qualification in HR – however, do not overestimate its value.

* Do not give up hope and use every chance to put a foot in the door in HR.