Taking an HR courses to upskill is a great way to stay current as a professional, but it’s hard to know where to start looking. Here are four things you should consider when choosing one.

Finding HR courses should be straightforward, but sometimes we become overwhelmed with choices. Is this course too advanced for me? Is this course too intermediate? Is it going to be relevant to my job? Or better still, how much time out can I take off to do this? What’s my budget here?

Everyone is busy, and the last thing you need is to trawl through pages of training brochures and web links that list a range of providers – all offering almost identical information.

So, AHRI’s developed a training needs analysis tool to help with identification of skills, selection of HR courses and the obvious link to the HR competency framework.

Here are some tips for people seeking short HR courses for more immediate results:

1. Complete the AHRI training needs analysis tool

This handy test will give you a great snapshot of where your skills gaps are against the AHRI model of excellence. The test takes around 30 minutes, and provides you with a personalised PDF of your results plus course recommendations for training and development. It will also generate a series of graphics that benchmark your skills against other HR professionals who have taken the test.

2. Speak with your line manager

Now is the time for you to determine what your business priorities are, and then pick a course that works towards meeting those objectives. Whether this is a conversation you have with your manager at your regular performance review or during an impromptu meeting, getting an idea of how this new skill will fit with company and personal objectives will help with buy-in.

3. Work out which training method best suits

Do you travel a lot for work? Is it hard to find time away from the office? Or are there limited face-to-face training options where you live? With the plethora of options available, none of these should be barriers to taking an HR course. You can find ones that are face-to-face, consist of an e-learning module, or that are delivered as a webinar. Find the mix that works for you. 

4. It’s about what you know, but also who you know

If you are attending a short course training workshop or a face-to-face training course, make sure you use that time as a networking opportunity. The benefits that come with knowing others in your industry often outweigh the theoretical learning outcomes of the course. Not only that, learning in a group setting means you can bounce ideas around and see how others handle issues similar to ones you might be facing.