7 Things You Should Expect to Learn in Your First HR-Related Job
March 11, 2025
Human resources (HR) is a career field that’s unique in that it’s all at once flexible, rewarding, and exciting in the best ways—especially for the types of professionals who love working with both systems and people. You may already have a general idea of what HR professionals do—the fulfilling job of hiring, the more difficult job of letting people go, and handling all employee concerns in between. But once you step into such a role, you may quickly realize that HR is far more complex than it appears, and that it often takes a particular type of person to excel in this field.
An HR role will not be limited to paperwork and policies; it will also entail a keen understanding of people and how they best fit into the fabric of a specific company. Any HR jobs you apply for will likely test your patience, sharpen your judgment, and equip you with skills that extend beyond employee management. You will pick up lessons that are not typically taught in school—insights that only hands-on experience can truly provide.
If you’re still interested in an HR-related career, here are seven things you should expect to learn in the field:
Key Takeaways What to Learn in Your First HR Job
- Confidentiality Is Crucial: Handling sensitive employee information demands discretion and professionalism to maintain trust.
- Understand Laws and Policies: Mastering the Labour Code and company rules ensures fair and compliant HR practices.
- Recruitment Requires Insight: Beyond interviews, assessing cultural fit and work ethic is key to hiring the right talent.
- Diplomacy in Employee Relations: Mediating conflicts requires active listening, neutrality, and clear communication.
- Payroll Precision Is Essential: Accurate payroll management and clear explanations prevent employee dissatisfaction.
- Terminations Demand Sensitivity: Dismissing employees must be handled professionally, ensuring due process is followed.
- Training Boosts Retention: Investing in staff development improves performance, job satisfaction, and employee loyalty.
Register Your LLC - Company Registration
START NOW1) Confidentiality Is Paramount
One of the most important lessons you will learn in HR is the value of confidentiality. You will have access to sensitive employee information, such as salary details, disciplinary actions, and personal concerns. Mishandling this data or engaging in workplace gossip that divulges this data can have serious consequences, not just for the employees involved but also for your career.
In work environments that feel like extended families, it can be difficult to maintain professional boundaries. But in your HR role, you will need to develop the ability to listen attentively and to be careful with people’s information, even with well-meaning colleagues.
2) Laws and Policies Have Real-World Applications
You can't do HR in a country like the Philippines without a solid grasp of the Labor Code. Think of it as the rulebook for everything employee-related. At first glance, all the legal terms can be somewhat overwhelming to learn and handle. But as you start dealing with actual situations in the workplace, everything will start to make sense—especially as you see how those laws apply in real life.
Company policies, on the other hand, are just as important for keeping things fair and above board. You will be a go-to person for employees with questions about everything from taking time off and getting benefits to understanding disciplinary procedures.
Now, you won't always have every answer at your fingertips, and that's perfectly fine. The key is knowing how to find the answers quickly and reliably. You will learn to become a resource—someone who can navigate both the legal framework of the country you operate in and the company's internal rules—and help everyone understand them.
3) Hiring Is More Than Just Interviewing
Recruitment goes beyond merely scanning resumes, asking standard interview questions, and completing checklists. You’ll also have to figure out if someone's personality will mesh with the team, if their work ethic aligns with the company's, and if they will actually thrive in the existing culture.
A candidate might be perfect on paper, but a big miss within your company’s environment. However, digging deep might be hard to do if you’re dealing with constant pressure to immediately fill open positions. That means you’ll need to be familiar with all the tools of the trade—job boards, different channels for finding talent, and (now that we’re in the digital age) automation tools that make hiring more efficient. At the end of the day, though, there’s no feeling more satisfying or rewarding to an HR practitioner than finding that right person and seeing them succeed.
4) Employee Relations Require Diplomacy
Expect to find yourself mediating between employees who have conflicts as well as between management and employees. Whether you’re a newcomer or someone who’s worked in HR before, being diplomatic will always be key. You will need to learn how to listen without taking sides, stay cool even when discussions get heated, and figure out how to resolve disagreements in a way that feels fair to everyone involved.
Much of the time, you're going to feel like you're stuck between a rock and a hard place. But here's the thing: if you handle these situations with fairness and professionalism, you will earn the respect of everyone, from the employees on the floor to the people in the corner office.
5) Payroll and Benefits Need to Be Error-Free
Payroll is not exactly the most glamorous part of HR, but it's one of the things that holds companies together. Part of your job may entail making sure everyone gets paid correctly, which means handling salaries, figuring out all relevant deductions, and (in the Philippines) dealing with government requirements like those of the Social Security System (SSS), Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG), and Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
Any little slip-up in payroll can cause major headaches and make employees seriously unhappy. Plus, people may come to you with all sorts of questions about their pay slips, taxes, and benefits, and you will need to be able to explain everything clearly.
If your HR role involves overseeing the payroll, you will learn pretty quickly that being detail-oriented isn't just a nice-to-have, but a must-have in this field. You can't afford to make mistakes when people's pay is involved.
6) Terminations Are Never Easy
Letting someone go is one of the toughest parts of working in HR. Whether it is due to poor performance, redundancy, or company downsizing, terminations must always be handled with professionalism and empathy. In these instances, you will also need to ensure that employees understand their rights and entitlements and that due process and proper documentation are followed. While no one enjoys this part of the job, you will learn how to approach it with fairness and respect.
7) Training and Development Matter
Part of your HR role may involve organizing training programs, leadership seminars, and workshops to enhance employees’ skills and boost their performance. You will swiftly learn that investing in development does not just benefit individuals; it also improves overall company productivity and retention. In the Philippines, where many professionals seek opportunities abroad, fostering a culture of continuous learning can be an effective strategy to encourage top talent to stay.
No Two Days Are the Same in HR
If this will be the career you choose, HR will constantly keep you on your toes. You could be hiring a new employee one day and processing a resignation the next.
As you move forward in your HR journey, you will come to realize that the skills you develop—whether they relate to conflict resolution, negotiation, or policy enforcement—will prepare you for more complex scenarios in the future. There’s a lot to learn, but each challenge you overcome will make you stronger and more confident in your ability to navigate what can end up being a very stable and rewarding career path.
