Secretary plots her path to management

JENNIE MA is a secretary in the administration team of a medium-sized company. She has mastered the skills needed to do her job but dreams of becoming a human resources manager in a big organisation. After brainstorming, she came up with the following plan:

Study for a diploma in human resources management

Learn basic accounting and budgeting skills

Join professional organisations to learn from HR managers and build up a network of potential employers

Offer to take the minutes of the company's quarterly HR meetings to learn about key issues

Seek opportunities to supervise others in order to develop management skills

Find a position in the HR team of a larger organisation to gain exposure and experience

Move to a smaller organisation, but with responsibility for recruitment and payroll

Volunteer to help collate annual salary review data

Keep up to date with HR practices by reading books and articles

Offer to handle the recruitment process for junior staff

Volunteer to manage the department's training plan

Start applying for positions as an HR manager