The pathway
How you actually get there, here
How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.
- 1
HR Coordinator / HR Assistant
1-3 yearsSkills to master
- Understanding HR processes, employee lifecycle, basic data handling, and internal communication. You'll have seen the 'people' side of the business up close.
You're ready to move on when
- You've handled employee queries with empathy and discretion.
- You've supported HR projects, perhaps even helped with a small engagement survey.
- You're known for your organisational skills and attention to detail in administrative tasks.
- 2
Project Coordinator / Project Assistant
1-3 yearsSkills to master
- Project planning, stakeholder communication, risk identification, and managing timelines. You'll understand how projects are run and the challenges involved.
You're ready to move on when
- You've successfully managed project documentation and tracked progress against a plan.
- You're good at communicating with different project stakeholders.
- You've helped identify and flag potential roadblocks in a project.
- 3
Junior Analyst (Data or Business)
2-4 yearsSkills to master
- Data collection, cleaning, basic statistical analysis, and report generation. You'll bring a strong analytical mindset and comfort with numbers.
You're ready to move on when
- You've used tools like Excel or basic Power BI to analyse datasets.
- You can present data clearly and identify initial trends.
- You're meticulous about data accuracy and integrity.