"HR is HR at the end of the day", but what does the market say about this statement?

Before You Flood My Inbox…

Before I get hundreds of emails stating that HR is HR no matter what company/industry you are in—let me say, in some ways, I agree with you. Strong HR principles can be universal. Skills can transfer across industries, and experienced HR professionals can adapt to new environments, bringing innovation and fresh perspectives. In that sense, HR is HR.

But here's the thing - How relevant is our opinion? because in reality, the market sets the narrative, and context defines value.

Companies Have Become More Specific—and Risk-Averse

I’ve discussed how companies are narrowing their requirements which has created a trend of ‘like-for-like’ hiring —companies want the proven article, a safe pair of hands. They’re taking fewer risks and looking for profiles that precisely match their needs. Why? It’s driven by fundamental organizational changes over the past 5 years—partly due to increasing business pressure on HR departments, which are often understaffed, and companies still adjusting to large-scale change in operations, technology, and workforce expectations.

So what exactly are companies looking for?

Let’s take a look and break it down:

• Organizational Structures: Local, global, matrix—how complex was the environment?
• Headcount: Total employees covered by HR, including overall company headcount and BU-specific numbers.
• HR Team Structures: Team size, reporting lines, and model (e.g., traditional, agile, Ulrich etc).
• Workforce Profiles: Unionized vs. non-unionized, frontline, operational, technical, corporate.
• Multi-Site Experience: Single office vs. multi-region—Scale, scope, and complexity.
• Industry-Specific Challenges: Sector-specific complexities such as regulatory demands, labor disputes, high turnover, or health & safety issues.
• Work Structures: Experience with shift-based, 24/7 operations, hybrid/remote models, or reliance on temporary staff.
• Challenges Faced: Situations managed, such as redundancies, mergers, acquisitions, or driving cultural change.

My Advice:

• Make sure your CV isn't too generic CV: Detail as much of the above as possible.
• Identify industries that share similarities and target them.
• Break the limiting belief: HR roles aren’t always universal—context is everything.

There will always be a counter-argument. Yes, some people still transition from completely different industries—but it’s happening less and less. When it does, it’s often through referrals rather than the standard application process.

We don’t have to agree with it, but the sooner we acknowledge it, the sooner we can adapt.

Personal Note

Thanks for taking the time to read this—I hope you found it useful or insightful. All of my content is written and created outside of working hours, which takes a lot of dedication. If you have any feedback or suggestions on what you would like to see, please send me a message.

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