Fawaz Alomran has more than seven years of experience working in the field of human resources and compliance within the banking industry at the local and multinational level. He specializes in designing training programs to help an organization meet its specific goals and objectives. His tailored programs include needs assessment, target audience definition, training outlines and evaluation methodologies. Alomran also specializes in writing and auditing training materials and implementing and managing e-learning projects. He is passionate about the role of human resources in an organization and how it can be used to improve business. Alomran demonstrates this passion in his blog, HR Diary, where he shares his thoughts about human capital, competency and learning.

Why did you decide to pursue this career field?
I made the decision to pursue this job because I want to expand my knowledge. When I started my career more than nine years ago, I wanted to know about all functions of a business. Working in human resources is the only field that will give me the chance to do that since HR practitioners work across many levels and on a cross functional basis also.

What type of preparation did you do to get into this field?
In terms of education, I only had a diploma in banking operations at the time that I began my career. But later on, along with completing professional courses, I earned my B.A. in business. For someone to be able to reach a senior position in HR, it is very important to learn about HR “strategically.” I would say that attaining knowledge in the following areas would give the candidate a strong competitive advantage in HR: manpower planning, job evaluation methods, performance management and remunerations. Dave Ulrich, a well-known and accomplished expert in human resources, created the term “HR business partner,” meaning that HR should take on strategic roles and implement programs within an organization that support business goals. I think the best way to be prepared is to consider this phrase during your journey.

What types of classes and projects did you have to do?
My education is mostly in general business. I did have to take a few courses about HR but my passion for it is what kept me learning about it. Currently, I am pursuing my graduate level education and working toward a “masters of HR.” I think the most important classes pertain to training and development, talent management and remunerations.

How did your education help you in your career?
I consider any type of education to play a key role in leading to other learning opportunities. My education helped me discover new perspectives which caused me to go back and read about additional fields.

What was your career path like in this field?
I started my career as a human resource coordinator, then training officer, then training analysis section manager and finally a training manager.

What types of skills is someone required to have to work in your position?
They need a deep knowledge of all HR functional activities including: policies and procedures, staffing, employee relations, performance management, organization development, and compensation and benefits.

What do you do on a typical workday?
On a typical day, I ensure the development and design of internal training courses, materials, programs and techniques. I also oversee budgets, search for new programs and trends, and review training analysis outcomes and evaluation reports.

Do you plan to advance to another position within your career field?
I do plan on advancing further, and my next step is to become HR general manager. 

What type of person do you think is best suited for a job in your field?
People who like to analyze and think more than they just like to carry out transactions. Also, to work in HR, one needs to be able to make useful data out of small reports.

Do you have any advice for those who are looking to launch a career in your field?
My advice for anyone who wants to join the HR field is to think of the HR function strategically as well as learn about each HR function and how each one feeds the other.