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Table of Contents
Overview
The post-pandemic world has seen a drastic change in the way the world operated a few years ago, especially in the corporate world. With hybrid working models and work from home opportunities, people are getting recruited worldwide, which has made it troublesome for employers to hire trustworthy staff. Due to the same, job opportunities in human resource management have accelerated, which is projected to grow by 12.8% annually. As a student looking forward to building a career in human resource management, writing a perfect statement of purpose that ensures your admission into your chosen university can be a painstaking process. To cut down on this complicated process, our 4-step guide is specially designed for students with a sample SOP for human resource management courses in Canada.
Toolkit for SOP for human resource management
We have compiled a comprehensive toolkit for crafting an SOP for university admissions as a human resource management student. Prior to drafting your own SOP, make sure that you go through the toolkit to understand the four essential elements of crafting a well-written SOP with relevant examples.
| Action Item | Questions to be answered | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction (motivation and goals) | What acted as a motivation for you to choose human resource management? | Inspired by aunt who has been working as a human resources manager for almost 20 years OR Motivated by personal work experience in a corporate setting |
| What are your acquired skills? | Communication and leadership skills OR Communication, management, and leadership skills | |
| What are your ambitions as a future human resource manager? | To become an entrepreneur and start my own human resources consultancy service. OR To become a human resource manager | |
| Body paragraph I (learning, execution, and impact) | Give your academic background | Completed Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Loyola College, Chennai OR Pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree from Panjab University |
| Give your professional background | Worked as an intern in an NGO named The Banyan OR Worked as a copywriter for an advertising agency | |
| Give the skills/strengths you acquired from your academic and professional accomplishments | Good orator, head of the college’s debate club, and supervised the team, managed conflicts, and assisted them while executing their tasks OR Develop the skills of managing task deadlines, communication, management, leadership,and decision-making | |
| Body paragraph II (why course, why university) | Give reason for studying a course in human resource management | To further develop my skills and understanding of human resources management OR To get in-depth subject insights in the field of human resource management |
| Give reason for choosing this particular course | The MBA program’s option to study as a co-operative student will help me gain practical work experience and bear my expenses as an international student OR The curriculum’s focus on strategic HRM, organizational change, and strategic staffing, which is designed with respect to international HRM | |
| Give reason for choosing this particular university | Due to university’s robust curriculum, co-op programs, and scholarship offers OR The university has a wide range of elective courses, such as 'labor and employment law', which will help me expand my frame of knowledge beyond the coursework | |
| Give reasons as to how your addition will be a valuable addition to the university | By volunteering for the university’s debate club OR By volunteering in competitions, clubs, and mentoring undergraduate students | |
| Conclusion (closing statement) | Give your short-term goals | To seek employment in a multinational corporation OR To get a job as a human resource manager in a well-respected company |
| Give your long-term goals | To become self-employed and start working as an independent human resource consultant OR To transition into a senior position as human resource manager and manage the whole organization | |
| Give your contribution to society with human resource management. | Able to bring about a change in the workplace environment of various companies by optimizing strategies that are not created at the expense of employees’ lives OR To develop a working environment that is successful in boosting productivity and retention while minimizing workplace stress |
Sample SOP for a student with a background in human resource management
"Human resources isn't a thing we do. It's the thing that runs our business." - Steve Wynn
The quote by Steve Wynn accurately encapsulates my vision for my career aspirations in human resources management. Inspired by my aunt, who has been working as a human resources manager for almost 20 years, I decided to take a leap of faith to build a successful career. I believe this decision of mine was largely inspired by her career trajectory, which took her from being a human resources manager to becoming an entrepreneur. Just like her, I aspire to embark on a journey in human resource management beginning with my degree in Master of Business Administration. I am confident that my communication and leadership skillswill aid me in starting my own human resources consultancy service, contributing strategically to the success of diverse businesses.
As a student, I have been good at academics throughout high school and college; apart from that, I have always been an active participant in extracurricular activities. Because of my extrovert nature, I have always been a student who puts her opinion in front of others, which developed into leadership skills. Speaking at the forefront made me confident in myself, which also led me to become a good orator. Throughout my time as a college student, I have been the head of my college’s debate club. This helped to cultivate my communication and leadership skills helping me to win various inter-college debate competitions.My Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Loyola Collegehelped me to get an internship in an NGO named The Banyan.I was fortunate enough to get the learning experience of leading a team of college students while working over there. My duties included supervising my team, managing conflicts, and assisting them in fundraising events. After working there for a year, I started considering the prospect of higher studies for better job opportunities. Upon further research, I made up my mind to get an MBA degree and decided to specialize in human resources management owing to profile and cumulative life experiences.
To learn more about the same, I have enrolled in the Business Administration (MBA) program at Brock University, which will help me to further develop my skills and understanding of human resources management. I was inclined to choose Brock University as my postgraduate school owing to its robust curriculum, co-op programs, and scholarship offers. I am particularly impressed by the university’s scholarship program which funds up to 80% of education for prospective students. Moreover, the university’s MBA program’s option to study as a co-operative student will help me gain practical work experience and bear my expenses as an international student. I look forward to committing to the university’s academic standards and volunteering for the university’s debate club by being an active participant. By gaining an MBA degree from Brock University, I am confident that I can become a skilled human resources professional, helping me effectively realize my goals.
Obtaining a degree in human resource management will enable me to immediately seek employment in a multinational corporation. Across a long-time span, with sufficient experience as a human resources manager, I aspire to open my own human resources consultancy service.By becoming self-employed, I am confident that I will be able to bring about a change in the workplace environment of various companies by optimizing strategies that are not created at the expense of employees’ lives. I believe that in such a way, I will be able to create a life that will not only be advantageous on the financial forefront but also be rewarding. I firmly believe that an MBA degree in human resources management from Brock University is all I need to kickstart my journey as a human resources professional.
Sample SOP for a student with a different background
“I am convinced that nothing we do is more important than hiring and developing people. At the end of the day, you bet on people, not on strategies.” - Lawrence Bossidy
My interest in human resources management goes beyond the authority to make decisions and manage a workplace. In my mind, it represents fostering the relationship between a number of people working together in different roles to drive a company towards success. The interest in pursuing human resources management stemmed from my personal work experience when I was working in a corporate setting. Throughout my time there, I realized the need to have a workplace where all employees are considered and treated equally. Motivated by my desire to contribute to the work environment in today’s corporate settings, I have decided to shift my academic focus to human resources management.I am confident that my communication, management, and leadership skills that I’ve acquired over the years will contribute to my journey to grow as a human resource manager.
During my schooling years, my test scores always corroborated my ability to learn and understand new concepts. In addition to the academics, I performed well in extracurricular activities, because of which I became an active member of my school’s student union. This in turn helped me develop the skills of managing task deadlines, communication, management, leadership, and decision-making at a young age.This eventually led me to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree from Panjab University.After the completion of my degree, I worked as a copywriter for an advertising agency for the next 2 years.During my time over there, I encountered various problems with the work environment, which often created problems for me as well as other employees while working. I realized the importance of a good human resources manager and their role in driving the company and the employees towards success. Considering getting an MBA after my graduation, I decided to specialize in human resources management as I feel that my leadership and decision-making skills can help me become a human resources manager after getting an MBA.
For the same reason, I began to research for colleges and universities offering MBA programs as choosing the right university to gain indispensable subject insights in the field of human resource management is paramount. Thus, I have decided to choose to pursue a Master of Human Resource Management (MHRM) program from York University, Canada. The program will equip me with theoretical knowledge and practical experience to become a human resource manager. The curriculum’s focus on strategic HRM, organizational change, and strategic staffing, which is specially designed with respect to international HRM, makes the coursework perfectly aligned with my career goals. What particularly interested me at York University was the wide range of elective courses, specifically 'labor and employment law', as I believe it will help me expand my frame of knowledge beyond the coursework.Apart from my academic success, I hope to contribute to the university by volunteering in competitions, clubs, and mentoring undergraduate students. I, therefore, feel that to become an impactful human resource professional who will aid in the expansion of knowledge on human resource management, York University’s MHRM program is a perfect fit for me.
Upon completion of my degree, my short-term goal is focused on getting a job as a human resource manager in a well-respected company. I would get the opportunity to apply the knowledge of talent management, training, development, compliance, and workplace safety, which is part of my curriculum at York University.My work experience as a human resources manager would help me accomplish my long-term goal by gaining leadership experience and developing a friendly workplace environment where employees stay motivated while working on the company's objectives. In the long run, my goal is to work hard and transition into a senior position and manage the whole organization. I believe that working at a higher authority will put me in a position to exercise independent judgment, care, skill, and diligence to avoid any conflicts of interest and, most importantly, advocate for employee rights. I believe realizing this dream of mine will only be possible for me owing to my time and experience as a human resource manager.With a Master of Human Resource Management from York University, I will become a transformative leader in the position to develop a working environment that is successful in boosting productivity and retention while minimizing workplace stress.
How to write an SOP for human resource management
Here, we have provided you with an in-depth explanation of how to write an SOP for human resource management.
Introduction (motivation and goal)
First, decide on writing a hook line that appeals to the SOP reader. To make sure that your SOP opens with a hook, add an inspirational quote that you find motivating or you could talk about a problem encountered in the field of human resources management and how you wish to solve it by working in that field. Then, talk about the unique skill sets that you possess to show that you can work in the field of human resources management. To simplify, write a short and concise introduction, as you will discuss these topics in a detailed manner in the next paragraphs.
Checklist for writing introduction:
- Hook (quote related to human resource management)
- Source of motivation
- Long-term goal
- Reason to pursue the course
- Unique aspects about your personality
- Future goals
Body paragraph I (learning, execution, and impact)
In the first body paragraph, talk about your educational and professional background by highlighting your key achievements that make you stand out from other applicants. While talking about your background, mention relevant details about your accomplishments that are related to your dream of working in the human resources field.
Then, talk about the strengths that you developed over the years owing to your accomplishments from your background. At the end of body paragraph I, write a sentence about the impact of your academic and professional life on your personal life. Here, you can talk about how your life’s experiences persuaded you to choose human resources management as your career path.
Checklist for writing body paragraph I:
- Academic accomplishments
- Professional accomplishments
- Strengths and weaknesses
- Impact of all the cumulative experiences
- In case of a fresher, talk about internships and volunteerships
Body paragraph II (why course, why university)
In the second body paragraph, you have to talk about your course in human resources management and the university that you have chosen. First start off by introducing your course, the subjects that you will study and highlight the important features of your course. Then, give the reasoning as to why you chose a particular university out of other universities that you could have chosen. When talking about the university, talk about the prominent features of the university which could either be related to the university’s infrastructure, staff, amenities, or offered facilities but make sure that your details are precise and not very generic. Moving on, give concrete reasons as to how the knowledge from your course will help you realize your career goals. Then, talk about how you can be a valuable asset to the university.
Checklist for writing body paragraph II:
- The skills and knowledge you know related to human resource management
- Why this particular college/university?
- What do you like about the university?
- How can you be a valuable addition to the college/university?
Conclusion (closing statement)
Coming to the concluding paragraph, talk about the journey of your career as you will move through different levels over the years after completion of your degree. To begin with, talk about your immediate goal that you want to accomplish soon after graduation. Your short-term goal could be getting placed in a good company where you can apply the knowledge that you got from your degree. Then, talk about your long term goal which you will accomplish after a certain time period. Your long-term goal must provide the SOP reader into your future and show that you are ambitious related to your career. While ending the paragraph, mention how your professional path can make meaningful contributions to support the positive development of the society at large.
Checklist for writing conclusion:
- Path to achieve your career goals (short-term and long-term goals)
- What after the course (long-term goals)
- Contribution towards the society
Conclusion
Overall, writing an SOP while applying to universities as a human resources student leaves you with a lot of questions. Nevertheless, by reading our toolkit on writing an SOP, you can gain insight on how you can elevate your SOP and show your desired university that you’re the perfect fit as a human resources professional. Make sure that you go through our sample SOP and follow the format of a professional statement of purpose.
FAQs
Why should you study human resource management?
One of the most prominent reasons to choose human resource management as a career path is due to the fact that it offers you a promising career with continued growth. If you wish to transition to higher positions in a company, human resources can act as a stepping stone on your journey towards an executive-level position. A human resource professional plays a key role in reinforcing the workplace culture and helping companies run their operations in a smooth manner, making them a highly valuable asset for the companies. Despite the fluctuations in jobs during the pandemic, the human resources industry was valued at 325 billion euros in 2022, witnessing a 50 percent inflation in the industry worth more than the previous year.
What is the significance of statement of purpose?
An SOP provides you with the opportunity to give an extended explanation of your academic and professional background in relation to your future goals that cannot be mentioned in your resume or application form for the university. By writing an SOP, you get a chance to stand out in your application by giving the university members an insight into your prospective career trajectory with short-term and long-term goals and how you wish to achieve them with a degree from their university.
Is 900 words good for an SOP?
A statement of purpose has a standard word limit of 600-1000 words, so 900 words are good enough to write a compelling SOP. In case it is not already stated by the university or college’s SOP guidelines, we recommend you stick to the same word limit.
What is the writing style for SOP?
Always write SOP in a formal yet conversational tone . Since an SOP is read by a university’s admissions committee, avoid using any informal or colloquial language. In addition to this, be mindful of not using any flowery language that only sings praises of the university; instead, give precise examples that explain why you actually wish to be a part of the university.
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