Developing a Global Mindset Through SHRM Certification

​I began my career as an HR representative in the learning & development and recruitment unit of a construction company. After two years, I was eager to learn more, so I enrolled in multiple behavioral training courses.

Among the fellow HR professionals I met in my classes was a corporate recruiter who helped pave the way for me to seek out my dream job. Noting my enthusiasm and energy, he encouraged me to apply for a position at his company as a learning and development specialist. The interview was the next day, and I got the job! I was 24 years old and working for one of the biggest conglomerates in Lebanon.

My primary responsibility was to devise a strategy to identify, develop and retain talent within this large organization's ecosystem. It wasn't easy to align multiple businesses under one learning strategy. I met with the businesses' leaders, reviewed appraisal outcomes and learning histories, and presented potential talent management strategies.

The strategies we implemented proved to be a great success. Turnover decreased by 5 percent versus the previous year. Setting career paths and development helped smooth succession planning for most of the executives.

Thirst for Knowledge

As the company grew, I began to encounter its international missions more frequently. This stimulated my natural curiosity and thirst for knowledge.

How could I learn more about HR best practices outside the Middle East/North Africa region? How could I expand the organization's recruitment, learning and retention efforts and improve HR deliverables? How could I help supervisors better understand the importance of performance management and put it into use? How could I help them identify gaps in their team members' development and then bridge those gaps?

How could I expand my own career by broadening my training and development skills to involve multiple sectors? How could I help myself and my company by stepping up in the HR world?

After doing some research, I felt that the answer to these questions was SHRM certification. What appealed to me most about the program was SHRM's new model of organizational effectiveness, which I had not experienced before. And with SHRM's worldwide reach, this professional credential would be a major step toward bigger and better international opportunities.

I decided to enroll in a SHRM certification exam preparation course at my own expense. After just the first class, I knew that a door was opening toward international exposure and the development of a global mindset. A global mindset would allow me to learn about different aspects of HR and to approach HR matters in different ways; it would allow the organizations I work for to be more open to other cultures and to new employment methodologies and opportunities.

Learning New Strategies

During my studies to prepare for the SHRM-CP exam, I learned about new ways of attracting talent, such as shadowing and mentoring programs and providing projects outside the employee's usual scope of work. For instance, talent could be retained not just through promotions but also by keeping employees excited about gaining more knowledge and teaching them about international missions.

I also learned how important it is to come up with a diversity of thoughts and ideas when tackling an HR matter. It is crucial to not limit myself to the immediate context of the situation, as long as the suggested solutions are fair and just.

After I passed the SHRM-CP exam in the summer of 2017, I handled work challenges more autonomously and with fresh eyes. My deliverables improved. These included positive change management initiatives that helped elevate the performance of HR staff across multiple business units, new methods for talent management and retention, and globally oriented ideas for building a more inclusive and diverse workforce. In addition, I was able to secure management buy-in quickly when explaining talent strategies and their impacts on productivity.

An Elevated Career Trajectory

My opportunities as a member of the HR profession have also expanded since I earned my credential. I have had the pleasure of volunteering on several group projects within SHRM. I gained more experience and global insights from fellow volunteers who shared their HR knowledge and told me how SHRM helped them evolve in their careers and professional journeys.

Recently, I joined a major luxury retailer as an HR business partner. I am responsible for HR operations, strategy and change management for several international fashion brands in the Middle East and India market across the six member nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

I have brought in a more competitive incentive program, implemented a new human resource information system portal to help new hires and current employees with their requests, and adopted new international missions as part of succession planning. Oversight of employee advancement opportunities and retention strategies is among the many HR best practices that I learned and strengthened by becoming SHRM-certified. Earning my SHRM-CP has helped elevate my career to a new trajectory and challenged me to step outside my comfort zone.

This has proven to me how fundamental SHRM certification is and how many benefits one can reap from it. It can help HR professionals uplift their knowledge and gain an international mindset that will help them throughout their careers as they support their organizations and achieve their HR objectives.

I plan to achieve the next level of certification by sitting for the SHRM-SCP exam next year. With that higher qualification, I hope to establish my own HR consultancy, through which I can help small and medium-sized businesses adopt HR best practices within their organizations.

Maher Alshoweiry, SHRM-CP, is the HR business partner for Middle East and India at Christian Louboutin FZCO in Dubai.