For many HR professionals, the transition from HR Advisor to HR Business Partner feels like the next natural step. But it’s also one of the trickiest jumps to make.

Unlike other career moves where a title change brings clear progression, shifting into a HRBP role requires a change in mindset, exposure, and experience beyond just adding “Partner” to your job title.

What Actually Changes?

The key difference is in the scope of influence and approach. HR Advisors focus on implementing and advising on HR policies, managing ER cases, and providing support on day-to-day HR matters. As the title suggests, they advise and often find themselves in reactive roles, responding to issues as they arise.

HRBPs, on the other hand, operate at a more strategic level, working closely with leaders to align HR with business objectives and drive proactive change. Rather than just responding to problems, they anticipate challenges and identify opportunities before they escalate.

Formal HR study can help with understanding strategy and foundations, but the best HRBPs are those who have developed their practical experience. Experience always trumps qualifications in my opinion!

Many Advisors eager to move up focus too much on progression speed and not enough on depth of experience. The reality? The time you spend as an Advisor is crucial for setting you up for long-term success. You don’t get that foundation-building phase of your career back.

How to get there?

Breadth of Generalist Experience

• ER is a huge part of many HRBP roles in the current market. Gaining solid ER exposure and working on complex cases is non-negotiable.

• Someone coming from siloed HR roles in large organisations might find this jump tricky. Employers generally look for breadth of experience, and the best place to get that is in smaller organisations where you touch all parts of the employee life cycle.

• The best HRBPs have worked across multiple areas like recruitment, learning and development, remuneration and benefits, and change management before moving into a more strategic role.

Exposure to Senior Stakeholders

• One of the biggest gaps between an Advisor and an HRBP is senior stakeholder management.

• If you’re not yet involved in key business discussions, look for ways to get in the room. Shadowing your manager or contributing to projects is a great way to build your reputation and earn trust within the organisation. It will also give you access to important business conversations.

Problem-Solving and Business Acumen

• An HRBP isn’t just a ‘people person’. They need to understand how the business operates and where HR can add commercial value.

• Look for opportunities to align HR initiatives with business goals. This might mean tackling retention challenges, workforce planning, or reviewing productivity metrics from a commercial perspective.

Put your hand up and say YES!

• Volunteering for projects outside your day-to-day role, such as leading a policy review, implementing a new HR system, or supporting a restructure, helps build the experience needed to step into an HRBP role.

• The more exposure you get, the better! Put your hand up for opportunities and show you’ve got a strong work ethic by saying yes to tasks that challenge you. This proactive approach demonstrates your commitment and readiness to take on more responsibility.

Final Thoughts

If you’re eyeing an HRBP role, don’t rush the process.

Your time as an Advisor is like an apprenticeship, where the real learning comes from doing, not just studying. Build depth, gain exposure, and when you’re truly ready, the move to HRBP will be a natural next step.