Three worlds behind the letters HR
In a company, a charity or a public body, the human resources function covers activities that call for different skills. Before applying, it helps to know which one attracts you.
- Recruitment: writing a job advert, publishing it, sorting applications, organising interviews and supporting the newcomer’s induction.
- Staff administration and payroll: contracts, hiring declarations, absences, leave, variable pay items and dealings with social security bodies.
- Skills development: the training plan, career reviews, internal mobility, talent management and employer branding.
In a small organisation, one person often covers all three. In a large group, each area has its specialists, and an intern is usually attached to just one. Ask at the interview which team you will join.
Likely tasks for an intern or apprentice
The level of responsibility depends on your course, the size of the team and the trust built with your tutor. These are tasks that come up regularly.
On the recruitment side
Write or update job descriptions with managers, publish adverts on approved tools, shortlist applications against a grid set in advance, schedule interviews, prepare reply letters and track application statistics.
On the administrative side
Prepare onboarding files, check supporting documents, update absence tracking tables, enter data in the HR information system under supervision and help prepare payroll.
On the development side
Collect training needs, compare offers from providers, organise a session, prepare a welcome booklet or induction programme and help with internal communication.
A good internship combines one assignment followed from start to finish (for example, a complete recruitment from the advert to the induction) with more regular support tasks.
Confidentiality and fairness: the ethical foundation
HR data is among the most sensitive in an organisation: identity, contact details, career history, pay, health and family situation. In France, its handling is governed by the European data protection regulation (GDPR) and by the French data protection act, with the CNIL as the supervisory authority. In practice this means looking only at what is necessary, never copying files onto personal devices, never passing a file to someone not authorised and respecting the retention periods set by the company.
Recruitment is also governed by the principle of non-discrimination: origin, age, sex, family situation, health, opinions or appearance must not influence selection. Questions put to a candidate must have a direct link with the job offered.
As soon as you arrive, ask your tutor which tools are approved, which access you are given and how to report a mistake, such as sending a message to the wrong recipient. Knowing how to react calmly and warn someone immediately is a sign of professionalism.
Studies and qualifications that lead to HR
There is no single route. HR recruiters see paths through business management, employment law, work psychology, humanities or communication.
- After the baccalauréat: the BUT in business and administration management (with an HR-oriented pathway), the BTS in SME management and the BTS in management support for assistant roles.
- Bachelor level: professional bachelor’s degrees dedicated to HR management careers, often offered as work-study.
- Master’s level: master’s degrees in human resources management, employment law, work psychology or management, with a long internship or a work-study contract.
- Vocational titles and certifications: HR assistant, payroll officer, HR manager, also open to people changing careers.
Work-study is very common for these jobs, because it lets you build experience from the first or second year of your course.
Internship or apprenticeship: which to choose
An internship is a limited period, built into the course and covered by a placement agreement. It suits discovering the function, trying out an area and feeding a report. In France a gratification is due beyond a length of time set by regulation, and its minimum amount changes: check the rule that applies in 2026 with your institution.
An apprenticeship contract is an employment contract. The apprentice is an employee, alternates between training centre and company and receives a salary calculated according to age and year of training. Its length varies with the qualification being prepared. It suits you better if you want a long experience, gradually growing responsibility and a quick move into work.
The professionalisation contract, aimed at certain groups and certain certifications, is a third option, more common for career changers or young jobseekers.
In all three cases, your assignment should stay educational: you are expected to learn and contribute, not to fill a vacant post.
Building an application that reassures a recruiter
HR teams read a great many applications and can spot copied messages. They will pay attention to how you write, because careful writing is part of the job.
- Take care over form: flawless spelling, clear structure, a one-page CV and a short letter centred on what you can bring.
- Prove your reliability with examples: managing a club budget, organising an event, keeping to a schedule, maintaining dashboards.
- Show your discretion by describing a situation where you handled confidential information.
- Know the organisation: sector, headcount, collective agreement if public, stated values and recruitment news.
- Prepare questions about the tutor, the tools, how tasks are shared and the intern’s place in the team.
At interview, expect role-play scenarios: how to react if a manager wants to rule out a candidate for a questionable reason, or how to handle a request for information about an employee.
Illustration: following a technician recruitment over six weeks
Suppose an industrial company with one hundred and twenty employees is looking for a maintenance technician. The intern in the HR team is involved in the whole process. The figures are hypothetical.
- Week 1: she meets the production manager, rephrases the duties and required skills, then writes the advert.
- Weeks 2 and 3: sixty applications arrive, are sorted with a five-criterion grid approved beforehand, and twelve profiles are kept for a first phone call.
- Week 4: four interviews with the manager are organised, with questions and a joint report prepared.
- Week 5: replies go to unsuccessful candidates in respectful messages, and the manager prepares the job offer.
- Week 6: she prepares the welcome, the booklet and the schedule for the first days.
At the end, the intern draws up a review: total time taken, most effective sources and ways to improve the advert. A deliverable of this kind is more convincing than a list of tasks.
Common pitfalls to avoid
- Relying only on people skills. They are useful but not enough: accuracy in a file or a date matters just as much.
- Talking about a candidate or employee outside the proper setting. An anecdote told to a friend can be a serious breach.
- Sorting on subjective criteria. A grid set in advance protects candidates and yourself.
- Neglecting rejected candidates. Replying is a mark of respect that contributes to the company’s image.
- Accepting an internship limited to filing. If the job is just data entry with no contact with the other areas, discuss widening it.
- Ignoring employment law. Without becoming a lawyer, learn the basics: types of contract, trial period, working time and staff representation.
Career openings and progression
A first spell in HR opens several paths. You can become an HR assistant, recruitment officer, payroll officer, training officer, HR development officer or consultant in a firm. Some choose to specialise in employment law, quality of working life or workforce planning.
Recruitment agencies and temporary-work companies also offer entry points for people who like direct contact with candidates and a commercial pace. Public services and local authorities recruit through competitive exams or contracts, with their own rules.
Whatever route you take, experience counts as much as qualifications. Keep a notebook of figures-based achievements: number of recruitments followed, procedures improved, materials created. It will help you later.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a law degree to work in HR?
No, but a grounding in employment law is valuable. Many professionals come from business management, psychology, communication or the humanities and train afterwards. For payroll and staff administration, a liking for rules and figures is especially important.
Can an intern really take part in recruitment interviews?
Often yes, first as an observer and then in support, for example to prepare questions or write the report. The decision stays with the managers. The tutor may decide not to involve you in some sensitive discussions, which is normal for an intern.
How do I talk about confidentiality in a job interview?
Describe a concrete situation where you handled sensitive information: a club’s membership list, pupils’ marks, commercial details. Explain what you did to protect it and why. That reassures more than a general statement about your sense of discretion.
Is work-study better than an internship if I am aiming for HR?
It gives a longer experience and often wider responsibilities, which recruiters like. But it requires finding a host company, sometimes against many other candidates. A well-chosen internship remains a good way to test the function before committing.
Can I do an HR internship in a small company?
Yes, and it can be very instructive, because you touch everything: recruitment, contracts, payroll and training. The drawback is less structured supervision and a variable workload. Check who your tutor will be and how your work will be followed so that you are not left isolated.
What can I put in an internship report without revealing personal data?
Describe processes, tools and your analyses without naming any employee or candidate. Use anonymised examples, aggregate figures and extracts from procedures approved by your tutor. If in doubt, ask in writing what may be quoted or attached.