Human Resources Careers Information
Human resources has been called the glue that holds companies together. Human resources professionals handle a wide range of day-to-day responsibilities within organizations, and their duties can include recruitment, new employee training, benefits coordination, maintenance of corporate salary structure and paycheck administration, as well as a host of others.
Talented professionals in human resources careers can make the difference between other employees loving or hating their jobs.
The role or roles which human resources professionals are expected to fill often depends on the organizations for which they work.
Human Resources Careers & Degrees
- Post University: Online
Large corporations often, out of necessity, have very large human resources departments, meaning individual workers within the department are more specialized: some may focus solely on recruitment, others on benefits, others on employee satisfaction, and so on.
Smaller companies, however, often have very few–or only one–human resource worker, and they have to wear many hats, from coordinating interviews to setting up training sessions, even occasionally resolving conflicts between employees.
Human Resources Careers Path
Because of the wide-ranging nature of the work of human resources personnel, interdisciplinary bachelor’s human resources degrees are often useful, including those in fields such as social science, business administration, and behavioral science.
Courses in labor law, labor management, collective bargaining, finance, and economics may also be very useful for those considering careers in human resources.
Master’s degrees in human resources, labor relations, or business administration with a concentration in human resources management are typical for those seeking top management positions within human resources.
Human Resources Careers: Compatible Personality Traits
Excellent communications skills, ability to work with a wide range of people, keen intuition and ability to objectively evaluate workers, comfortable with computer systems and the ability to learn proprietary management software, excellent written communications skills
Human Resources Careers: Salary Expectations
Just as job duties will vary widely depending on the industry and organization, so too will salaries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average entry-level human resource salary is around $38,000 annually. Those with moderate experience can expect to earn between $41,000 and $54,000 per year.
Human Resources Careers: Job Outlook
Total employment in human resources positions is expected to decline slightly in the next decade. As employee-management software becomes both more comprehensive and easier to use, fewer people will be required to fill more roles. However, experienced and talented human resource professionals will still be required, though competition for top positions will be keen.
Slightly Off the Footpath
Source: bls.gov/oco/ocos021.htm
