What is human resources management?

Human resources management is the overall management of a company’s employees. This may include compensation, hiring, training and other factors directly related to employees. Common human resources jobs include human resources manager, human resources consultant and recruiter.

Related: What Is an HR Department?

What is the job outlook for careers for human resources?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job outlook for human resources specialists is expected to grow 10% between 2020 and 2030, which is on par with the national average for all occupations. The BLS also states that the job outlook for human resources managers is just slightly lower at 9%. Specialties that have become increasingly popular careers in HR include recruiting, learning and development specialist positions.

As attitudes and values about work change, HR departments continue to adapt. Companies are now prioritizing the following elements of human resources to meet the needs of employees and achieve their companies’ strategic goals:

• Diversity and equity to create more opportunities for minorities and ensure all employees receive fair treatment and compensation
• Employee retention to keep top performers within their companies
• HR information technology to automate more HR functions
• Workplace safety to address and prevent workplace violence

11 best HR jobs

Here are 11 of the top careers in HR that are currently in demand:

1. Human Resources Coordinator

National Average Salary: $44,364 per year

Primary Duties: Human resources coordinators perform various administrative duties for the human resources department in a company. These tasks may include maintaining employee records, helping with payroll and keeping track of recruitment efforts.

2. Human Resources Specialist

National Average Salary: $49,494 per year

Primary Duties: A human resources specialist is primarily responsible for helping organizations find and hire the most appropriate and qualified employees for open positions in the company. Common duties of an HR specialist include recruiting candidates, holding interviews and completing background checks on applicants.

HR specialists may work as permanent employees for an organization or as part of a temporary agency or placement firm in which they fill positions for other companies. These professionals may travel to job fairs to recruit applicants and increase awareness of open positions within their organization.

Related: 10 Recruiting Strategies for Hiring Great Employees

3. Human Resources Generalist

National Average Salary: $59,078 per year

Primary Duties: A human resources generalist manages various human resource activities and duties within a company. Duties of an HR generalist may include performing new staff orientations, overseeing employee improvement plans and developing employee procedures and guidelines.

4. Executive Recruiter

National Average Salary: $66,078 per year

Primary Duties: Executive recruiters oversee recruitment efforts for an organization or recruitment company. They may manage the business’ recruiting process, reach out to potential candidates and conduct interviews. These professionals are typically responsible for filling high-level or executive positions in organizations, such as chief operating officer or chief executive officer.

Related: Creating a Recruiting Plan for Your Business in 12 Steps

5. Training and Development Manager

National Average Salary: $58,074 per year

Primary Duties: Training and development managers are responsible for the production and implementation of employee training and development in the workplace. They may also oversee the budget and staff involved in employee training and development programs. Additional duties include measuring the effectiveness of training and development programs and determining each employee’s training needs.

Related: How to Create an Effective Employee Training and Development Program

6. Human Resources Manager

National Average Salary: $71,363 per year

Primary Duties: Human resources managers oversee a company’s human resources department and all plans and programs that are a part of it. Common duties of a human resources manager include developing human resources plans and programs, managing employee benefits and compensation plans and packages, and recommending and developing new procedures and policies for the workplace.

Related: Outsourcing Human Resources: Things to Consider

7. Employee Relations Manager

National Average Salary: $67,207 per year

Primary Duties: Employee relations managers are in charge of overseeing all aspects of employee relations. Their primary goal is to promote a positive and productive relationship between employer and employees and ensure employees are satisfied with their positions. They also manage any conflict resolution and help improve an organization’s performance management system.

8. Benefits Manager

National Average Salary: $68,273 per year

Primary Duties: A benefits manager is a professional responsible for developing and overseeing benefits programs in the workplace. They may also perform research to determine improved benefits programs and recommend these to management. Additional duties of a benefits manager may include developing a company’s pay structure, modifying compensation plans to meet industry standards, and ensuring all pay and benefits programs are compliant with federal and state regulations.

Related: What’s in an Employee Benefits Package?

9. Labor Relations Specialist

National Average Salary: $84,679 per year

Primary Duties: Labor relations specialists are professionals who primarily work for government agencies, unions and labor organizations as liaisons between employees and management. They may create proposals and present regulations and rules that assist in effective communication and agreements between employees and employers, and create contracts that address issues such as salaries, benefits and organizational practices.

10. Director of Employee Experience

National Average Salary: $147,571 per year

Primary Duties: Director of employee experience is a newer position within the HR industry and is steadily increasing in demand. This position entails various duties including onboarding new employees, ensuring the work environment is positive and rewarding and creating an organizational structure that attracts top talent. Additional tasks may include developing employee recognition programs, performing and analyzing employee surveys and making recommendations to management based on information gathered from employees.

11. Director of Human Resources

National Average Salary: $90,260 per year

Primary Duties: A director of human resources, who also may be referred to as a chief human resources officer, is in charge of overseeing every aspect of a company’s human resources department. Common duties include managing budgets, determining staffing needs and hiring and training new employees. Additional tasks may include keeping track of employee records, overseeing payroll distribution and managing employee performance reviews.

What education is needed for the best HR jobs?

Generally, a four-year bachelor’s degree is necessary to work in careers for human resources. Some majors that can prepare you to work in the field include:

• Human resource management
• Management
• Organizational leadership
• Business administration

You’re likely to encounter competition from many quality candidates if you intend to pursue the best HR jobs, such as manager or director positions. Obtaining a master’s degree or post-graduate certificate in one of the above fields can help set you apart from other candidates. These programs typically last for one to two years. Many colleges and universities offer part-time, evening and weekend-only scheduling that allows you to work in careers for human resources while you take graduate-level courses. You may also wish to consider online master’s degree programs in human resources management.

What is professional certification for careers in HR?

Professional certification is a designation given to HR professionals by a third-party organization. Certification is voluntary, but obtaining it could open the doors to some of the best HR jobs. Gaining certification attests to the fact that you possess knowledge and skills relevant to careers for human resources. HR professionals can seek many certifications including:

• Certified Professional from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
• Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) from SHRM
• Professional in Human Resources (PHR) from the HR Certification Institute (HRCI)
• Senior Professional in Human Resources (PHR) from HRCI

Requirements for certifications vary. Most involve meeting education or work experience requirements and passing an examination.

Careers in HR FAQs

Is HR a stressful job?

Careers for human resources often involve working long hours and striving to meet strict deadlines. These work requirements do make positions within human resources departments stressful for some people. Also, many of the best HR jobs involve managing other people and working to resolve conflicts between coworkers, supervisors and their teams or labor and management. This can lead to tense situations, adding to stress. People with strong organization, time management, listening, mediation and communication skills may experience less stress when working in careers in HR.

Is HR a good career?

Many people consider the best HR jobs to be good careers. Working in human resources management can be highly rewarding, and HR departments include many roles, professionals often have room for advancement. In addition, HR is a vital part of business, giving careers for human resources a good amount of job security.

Can you do HR from home?

Advances in enterprise software and information technology have made it possible for many functions of HR positions to be performed from anywhere. This has led many companies to begin allowing certain HR professionals to telecommute. However, some roles still benefit from face-to-face interaction in an office setting. For example, careers in HR that involve hiring and recruitment may require workers to be in the office for interviews. If you’re in one of these types of careers for human resources, you may be able to enjoy a hybrid work schedule, which allows you to telecommute for most of the week and spend only one or two days in the office.