Human resources offers an ideal long-term and promising career. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of jobs in human resources is estimated to grow at 5% between 2018 and 2028.
Further, BLS estimates the average salary of a human resources professional is $60,880 annually.
Businesses are increasingly focusing on employee engagement and retention, where human resources professionals play a vital role. Unlike yesteryear, the role of human resources professionals now is more appreciated and visibly impactful to the bottom-line of a business. As businesses are realizing HR as a strategic department in their growth, it is boosting opportunities for those who are looking to start an HR career.
Getting into HR
For most entry-level roles in HR, bachelor’s degree is enough. However, as HR is increasingly becoming diversified employers are seeking specialists in various functions of HR. While many small and medium businesses do not keep a degree as mandatory qualifying criteria.
Start-ups seek fresh graduates as long as they have skills to perform optimally. So long as you have a college degree, you are qualified to work in HR.
Previous experience in operations or related roles also helps in moving into an HR role. If you have experience working in any role which is closely related to HR like payroll and attendance, office administration, etc. you will be eligible for most HR roles.
Additionally, taking HR certifications also lets you get your foot in the door. Several certification bodies offer entry-level certifications which establish credibility for required skills and pave way for a promising career in HR.
Roles in human resources
Human resources is a diverse business function with various roles including benefits and compensation manager, talent acquisition professional, etc. All roles are equally promising and have similar entry-level barriers. You can opt for any role.
- Talent acquisition specialist – This role requires good communication and interpersonal skills. Seeking out desired talent, screening candidates, and scheduling interviews are major tasks for a talent acquisition specialist. They also assist CHROs in succession planning. This is one of the most sought after areas among HR professionals.
- Compensation & Benefits Manager – Compensation and benefits manager require extensive knowledge of compensation and labor laws. Knowledge pertaining to 401K program, health insurance, and other employer sponsored benefits program is vital to do well in this role. Additionally, ability to counsel is critical to this role as employees reach out C&B managers for understanding various compensation and benefits policies.
- Learning & development manager – Learning & development is a major function across business. It is crucial for employee engagement and retention. Facilitating learning delivery is a major task for learning and development managers. This requires them to understand an employee’s individual learning needs, their KPIs and business constraints and craft learning models as per need. As organizations are realizing increasing importance of learning and development in employee retention, it presents an opportunity for a promising career in HR.
- Labor law compliance manager – It is extremely important for a business to abide by employment and labor laws. HR staffs ensure that their organization stays complaint to all mandatory labor and employment laws. Failing to abide to laws leads to employee complaints, resulting in dip in productivity and ultimately profitability. Given you have knowledge of various labor laws; you can strive to break into this role.
