Key takeaways
- Undoubtedly, human resources career opportunities are evolving rapidly, with technology, AI, and new forms of leadership coming into the landscape.
- California, New York, and Washington are the best states for finding jobs in human resources that pay well.
- In addition to recruitment, HR is also responsible for fostering a healthy work environment, which contributes to employee satisfaction and low employee turnover rates.
- There are multiple areas of specialization in the human resources career, including recruitment, payroll management, compensation and benefits, training, and development.
- To pursue a human resources career, you must have a human resource management degree or a business administration bachelor’s with an HR major. Other degrees from fields like social sciences, business administration, and communication are also relevant.
- Interpersonal skills, good communication, problem-solving, decision-making, attention to detail, and many other skills and competencies are required for landing a job in human resources.
- Jobs in human resources usually consist of roles such as HR Generalist, HR Specialist, HR Manager, HR Executive, HR Consultant, Recruitment Specialist, Payroll Manager, and so on. ‘
- With a bachelor’s degree in HR, you can start your human resources career with paid or unpaid internships, and entry-level jobs as HR executive, and then move on to mid-senior level roles that require 3 to 4 years of experience.
- Senior roles in human resources careers require 5+ years of experience. For executive leadership roles, you are typically required to have a master’s or PhD, and 10+ years of experience.
- You can find human resources jobs in various sectors including corporate, non-profit, government, and startup Businesses.
- Remotely working employees make it challenging for HR professionals to keep employees engaged, monitored, and motivated.
- There is an increase in emphasis on maintaining employee well-being and ensuring a healthy mental state. This is a challenge for HR professionals who do not have a background in psychology, social sciences, or a knack for human behaviors.
Human resources play a vital role in managing a company’s most important asset — the people. A human resources career makes HR professionals churn up all the possibilities of empowering the employees and enabling them to stay productive, which in turn benefits the employee’s personal and professional growth and a company’s revenue.
Essentially, HR is the crucial link between an organization and its road to sustainable success. Without a healthy and happy workforce, any organization can bid goodbye to its long-term survival.
HR is evolving at an accelerated pace. Technological advancements revolutionizing the HR industry, and the changes in companies and their attitudes towards the employees, are giving a new shape to human resources careers.
Furthermore, an HR professional represents an organization. It’s at the forefront of it all. HR professionals are the bridge between an employee and the employer. They drive organizational structure, are responsible for fostering a work environment, and navigate business management challenges in this fiercely competitive market.
Ensuring a healthy work environment is a responsibility laid on HR’s shoulders. Therefore, it’s one of the most crucial responsibilities that one cannot ignore. In fact, SHRM research shows that employees consider their work environment to be the biggest factor contributing towards higher job satisfaction, and employee motivation.
Slowly but surely, HR is becoming more employee-centric, and data-driven, and is adapting to AI technologies for streamlined processes. Certainly, a human resources career seems to be getting interesting day by day.
Whether you opt for human resources jobs related to sociology or pick a specific area of interest and become an HR Specialist in Payroll, Compensation, or Recruitment — the challenges and trends are the same.
What are the emerging trends and changes in HR roles and industry?
Before you embark on your journey to a human resources degree and start looking for the best-paying jobs in Human Resources, make sure you have gone through important information. Therefore, look over some trends, changes, and job outlooks in HR.
HR is adapting to many new things, such as generative AI, and data-driven approaches, and becoming more employee-centric. There are several emerging trends and changes that you need to know about before pursuing a human resources career.
According to BLS data from May 2023, here are some of the most important stats and data you must know about:
| Highest employment level for HR managers: | New York and Washington |
| Top-paying states for HR managers and professionals: | New York, and California |
| State with the most employment opportunities for HR professionals: | California |
| Highest paying industry for HR managers: | Video and motion picture production companies |
| Industry with the highest employment for HR professionals: | Business management |
While the job outlook for human resources looks pleasing, you must not skip the changing trends in the industry. Younger people who are entering this field must stay up to date with the new trends, so they can make the most of their HR degrees.
Jobs in human resources might have specific demands and requirements per these new industry changes. So here is everything you need to know!
Increasing remote and flexible work arrangements
A report by ADP in 2022 suggested that 64% of the employees working from home would instantly resign and leave the job if the company required them to start working from the office. Workplace experts also urge companies to provide remote working options to younger employees, as they find it to be more of their natural habitat.
With more and more women entering the workplace and the corporate scene, it is also reported by Hiring Lab that women are more inclined towards remote work and flexible arrangements.
All this implies that remote work is a prevailing trend in most industries, and HR is no different. Human resources professionals are finding it challenging to devise strategies and ways to keep their employees motivated and engaged in remote settings.
They are adapting to newer methods and techniques to fulfill their responsibilities as HR. Some HR professionals are also consistently advocating for their employees’ rights to have a flexible arrangement. If you wish to tap into this industry and enjoy the benefits of good human resources jobs, you must keep in touch with remote working trends.
Employee well-being becomes a top priority
Some time ago, HR roles and responsibilities were simple – to recruit people. Companies did not pay much heed to their employees’ mental health, physical health, emotional needs, and professional growth. However, today, the trend is shifting towards being more employee-centric.
Companies now value their employees more than ever and wish to retain them in this extremely competitive market. They do this by focusing on employee well-being and going to lengths to make them feel valued and welcomed.
HR plays an integral role here. Training programs, engagement initiatives, monetary initiatives, birthday celebrations, recognition awards, and other such strategies are planned and executed by HR.
According to LinkedIn, Employee Experience Manager is one of the fastest growing and in-demand roles in the U.S. The role has to do with employee well-being and growth within an organization. This shows the increasing focus on ensuring employees are happy and satisfied at work, as it directly impacts their performance and hence business growth and revenue. This role is also one of the newest additions to the pathways you can find with a human resources career.
Initiatives for building a more human leadership
Speaking of changing trends and evolving mindsets in the human resources career pathways, one thing that is becoming prevalent in HR is the way it treats management and leadership now. HR now actively works towards creating mindful and human leadership. It requires team managers and leads to participate in leadership training programs and learn empathy and human leadership.
HR also encourages employees to communicate conflicts and other challenges to them in case they have a problem with the leadership. This empowers the employees and allows HR to step in whenever there are issues like micromanagement and biased leadership. It also contributes towards fairer performance evaluation, appraisals, and growth opportunities.
What is the role of technology and digitalization in HR?
Like every industry, HR is also not left untouched by technology, digitalization, and AI. In fact, generative AI is taking HR by storm, slowly but surely transforming mundane HR tasks and processes like creating job descriptions, taking interview notes, sorting interview questions, and profiling all the candidates.
As of now, generative AI is integrated into virtual and in-person meetings and interviews. AI can sort relevant resumes and profiles with just a few commands, and can even help create job postings. Additionally, platforms like LinkedIn which are most popularly used for job postings now integrate AI in the process.
Moreover, AI and technological transformation in data processing is allowing HR to become more data-driven and efficient. Processing, managing, and analyzing large chunks of data have now become easier and more efficient than they used to be earlier. So, if you are looking for well-paying human resources jobs, make sure you are tech-savvy!
Some colleges are offering HR degrees online. As a result, students get exposure to the use of technology within their careers from a very early point.
However, with all the technology and AI involved in HR, there has been a recent increase in concerns regarding data privacy and security.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
DEI, which stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, is a concept in workplaces and other aspects of life that emphasizes the importance of equal opportunities and inclusion of people from different backgrounds.
With an increasing focus on maintaining DEI in workplaces, it is becoming more and more of HR’s responsibility to maintain it through various initiatives. The first and foremost thing to do would be to hire people from diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, races, and genders, without any discrimination. Thus, ensuring equal opportunity and prejudice-free screenings is one step in the right direction.
Additionally, HR can also cultivate a safe work environment where existing employees respect each other’s differences. As an HR professional, you must possess the necessary communication skills to foster such practices into day-to-day work.
What education and qualifications are required for a human resources career?
Firstly, to start a human resources career, you must have some degrees, qualifications, diplomas, or certifications. There are numerous degrees you can earn to get jobs in human resources. You can get a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management with a major in human resources, or a degree in subjects like Psychology, Sociology, or Business Administration.
Additionally, you can also explore various certifications and diplomas offered by multiple identities.
- Human Resource Standards Institute, or HRSI, is one of the leading certification providers. It offers exams and certifications for different levels of HR professionals, whether beginners or executive professionals.
- Society for Human Resource Management or SHRM is also one of the top certifications granting organizations. It offers multiple types of certifications that you can complete over a span of some months. These certifications are the best for people who do not have a professional degree but want a human resource career.
For leading a career in HR, you might need some exposure that goes beyond academics. Even if you are enrolled in an HR degree program, do not forget to add little experiences to your resume to stand out in the professional world. Look for practical work opportunities like internships and on-campus jobs.
Additionally, some colleges also offer certifications and diplomas to add to your bachelor’s degree. Explore what your college offers in this regard.
You can find an undergraduate HR program at:
- Colleges in New York
- Colleges in Maryland
- Colleges in Michigan
- Colleges in Texas
- Colleges in California
- Colleges in Illinois
Interestingly, you can explore multiple types of other undergraduate degrees for a career in HR. For example, a sociology undergraduate degree can also allow you to take up an HR job. Meanwhile, minoring in criminology at college can help you learn about compliance and laws and regulations for HR.
Specializations in HR degrees
Human resources careers have now become much more specific and specialized. Now the industry is looking for individuals who excel in particular HR operations and offer a skill in that one domain.
Luckily, most of the best colleges offering a human resources degree offer specializations, or concentration areas in the programs. Therefore, you can select the one that meets your career goals and trajectory.
The most common Specializations within HR degrees include:
Recruitment and talent acquisition
Recruitment and talent acquisition has to do with one of the most important and core functions of HR — to recruit, hire, and onboard people. These specialists are responsible for attracting and bringing on board the most talented and suitable candidates for the job openings.
Employee relations
Another specialization in the human resources career pathway is Employee Relations. HR professionals with an Employee Relations specialization act as the bridge between employees, employers, and managers. They communicate, mitigate, and resolve issues and conflicts that may arise. They also make sure that situations are handled in accordance with employee laws, rules, and regulations. Many independent federal institutes like the National Labor Relations Board work actively to protect and empower employee relations in various job sectors.
Compensation and benefits
Different employees have different compensations and benefits in an organization. HR professionals specializing in the Compensation and Benefits domain are responsible for designing and creating the framework of all the employees’ compensation and benefits, including salary, medical insurance, car allowances, bonuses, appraisals, and so on.
Training and development
Organizations must keep their employees trained and equipped with important and evolving skills. They do this by laying the responsibility of training and developing employees on HR professionals who specialize in the field of employee development. The training programs may be targeted towards hard skills or soft skills, depending on the company’s needs and objectives.
Skills and competencies required in human resources careers
Other than academic qualifications, you must possess some skills and competencies to build a successful HR career. These can be communication skills, problem-solving, and many other skills. Some of them include:
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Communicate effectively by text and speech both, to ensure clarity between employee-employer or employees and their managers. |
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Solve problems in a timely and organized manner — problems may be related to, but not limited to, issues like hiring a new candidate, laying off employees, and handling employee conflicts. |
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Know-how of basic HR principles, methodologies, laws, and regulations that are relevant in an organization. |
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Resolve issues and conflicts between employees, managers, and the organization by adopting flexible and necessary measures. |
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Have a basic understanding of data analytics in order to manage day-to-day tasks of payroll management, employee performance, and screening candidates. |
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Manage and administrate many important tasks such as employee onboarding and orientation, employee data management, and much more. |
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Have a keen eye for details and be eager to do research as work requires managing employee data and documentation on a daily basis. |
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Dealing with confidential and sensitive employee data may require organizational skills for efficient HR functionality. |
What are the roles and responsibilities of human resources?
You will eventually discover that the human resources career is rich with multiple streams and pathways that you can choose from. when you have enrolled in a human resources degree program, make sure you have done your research and made up your mind about the specializations, depending on what various job roles are there in HR and what each role is about.
You must make sure that the human resources degree coursework matches with your personality, this will tell you if you should get a degree in HR.
To help you decide for yourself, here is a list of the most common jobs in human resources. Being capable of these responsibilities means you should enroll in a human resource college degree.
- Compensation and Benefits Analyst
- HR Generalist
- HRIS Specialist/HR Systems Analyst
- Recruitment Specialist/Recruiter
- Recruitment Specialist/Recruiter
- Training and Development Specialist
- Employee Relations Specialist
- HR Consultant
- Talent Acquisition Manager
- Staffing Manager
- Payroll Executive/Manager
- Performance Manager
HR Generalist vs. HR Specialist
A big question arises in the minds of young people who aspire to have a career in human resources. And the question is, what is the difference between an HR Generalist and an HR Specialist?
Here is what you need to know:
| HR Generalist | HR Specialist |
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What is the career progression like with an HR degree?
It’s not fair to assume that an HR degree alone will help you land C-level executive jobs or change your career overnight. It is an important journey made up of different levels of jobs in various industries that add to our experience and qualifications.
To achieve one level, you must start from the very bottom. After earning an HR degree, you can expect your career pathway to start from an HR internship to a decent-paying entry-level job, then a more specialized role that requires 3+ years of experience, to a much more senior executive role that heads departments and calls the shots.
However, the journey takes time and requires patience, just like any other profession. Studying from one of the best colleges for a human resources degree helps give your career a boost.
HR internships
An internship in a relevant field is most often a requirement that one needs to fulfill to earn a bachelor’s degree in human resources. You can do one or more internships during your academic journey, or do one after you graduate. Internships offer hands-on, practical work experience that you can use to implement your academic learning in real life.
This could easily be your gateway to finding the best, most prestigious, and secure human resources jobs once you graduate.
An HR internship is offered with a fixed term, usually for about 3 to 6 months. It also pays a small stipend, which may not be as great as a permanent job. Internships usually consist of assistive responsibilities that support and cater to a larger department.
To find an internship, you can explore online job boards like LinkedIn and Indeed, visit company websites, or get in touch with your college to see if they have programs, career fairs, or other such partnerships coming up.
| HR Intern | Mostly administrative day-to-day HR tasks such as data collection and documenting employee data, calling potential candidates, meeting, and interview scheduling, data entry, and so on. |
HR entry-level positions
For an entry-level job in human resources, you may be expected to have HR-specific qualifications and degrees, with some important soft skills such as interpersonal and communication skills. Additionally, some entry-level jobs might require 6 to 12 months experience in a similar role. However, most entry-level human resources jobs do not require any prior experience.
The HR career progression usually starts from entry-level jobs titled “HR Executive”, “HR Assistant”, and “HR Associate”. The roles and responsibilities can vary for each of these jobs.
Important tip: to land a well-paying and meaningful entry-level job, make sure to participate in internship programs during your degree or academic journey.
| HR Executive | Assist with job postings, initial screenings, interview scheduling, documentation, and admin-related tasks |
| HR Assistant | Assist with HR day-to-day tasks such as employee documentation, recruitment, and so on |
| HR Associate | Work closely on HR-specific tasks and goals. May require 6 months to 1 year of experience |
HR mid-level positions
A mid-level position usually asks for 3 to 4 years of experience in a relevant role. These human resources career positions are higher paying than entry-level jobs, and might even have added benefits and perks.
In some cases, you might get promoted to a mid-senior level position from your entry-level job. In other cases, you will have to switch your job to be able to find a mid-senior position.
This position typically requires a more specialized set of skills that can manage day-to-day HR tasks without a lot of support and guidance from the top. It requires a minimal amount of independence and self-sufficiency. Mid-senior level positions typically require you to report to a senior manager and don’t really have you lead a team of team members.
| HR Generalist | Looks after multiple types of day-to-day HR tasks and responsibilities like screening interviews, managing employee data, and assisting in training programs |
| HR Representative | Manages relations with potential, new existing, old, and leaving employees. Also caters to recruitment-related tasks. |
| Recruitment Specialist | Specifically designated for recruitment for various job openings. Handles everything related to recruitment, from job postings to onboarding employees. |
| HR Analyst | Works largely with HR and employee data. Manages employee records related to personal information as well as performance-related data and much more. Might also work closely with legal compliance, payroll specialists, and the compensation and benefits area. |
HR senior-level positions
Once you have worked tirelessly in mid-senior positions and gained 5+ years of work experience in your human resources career, it might just be time for you to land senior-level positions. These positions are mostly managerial and often require you to lead a team of HR professionals.
They are much higher-paying jobs and have greater benefits and compensations. Usually, senior-level HR jobs require you to report to the head of the department, making the hierarchy smaller for you. Senior-level jobs in human resources might require a Master’s degree in a relevant field.
| HR Manager | Oversees a variety of HR tasks and responsibilities and leads a team of HR professionals |
| HR Consultant | Lead HR projects for in-house and external clients. Offers HR solutions by strategic planning and execution. Utilizes personnel to achieve business goals |
| Staffing Manager | Recruit, manage, engage, and retain employees. Caters to all staffing needs of a business |
| HR Business Partner | Requires a strong sense of business and leadership, must have lots of experience. Deals with aligning and managing multiple HR practices with company goals. Manages and reports company employees and workforce. |
HR executive leadership roles
Executive leadership roles in any field or industry require you to have at least 10 years of experience in the particular field. It will require higher education, such as a Master’s or PhD. For these roles, you may be responsible for very big business decisions that could seriously affect the course of events for the organization or company.
These roles usually lead teams of multiple employees, manage them, train them, and are even accountable for them. You will typically find these roles to be on top of the hierarchy.
| Chief Human Resources Officer | Strategically leads and manages the entirety of the HR department(s) across an organization. Makes sure HR is aligning and coordinating with other departments. |
| HR Director | Lead and manage the HR department in one or multiple locations or divisions to reach goals set for or by the HR department. |
| HR Vice President | Focuses on driving revenue and growth for the business through HR-related strategies and practices such as budgeting. |
What are the most common industries and sectors with human resources jobs?
The number of jobs varies across different industries and sectors. For example, Sociology degree jobs are more rampantly available in the nonprofit and government sectors. It’s also the case with jobs looking for criminologists, with the majority of openings coming in the government sector. As for HR, jobs are available across a variety of sectors. Here are the most common ones you will find:
- Corporate HR
- Nonprofit and government HR
- Consulting and outsourcing
- Startups and small businesses
HR is a business function that is crucial in every industry. You will not find any type of business that can function without employees — hence the need for a dedicated department that manages the employees and people of the organization. So, here are the industries where HR jobs are most commonly available:
- Arts and media production
- apparel retail
- banking
- building & construction
- consulting & professional services
- digital media and advertising
- education institutes
- energy, mining & resources
- finance and insurance
- healthcare (both public and private)
- hospitality & tourism
- hotel and accommodation
- information technology
- recruitment and consultancy
- restaurant and food business
- retail
- telecommunications
- manufacturing
Tips for human resources job hunting
Job hunting can be an exhaustive process. It is time-taking, and can sometimes take a toll on your mental health as well. It is important to start looking for jobs in human resources with the right guidance and support.
How to start hunting for human resources jobs?
For starters, you must not miss out on the industry’s leading online job boards. LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor and the company’s career pages are some of the most commonly used platforms for job hunting. You will find a large number of human resources jobs on these platforms.
Secondly, a solid presence on these online portals is crucial. Everything is going digital today, and employers are always using the internet for background checks and assessing the personality type of potential candidates. Don’t expect your human resources career to get a boost without making the most of these portals that are accessible for free.
Thirdly, the most basic step towards job hunting is creating a resume. There are resume builders like Novo, Zety, EnhanceCV, and many more that you can use. These are online free and paid tools that are powered by AI, allowing you to build an impressive resume in a matter of minutes.
Before you jump on the human resources job-hunting spree, make sure you have done your research and targeted certain companies. This will help you streamline your options and be more precise in your job-hunting efforts.
Once you have done everything above, keep the following tips in mind while searching for a job in human resources:
Networking
Networking is something you should start doing from the time your bachelor’s in human resources starts. Connect with your classmates, seniors, and school alumni. This will help you move forward and stay up to date with industry professionals.
Recruitment agencies
Try out recruitment agencies. Depending on your preferences, and circumstances, if your job hunting seems too much of a daunting task, then external help from an agency might be great for you. They have access to a wider range of job openings, and match you with the perfect job that suits your needs. However, this might cost you money, as recruiters and headhunters charge a few for their service. Read this guide to see if you need a recruitment agency.
What are the challenges and opportunities in human resources careers?
Now that you have made up your mind about pursuing a human resources career, you should not turn a blind eye onwards its challenges and how these challenges offer growth opportunities. Here is what you need to know:
Evolving HR landscape
As we discussed earlier as well, the HR landscape is evolving at a great speed. The evolution is coming from technological advancements, the inclusion of AI in business processes, and the use of digital means in day-to-day tasks. HR professionals must become as agile and adaptive as they can, in order to keep up with the evolving HR landscape.
Technological advancements
Generative AI is doing great things for HR. Slowly and gradually, HRIS and online job boards are implementing AI technology. Soon, HR professionals will be working alongside AI and other technological advancements in order to make the HR processes faster and better.
However, this can be a challenge for HR professionals who are not yet accustomed to AI, are not tech-savvy, or whose employers are not implementing advanced technological systems for their business operations.
Legal and regulatory compliance
The U.S. state labor laws are strict and thorough and protect the rights of employees in the private and public sectors. Not just employees, but these laws also protect the rights of employers. And the link between employers and employees is the HR.
If you wish to pursue a human resources career, get familiar with important HR knowledge, rules, regulations, and ethical practices. This can be a great opportunity for you to study and understand international law, and human rights, and can open your way to higher education in a specialized field.
Employee well-being and mental health
HR professionals are struggling to keep up with the increasing focus on employee well-being and mental health. The challenge arises when HR professionals come from backgrounds that are not connected to human psychology, social studies, sociology degree, or undergraduate criminology degree.
A huge shift in focus has arrived, pushing HR professionals to value the employees’ well-being, and fulfill emotional needs. However, overcoming this challenge in your human resources career will not be difficult.
You can look into getting social sciences diplomas, or a minor in Sociology with your Human Resources major. Not only that, but self-studying, participating in events and training programs at college, and opting for online certifications can also help you develop a knack for managing people’s emotions.
Ins and outs of a human resources career
In conclusion, now you know the ins and outs of a human resources career, what the HR degree job outlook is like, which states are the best for jobs in human resources, which industry has the highest-paying human resources jobs, and so much more!
With all this information about human resources, you will be able to make an informed decision about your college education and beyond. Furthermore, don’t forget to note the various challenges and changes that occur in the HR field. From evolving technology to changing mindsets and focusing on becoming employee-centric, you must possess the necessary skills to navigate such a dynamic industry.
HR jobs are well-paying, prestigious, and have a lot of variety. You would be dealing with lots of people from different walks of life. As a result, this ensures excellent exposure and a range of personal and professional growth opportunities.