Intro
Human Resource (HR) staffers act as liaisons between the company for which they work and for the employees. HR workers must have good interpersonal and organizational skills, as they have to be able to balance the needs of the employees with what the business requires to be able to run profitably.
HR departments often spearhead change in organizations, and are responsible for everything from managing payroll and benefits to scheduling vacation time and arranging for employee assistance programs. If you are a natural mediator who's able to stay on task in emotionally charged situations, then you may want to consider pursuing a human resources graduate certificate online or even getting a human resources degree.
Career Overview
Most HR staff members or HR managers will work in a standard office environment and will regularly meet with company decision makers and with employees; however, depending on which company you're working for, travel or regular seminar participation may be required.
Examples of human resources positions include:
- Benefits manager
- Payroll specialist
- Human capital management positions
- Corporate recruiter
- Human resources specialist
- Career coach
- Human resource manager
Human resources employment is fairly stable, regardless of the economy - the skills that HR specialists develop during the course of their education and through work experience make them uniquely resilient to economic downturns. Open HR positions can be found across the country, from Virginia to Seattle or from NC to Oklahoma. HR managerial skills, in particular, are easily transferred between positions and even across industries; once you have those skills and a bit of experience under your belt you'll discover that jobs in human resources aren't hard to find. Human resource development is ongoing in major corporations, and this also helps keep job opportunities in human resources available. Of course, those who have strong educational backgrounds are always in higher demand. Most HR workers' salaries fall somewhere between $45,000 and $90,000 per year, but a person in a management positions for a large firm can earn a salary of well over $140,000 each year.
Educational Requirements
To obtain an entry-level position in human resources, you'll need to get at least an Associate's degree or an equivalent human resources certification; fortunately, these can be acquired in as little as two years. People who are seeking human resource management positions would be better served by getting a Bachelor's degree, since the four-year degree program focuses on developing the necessary managerial skills. Human Resources degrees (Bachelor's or above) will give you even better job opportunities and will qualify you for a wide range of positions, from training manager to hospital human resource management. If you'd like to be involved in developing human resources policy or if you'd like to work in the HR department of a large corporation, you may want to consider a PhD or Master's degree in human resources.
Students in any human resources course of study can expect to take classes in employee recruitment, training and development; behavioral sciences; labor relations; economics; and laws pertaining to working conditions and compensation. Human resources training programs, including those geared toward PHR certification, also involve developing strong communication and negotiation skills.
Simply click the button if you're interested in pursuing a degree in human resources. You will find a number of online schools which offer options for individual HR courses and degree programs that will match anyone's budget, schedule, or career goals.