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Human Resources Managers
Plan, direct, or coordinate human resources activities and staff of an organization.
Other titles employers use
Employee Relations Manager · HR Admin Director (Human Resources Administration Director) · HR Director (Human Resources Director) · HR Manager (Human Resources Manager) · HR Ops Manager (Human Resources Operations Manager) · HR VP (Human Resources Vice President) · Recruitment Director · Job Analysis Manager
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Serve as a link between management and employees by handling questions, interpreting and administering contracts and helping resolve work-related problems.
- Plan, direct, supervise, and coordinate work activities of subordinates and staff relating to employment, compensation, labor relations, and employee relations.
- Perform difficult staffing duties, including dealing with understaffing, refereeing disputes, firing employees, and administering disciplinary procedures.
- Represent organization at personnel-related hearings and investigations.
- Negotiate bargaining agreements and help interpret labor contracts.
- Advise managers on organizational policy matters, such as equal employment opportunity and sexual harassment, and recommend needed changes.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to persuading, organizing and helping work.
- Persuading
- Leading, selling, starting projects, or making a case
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Writing
- Coordination
Subjects to know
- Personnel and Human Resources
- English Language
- Administration and Management
- Customer and Personal Service
- Education and Training
Useful strengths
- Oral Expression
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Written Expression
- Speech Clarity
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 2.7 | Largely your own space |
| On your feet | 2.3 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.8 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 1.9 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a bachelor's degree. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A four-year degree 82%
- A master's degree 14%
- A certificate or some college 4%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Time accounting software
- Accounting software
- Web page creation and editing software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Office suite software
- Spreadsheet software
- Electronic mail software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 31,000
- Job openings each year
- 2,430
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 7.3%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 31,000 | 2,430 | 7.3% |
| Texas | 19,030 | 1,610 | 20.0% |
| Illinois | 13,540 | 1,030 | 3.3% |
| New York | 12,410 | 130 | 11.6% |
| Florida | 10,400 | 840 | 13.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 7,600 | 580 | 5.0% |
| Georgia | 6,700 | 540 | 13.2% |
| North Carolina | 6,550 | 520 | 10.8% |
| Virginia | 5,660 | 440 | 6.8% |
| Michigan | 5,220 | 390 | 2.6% |
| Washington | 5,160 | 510 | 17.8% |
| Tennessee | 5,050 | 430 | 21.7% |
| New Jersey | 4,840 | 370 | 3.6% |
| Ohio | 4,840 | 370 | 3.6% |
| Maryland | 4,340 | 340 | 8.8% |
| Minnesota | 4,050 | 310 | 5.5% |
| Colorado | 3,830 | 310 | 13.0% |
| Connecticut | 3,690 | 290 | 6.0% |
| Missouri | 3,690 | 290 | 7.3% |
| Arizona | 3,650 | 300 | 14.1% |
| Wisconsin | 3,320 | 260 | 7.4% |
| Oregon | 2,850 | 230 | 10.5% |
| Indiana | 2,620 | 200 | 5.2% |
| District of Columbia | 2,460 | 190 | 2.9% |
| South Carolina | 2,450 | 200 | 15.0% |
| Massachusetts | 2,430 | 190 | 5.7% |
| Kentucky | 2,370 | 180 | 4.9% |
| Alabama | 2,250 | 180 | 7.1% |
| Nevada | 2,020 | 170 | 16.1% |
| Utah | 1,850 | 160 | 20.9% |
| Iowa | 1,680 | 130 | 9.8% |
| Oklahoma | 1,610 | 120 | 5.9% |
| Louisiana | 1,600 | 120 | 5.3% |
| Nebraska | 1,530 | 120 | 7.0% |
| Puerto Rico | 1,470 | 120 | 11.4% |
| Arkansas | 1,410 | 110 | 10.2% |
| Kansas | 1,160 | 90 | 2.7% |
| New Hampshire | 880 | 70 | 8.6% |
| Idaho | 860 | 70 | 16.2% |
| Mississippi | 750 | 60 | 10.3% |
| New Mexico | 700 | 60 | 14.8% |
| West Virginia | 690 | 50 | 4.5% |
| Alaska | 660 | 50 | 8.2% |
| Delaware | 570 | 40 | 3.6% |
| Maine | 450 | 30 | −2.2% |
| Vermont | 450 | 40 | 12.5% |
| Montana | 390 | 30 | 5.4% |
| Rhode Island | 360 | 30 | 5.9% |
| South Dakota | 360 | 30 | 9.1% |
| North Dakota | 250 | 20 | 8.7% |
| Wyoming | 170 | 10 | 13.3% |
| Guam | 80 | 10 | 33.3% |
| Virgin Islands | 30 | 0 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
Southern New Hampshire University
- Degrees each year
- 6,179
- Admit rate
- 96%
- Annual cost after aid
- $37,000
Western Governors University
- Degrees each year
- 3,333
- Admit rate
- Not reported
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
University of Maryland Global Campus
- Degrees each year
- 1,804
- Admit rate
- Not reported
- Annual cost after aid
- —
California State University-Fullerton
- Degrees each year
- 2,134
- Admit rate
- 87%
- Annual cost after aid
- $6,000
San Diego State University
- Degrees each year
- 2,042
- Admit rate
- 34%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
San Jose State University
- Degrees each year
- 1,738
- Admit rate
- 80%
- Annual cost after aid
- $12,000
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
- Degrees each year
- 1,523
- Admit rate
- 74%
- Annual cost after aid
- $11,000
Liberty University
- Degrees each year
- 1,519
- Admit rate
- 99%
- Annual cost after aid
- $27,000
Compare every college offering human resources management and services