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Human Resources Specialists
Recruit, screen, interview, or place individuals within an organization. May perform other activities in multiple human resources areas.
Other titles employers use
Corporate Recruiter · Employment Representative · HR Analyst (Human Resources Analyst) · HR Coordinator (Human Resources Coordinator) · HR Generalist (Human Resources Generalist) · Human Resources Representative (HR Rep) · Human Resources Specialist (HR Specialist) · Personnel Analyst
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Interpret and explain human resources policies, procedures, laws, standards, or regulations.
- Hire employees and process hiring-related paperwork.
- Maintain current knowledge of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and affirmative action guidelines and laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
- Prepare or maintain employment records related to events, such as hiring, termination, leaves, transfers, or promotions, using human resources management system software.
- Address employee relations issues, such as harassment allegations, work complaints, or other employee concerns.
- Review employment applications and job orders to match applicants with job requirements.
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
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Social Perceptiveness
Subjects to know
- Personnel and Human Resources
- Administrative
- Administration and Management
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
Useful strengths
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Written Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
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 | 2.6 | Largely your own space |
| On your feet | 1.9 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.9 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 3.4 | Some 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 47%
- A master's degree 27%
- High school or less 13%
- A two-year degree 7%
- A certificate or some college 6%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Graphics or photo imaging software
- Analytical or scientific software
- Video conferencing software
- Document management software
- Operating system software
- Word processing 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
- 108,700
- Job openings each year
- 9,400
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 8.8%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 108,700 | 9,400 | 8.8% |
| Texas | 93,430 | 8,650 | 22.5% |
| Florida | 62,680 | 5,580 | 14.0% |
| New York | 58,550 | 660 | 12.8% |
| Illinois | 36,010 | 3,050 | 5.2% |
| Ohio | 34,350 | 2,880 | 3.4% |
| Virginia | 33,720 | 2,920 | 8.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 32,960 | 2,790 | 5.0% |
| North Carolina | 32,730 | 2,900 | 13.2% |
| Georgia | 31,440 | 2,790 | 13.3% |
| Tennessee | 25,490 | 2,380 | 24.0% |
| Colorado | 25,460 | 2,270 | 14.3% |
| Washington | 25,380 | 2,630 | 16.0% |
| Michigan | 23,800 | 1,990 | 3.2% |
| Arizona | 22,400 | 2,020 | 17.0% |
| New Jersey | 20,210 | 1,720 | 6.4% |
| Missouri | 19,450 | 1,680 | 8.7% |
| Maryland | 19,220 | 1,670 | 9.6% |
| Wisconsin | 18,930 | 1,640 | 9.0% |
| Minnesota | 17,900 | 1,520 | 6.0% |
| Indiana | 17,260 | 1,470 | 6.2% |
| South Carolina | 11,930 | 1,070 | 16.3% |
| Alabama | 11,630 | 1,000 | 7.3% |
| Utah | 11,090 | 1,030 | 23.1% |
| Oregon | 10,700 | 940 | 10.4% |
| Kentucky | 10,440 | 890 | 5.5% |
| Oklahoma | 9,820 | 840 | 7.4% |
| Massachusetts | 9,620 | 830 | 7.7% |
| Connecticut | 9,130 | 800 | 10.4% |
| District of Columbia | 9,060 | 750 | 1.9% |
| Kansas | 8,120 | 690 | 4.9% |
| Nebraska | 7,350 | 630 | 8.4% |
| Nevada | 7,330 | 660 | 16.2% |
| Louisiana | 6,690 | 570 | 4.5% |
| Arkansas | 5,910 | 510 | 9.4% |
| Iowa | 5,660 | 490 | 7.2% |
| Mississippi | 5,270 | 450 | 6.9% |
| New Hampshire | 5,150 | 460 | 12.2% |
| New Mexico | 4,600 | 400 | 11.4% |
| Puerto Rico | 3,670 | 320 | 10.5% |
| West Virginia | 2,820 | 240 | 4.8% |
| Rhode Island | 2,710 | 230 | 8.0% |
| Delaware | 2,600 | 220 | 4.4% |
| Montana | 2,540 | 230 | 13.4% |
| Idaho | 2,270 | 200 | 14.6% |
| Maine | 2,130 | 170 | — |
| North Dakota | 1,750 | 150 | 10.8% |
| South Dakota | 1,590 | 140 | 8.9% |
| Vermont | 1,570 | 140 | 10.6% |
| Wyoming | 1,040 | 90 | 9.5% |
| Alaska | 760 | 70 | 4.1% |
| Guam | 300 | 30 | 11.1% |
| Virgin Islands | 140 | 10 | −6.7% |
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.
Western Governors University
- Degrees each year
- 3,333
- Admit rate
- Not reported
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
Southern New Hampshire University
- Degrees each year
- 5,571
- Admit rate
- 96%
- Annual cost after aid
- $37,000
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
- 2,008
- Admit rate
- 34%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
Rutgers University-New Brunswick
- Degrees each year
- 708
- Admit rate
- 65%
- Annual cost after aid
- $18,000
San Jose State University
- Degrees each year
- 1,660
- 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
Compare every college offering human resources management and services