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Are you interested in a job in the human resources field? Bravo, you’re taking your first steps into a rewarding, interesting, and humbling career. However, before you decide which job in human resources is for you, take the time to learn as much as you can about the various positions. Each one requires a slightly different skill set, and you’re better off choosing a job that will allow your own skills to take center stage.
There are many jobs available in human resources. Here are a few that thrive within organizations:
Job #1: HR Assistant/Generalist
Often, the HR assistant is the first point of contact between a potential hire and the company itself. When an applicant calls a company to inquire about a job posting, they will usually end up speaking to an HR assistant.
The role of an HR assistant is to make visitors feel welcome, whether they’ve contacting the business by phone or in person. They also provide a degree of administrative support to the HR generalist and may be in charge of scheduling interviews and orientations for new hires. A trustworthy HR assistant might also be assigned to maintain confidential personnel files.
The HR generalist is typically charged with interviewing prospective employees. They may also be the ones responsible for contacting the successful candidates to bring them on board.
An HR generalist will usually complete some formal training in either business or human resources. Depending on how high you intend to climb within the field, you might also benefit from training in regulatory compliance.
Job #2: Benefits Management and Administration Specialist
Benefits Administration is one of the fastest-growing branches in the HR field. As employers struggle to attract new hires, they will likely be updating their benefits packages in an effort to remain competitive. That’s where the Benefits Manager and/or Administration specialist comes in.
These individuals are responsible for managing benefit plans, including health and life insurance, retirement funds, and any other form of employee compensation that might be offered. The role can be a challenging one, because you want to help the company turn a profit while also creating benefit packages that will attract the best workers in the field.
If you hope to fill one of these positions, you’ll need to be focused and detail-oriented, with solid analytical and people skills.
Job #3: Compliance Specialist
Regulatory compliance is critical in the healthcare and financial service industries, but you might come across it in other areas as well. If the industry is heavily regulated, the company will likely bring a compliance specialist, or compliance analyst, on board.
What does a compliance specialist do? If you accept one of these positions, you’ll work with the company’s legal team to make sure that the business is abiding by the current laws and regulations.
Each industry has its own specific compliance standards, so you’ll need to be an expert in the field to excel at this job. What’s more, since the compliance standards might change at any time, strong analytical and research skills are required as well.
Job #4: Recruiter/Recruiting Assistant
As you can guess from the job title, these individuals are highly involved in the company’s recruitment process. As a recruiter or recruiting assistant, you’ll be responsible for contacting job candidates to schedule interviews and follow up with them afterward. You may also be asked to perform background checks and verify whether the candidate has the appropriate experience and qualifications. Once the new hire is on board, you might be tasked with keeping their records up to date.
To land a position as a recruiting assistant, you should have a formal education. A diploma or degree in human resources is preferred, but some companies might consider applicants with backgrounds in business administration, sociology, or psychology. Strong computer skills are a must.
Job #5: HR Clerk
As an HR clerk, you’ll spend most of your time assisting the hiring personnel as they strive to bring new workers on board. This involves assisting the HR department in sourcing new candidates, scheduling interviews, and record maintenance.
Human resource clerks are asked to perform office tasks in addition to speaking with candidates. As such, they should be equally skilled with both humans and computers. If you have experience working with applicant tracking software in addition to spreadsheets, there’s a good chance you’ll be a strong match for this position.
Job #6: HR Manager
The human resources manager is responsible for planning, coordinating, and directing all the department’s administrative functions. This individual will oversee the entire hiring process, from recruitment to onboarding.
For an HR manager, a typical day’s work consists of the following tasks:
Since this is a management position, you should get some experience before attempting to take on this role. Strong interpersonal, leadership, and decision-making skills are a must, but you should also have a working knowledge of HR software to stay ahead of the curve.
Job #7: Training and Development Coordinator
A training and development coordinator is tasked with improving employee skills once they’re comfortably intrenched within the company. It’s essential for these individuals to adhere to corporate and safety standards at all times while helping employees hone their technique.
Your daily responsibilities as a training and development coordinator would consist of one-on-one employee contact. You would be expected to support them throughout the talent development process by listening and providing detailed feedback.
When you’re not working directly with employees, you may be analyzing turnover rates and coming up with creative ways to keep workers on board. Some collaboration with management will also be necessary.
Job #8: Human Resources Specialist
The HR specialist is tasked with finding the best candidates for any given position. This requires an innate knowledge of both the jobs themselves, and the needs of the organization as a whole.
In a typical day’s work, an HR specialist will review resumes, perform all the necessary background checks on potential hires, and conduct interviews. It usually falls to this individual to inform applicants who have been either accepted or rejected for the position.
When they’re not actively recruiting workers, HR specialists should be considering their next recruitment strategy. They may also be responsible for overseeing the orientation process, filling new recruits in on company policy and information about benefits.
You don’t need to be certified to land a position as an HR specialist, but you’ll be more likely to have more upward mobility if you do. People who succeed in this position are typically good listeners, with excellent writing, speaking and interpersonal skills.
Each position might require its own skill set, but the good news is that there’s a great deal of overlap in this particular field. Therefore, if you’ve managed to achieve success in a certain position, you may be able to climb higher within the organization, or seek greener pastures, if necessary.
To pursue a career in human resources, you should possess the following skills:
Communication – You’ll need to be a good listener and provide whatever feedback is appropriate.
Problem Solving – It’s often necessary to solve disputes that arise among co-workers, as well as other issues that might arise throughout the hiring and onboarding process.
Attention to Detail – You may be responsible for determining which candidate is the best fit for a certain position, so it’s up to you to learn and remember all you can about their backgrounds
Leadership – You’re more likely to be promoted if you demonstrate that you’re the type of person whom others look up to.
Research – Companies need to stay on top of current trends, so you should make a habit out of reading everything you can about your industry, as well as human resources in general.
If you think you have what it takes to forge a career path in human resources, now is the time to take that all-important first step. You can start by learning more about the Interactive College of Technology. We take pride in creating successful graduates and are by your side throughout the entire process. Start your journey today.
Now that you know what jobs are available in human resources, it is time to learn more about the Interactive College of Technology. At Interactive College of Technology, we offer Human Resources Management training that can help you get started in a new career or advance your current one. You’ll get hands-on training, industry recognized certifications, and real-world experience prior to graduation! We also offer continuing education courses to refresh and build on your current skills.
Let’s take the first step together! Contact us now to learn more.