What is a Human Resources Specialist?
Job Description & Duties Perform activities in the human resource area. Includes employment specialists who screen, recruit, interview, and place workers.
Life As a HR Specialist: What Do They Do?
- Analyze employment-related data and prepare required reports.
- Schedule or administer skill, intelligence, psychological, or drug tests for current or prospective employees.
- Develop or implement recruiting strategies to meet current or anticipated staffing needs.
- Evaluate recruitment or selection criteria to ensure conformance to professional, statistical, or testing standards, recommending revisions, as needed.
- Conduct reference or background checks on job applicants.
- Prepare or maintain employment records related to events, such as hiring, termination, leaves, transfers, or promotions, using human resources management system software.
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HR Specialist Required Skills
These are the skills Human Resources Specialists say are the most useful in their careers:
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Shop Steward
- Employment Security Officer
- Placement Coordinator
- Employment Representative
- Credentials Specialist
What Kind of HR Specialist Job Opportunities Are There?
There were about 547,800 jobs for Human Resources Specialist in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7.1% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 38,900 new jobs for Human Resources Specialist by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 57,600 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for HR Specialist are Utah, Washington, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Mississippi, Maine, or District of Columbia. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
HR Specialist Average Salary
The typical yearly salary for Human Resources Specialists is somewhere between $36,270 and $104,390.
Human Resources Specialists who work in District of Columbia, Virginia, or Maryland, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Human Resources Specialists in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $60,660 |
| Alaska | $71,160 |
| Arizona | $60,820 |
| Arkansas | $56,700 |
| California | $75,010 |
| Colorado | $69,420 |
| Connecticut | $70,280 |
| Delaware | $67,530 |
| District of Columbia | $93,880 |
| Florida | $58,600 |
| Georgia | $60,230 |
| Hawaii | $66,490 |
| Idaho | $62,240 |
| Illinois | $62,410 |
| Indiana | $56,140 |
| Iowa | $57,960 |
| Kansas | $60,970 |
| Kentucky | $57,000 |
| Louisiana | $55,610 |
| Maine | $58,980 |
| Maryland | $76,560 |
| Massachusetts | $75,700 |
| Michigan | $62,470 |
| Minnesota | $64,490 |
| Mississippi | $52,030 |
| Missouri | $62,790 |
| Montana | $53,980 |
| Nebraska | $58,720 |
| Nevada | $58,610 |
| New Hampshire | $63,960 |
| New Jersey | $75,360 |
| New Mexico | $61,300 |
| New York | $75,650 |
| North Carolina | $64,690 |
| North Dakota | $60,230 |
| Ohio | $62,790 |
| Oklahoma | $54,940 |
| Oregon | $62,640 |
| Pennsylvania | $67,370 |
| Rhode Island | $72,960 |
| South Carolina | $57,590 |
| South Dakota | $54,320 |
| Tennessee | $58,700 |
| Texas | $67,190 |
| Utah | $56,960 |
| Vermont | $59,200 |
| Virginia | $75,120 |
| Washington | $72,370 |
| West Virginia | $61,240 |
| Wisconsin | $61,180 |
| Wyoming | $57,360 |
What Tools do Human Resources Specialists Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Human Resources Specialists may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Hypertext markup language HTML
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Data entry software
- SAP
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Project
- Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
- Microsoft Visio
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
- SAS
- Microsoft Dynamics
- IBM Notes
How to Become a HR Specialist
Individuals working as a Human Resources Specialist have obtained the following education levels:
How Long Does it Take to Become a HR Specialist?
Where do Human Resources Specialists Work?
Below are examples of industries where Human Resources Specialists work:
Similar Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Human Resources Specialist might also be interested in the following careers:
Career changers with experience as a Human Resources Specialist sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
Image Credit: Arunkumar Umapathy via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International
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