All About Human Resources Specialists
HR Specialist Example Perform activities in the human resource area. Includes employment specialists who screen, recruit, interview, and place workers.
Life As a HR Specialist
- Confer with management to develop or implement personnel policies or procedures.
- Prepare or maintain employment records related to events, such as hiring, termination, leaves, transfers, or promotions, using human resources management system software.
- Conduct exit interviews and ensure that necessary employment termination paperwork is completed.
- Analyze employment-related data and prepare required reports.
- Review and evaluate applicant qualifications or eligibility for specified licensing, according to established guidelines and designated licensing codes.
- Select qualified job applicants or refer them to managers, making hiring recommendations when appropriate.
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HR Specialist Skills
When polled, Human Resources Specialists say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
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
- Physician Recruiter
- Business Agent
- Employment Coach
- Traffic Personnel Supervisor
- Staff Assistant
Is There Going to be Demand for Human Resources Specialists?
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 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.
How much do Human Resources Specialists make in each U.S. state?
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 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Human Resources Specialists
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Human Resources Specialists:
- 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
Becoming a HR Specialist
What education is needed to be a Human Resources Specialist?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where Human Resources Specialists Are Employed

The table below shows the approximate number of Human Resources Specialists employed by various industries.

Similar Careers
Those interested in being a Human Resources Specialist may also be interested in:
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
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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