Human Resources Manager

About 15,500 openings for human resources managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Education: Bachelor's degree Details

Education Details

74%

Bachelor's Degree

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.

Master's Degree

Some College Courses

Post-Master's Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master's degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.

Salary

High: $224,360.00

Average: $145,750.00

Hourly

Average: $70.07

Summary of What they do:

Plan, direct, or coordinate human resources activities and staff of an organization.

Responsibilities

Estimate labor requirements.

Prepare operational budgets.

Perform human resources activities.

Administer standardized physical or psychological tests.

Manage human resources activities.

Maintain knowledge of current developments in area of expertise.

Manage human resources activities.

Coordinate special events or programs.

Advise others on career or personal development.

Negotiate sales or lease agreements for products or services.

Manage human resources activities.

Administer compensation or benefits programs.

Interview employees, customers, or others to collect information.

Hire personnel.

Recruit personnel.

Manage human resources activities.

Communicate organizational policies and procedures.

Manage human resources activities.

Hire personnel.

Recommend organizational process or policy changes.

Advise others on legal or regulatory compliance matters.

Analyze data to inform operational decisions or activities.

Administer compensation or benefits programs.

Conduct employee training programs.

Liaise between departments or other groups to improve function or communication.

Supervise employees.

Manage human resources activities.

Compile operational data.

Maintain personnel records.

Analyze data to inform personnel decisions.

Manage human resources activities.

Interview employees, customers, or others to collect information.

Investigate industrial or transportation accidents.

Prepare reports related to compliance matters.

Represent the organization in external relations.

Negotiate labor disputes.

What Human Resources Managers Do

Human resources managers plan, coordinate, and direct the administrative functions of an organization. They oversee the recruiting, interviewing, and hiring of new staff; consult with top executives on strategic planning; and serve as a link between an organization’s management and its employees.

Duties

Human resources managers often coordinate the work of a team of specialists.

Human resources managers typically do the following:

Plan and coordinate an organization’s workforce to best use employees’ talents
Link an organization’s management with its employees
Plan and oversee employee benefit programs
Serve as a consultant to advise other managers on human resources issues, such as equal employment opportunity and sexual harassment
Coordinate and supervise the work of specialists and support staff
Oversee an organization’s recruitment, interview, selection, and hiring processes
Handle staffing issues, such as mediating disputes and directing disciplinary procedures

Organizations want to attract, motivate, and keep qualified employees and match them to jobs for which they are well-suited. Human resources managers accomplish this aim by directing the administrative functions of human resources departments. Their work involves overseeing employee relations, securing regulatory compliance, and administering employee-related services such as payroll, training, and benefits. They supervise the department’s specialists and support staff and make sure that tasks are completed accurately and on time.

Human resources managers also consult with top executives regarding strategic planning and talent management. They identify ways to maximize the value of the organization’s employees and ensure that they are used efficiently. For example, they might assess worker productivity and recommend changes to help the organization meet budgetary goals.

Some human resources managers oversee all aspects of an organization’s human resources department, including the compensation and benefits program and the training and development program. In many larger organizations, these programs are directed by specialized managers, such as compensation and benefits managers and training and development managers.

The following are examples of types of human resources managers:

Labor relations directors, also called employee relations managers, oversee employment policies in union and nonunion settings. They negotiate, draft, and administer labor contracts that cover issues such as wages, benefits, and union and management practices. They also handle labor complaints between employees and management, and they coordinate grievance procedures.

Payroll managers supervise an organization’s payroll department. They ensure that all aspects of payroll are processed correctly and on time. They administer payroll procedures, prepare reports for the accounting department, and resolve payroll problems.

Recruiting managers, sometimes called staffing managers, oversee the recruiting and hiring responsibilities of the human resources department. They often supervise a team of recruiters, and some take on recruiting duties for filling high-level positions. They must develop a recruiting strategy that helps them meet the staffing needs of their organization and compete effectively to attract the best employees.

Important Qualities

Communication skills. Human resources managers need strong speaking, writing, and listening skills to give presentations and direct their staff.

Decision-making skills. Human resources managers must be able to balance the strengths and weaknesses of different options and decide the best course of action.

Interpersonal skills. Human resources managers regularly interact with people, such as to collaborate on teams, and must develop working relationships with their colleagues.

Leadership skills. Human resources managers must coordinate work activities and ensure that staff complete the duties and responsibilities of their department.

Organizational skills. Human resources managers must be able to prioritize tasks and manage several projects at once.

Tasks On The Job

Administer compensation, benefits, and performance management systems, and safety and recreation programs.
Advise managers on organizational policy matters, such as equal employment opportunity and sexual harassment, and recommend needed changes.
Allocate human resources, ensuring appropriate matches between personnel.
Analyze and modify compensation and benefits policies to establish competitive programs and ensure compliance with legal requirements.
Analyze statistical data and reports to identify and determine causes of personnel problems and develop recommendations for improvement of organization's personnel policies and practices.
Analyze training needs to design employee development, language training, and health and safety programs.
Conduct exit interviews to identify reasons for employee termination.
Contract with vendors to provide employee services, such as food service, transportation, or relocation service.
Develop, administer, and evaluate applicant tests.
Develop or administer special projects in areas such as pay equity, savings bond programs, day care, and employee awards.
Identify staff vacancies and recruit, interview, and select applicants.
Investigate and report on industrial accidents for insurance carriers.
Maintain records and compile statistical reports concerning personnel-related data such as hires, transfers, performance appraisals, and absenteeism rates.
Negotiate bargaining agreements and help interpret labor contracts.
Oversee the evaluation, classification, and rating of occupations and job positions.
Perform difficult staffing duties, including dealing with understaffing, refereeing disputes, firing employees, and administering disciplinary procedures.
Plan and conduct new employee orientation to foster positive attitude toward organizational objectives.
Plan, direct, supervise, and coordinate work activities of subordinates and staff relating to employment, compensation, labor relations, and employee relations.
Plan, organize, direct, control, or coordinate the personnel, training, or labor relations activities of an organization.
Prepare and follow budgets for personnel operations.
Prepare personnel forecast to project employment needs.
Provide current and prospective employees with information about policies, job duties, working conditions, wages, opportunities for promotion, and employee benefits.
Provide terminated employees with outplacement or relocation assistance.
Represent organization at personnel-related hearings and investigations.
Serve as a link between management and employees by handling questions, interpreting and administering contracts and helping resolve work-related problems.
Study legislation, arbitration decisions, and collective bargaining contracts to assess industry trends.

PERSONALITY

KEY:

Strength

Caution

Warning

Your Assessment Results		CAREER CHARACTERISTICS Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	97%	Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	93%	Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	91%	Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	90%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	89%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	89%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	88%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	85%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	85%	Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	83%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	78%	Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	77%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	77%	Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	73%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	70%	Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	65%	Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.

Your Assessment Results		IMPORTANT STRENGTHS Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	100%	Enterprising - Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	78%	Social - Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	67%	Conventional - Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Your Assessment Results		WORK VALUES Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	83%	Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	78%	Recognition - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	72%	Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	72%	Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	67%	Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	56%	Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

APTITUDES

KEY:

Strength

Caution

Warning

Your Assessment Results		ABILITIES \| SKILLS Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	81%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	81%	Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	78%	Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	75%	Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	75%	Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	75%	Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	75%	Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	72%	Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	72%	Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	69%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	64%	Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	63%	Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	60%	Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	60%	Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	60%	Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	59%	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	59%	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	59%	Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	59%	Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	57%	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.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	57%	Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	57%	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	57%	Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	57%	Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	57%	Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	57%	Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	57%	Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	57%	Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	55%	Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	55%	Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	54%	Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	54%	Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	54%	Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	53%	Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	52%	Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	52%	Management of Financial Resources - Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.

Your Assessment Results		TASKS \| ACTIVITIES Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	96%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	94%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	93%	Staffing Organizational Units - Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	93%	Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	88%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	87%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	86%	Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	86%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	86%	Providing Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	84%	Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	83%	Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	82%	Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	81%	Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	81%	Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	79%	Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	79%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	78%	Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	77%	Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	77%	Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	76%	Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	73%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	71%	Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	69%	Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	69%	Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	68%	Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	67%	Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	64%	Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	61%	Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	60%	Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	58%	Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

Your Assessment Results		CONTEXT \| ATTRIBUTES Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	100%	Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	100%	Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	99%	Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	95%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	93%	Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	91%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	90%	Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	87%	Spend Time Sitting - How much does this job require sitting?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	83%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	81%	Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	80%	Letters and Memos - How often does the job require written letters and memos?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	77%	Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	76%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	73%	Frequency of Conflict Situations - How often are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	72%	Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	71%	Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	70%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	67%	Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	61%	Consequence of Error - How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	57%	Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People - How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	55%	Level of Competition - To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	51%	Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	96%	Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week.

Work Environment

Human resources managers held about 191,600 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of human resources managers were as follows:

Professional, scientific, and technical services	15%
Management of companies and enterprises	13
Manufacturing	10
Healthcare and social assistance	8
Government	8

Human resources managers work in offices. Some managers, especially those working for organizations that have offices nationwide, travel to visit other branches, attend professional meetings, or recruit employees.

Work Schedules

Most human resources managers work full time during regular business hours. Some human resources managers work more than 40 hours per week.

Getting Started

How to Become a Human Resources Manager

Human resources managers typically need a combination of a bachelor's degree and work experience.

Candidates typically need a combination of education and several years of related work experience to become a human resources manager. Although most positions require a bachelor’s degree, some require a master’s degree.

Education

Human resources managers typically need a bachelor’s degree to enter the occupation. The degree may be in human resources or another field, such as business, communications, or psychology. Courses in subjects such as conflict management may be helpful.

Some jobs may require a master’s degree in human resources, labor relations, or business administration (MBA).

Work Experience in a Related Occupation

To demonstrate abilities in organizing, directing, and leading others, human resources managers must have related work experience. Some managers start out as human resources specialists or labor relations specialists.

Management positions typically require an understanding of human resources programs, such as compensation and benefits plans; human resources software; and federal, state, and local employment laws.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Although certification is voluntary, it shows professional expertise and credibility, and it may enhance job opportunities. Employers may prefer to hire candidates with certification, and some positions may require it. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), HR Certification Institute (HRCI), WorldatWork, and International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans are among many professional associations that offer certification programs.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about human resources managers, including certification, visit

Society for Human Resource Management

HR Certification Institute

International Public Management Association for Human Resources

For information about careers and certification in employee compensation and benefits, visit

International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans

WorldatWork

For information about careers in employee training and development and certification, visit

Association for Talent Development

International Society for Performance Improvement

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of human resources managers.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Administrative Services and Facilities Managers	Administrative services and facilities managers plan, direct, and coordinate activities that help an organization run efficiently.	Bachelor's degree	$101,870
Compensation and Benefits Managers	Compensation and benefits managers plan, develop, and oversee programs to pay employees.	Bachelor's degree	$131,280
Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists	Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists oversee wage and nonwage programs that an organization provides to its employees in return for their work. They also evaluate position descriptions to determine details such as classification and salary.	Bachelor's degree	$67,780
Human Resources Specialists	Human resources specialists recruit, screen, and interview job applicants and place newly hired workers in jobs. They also may handle compensation and benefits, training, and employee relations.	Bachelor's degree	$64,240
Labor Relations Specialists	Labor relations specialists interpret and administer labor contracts.	Bachelor's degree	$82,010
Top Executives	Top executives plan strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals.	Bachelor's degree	$100,090
Training and Development Managers	Training and development managers plan, coordinate, and direct skills- and knowledge-enhancement programs for an organization’s staff.	Bachelor's degree	$120,000
Training and Development Specialists	Training and development specialists plan and administer programs that improve the skills and knowledge of their employees.	Bachelor's degree	$63,080