Human Resources Manager

Become A Human Resources Manager

Do you have a take-charge personality? Are you good at assessing others people's strengths? Do you have strong organizational skills that let you easily jump from one project or topic of discussion to another? If so, you might consider a career as a human resources manager.

Human Resources Management in a Nutshell

Human resources managers are in charge of company recruitment and interviewing, and they are often in charge of establishing the company's hiring practices. One of their primary responsibilities is to fill job openings within the company by finding the individuals with the best skill sets for those positions.

Human resources managers in smaller firms must often be jacks-of-all-trades who are involved in hiring, compensation, benefits, and compliance with state and federal laws and regulations affecting workplace issues. In short, a human resources manager can make a significant contribution to a company's success.

Education Requirements for Human Resources Managers

The requirements for human resources managers vary from company to company, but most companies expect human resources managers to have solid education and experience:

• Minimum Education—You will need a bachelor's degree in fields such as human resources administration, industrial and labor relations, public administration or communication.
• Advanced Degrees—Some human resources management positions require advanced degrees. For instance, contract negotiators and mediators are expected to have law degrees, since most people in those positions are lawyers. A master's degree in human resources or business administration is also helpful in attaining top management positions.
• Experience—For specialized positions, such as affirmative action coordinators or occupational analysts, previous experience is a definite asset.

Day in the Life of a Human Resources Manager

Your primary goal as a human resources manager is to create employee satisfaction and improve company efficiency. To achieve this goal, you must often take responsibility for everything from orchestrating new training programs for employees to handling inter-office conflicts and fielding questions about employee benefits.

Human resources managers also act as a liaison between the staff and the management. You help sculpt or reshape company policies, define job duties, and enter into strategic planning talks with managers and executives concerning the company's future. When necessary, human resources managers also have the unenviable, but necessary, task of firing employees.

Job Growth for Human Resources Managers

Overall employment of human resources managers is predicted to grow faster than the national average for all occupations through 2014. A strong supply of qualified college graduates should create healthy competition for these positions.

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