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What You Need to Know About Human Resources Specialist

HR Specialist Job Description 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?

  • Inform job applicants of details such as duties and responsibilities, compensation, benefits, schedules, working conditions, or promotion opportunities.
  • Review employment applications and job orders to match applicants with job requirements.
  • Interview job applicants to obtain information on work history, training, education, or job skills.
  • Address employee relations issues, such as harassment allegations, work complaints, or other employee concerns.
  • Conduct reference or background checks on job applicants.
  • Evaluate selection or testing techniques by conducting research or follow-up activities and conferring with management or supervisory personnel.

Things a HR Specialist Should Know How to Do

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.

Types of HR Specialist Jobs

  • Human Resources Recruiter (HR Recruiter)
  • Placement Coordinator
  • Career Specialist
  • Order Department Supervisor
  • Human Resources HR Generalist

What Kind of HR Specialist Job Opportunities Are There?

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 547,800 jobs in the United States for Human Resources Specialist. 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. The BLS estimates 57,600 yearly job openings in this field.

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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

Human Resources Specialists make between $36,270 and $104,390 a year.

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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

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
  • Facebook
  • IBM Notes

How do I Become a HR Specialist?

Are there Human Resources Specialists education requirements?

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How many years of work experience do I need?

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Human Resources Specialists Sector

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The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

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Those interested in being a Human Resources Specialist may also be interested in:

Are you already one of the many Human Resources Specialist in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:

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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