What Do Human Resources Specialist Do?
Occupation Description Perform activities in the human resource area. Includes employment specialists who screen, recruit, interview, and place workers.
A Day in the Life of a HR Specialist
- Address employee relations issues, such as harassment allegations, work complaints, or other employee concerns.
- Prepare or maintain employment records related to events, such as hiring, termination, leaves, transfers, or promotions, using human resources management system software.
- Review employment applications and job orders to match applicants with job requirements.
- Schedule or administer skill, intelligence, psychological, or drug tests for current or prospective employees.
- Review and evaluate applicant qualifications or eligibility for specified licensing, according to established guidelines and designated licensing codes.
- Coordinate with outside staffing agencies to secure temporary employees, based on departmental needs.
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Qualities of a HR Specialist
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.
Types of HR Specialist Jobs
- Human Resources HR Representative (HR Representative)
- Employment Counselor
- Physician Recruiter
- HR Representative (Human Resources Representative)
- Retention Specialist
Job Outlook 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. The BLS estimates 57,600 yearly job openings in this field.

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.
How much do Human Resources Specialists make 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 & Technology 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
What kind of Human Resources Specialist requirements are there?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Who Employs Human Resources Specialists?

Human Resources Specialists work in the following industries:

You May Also Be Interested In…
Those thinking about becoming a Human Resources Specialist might also be interested in the following careers:
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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