Working in Human Resources: Specialize to Enhance Your Career

Working in human resources offers an opportunity to use your business acumen, problem-solving savvy, and interpersonal skills to find solutions to a range of business issues across all parts of an organization. Whether you're just beginning to consider which career path to take after college or are looking to redirect an established career, human resources offers a variety of exciting opportunities.

What Do Human Resources Professionals Do?

Human resources professionals make an important contribution to the commercial success of any organization. The exact nature of the work carried out by human resources professionals depends upon the size and structure of an organization, the sector in which it operates, and the specific human resources role in which you are employed.

Human resource consultants and mangers are responsible for managing and/or implementing the following areas:

• Recruitment: Having a strong workforce can improve an organization's productivity and profitability. Human resources professionals manage the recruitment process, including advertising job openings, short-listing and interviewing candidates, and assembling a competitive package of benefits and rewards to attract the right person.

• Retention: Job turnover is costly, so it is important to retain employees and make good use of their skills and potential. Human resources professionals are responsible for ensuring that benefits and compensation, morale, and employee relations are good so that valuable employees aren't lost to competitor organizations.

• Training: Human resources professionals are often responsible for training new employees and keeping existing employees up-to-date with company policies, initiatives, and benefits. A good training package can improve business results by making the most effective use of employees' skills. Training can help employees progress, providing a steady supply of experienced senior employees. Training and development opportunities can also help to retain employees who value their professional development and seek new challenges.

Human resource managers also are responsible for handling employees' questions about administrative issues, resolving disputes, managing payroll, ensuring compliance with laws and regulations, and protecting employees' rights.

What Are Some Different Specializations within Human Resources?

Some organizations employ human resources generalists who handle all aspects of human resources work. However larger organizations often employ a number of different people who specialize in various aspects of human resources. Some specialities include:

• Recruiting managers
• Training specialists
• Labor relations supervisors
• Health and safety specialists
• Communications directors

Human resource specialists have in-depth, up-to-date knowledge about their chosen field and are expected to deliver tangible business results. Specializing in a particular area of human resources allows you to focus on the aspects of the job that are most interesting to you. If you are interested in employment law and like detail-oriented work, labor relations might be for you. If you are people-oriented and enjoy interacting with different people on a daily basis, recruiting or training might be more your speed.

Where Is a Career in Human Resources Likely to Take You?

In May 2008, the states with the highest concentration of human resources, training, and labor relations professionals were:

• District of Columbia
• Maryland
• Connecticut
• Virginia
• California

A 2007 salary survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers showed that bachelor's degree candidates majoring in human resources received starting salary offers averaging $41,680 per year. As you gain experience or advanced degrees in the field, your earning potential can grow.

According the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual earnings of human resource managers in 2008 were:

• Compensation and benefits managers: $86,500
• Training and development managers: $87,700
• Other human resources managers: $96,130
• Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists: $45,470
• Training and development specialists: $51,450

How Do You Begin a Career in Human Resources?

Many human resources professionals are college graduates who have majored in an aspect of human resources such as employee relations, human resources administration, training and development, or compensation and benefits. Online degree programs offer a flexible way to earn a human resources degree or to specialize in one aspect of your current career. Some jobs require an advanced degree such as a master's degree or a law degree.