Human Resource Managers and Specialists serve as a link between management and employees. They help management make effective use of employees' skills and help employees find satisfaction in their jobs.

To view Human Resource Managers at work click  here .

To view Personnel Recruiters at work click  here .

JOB DUTIES

Human Resource Managers and Specialists may:

Describe and evaluate job positions

Advertise and post job openings on Internet employment web sites and/or their firm's web site

Search/review Internet resume web sites for on-line resumes submitted by potential job candidates

Recruit, interview and recommend applicants to fill job openings

Record and evaluate information such as job experience, education, skills, physical and personal qualifications, and job performance

Provide information about policies, job duties, working conditions, wages, opportunities for promotion, and employee benefits

Maintain job files on employees

Administer various employee benefits such as medical, dental, stock options, worker's compensation, savings plans, dependent care and flexible spending accounts

Collect and analyze labor market data, possibly using the Internet

Develop, administer, and evaluate applicant tests

Hire and train employees

May discipline or fire employees

Assure compliance with federal, state and local regulations concerning equal opportunity practices and employee safety regulations

Visit, counsel, and settle grievances of employees within the business

The equipment and work aids used may include:

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES

Human Resource Workers may specialize in a variety of areas:

166.267-018 JOB ANALYSTS collect, analyze, and prepare occupational information to support human resource, administrative, and management functions of a specific organization.

166.167-026 EDUCATION AND TRAINING MANAGERS plan, coordinate, and direct personnel training and staff development programs for industrial, commercial, service, or governmental establishments.

166.167-022 COMPENSATION MANAGERS

166.167-018 BENEFITS MANAGERS establish and maintain pay systems and fringe benefits programs.

166.267-010 EMPLOYMENT INTERVIEWERS interview applicants to determine their suitability for employment with a company. They may travel to employer locations or college campuses to recruit and interview.

166.117-018 PERSONNEL MANAGERS plan and carry out policies relating to all areas of human resource activities. They may represent the company in negotiating labor agreements.

166.167-034 LABOR RELATIONS MANAGERS advise and represent management on all aspects of union-management relations. They analyze the text of collective bargaining agreements, develop interpretations of the contract terms, and administer grievance procedures.

166.067-010 OCCUPATIONAL ANALYSTS gather, analyze, and use data to develop concepts of worker relationships; modify and maintain occupational classification systems; and provide business, industry, and government with information needed to utilize the work force.

166.167-030 EMPLOYMENT MANAGERS direct the employment activities of an establishment. They develop recommendations for improving employment policies, processes, and practices.

In addition to learning about these specialties, you may also find it helpful to explore the following Career Exploration Scripts:

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WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Human Resource Managers and Specialists may work alone or supervise staff as part of a large personnel department, depending on the size of the organization.

They work indoors in an office setting. Their surroundings are well lighted and comfortably heated or air-conditioned. In an industrial setting, they may spend time in the plant.

Employees in personnel offices generally work 35-40 hours a week on a regular daytime schedule. During labor-management negotiations, however, 50 hours per week or more is not uncommon.

Some Human Resource Managers and Specialists may be required to travel to employer establishments or college campuses to interview job applicants or to talk with employees. This may lengthen their workweek.

Most Human Resource Managers and Specialists do not belong to unions. However, some Human Resource Managers and Specialists join professional associations such as  Society for Human Resource Management  and The International Personnel Management Association . Members of unions or professional associations must pay dues.

You Should Prefer:

• Activities concerned with communication of information to others

• Activities involving business contact with people

• Activities which bring recognition or appreciation by others

• Activities of a technical nature, if an Occupational Analyst

You Should Be Able To:

• Reason and think logically

• Organize and analyze information

• Communicate well, both orally and in writing

• Plan, direct, and control an entire activity or activities

• Rate information using personal judgment that can be checked

• See different points of view as well as be persuasive

• Deal tactfully with people and put them at ease

• Understand mathematical concepts and their application

• Work under pressure

• Maintain silence regarding confidential information

• See details and recognize errors in written materials

• Perform a variety of duties which may change often

Math Problem You Should Be Able to Solve:

When consulting clients regarding career development, personality and aptitude testing is involved. The most commonly used type of normative score is standard score, which expresses the distance of the client's score from the mean of the distribution in standard deviation units.

Given raw scores M=40; SD=8, calculate the Z,T, and CEEB standard scores.< /FONT>

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:

Many times a human resource specialist is responsible for the training of new employees and should be able to read and understand training concepts. For example, "A summary through syntheses is a process which through questioning and interaction, guides trainees through three distinct steps: 1. Data Gathering, 2. Category Formation, and 3. Reaching the Generalization.

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:

Prepare a written job evaluation.

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Demonstrate:

As a human resource specialist you may be responsible for the hiring or firing of an individual and you need to be able to think objectively to ensure that each individual you evaluate receives a fair and accurate evaluation.

Certification is offered through various Associations:

World at Work Society   offers the following certificate options: Certified Compensation Professional (CCP), Certified Benefits Professional (CBP), and Global Remuneration Professional (GRP) - designation which provides a foundation of knowledge spanning across borders.

Also,  International Public Management Association for Human Resources (IPMA-HR)  offers two separate Certification Programs to the public HR community -- IPMA-Certified Professional (IPMA-CP) and IPMA-Certified Specialist (IPMA-CS).

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EDUCATION AND PREPARATION OPPORTUNITIES

NOTE: A Bachelor's Degree (four years of study beyond high school) or a Master's Degree (five to six years of study beyond high school) may qualify a person for this occupation.

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in this Career Exploration Script:

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***

0600 BUSINESS , 0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS , 1100 ECONOMICS , 1300 ENGLISH , 1700 GOVERNMENT , 2800 PUBLIC SPEAKING , 3000 SOCIAL STUDIES , 3100 STUDY & WORK OPTIONS

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS***

There are no Vocational Education Programs related to this Career Exploration Script.

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS***

128 HUMAN RESOURCE & INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

Programs in Human Resources and Industrial Relations provide opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills needed for employment working with the human aspects of organizations. Personnel administration and labor-management relations careers may be found in business, non-profit organizations, government, and unions.

Courses will vary from school to school but may include:

Search for a College and/or Instructional Program

***APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES***

There are no Apprenticeships related to this Career Exploration Script.

***MILITARY TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES***  

Please check the Military website at  http://www.myfuture.com .

RECRUITING MANAGERS

Each year, over 300,000 young men and women enlist in the military, making it the country's largest employer of youth. The services recruit young people with the kinds of talent needed to succeed in today's military. Recruiting managers plan and direct the activities of recruiting specialists who provide information to young people about military careers.

What They Do

• Recruiting managers in the military perform some or all of the following duties:
• Plan programs to inform young people about military careers
• Direct staff in local recruiting offices who carry out programs to inform the public about military careers
• Speak with local civic groups, schools, parents, and young people about military careers
• Prepare reports and brief commanders on recruiting goals and results

Helpful Attributes     

• Ability to speak effectively to large and small groups of people
• Interest in working closely with people

Training Provided  

No initial job training is provided to officers in this occupation.    

Work Environment

 Recruiting managers usually work in offices.

Civilian Counterparts

Civilian recruiting managers work for human resources or personnel departments for a variety of organizations in areas such as business, government, and the health care industry. Civilian recruiting managers develop staffing plans and manage efforts to hire people with the right skills for the work that needs to be performed. They may also work for search firms that specialize in finding employees for other companies. 

Opportunities

The services have the following positions: Recruiting Managers, Recruiting Specialists, Personnel Managers, and Personnel Specialists. 

E-Learning Courses and Programs

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OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCE AND METHODS OF ENTRY

Opportunities for direct experience and exploration are few. College classes in human resources and industrial relations will be useful. Summer employment in clerical positions is sometimes available. Experience can also be obtained in military service.

School-to-Work opportunities include:

informal apprenticeships

mentorships

job shadowing experiences

touring a local human resource manager & specialist employer

internships

volunteer work with a human resource manager & specialist employer

community service work with an agency

Methods of entry include direct application to employers, referrals from college placement offices, contacting civil service offices and private employment agencies, inquiring at Michigan Works! local offices, and reading newspaper want ads. In addition, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:

Society for Human Resource Management

HR.com - Human Resources

National Human Resources Association Career Center

International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans Jobs

World at Work Job Links

International Association for Human Resource Information Manager

You should also enter an electronic resume on these on-line services.

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EARNINGS AND ADVANCEMENT

Earnings of Human Resource Managers and Specialists vary by job function, level of education, length of experience, and the size, type, and location of employer. Those who have international responsibility have significantly higher salaries.

Nationally, recent college graduates with bachelor's degrees in human resources and labor relations received first-time employment offers averaging $40,408 in early 2007.

Annual salaries of workers in this field (early 2007) were:

Some top Human Resource executives of very large companies earn well over $250,000 annually, including bonuses and other benefits. Oil and gas extracting firms and manufacturing companies generally pay more than non-manufacturing companies. The median annual earnings for Human Resources Managers were $54,704 in 2006.   The median yearly earnings of "all" workers in the U.S. were $34,892 in 2006.

In the Detroit area, Human Resource Managers and Specialists employed by major employers had the following annual salaries (early 2007).

Annual salaries of Human Resource Managers and Specialists employed by the State of Michigan in mid 2007 were:

Most Human Resource Managers and Specialists receive paid vacation and holidays; life, accident, disability, and hospitalization insurance; retirement plans; and sick pay.

Promotion usually means more responsibility and administrative duties. Human Resource Managers and Specialists can advance within their own company or transfer to another employer. Those in middle ranks of a large organization often transfer to a better job in a smaller company. Experience, education, and performance are important factors in advancement. A master's degree or law degree in the field of labor relations is particularly helpful.

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EMPLOYMENT AND OUTLOOK

Nationally, about 819,600 Human Resource Managers and Specialists were employed in 2004. Employment of Human Resource Mangers and Specialists is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2014. The combined industry distribution for Human Resource Managers and Specialists looked like this:   

Expansion of employment in human resource work is expected to continue as employers see the important role trained personnel workers have in maintaining good employee relations. Job opportunities for college graduates with specialized training in education, personnel, management, and labor relations should be greater than those for young people who seek to advance from production, clerical, or other sub-professional jobs.

Many human resources departments are conducting recruiting activities using electronic telecommunications tools, particularly the Internet. This allows human resource personnel to screen a large number of applicants without having to make costly on-site recruiting visits. This added efficiency may affect long-term employment opportunities for recruiters.

There are about 19,625 Human Resource managers and Specialists employed in Michigan. Most of them worked in urban areas. Most were employed in private industry.

Employment of Human Resource Mangers and Specialists in Michigan is expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2012. An average of 690 annual openings is expected with 380 openings due to growth and 310 due to replacement of those who retire or leave the labor force for other reasons. Additional openings will occur as Human Resource Managers and Specialists change jobs or occupations.

Many of the baby boomers working in the public sector today have leadership positions, specialized positions, or a long tenure with the organization. Upon exiting the workforce, these workers will take valuable knowledge and experience with them, which will have a negative impact in the organization.

In the private sector, businesses increasingly contract out personnel functions or hire personnel specialists on a temporary basis to cut costs in training and development of in-house staff.  Firms involved in management, consulting, and employment services should offer many job opportunities.  As the new trend in outsourcing of jobs in various fields becomes more common, there will be an increase in demand for specialists in international human resources management and human resources information systems.  However, it will limit the job growth of the employment of human resources, training, and labor relations managers and specialists in the U.S., particularly in larger firms.

MICHIGAN'S EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK TO 2012

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SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Printed occupational information is available upon written request from the sources below:

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Copyright © 2007 Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth