Because the work of recruiting and managing people is so important, experienced HR professionals are always in demand. High-level HR roles also pay well, making this career path a promising long-term opportunity if you have excellent people skills and a keen sense of what makes teamwork work.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for a human resources manager is $113,300 per year, and these jobs are expected to grow faster than the national average. As a managerial position, the responsibilities associated with this role are wide-ranging, including not only the direction of employee recruitment and hiring process but also overseeing employee benefit programs, setting policies and resolving disputes on HR issues like equal employment opportunity and sexual harassment, and supervising support staff.
Careers in human resources may start with a role as a human resource specialist, such as a recruiter or “head hunter.” These employees are responsible for finding, screening, and interviewing applicants for open positions at a company, and as such they are often the first member of the HR team that potential hires meet. As such, recruiting specialists need superb people skills as well as a willingness to travel to job fairs, college campuses, and other places to find the right talent.