Understanding Different Human Resources Jobs
The human resources function includes a wide range of activities about employer and employee relationships within every company and industry. Some of the general categories of human resources jobs include employee compensation, benefits, hiring and firing, legal issues involving occupational safety and harassment, performance measurement and training. HR professionals are specialists in pension plan administration as well as legal compliance, while generalists deal the vast array of personnel management issues.
Basic Skills for HR Professionals
- Strong people skills
- Ability to work with people of different cultural backgrounds
- Excellent oral and written skills
- Critical and analytical thinking
- Organizational and multi-tasking ability
- Technologically adept
- Detail oriented and capable of seeing the big picture
HR Manager
The HR manager develops and implements HR objectives to create an employee environment that supports quality, empowerment, productivity, excellence, standards and goals. The manager develops various practices and metrics to achieve the business objectives of the organization.
HR Generalist
Smaller companies often employ HR generalists who are required to have comprehensive knowledge of all HR functions. The wide range of the generalists responsibilities encompasses recruiting and retaining employees, development of compensation plans, managing benefits and interpreting employment law.
Compensation and Benefits Manager
Compensation and benefits managers set pay rates and performance plans for every level of the organization while complying with current laws and regulations. They are required to have in-depth knowledge of financial planning and forecasting as well as the different benefits, insurance and pension plan options available in order to attract and retain the best employees.
Recruiter
Recruiters work with hiring managers to define the company’s employment needs from top to bottom. They are skilled at finding the best methods to attract employees whether it is print or online advertising, job fairs, campus interviewing or social networks. Recruiters are responsible for employee interviewing and screening, testing and reference checking.