Job Qualifications

A guide to careers and jobs.

Human Resources Jobs

Human resources is defined as a department within a company or organization that is responsible for the management of personnel. Human resources traditionally involve administrative functions such as evaluating employee performance, employee hiring, and resource training and education. No company or organization with a significant number of employees could function successfully without the assistance of human resources.

Human resources jobs provide several key functions in an organization. Human resources is responsible for employee selection, training and continuing development, promotions, payroll, company insurance and benefits, retirements, record keeping of employee information, solutions to problems at work, and dealing with work-related injuries. Human resources is also responsible for overseeing an organization’s adherence to federal laws and regulations involving the workplace.

Human Resources Job Qualifications

Candidates wanting to work in the industry of human resources must first obtain a degree in human resource management. All entry level positions require a four year bachelor’s degree from an accredited university. Upper management positions do not necessarily require a higher degree. Usually to qualify for a higher level position, you simply need more years of experience and additional training.

It wouldn’t hurt a candidate for a human resource job to have some previous experience working in an office doing clerical work such as filing and typing. Computer experience is a must as is working knowledge of office software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Some other good skills to have if you are interested in a career in human resources is knowledge in accounting, math, good communication skills, and a possible fluency in a second language such as Spanish.

Human Resources Job Descriptions

Human Resources JobsHuman resources can be divided into the following categories: recruitment, benefits and compensation, payroll, labor relations, and training and continuing education.

Recruitment – This area of human resources deals with recruiting of potential job applicants for consideration of hiring. Recruitment is responsible for representation at job fairs and advertisement of available positions. They are also responsible for going over resumes, interviewing candidates, and hiring new employees.

Benefits and Compensation – This branch of human resources handles all the benefits employees receive from working in an organization. They also manage compensations such as bonuses, insurance, and retirement packages.

Payroll – The favorite department of all employees, the payroll branch of human resources is responsible for calculating and distributing employee paychecks. They are also responsible for figuring up the amount to take out for state and federal taxes and social security.

Labor Relations – Labor relations has to deal with negotiations between the company that they work for and labor unions and contractors. This involves the daily interpretation and administration of agreements as well as monitoring contract compliances to make sure that all the points in a contract are being observed. Not only that but this branch of human resources is also responsible for administering to employee complaints and problems.

Training and Continuing Education – Many organizations require their employees to undergo regular training in new methods and practices. It is often required for promotions and advancements. The training and continuing education branch of human resources deals with this practice as well as the education of employees in company policies, state and federal laws, and regulations.