Responsibilities of an HR Manager

Some of the main responsibilities of HR professionals include:

 Managing employee compensation and benefits

 Recruiting and onboarding new hires
 Managing employee training and development
 Creating, tracking, and updating employee records
 Communicating policies and decisions to all employees
 Dismissing employees and enforcing disciplinary actions
 Ensuring the organization is meeting employment laws
 Ensuring that employees feel their concerns are heard by management
 Addressing and investigating work-related complaints and harassment allegations

Depending on the size of the company and the HR department, an HR professional may
be in charge of any one or a combination of these duties. In some cases, companies may
choose to move away from traditional in-house HR work and outsource certain tasks like
payroll or benefits to external organizations.

Human Resources Management Careers

There are various job titles related to human resources management. Some of the more
common include:

 HR Specialist
 HR Generalist
 HR Manager
 HR Director
 HR Business Partner
 Talent Acquisition Specialist
 Recruiter and Recruiting Manager
 Compensation and Benefits Analyst
 Employee Relations Manager
The employment outlook for aspiring human resources professionals is promising. The
Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median annual salary for HR
Specialists was $61,920 in May of 2019. The role is also projected to grow at a rate of
seven percent from 2019 to 2029—faster than the average of four percent for all
occupations. Much of this predicted growth is due to the fact that, over time, more
Human Resources Specialists will be needed to handle the increasingly complex laws and
healthcare coverage options that relate to businesses and their employees.

As professionals in this field gain experience and refine their skills, they can expect to
see more opportunities for senior positions as well as significant increases in
compensation.

HR Managers, for example, earned an average annual salary of $116,720 as of May

2019. The need for HR Managers is also expected to grow at a rate of 6 percent—faster
than the average for all occupations—from 2019 to 2029. As new companies emerge
and others expand their operations, they will need the advanced skills of HR Managers
to oversee employees, help them meet their goals, and ensure adherence to ever-
changing and complex employment laws.

Human Resources Specializations

In general, a bachelor’s degree is sufficient for entry-level human resources positions.
However, in order to rise in the ranks and land a more senior role, a relevant master’s
degree—like a Master of Science in Human Resources Management—is usually
necessary.

These programs often offer many different concentrations and specializations, which can
be helpful in better aligning the degree to your particular career goals.

For example, at Northeastern, the human resources management degree offers

specializations in:

 Artificial Intelligence for HR, which focuses on information processing, theory,

statistics, and other data-driven courses
 Digital HR, which focuses on the different ways technology can be incorporated
into various human resources roles
 Global Talent Management, which focuses on cultural awareness, cross-cultural
facilitation, negotiation, and global literacy
 Project Management, which focuses on the role that the principles of project
management can play in an HR role (and vice versa)
  Leadership, which focuses on strategic and organizational leadership
 Organizational Communications, which focuses on various aspects of corporate
communications, including crisis communication, negotiation, mediation, and
more.
Combining a graduate degree with relevant experience in the field is a great way to set
yourself apart from the competition and land a high-level role in this industry.