Read time 6 minutes

Published On Jul 11, 2024

Human resources (HR) specialists are the unsung heroes of the corporate world. They are responsible for fueling the growth of a company and helping it achieve its objectives. HR professionals manage this first by hiring the best talent for the job and then by ensuring that employees are properly trained, compensated and motivated. If you’re wondering how to become an HR specialist, you should first know the finer details of what HR professionals do.

What Is a Human Resource Specialist?

An organization’s employees can be its most important assets, and HR specialists are responsible for ensuring not only that the company has the right employees for the job at hand, but that the employees have all the resources they need to be successful. In fact, just over 63% of companies surveyed stated that it’s more difficult to retain employees than to recruit them, indicating that the employee experience is integral to the success of the HR department’s mission.¹

Two professionals smiling and shaking hands

65%

Percentage of U.S. workers who consider opportunities to learn new skills when deciding to accept an employment offer²

What Does a Human Resource Specialist Do?

A human resource specialist wears many hats. They first need to develop a strong understanding of their organization’s short-term and long-term goals. This can then allow them to work toward supporting progress toward those objectives by hiring the right talent, creating a supportive company culture and developing opportunities for continuing training and education.

So, what does a human resource specialist do? Their job responsibilities can include:³

Recruitment
HR specialists identify organizational needs and develop talent recruitment campaigns and strategies to find candidates.

Interviewing
They interview possible candidates for each position to identify the best possible match.

Background checks
Background checks and reference verifications help HR specialists narrow down the job candidates.

Onboarding
HR specialists assist with the onboarding/orientation of new employees.

Payroll and benefits
Often, HR specialists process payroll and manage benefits packages.

Professional development
HR specialists’ expertise in finding, developing or implementing training programs helps employees enhance their capabilities.

Employee relations
When friction occurs, HR specialists are there to smooth over employee relations.

Legal compliance
HR specialists must ensure compliance with applicable federal, state and local regulations.

HR specialists may perform a wide array of different tasks throughout the day, depending on organizational needs. Ultimately, however, their mission is to support the short-term and long-term success of the company. Every major decision they make should align with the overall vision, mission and objectives of their organization. To that end, the job of an HR specialist is often a collaborative one, as these professionals need to consult with organizational leadership to identify objectives.

How To Become an HR Specialist: Education and Experience

If you’re eager to support organizational success from an administrative capacity, you’ll likely want to learn how to become an HR specialist. There is no universal career pathway; however, there are a few typical career requirements to consider.

High School Diploma

Earning a high school diploma sets the groundwork for tackling more challenging coursework in college.

Humanities courses, in particular, may prove helpful for future HR specialists, as these professionals can benefit from possessing a blend of:⁴

Strong communication skills
Attention to detail
Decision-making skills
Interpersonal skills

Consider signing up for a communications class or joining your school’s debate team, if available.

College Degree

Typically, HR specialists are expected to have a bachelor’s degree. There is no universal requirement regarding the specific type of bachelor’s degree for the human resources field, although some schools do offer HR-specific undergraduate programs. Other possibilities include degrees in communications, business or a related field.⁴

Internships

While you’re working toward your degree, look for opportunities to complete one or more internships. An internship in an HR department of any type of organization or agency can provide you with invaluable hands-on experience, thereby providing opportunities to expand your HR-specific technical knowledge. Plus, you may benefit from professional networking opportunities.⁴

Entry-Level Roles

An internship can provide you with hands-on experience, but you may also find yourself applying for entry-level roles in the field following graduation. Consider looking for a position as a human resources assistant, information clerk, customer service representative or a similar position.⁴

Professional Certifications

A dedicated human resources specialist may pursue professional development opportunities, which may help them do their current job more effectively and potentially expand their role. Furthermore, some employers might require HR certification. Certification options include the SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) and SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) certifications from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), as well as various certification options from the HR Certification Institute (HRCI).⁴

At each step of your journey toward becoming an HR professional and, later, positioning yourself to pursue potential advancement, you will likely have opportunities to develop new soft and hard skills, expand your professional network and explore new competencies in the field.

Best Degrees for a Human Resources Specialist

You may find a career as an HR specialist to be personally fulfilling, as you’ll be able to help organizations work toward their objectives. While there is no universal career pathway, employers generally have certain academic and work experience expectations and requirements. It’s ideal to start by earning a bachelor’s degree that focuses specifically on human resources or a related field.⁴

If you choose an HR-specific bachelor’s degree program, you can expect to work through a curriculum that examines topics as diverse as business finances, business communications, organizational change, the management of employee relations and strategic planning for the HR function.

HR-specific bachelor’s degree programs vary but may include topics like:

The HR role in an organization
Project scope management
Resolution of workplace issues
Effective communication skills

GCU Recommends These Degree Programs for Human Resources Specialists

Human resources specialists can benefit from degree programs that provide opportunities to develop key soft skills. These include decision-making and attention to detail, as well as HR or business-specific competencies.⁴ However, it’s also important for HR specialists to develop a strong sense of professional ethics, as they are charged with managing some delicate issues, such as the fair, equal treatment of employees.⁵

To explore coursework in human resources that infuses ethical practice and professional responsibility into the curriculum, you may want to consider applying to any of the following degree programs:

Bachelor’s Programs

Master’s Programs

Master of Business Administration with an Emphasis in Strategic Human Resource Management

Other Programs

Graduate Certificate of Completion in Communication

What Skills Does a Human Resources Specialist Need?

Like other professionals, HR specialists need a blend of both technical competencies (hard skills specific to the field) and soft skills (transferable skills that can apply to a range of fields).

To fulfill their mission in executing HR tasks in a way that aligns with the organization’s objectives, HR specialists can benefit from having the following skills:^4,6

Communication skills
Interpersonal skills
Attention to detail
Decision-making skills
Training and development skills
Empathy

Finance competencies
Organization
Business management
Strategic thinking
Leadership
Multitasking

What Is a Human Resource Specialist’s Typical Work Settings?

An HR specialist can work in any type of company, agency or organization that employs its own in-house HR team. These can include:⁷

Employment services
An HR specialist may work for a recruitment or headhunting firm.

Professional, technical and scientific services
Virtually any type of organization may employ HR professionals.

Healthcare organizations
Medical offices and hospitals must employ a robust team to see to patients’ needs, and HR specialists fulfill that function.

Manufacturing companies
HR specialists help manufacturing companies build their entire teams — from individual contributors to executive leadership.

Government agencies
HR specialists may work at the federal, state or local levels, providing recruitment support and professional training to their agency.

If you love your work as an HR specialist, you may decide to remain in that position for the rest of your career. However, with in-depth knowledge and experience, you might pursue a role as a human resources manager. Alternatively, you might seek lateral movement by specializing in a particular area of HR.⁴

Salary and Job Growth for HR Specialists

The median annual wage for HR specialists can vary, depending on a wide range of factors. These include education, years of experience, professional certifications, employer and geographic location. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary of HR specialists as of May 2023 is $67,650.⁸

The job market for HR specialists is projected to be characterized by positive job growth from 2022 to 2032. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook estimates job growth for HR specialists to be about 6% during this time period, faster than average, accounting for an estimated increase of 51,400 jobs.⁹

Do you feel that your talents and skills would be a great fit for an HR role? Blend your passion with purpose for your career at Grand Canyon University, where you can choose from a number of HR-specific and HR-related degree programs. Fill out the form on this page to get started today.

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¹ Mourad, M. (n.d.). 23 key employee experience statistics you should know in 2024. Academy to Innovate HR. Retrieved May 10, 2024.

² Madgavkar, A., Schaninger, B., Smit, S., Woetzel, L., Samandari, H., Carlin, D., Seong, J. & Chockalingam, K. (2022, June 2). Human capital at work: The value of experience. McKinsey & Company. Retrieved May 10, 2024.

³ U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024, April 17). What human resources specialists do. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved May 23, 2024.

⁴U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024, April 17). How to become a human resources specialist. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved May 23, 2024.

⁵Verasai, A. (2023, Aug. 12). Importance in ethics in human resources management. The HR Digest. Retrieved May 23, 2024.

⁶ Indeed Editorial Team. (2024, March 19). 11 top human resources skills for a resume (plus sample). Indeed. Retrieved May 23, 2024.

⁷ U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024, April 17). Human resources specialists: Work environment. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved May 23, 2024.

⁸ The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Human Resources Specialists as of May 2023, retrieved May 23, 2024. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 to 2023 may be atypical compared to prior years. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers nationwide with varying levels of education and experience. It does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as human resources specialists, nor does it reflect the earnings of workers in one city or region of the country or a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries. Your employability will be determined by numerous factors over which GCU has no control, such as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, the graduate’s experience level, individual characteristics, skills, etc. against a pool of candidates.

⁹ COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 to 2022 may be atypical compared to prior years. Accordingly, data shown is effective September 2023, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Human Resources Specialists, retrieved May 2024.

What Is a Human Resource Specialist?

What Does a Human Resource Specialist Do?