Employers
Approximately 708,620 human resources specialists and labor relations specialists are employed in the United States. Personnel specialists primarily work in the private sector. The companies that are most likely to hire personnel specialists are the larger ones, which have more employees to manage. A small percentage of managers and specialists are self-employed as consultants to public and private employers.
Starting Out
Colleges and universities have career services offices and placement counselors who can help graduates find employment. Also, large companies often send recruiters to campuses looking for promising job applicants. Otherwise, interested individuals may apply directly to local companies.
While still in high school, you may apply for entry-level jobs as personnel clerks and assistants. Private employment agencies and local offices of the state employment service are other possible sources for work. In addition, newspaper want ads often contain listings of many personnel jobs.
Beginners in personnel work are trained on the job or in formal training programs, where they learn how to classify jobs, interview applicants, or administer employee benefits. Then they are assigned to specialized areas in the personnel department. Some people enter the labor relations field after first gaining experience in general personnel work, but it is becoming more common for qualified individuals to enter that field directly.
- Accountants
- Business Continuity Planners
- Business Development Managers and Directors
- Business Intelligence Analysts
- Business Managers
- Career and Employment Counselors
- Career and Employment Technicians
- Chief Executive Officers
- Chief Financial Officers
- Chief Information Officers
- Chief Revenue Officers
- Chief Sustainability Officers
- Data Scientists
- Database Specialists
- Decision Scientists
- Directors of Volunteers
- Document Management Specialists
- Employment Firm Workers
- Ergonomists
- Executive Recruiters
- Financial Analysts
- Financial Consultants
- Financial Quantitative Analysts
- Forensic Accountants and Auditors
- Human Resources Consultants
- Human Resources Managers
- Information Technology Consultants
- Information Technology Security Consultants
- Labor Union Business Agents
- Management Analysts and Consultants
- Military Recruiters
- Office Administrators
- Payroll Directors
- Public Relations Specialists
- Regulatory Affairs Specialists
- Retail Business Owners
- Retail Managers
- Temporary Workers
- Workplace Diversity Experts
