How To Become A Human Resources Manager
If interviewing new recruits and getting together the best talent for a company seem appealing to you, a career as a human resources manager could be in your future. In this profession, you will be responsible for harnessing the talents of the company’s employees and motivating them to work well. You will be briefing managers on policies that affect the organization, such as sexual harassment, equal employment opportunity and gender diversity. You will also be in charge of imposing disciplinary measures to erring employees and mediating labor problems.
In this role, you will need to be decisive. You are constantly evaluating where an employee will best be suited for and decide accordingly. Your decision to fire an employee, for example, can greatly impact not only the company but on that individual as well but you will have to make a decision based on what’s best for the firm. You also need to possess great interpersonal skills as interacting with people is part and parcel of your job.
Why Become A Human Resources Manager
One reason to become a human resources manager is the sense of fulfillment that one gets in the knowledge that your hiring decisions are integral to the success of the company. For those individuals who thrive in interacting with others, the position certainly offers a lot of opportunities to communicate with other people. It is also a well-paying position that has good employment prospects in the coming years.
Human Resources Manager Work Environment
Human resources managers work in nearly all industries. They work fulltime for forty hours a week during regular business hours. Although they normally work in offices, travel to other branches may be required of managers who are connected to institutions that have offices in other parts of the country and the world.
Human Resources Manager Salary
The May 2013 Occupational Employment and Wages report of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that human resources managers received a mean annual wage of $111,180. The agency reported in 2012 that the industry which paid human resources managers the highest at $112,550 was the management of companies and enterprises. This was followed by those hired in the professional, scientific and technical services industry which paid human resources managers $112,210. Those in manufacturing received $97,930 while those in government got $92,020. Human resources managers hired by the healthcare and social assistance industry got $85,870.
Average Human Resources Manager Annual Salary
$123,510
The average annual salary for human resources managers is $123,510 a year. Salaries start at $65,040 a year and go up to $197,720 a year.
Average Human Resources Manager Hourly Wage
$59.38
The average hourly wage for a human resources manager is $59.38. Hourly wages are between $31.27 and $95.06 an hour.
Stats were based out of 136,310 employed human resources managers in the United States.
Highest Paying States For Human Resources Managers
- 1. New Jersey $78.15 / hr $162,540 / yr
- 2. Rhode Island $75.38 / hr $156,790 / yr
- 3. District of Columbia $74.90 / hr $155,790 / yr
- 4. New York $69.38 / hr $144,310 / yr
- 5. California $67.24 / hr $139,860 / yr
Top Paying Cities For Human Resources Managers
- 1. Newark, NJ $86.80 / hr$180,550 / yr
- 2. San Jose, CA $83.10 / hr$172,850 / yr
- 3. San Francisco, CA $79.76 / hr$165,910 / yr
- 4. Bridgeport, CT $76.03 / hr$158,150 / yr
- 5. Camden, NJ $74.29 / hr$154,530 / yr
Data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Human Resources Manager Career Outlook
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted that employment of human resources managers from 2012 to 2022 is set at 13 percent. This is about the same as the average for all job types. The demand will come from the birth of new companies and the expansion of existing ones. It will also be triggered by laws like the Affordable Care Act which require the need for more human resources managers for their implementation.
Human Resources Manager Degree
Human resources managers typically hold a bachelor’s degree in human resources or business administration. Degrees in other fields are accepted for as long as they have courses in industrial relations, industrial psychology and organizational development. To advance to higher positions, a master’s degree in human resources or labor relations or an MBA degree is preferred by employers. You can also increase chances of getting hired by getting certified. Different certification programs can be obtained from the Society for Human Resource Management and the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans.
There is explosive growth in this area. So much so that universities now offer degrees in the field. The salary can be quite good, but there is a lot of pressure that comes with the job because so many expectations must be met.