Human Resource Professionals
The role of the Human Resources Specialist is to attract the most qualified applicants and pair them with the appropriate positions within an organization. Additional duties include recruiting, interviewing candidates, and advising on hiring in conjunction with policies instituted by upper management. A key role of some human resources representatives is to promote employee satisfaction through mediating, providing training opportunities to improve employee's skills, and improving employee satisfaction and morale.
The human resources field is an extensive field consisting of numerous job titles. The range includes director of human resources, recruiters, job analysts, employee benefits managers, and labor relations managers. While some of the jobs in human resources require minimal contact with people outside of the office, communication with people is an essential part of the job.
The career outlook for human resources specialists is likely to remain competitive due to the plethora of qualified college graduates and experienced individuals. However additional positions are expected to open up due to growth and the need to replace workers who will leave the labor force.
The field is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2008. New positions will be created throughout the industry as companies strive to retain quality employees. Employers are expected to allocate greater resources to training programs in response to increasing complexity of many positions, the aging of the work force, and the constantly advancing technological advances that leave many employees adrift with outdated skills. Legislation and new employment laws regarding varying employment issues such as occupational health and safety, equal employment opportunity, and family leave will increase the demand for human resources experts as well. In addition, human resources management and human resources information systems may spur job growth.
Amongst the industry leaders of employment will be firms in management, consulting, and personnel supply as companies hire contractors and personnel specialists on a temporary basis to meet the increasing cost and complexity of training and development programs.