Human Resources Business Partners: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of human resources business partners about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for human resources business partners to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of human resources business partners expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for human resources business partners.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Human Resources Business Partners?
Do human resources business partners need a degree? What kind of experience do human resources business partners typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for human resources business partners to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Human Resources Business Partners
Jobs Postings for Human Resources Business Partners By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 97,772 (55%)
- No Education Listed: 37,356 (21%)
- Master's degree: 30,780 (17%)
- High School or GED: 9,532 (5%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 3,556 (2%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of human resources business partners. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 55% of positions. In 21% of job listings no education level was listed and in 17% of postings a master's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Human Resources Business Partners
Jobs Postings for Human Resources Business Partners By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 7,248 (7%)
- 2-3 Years: 25,934 (26%)
- 4-6 Years: 39,337 (39%)
- 7-9 Years: 15,407 (15%)
- 10+ Years: 12,945 (13%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for human resources business partners. In 39% of job postings for Human Resources Business Partners, employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience. In 26% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 7-9 years of experience was sought in 15% of job postings for human resources business partners.
What Kind of Degree Do Human Resources Business Partners Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for human resources business partners, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 13 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective human resources business partners, and in 2023 a total of 567,194 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective human resources business partners.
Top Degree Programs for Human Resources Business Partners
Top 5 Degree Programs for Human Resources Business Partners (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 335,156 |
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Health/Health Care Administration/Management. | 29,623 |
| Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General. | 16,602 |
| Organizational Leadership. | 15,298 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 335,156 |
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Health/Health Care Administration/Management. | 29,623 |
| Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General. | 16,602 |
| Organizational Leadership. | 15,298 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other. | 13,002 |
| Project Management. | 4,299 |
| Health Services Administration. | 3,016 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services, Other. | 1,994 |
| Human Resources Development. | 1,731 |
| Labor and Industrial Relations. | 1,656 |
| Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution. | 1,067 |
| Executive/Career Coaching. | 90 |
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Human Resources Business Partners
Find ways to attract, train, and retain the very best talent by implementing effective benefits and labor-relations strategies.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
- Accreditation: IACBE
- Class Type: 100% online
- Years To Complete: 3
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Learn the strategic skills needed to be a leader in the evolving field of Human Resources.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Accreditation: IACBE
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Strengthen your grasp of brain science and personality styles, individual and organizational intelligence and innovation and change management and become a transformational leader, with Franklin’s online accredited MBA with a Specialization in Business Psychology.
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Be a dynamic HR leader by building your expertise in workplace law, organizational development and strategic human resource management, with Franklin’s online accredited 12-month MBA with a Specialization in Human Resources.
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Earn your Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree with a Specialization in Human Resources and build the leadership skills to advance a government or public service agency alongside an emphasis on strategic HR best practices.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Skills Do Human Resources Business Partners Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by human resources business partners to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for human resources business partners, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Human Resources Business Partners
Based on 145,869 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Human Resources Business Partners
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Employee Relations | 45,271 | 31% |
| Performance Management | 34,611 | 24% |
| Human Resources Information System (HRIS) | 24,061 | 16% |
| Talent Management | 23,960 | 16% |
| Project Management | 22,927 | 16% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Human Resources Business Partners
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 73,995 | 51% |
| Leadership | 73,308 | 50% |
| Communication | 71,856 | 49% |
| Operations | 35,798 | 25% |
| Problem Solving | 32,457 | 22% |
Based on 145,869 job postings related to human resources business partners, employee relations was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 31% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for performance management, human resources information system (hris), talent management, project management and human resource management were also highly sought.
As for common skills, management was the most desired skill found in job postings for human resources business partners, followed by leadership, communication, operations, problem solving and coaching.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Employee Relations | 45,271 | 31% |
| Performance Management | 34,611 | 24% |
| Human Resources Information System (HRIS) | 24,061 | 16% |
| Talent Management | 23,960 | 16% |
| Project Management | 22,927 | 16% |
| Human Resource Management | 22,863 | 16% |
| Employee Engagement | 18,799 | 13% |
| Labor Law | 17,516 | 12% |
| Succession Planning | 16,069 | 11% |
| Talent Acquisition | 15,928 | 11% |
| Change Management | 15,758 | 11% |
| Human Resource Strategy | 13,156 | 9% |
| Business Strategies | 12,914 | 9% |
| Organizational Development | 12,518 | 9% |
| Workforce Planning | 12,178 | 8% |
| Labor Relations | 12,015 | 8% |
| Data Analysis | 11,971 | 8% |
| Auditing | 11,846 | 8% |
| Employee Onboarding | 11,165 | 8% |
| Continuous Improvement Process | 11,058 | 8% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 73,995 | 51% |
| Leadership | 73,308 | 50% |
| Communication | 71,856 | 49% |
| Operations | 35,798 | 25% |
| Problem Solving | 32,457 | 22% |
| Coaching | 32,309 | 22% |
| Planning | 31,599 | 22% |
| Writing | 28,811 | 20% |
| Customer Service | 27,588 | 19% |
| Microsoft Office | 27,519 | 19% |
| Influencing Skills | 25,492 | 17% |
| Detail Oriented | 25,452 | 17% |
| Microsoft Excel | 23,419 | 16% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 22,490 | 15% |
| Training And Development | 22,395 | 15% |
| Investigation | 21,911 | 15% |
| Presentations | 20,506 | 14% |
| Organizational Skills | 18,512 | 13% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 18,372 | 13% |
| Coordinating | 18,223 | 12% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about human resources business partners? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for human resources business partners.
What do human resources business partners do?
How much do human resources business partners make?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.