Human Resources Leaders: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of human resources leaders 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 leaders 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 leaders 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 leaders.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Human Resources Leaders?
Do human resources leaders need a degree? What kind of experience do human resources leaders 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 leaders to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Human Resources Leaders
Jobs Postings for Human Resources Leaders By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 119,638 (58%)
- No Education Listed: 41,147 (20%)
- Master's degree: 31,033 (15%)
- High School or GED: 13,527 (7%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 2,375 (1%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of human resources leaders. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 58% of positions. In 20% of job listings no education level was listed and in 15% of postings a master's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Human Resources Leaders
Jobs Postings for Human Resources Leaders By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 10,363 (8%)
- 2-3 Years: 33,954 (26%)
- 4-6 Years: 47,601 (37%)
- 7-9 Years: 21,186 (16%)
- 10+ Years: 15,934 (12%)
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 leaders. In 37% of job postings for Human Resources Leaders, 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 16% of job postings for human resources leaders.
What Kind of Degree Do Human Resources Leaders 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 leaders, 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 12 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective human resources leaders, and in 2021 a total of 445,537 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 leaders.
Top Degree Programs for Human Resources Leaders
Top 5 Degree Programs for Human Resources Leaders (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 351,860 |
| Health/Health Care Administration/Management. | 31,252 |
| Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General. | 18,408 |
| Organizational Leadership. | 15,128 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other. | 14,224 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 351,860 |
| Health/Health Care Administration/Management. | 31,252 |
| Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General. | 18,408 |
| Organizational Leadership. | 15,128 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other. | 14,224 |
| Project Management. | 4,155 |
| Health Services Administration. | 3,027 |
| Human Resources Development. | 2,315 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services, Other. | 2,200 |
| Labor and Industrial Relations. | 1,752 |
| Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution. | 1,159 |
| Executive/Career Coaching. | 57 |
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 Leaders
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 Leaders Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by human resources leaders 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 leaders, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Human Resources Leaders
Based on 172,290 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Human Resources Leaders
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Employee Relations | 51,263 | 30% |
| Talent Acquisition | 39,243 | 23% |
| Performance Management | 37,027 | 21% |
| Human Resources Information System (HRIS) | 31,894 | 19% |
| Human Resource Management | 31,264 | 18% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Human Resources Leaders
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 89,316 | 52% |
| Communications | 85,995 | 50% |
| Leadership | 85,175 | 49% |
| Operations | 46,339 | 27% |
| Problem Solving | 37,088 | 22% |
Based on 172,290 job postings related to human resources leaders, employee relations was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 30% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for talent acquisition, performance management, human resources information system (hris), human resource management and talent management were also highly sought.
As for common skills, management was the most desired skill found in job postings for human resources leaders, followed by communications, leadership, operations, problem solving and coaching.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Employee Relations | 51,263 | 30% |
| Talent Acquisition | 39,243 | 23% |
| Performance Management | 37,027 | 21% |
| Human Resources Information System (HRIS) | 31,894 | 19% |
| Human Resource Management | 31,264 | 18% |
| Talent Management | 27,564 | 16% |
| Project Management | 24,913 | 14% |
| Labor Law | 22,986 | 13% |
| Auditing | 18,376 | 11% |
| Employee Engagement | 16,947 | 10% |
| Recruitment Strategies | 16,068 | 9% |
| Succession Planning | 15,302 | 9% |
| Change Management | 14,925 | 9% |
| Business Strategies | 14,325 | 8% |
| Employee Onboarding | 14,107 | 8% |
| Process Improvement | 14,043 | 8% |
| Regulatory Compliance | 13,287 | 8% |
| Marketing | 13,070 | 8% |
| Labor Relations | 12,850 | 7% |
| Performance Appraisal | 12,810 | 7% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 89,316 | 52% |
| Communications | 85,995 | 50% |
| Leadership | 85,175 | 49% |
| Operations | 46,339 | 27% |
| Problem Solving | 37,088 | 22% |
| Coaching | 35,469 | 21% |
| Customer Service | 35,390 | 21% |
| Planning | 35,118 | 20% |
| Microsoft Office | 34,979 | 20% |
| Writing | 34,713 | 20% |
| Detail Oriented | 32,152 | 19% |
| Microsoft Excel | 29,733 | 17% |
| Influencing Skills | 29,553 | 17% |
| Training And Development | 24,935 | 14% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 24,759 | 14% |
| Investigation | 23,660 | 14% |
| Organizational Skills | 23,157 | 13% |
| Coordinating | 23,054 | 13% |
| Presentations | 22,232 | 13% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 21,877 | 13% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about human resources leaders? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for human resources leaders.
What do human resources leaders do?
How much do human resources leaders make?
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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.