Human Resources Representatives: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of human resources representatives 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 representatives 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 representatives 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 representatives.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Human Resources Representatives?
Do human resources representatives need a degree? What kind of experience do human resources representatives 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 representatives to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Human Resources Representatives
Jobs Postings for Human Resources Representatives By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 300,310 (53%)
- No Education Listed: 146,335 (26%)
- High School or GED: 82,825 (15%)
- Master's degree: 28,334 (5%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 4,160 (1%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of human resources representatives. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 53% of positions. In 26% of job listings no education level was listed and in 15% of postings a High School diploma or GED was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Human Resources Representatives
Jobs Postings for Human Resources Representatives By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 83,798 (23%)
- 2-3 Years: 172,459 (48%)
- 4-6 Years: 80,959 (23%)
- 7-9 Years: 14,046 (4%)
- 10+ Years: 7,007 (2%)
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 representatives. In 48% of job postings for Human Resources Representatives, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 23% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 23% of job postings for human resources representatives.
What Kind of Degree Do Human Resources Representatives 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 representatives, 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 15 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective human resources representatives, and in 2021 a total of 933,073 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 representatives.
Top Degree Programs for Human Resources Representatives
Top 5 Degree Programs for Human Resources Representatives (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 366,667 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 351,860 |
| General Studies. | 129,753 |
| Health/Health Care Administration/Management. | 31,252 |
| Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General. | 18,408 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 366,667 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 351,860 |
| General Studies. | 129,753 |
| Health/Health Care Administration/Management. | 31,252 |
| Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General. | 18,408 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other. | 14,224 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General. | 9,051 |
| Organizational Behavior Studies. | 3,916 |
| Human Resources Development. | 2,315 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services, Other. | 2,200 |
| Human Resources Management and Services, Other. | 1,450 |
| Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution. | 1,159 |
| Bioethics/Medical Ethics. | 663 |
| Applied and Professional Ethics. | 98 |
| Executive/Career Coaching. | 57 |
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Degree Options for Human Resources Representatives
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- Class Type: 100% online
- Years To Complete: 3
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
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What Skills Do Human Resources Representatives Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by human resources representatives 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 representatives, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Human Resources Representatives
Based on 510,815 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Human Resources Representatives
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Talent Acquisition | 116,596 | 23% |
| Applicant Tracking Systems | 106,270 | 21% |
| Human Resources Information System (HRIS) | 92,512 | 18% |
| Full-Cycle Recruitment | 76,633 | 15% |
| Employee Relations | 74,051 | 14% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Human Resources Representatives
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 246,332 | 48% |
| Management | 166,148 | 33% |
| Customer Service | 133,399 | 26% |
| Detail Oriented | 126,989 | 25% |
| Microsoft Office | 119,928 | 23% |
Based on 510,815 job postings related to human resources representatives, talent acquisition was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 23% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for applicant tracking systems, human resources information system (hris), full-cycle recruitment, employee relations and talent sourcing were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for human resources representatives, followed by management, customer service, detail oriented, microsoft office and microsoft excel.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Talent Acquisition | 116,596 | 23% |
| Applicant Tracking Systems | 106,270 | 21% |
| Human Resources Information System (HRIS) | 92,512 | 18% |
| Full-Cycle Recruitment | 76,633 | 15% |
| Employee Relations | 74,051 | 14% |
| Talent Sourcing | 67,343 | 13% |
| Recruitment Strategies | 58,557 | 11% |
| Talent Management | 58,485 | 11% |
| Auditing | 47,334 | 9% |
| Performance Management | 43,732 | 9% |
| Project Management | 40,410 | 8% |
| Employee Onboarding | 40,387 | 8% |
| Human Resource Management | 39,538 | 8% |
| Marketing | 38,517 | 8% |
| Labor Law | 36,322 | 7% |
| Administrative Support | 30,975 | 6% |
| Process Improvement | 30,853 | 6% |
| Employee Engagement | 26,565 | 5% |
| Data Entry | 25,559 | 5% |
| Workday (Software) | 25,421 | 5% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 246,332 | 48% |
| Management | 166,148 | 33% |
| Customer Service | 133,399 | 26% |
| Detail Oriented | 126,989 | 25% |
| Microsoft Office | 119,928 | 23% |
| Microsoft Excel | 109,385 | 21% |
| Leadership | 106,375 | 21% |
| Writing | 104,281 | 20% |
| Problem Solving | 88,411 | 17% |
| Operations | 86,989 | 17% |
| Organizational Skills | 81,151 | 16% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 78,417 | 15% |
| Time Management | 70,063 | 14% |
| Multitasking | 68,969 | 14% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 68,167 | 13% |
| Microsoft Outlook | 63,325 | 12% |
| Scheduling | 63,056 | 12% |
| Coordinating | 62,911 | 12% |
| Research | 61,585 | 12% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 56,935 | 11% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about human resources representatives? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for human resources representatives.
What do human resources representatives do?
How much do human resources representatives make?
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