What Do Human Resources Generalists Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for human resources generalists?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what human resources generalists do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Human Resources Generalists Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about human resources generalists by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Human Resources Generalists recruit, screen, interview, or place individuals within an organization. May perform other activities in multiple human resources areas.
Popular Job Titles For Human Resources Generalists
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Human Resources Generalists
- Recruiters
- Human Resources Coordinators
- Human Resources Business Partners
- Talent Acquisition Specialists
- Human Resources Specialists
- Technical Recruiters
- Recruiting Coordinators
- Staffing Coordinators
- Corporate Recruiters
- Talent Acquisition Partners
- Talent Acquisition Coordinators
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for human resources generalists can be found.
Best Industries for Human Resources Generalists
Human Resources Generalists Jobs By Industry
- Employment Services: 17.5%
- Management of Companies and Enterprises: 6.3%
- Federal Government, Military: 4.4%
- Federal Government, Civilian: 4.2%
- Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services: 4%
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services: 3.5%
- Other: 60.1%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of human resources generalists can be found working in the Employment Services sector. In 2022, about 17.5% of all jobs for human resources generalists were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Management of Companies and Enterprises (6.3%), Federal Government, Military (4.4%), Federal Government, Civilian (4.2%), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (4%) and Computer Systems Design and Related Services (3.5%).
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What Do Human Resources Generalists Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what human resources generalists do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work human resources generalists do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that human resources generalists tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for human resources generalists, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Human Resources Generalists
Based on 510,815 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Human Resources Generalists
| 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 Generalists
| 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 generalists, 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 generalists, 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% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Human Resources Generalists
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Human Resources Generalists | 206,424 | 23.1% |
| Recruiters | 154,110 | 17.3% |
| Human Resources Coordinators | 97,185 | 10.9% |
| Human Resources Business Partners | 97,287 | 10.9% |
| Talent Acquisition Specialists | 52,322 | 5.9% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was human resources generalists, with 59,176 unique job postings. Recruiters were second, with 30,310 postings, followed by human resources coordinators, human resources business partners and talent acquisition specialists.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to human resources generalists.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Human Resources Generalists | 206,424 | 23.1% |
| Recruiters | 154,110 | 17.3% |
| Human Resources Coordinators | 97,185 | 10.9% |
| Human Resources Business Partners | 97,287 | 10.9% |
| Talent Acquisition Specialists | 52,322 | 5.9% |
| Human Resources Specialists | 51,073 | 5.7% |
| Technical Recruiters | 28,541 | 3.2% |
| Recruiting Coordinators | 23,776 | 2.7% |
| Staffing Coordinators | 22,509 | 2.5% |
| Corporate Recruiters | 21,189 | 2.4% |
| Talent Acquisition Partners | 18,867 | 2.1% |
| Talent Acquisition Coordinators | 14,298 | 1.6% |
| Human Resources Recruiters | 16,204 | 1.8% |
| Talent Acquisition Recruiters | 13,634 | 1.5% |
| Human Resources Representatives | 22,296 | 2.5% |
| Healthcare Recruiters | 14,989 | 1.7% |
| Human Resources Analysts | 11,521 | 1.3% |
| HRIS Analysts | 8,494 | 1% |
| Contract Recruiters | 7,103 | 0.8% |
| Human Resources Associates | 10,825 | 1.2% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for human resources generalists? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for human resources generalists.
How much do human resources generalists make?
Human Resources Generalists: How do you become one?
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