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As with many management roles, a position in human resource
management might not be for everyone. While there are plenty
of benefits to a career in human resources, it certainly takes
a certain type of person to make their way successfully in
the field. As the name indicates, you will be dealing with
people during the vast majority of your time at work. If you
aren’t really a people person, or find yourself getting
aggravated when having to deal with other peoples’ problems,
a degree in human resources or a career in the field might
not be the best option for you. However, if you find yourself
intrigued by the prospects of solving the day to day human
issues found within a business or organization, helping people
with their work related and personal problems, and training
employees on the latest policies, procedures and laws relating
to the work environment, then the human resources field could
be perfect for you.
About Human Resources
So what exactly does a role within human resource management
entail? To be frank, it entails a lot of human interaction.
You’ll be hiring, firing, training, mediating, and completing
a host of other relation-based duties that often sound easy
but in actuality require quick of bit of skill, education,
and tact. You can’t just go wading into a human resources
management position thinking you know everything without a
proper education on the subject first. Unlike many management
roles where you can often utilize a combination of street
smarts, common sense, and people skills, human resources management
requires the learning that also comes with a degree and coursework
upon the subject.
Courses, Education and Pay
What exactly do you learn at school that makes a degree in
human resource management so valuable? Well, of course there
are the standard courses that go along with most business
related degrees. Expect to get a taste of basic accounting,
probably some marketing and business law classes, and maybe
a few classes relating to general business and management.
Your focus courses will be geared more toward training, developing
employee skills, leading and motivating, managing behavior,
administrative policy, team leadership, and public speaking.
Of course this doesn’t mean there won’t be plenty
to learn once you get out into the working world as well.
There will be company specific policies to familiarize yourself
with, training procedures and manuals to learn, and new faces,
attitudes, and management styles to become accustomed to in
your role.
But what about the pay? That’s always the big question
right? You’re probably wondering if all your hard work
and dedication in preparing for the human resources management
field will be worth your time, effort, and investment in your
education. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median
salary for a human resource manager at just over $96,000.
Not too shabby, right? Now, in most situations you shouldn’t
be expecting to start at this salary. Many human resource
managers’ starting pay begins well below that amount
and pay scales vary widely based upon the industry, company
size, and your education and experience. The US Bureau of
Labor Statistics reports that non-managers in business and
financial human resource occupations have a median salary
of $55,710.
Is HR Right for You?
So how do you know if human resource management is right for
you? It certainly depends on many factors, not the least of
which includes whether you like being the ‘go to’
person for a multitude of work related issues. In human resources,
you are going to be the person who is ‘in the know’.
When someone is going to be let go, when someone is being
documented for disciplinary reasons, when a new group of employees
need guidance and training, you’ll be the one expected
to handle the issue calmly, coolly, and professionally.
For more information regarding human resource management
programs, check out the Human
Resources Schools directory.
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