Human resources specialists
Recruit, screen, interview, or place individuals within an organization. May perform other activities in multiple human resources areas.
Human resources specialists recruit, screen, interview, or place individuals within an organization. May perform other activities in multiple human resources areas. The role reports a median annual salary of $72,910 in the US and is projected to grow 6% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Entry typically requires a Bachelor's degree, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.63 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Speaking, Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Writing.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £35,194 a year for Human resources and industrial relations officers (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £29,116 to £43,735 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 3571). ONS rates this estimate precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
No official India pay figure for this career: it falls in more than one occupation group, and the Government of India's labour survey (PLFS) publishes pay only by occupation group.
How to get here in India
No single fixed route is listed for this career. These Indian degrees lead to it, according to the US CIP–SOC education-to-occupation crosswalk; open a degree for its entrance exams and colleges.[1]
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Human Resource Management — BBA with an HR specialisation (three or four years)
Entrance exams: CUET-UG, IPMAT
Rules change: check the exam body's and regulator's current notice before you apply.
- CIP 2020 – SOC 2018 crosswalk (NCES / BLS) (read on 2026-09-27)
59 open listings on our jobs board → Recent listings whose job title matches this career. Some jobs in this career are advertised under other titles.
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Personnel and Human Resources
- Administrative
- Administration and Management
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Law and Government
- Education and Training
- Computers and Electronics
A day in the life
You start the morning checking the hiring tracker and screening a batch of applications against the requirements for an open role. You shortlist the strongest candidates and schedule interviews with the hiring manager. Mid-morning you call a candidate to explain the duties, working hours, benefits and conditions of a job offer, answering their questions openly. After that you process the paperwork for a new joiner, update employment records for a transfer and log a staff member's leave. In the afternoon an employee comes to you with a complaint about how a colleague treats them, and you listen carefully, take notes and explain the policy and next steps. You also answer questions from managers about what the rules allow. Much of the day involves forms, records and following up on missing documents, which can be dull. But helping someone settle into a new job, or resolving a difficult concern fairly, makes the work feel meaningful.
Illustrative: one typical day, written from the O*NET task statements for this occupation. Real days vary by employer and seniority.
What you'd actually do
- Interpret and explain human resources policies, procedures, laws, standards, or regulations.
- Hire employees and process hiring-related paperwork.
- Maintain current knowledge of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and affirmative action guidelines and laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
- Prepare or maintain employment records related to events, such as hiring, termination, leaves, transfers, or promotions, using human resources management system software.
- Address employee relations issues, such as harassment allegations, work complaints, or other employee concerns.
- Review employment applications and job orders to match applicants with job requirements.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Human resources specialists do?
Recruit, screen, interview, or place individuals within an organization. May perform other activities in multiple human resources areas.
What does a typical day look like in Human resources specialists?
You start the morning checking the hiring tracker and screening a batch of applications against the requirements for an open role. You shortlist the strongest candidates and schedule interviews with the hiring manager. Mid-morning you call a candidate to explain the duties, working hours, benefits and conditions of a job offer, answering their questions openly. After that you process the paperwork for a new joiner, update employment records for a transfer and log a staff member's leave.
How much does Human resources specialists earn?
The median annual salary for Human resources specialists in the US is $72,910.
What is the job outlook for Human resources specialists?
The role is projected to grow 6% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Current US employment is approximately 944,300 workers.
How do I become human resources specialists?
The typical entry education is a Bachelor's degree. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Human resources specialists need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Speaking, Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Writing, Social Perceptiveness. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Human resources specialists?
Our AI-durability model gives Human resources specialists a score of 0.63 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Human resources specialists has moderate barrier to entry — moderately gated — a bachelor's degree or equivalent training is typically required.