Best Jobs For Former Human Resources Managers [2026]

In 2026, the career landscape for human resources managers is evolving rapidly, leading many professionals to reconsider their career paths. With the rise of technology and shifting workplace dynamics, there is a growing trend of former HR managers pursuing new roles that leverage their skills while adapting to modern work environments.

Despite a steady number of graduates entering human resources programs, a noticeable decline in applicants for HR manager positions has emerged. This situation raises an important question:

What career opportunities are former human resources managers exploring?

To answer this, we analyzed a comprehensive database of resumes from individuals who transitioned out of human resources management roles. We identified the top 100 jobs they moved into, revealing some surprising career shifts.

Best Jobs For Former Human Resources Managers

While some of these roles may be more appealing than others in terms of job satisfaction, they certainly demonstrate the diverse opportunities available for those with a background in human resources.

The complete list of job options can be found below.

Detailed Ranking of the Most Common Jobs of Former Human Resources Managers

Rank	Job Title	%
1	Human Resources Coordinator	10.9%
2	Director Of Human Resources	5.45%
3	Human Resources Generalist	4.17%
4	Human Resources Business Partner	2.74%
5	Human Resources Consultant	2.7%
6	Recruiter	1.63%
7	Senior Human Resources Manager	1.47%
8	Office Manager	1.35%
9	Human Resource Specialist	1.28%
10	Regional Human Resources Manager	1.15%
11	Senior Human Resources Business Partner	1.01%
12	Administrative Assistant	0.94%
13	Senior Human Resources Generalist	0.94%
14	Operations Manager	0.91%
15	Store Manager	0.63%
16	Senior Recruiter	0.6%
17	Consultant	0.58%
18	Manager	0.58%
19	Benefit Specialist	0.57%
20	Human Resources Lead	0.52%
21	Human Resources Assistant	0.48%
22	General Manager	0.48%
23	Controller	0.47%
24	Senior Human Resources Consultant	0.41%
25	Project Manager	0.41%
26	Owner	0.39%
27	Talent Acquisition Manager	0.38%
28	Customer Service Representative	0.36%
29	Human Resources Analyst	0.36%
30	Program Manager	0.35%
31	Employee Relations Manager	0.35%
32	Human Resources Recruiter	0.34%
33	Director	0.32%
34	Operations Director	0.3%
35	Corporate Human Resources Manager	0.3%
36	Accounting Manager	0.29%
37	Volunteer	0.29%
38	Recruitment Manager	0.29%
39	Account Manager	0.29%
40	Vice President	0.29%
41	Senior Consultant	0.28%
42	Assistant Manager	0.28%
43	Sales Associate	0.28%
44	Executive Assistant	0.28%
45	Senior Director Human Resources	0.27%
46	Employee Relations Specialist	0.27%
47	Payroll Specialist	0.26%
48	Human Resource Advisor	0.25%
49	Human Resources Supervisor	0.25%
50	Teacher	0.25%
51	Payroll Manager	0.24%
52	Corporate Recruiter	0.24%
53	Adjunct Professor	0.24%
54	Senior Manager	0.23%
55	Business Manager	0.23%
56	Benefits Manager	0.23%
57	Substitute Teacher	0.22%
58	Training Manager	0.22%
59	Accounts Payable Clerk	0.22%
60	Administrator	0.21%
61	Assistant Store Manager	0.2%
62	Office Administrator	0.2%
63	Payroll Administrator	0.19%
64	Internship	0.19%
65	Technical Recruiter	0.19%
66	Team Leader	0.19%
67	Director Of Human Resources Operations	0.18%
68	Assistant Vice President	0.18%
69	Human Resource Officer	0.18%
70	Partner	0.17%
71	Sales Representative	0.17%
72	Account Executive	0.17%
73	Senior Human Resources Specialist	0.17%
74	Human Resources Contractor	0.17%
75	President	0.17%
76	Senior Technical Recruiter	0.17%
77	Director, Human Resources And Administration	0.17%
78	Executive Director	0.16%
79	Human Resources Trainer	0.16%
80	Adjunct Instructor	0.15%
81	Bookkeeper	0.15%
82	Business Development Manager	0.14%
83	Business Analyst	0.14%
84	Talent Acquisition Consultant	0.14%
85	Business Developer	0.14%
86	Branch Manager	0.14%
87	Principal	0.14%
88	Owner/operator	0.14%
89	Chief Finance Officer	0.14%
90	Accountant	0.14%
91	Sales Manager	0.14%
92	Senior Technician Specialist	0.14%
93	Analyst	0.14%
94	Director Of Talent Acquisition	0.13%
95	Training Developer	0.13%
96	Human Resources Generalist/Manager	0.13%
97	Corporate Director, Human Resources	0.13%
98	Human Resources Administration Manager	0.13%
99	Human Resources Administrative Assistant	0.13%
100	Chief Executive Officer	0.13%

Most Common Jobs For Former Human Resources Managers

These positions not only utilize the skills acquired as a human resources manager but also serve as valuable stepping stones to new career trajectories.

How We Determined the Best Jobs of Former Human Resources Managers

We utilized data from our extensive database of over 7 million resumes, analyzing the work history of individuals who identified as human resources managers. We tracked their subsequent job placements to determine which roles were most common following their tenure in HR management, ranking them by frequency.

To compile a list of the most unique jobs, we filtered our findings to identify positions that:

Appeared in fewer than 1% of all new job listings
Were not included in the top 100 most common jobs in our database

In conclusion, as the employment landscape continues to shift, former human resources managers have a wealth of opportunities available. By leveraging their expertise and adapting to new challenges, they can forge successful new career paths in a variety of fields.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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