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What is a career manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted experts
Shelley Sadin,
William Hill

Career managers are responsible for training and shaping the new staff employed by a company. They lead the most strategic function of Human Resources (HR), positively motivating the top managers, and can earn a median sum of $39,000 per annum or $19 per hour.

Career managers help to groom the future leaders of the company by having a clear picture of the company's needs and analyzing information related to the company's operations. They are very integral to the company's growth and future development. They communicate effectively and are able to lead wisely. They also have excellent interpersonal, organizational, and analytical skills.

Career managers hold a bachelor's degree in business, human resources, or other related fields. Employers may also require individuals to have several years of experience in a related field. A career manager tends to be the chief human resources officer later, due to the depth of knowledge of the organization and internal processes.

What general advice would you give to a career manager?

Shelley SadinShelley Sadin LinkedIn profile

Associate Dean of Professional and Career Development, Quinnipiac University

Communicating clearly, both orally and in writing.
It is identifying and analyzing legal and factual issues with an open, thoughtful, and creative mind.
Working collaboratively with clients, colleagues, opponents, and others involved in a case to solve problems.
Being meticulously ethical and professional in all interactions. This includes treating everyone involved in a matter with respect, recognizing, and honoring their different backgrounds and perspectives.
Being self-disciplined, motivated, resilient, courageous, kind, and flexible.
ScoreCareer ManagerUS Average
Salary
3.7

Avg. Salary $47,312

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
9.7

Growth rate 12%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.4
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.88%

Asian 5.10%

Black or African American 11.70%

Hispanic or Latino 14.07%

Unknown 5.35%

White 62.90%

Gender

female 55.83%

male 44.17%

Age - 45
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45
Stress level
9.7

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.8

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
5.0

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Career manager career paths

Key steps to become a career manager

  1. Explore career manager education requirements

    Most common career manager degrees

    Bachelor's

    64.2 %

    Master's

    17.9 %

    Associate

    13.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific career manager skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Career Development29.49%
    Career Services9.68%
    Training Programs7.25%
    Personnel Actions6.02%
    Career Planning5.17%
  3. Complete relevant career manager training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New career managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a career manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real career manager resumes.
  4. Research career manager duties and responsibilities

    • Provide IEP development and retention services.
    • Conduct GED preparation courses gear towards students with literacy and basic skills deficiency.
    • Assist clients with meeting GED preparation requirements, facilitate group and individual assessments for multiple programs.
    • Certify youth eligibility for WIA fund intensive services.
  5. Prepare your career manager resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your career manager resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a career manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable career manager resume templates

    Build a professional career manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your career manager resume.
    Career Manager Resume
    Career Manager Resume
    Career Manager Resume
    Career Manager Resume
    Career Manager Resume
    Career Manager Resume
    Career Manager Resume
    Career Manager Resume
    Career Manager Resume
  6. Apply for career manager jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a career manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first career manager job

Zippi

Are you a career manager?

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Average career manager salary

The average career manager salary in the United States is $47,312 per year or $23 per hour. Career manager salaries range between $28,000 and $77,000 per year.

Average career manager salary
$47,312 Yearly
$22.75 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do career managers rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

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Career manager reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2019
Pros

Helping people find their own paths, incorporating values and interests. I love it when people identify what they really want and get excited about working towards it.

Cons

I'm in private practice so there's always some task that needs doing: bookkeeping, marketing, etc. It's a lot but it's not unbearable.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2019
Pros

Helping students (and others) make meaningful connections to careers.

Cons

The burocracy and silos in higher education.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2019
Pros

Guiding students toward rewarding careers.

Cons

I am employed by the Georgia Institute of Technology and Career Development Advisors are paid much lower than Corporate Relations Managers even though we do similar jobs


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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