Post job

Employment specialist vs specialist

The differences between employment specialists and specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an employment specialist, becoming a specialist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a specialist has an average salary of $58,013, which is higher than the $39,530 average annual salary of an employment specialist.

The top three skills for an employment specialist include customer service, rehabilitation and mental health. The most important skills for a specialist are patients, customer service, and work ethic.

Employment specialist vs specialist overview

Employment SpecialistSpecialist
Yearly salary$39,530$58,013
Hourly rate$19.00$27.89
Growth rate8%10%
Number of jobs59,757358,433
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Average age4142
Years of experience62

What does an employment specialist do?

An employment specialist deals with job applicants to match their talents to a specific job that properly suits them. Employment specialists assist applicants or the unemployed by testing their skills, conducting mock interviews, and creating a proper resume. They can work separately within a company or be part of the human resources department to assist in the hiring process. Employment specialists are often tasked to handle company layoffs and act as the liaison officer between the employer and the Department of Labor.

What does a specialist do?

Specialists are employees who are responsible for specific tasks or activities in the department they are assigned to. The actions or tasks they work on are related to their educational background or work experiences. They are usually highly skilled in specializations related to the work they are assigned to. Specialists are also highly trained on the competencies that are required of their specialty. As such, they are focused on the skills and competencies that are needed to enhance their experience in their specific field further.

Employment specialist vs specialist salary

Employment specialists and specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Employment SpecialistSpecialist
Average salary$39,530$58,013
Salary rangeBetween $29,000 And $52,000Between $32,000 And $104,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DCJersey City, NJ
Highest paying stateHawaiiNew Jersey
Best paying companyUniversity of California, BerkeleyThe Citadel
Best paying industryProfessional-

Differences between employment specialist and specialist education

There are a few differences between an employment specialist and a specialist in terms of educational background:

Employment SpecialistSpecialist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most common majorPsychologyBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaStanford University

Employment specialist vs specialist demographics

Here are the differences between employment specialists' and specialists' demographics:

Employment SpecialistSpecialist
Average age4142
Gender ratioMale, 30.4% Female, 69.6%Male, 47.5% Female, 52.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 7.7% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage9%11%

Differences between employment specialist and specialist duties and responsibilities

Employment specialist example responsibilities.

  • Collaborate with partner agencies to share leads, information and execute OJT agreements.
  • Assist in managing unemployment claims, wrongful termination claims, civil and EEOC suits.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of vocational rehabilitation theory and practice along with the hiring needs and job requirements of the local business community.
  • Present information about vocational rehabilitation to community.
  • Maintain records according to CARF standards.
  • Verify identity with I9 documents like driver license; passports and social security cards.
  • Show more

Specialist example responsibilities.

  • Create, manage, and assist users with SharePoint sites.
  • Manage an on-site IRB and company good clinical practice (GCP) inspection.
  • Manage SharePoint sites by creating, editing, and customizing company sites, libraries and security.
  • Manage the building of accounts, assigning of static IP's, and scheduling of business class installations.
  • Convert servers from UNIX to Linux, all hardware diagnostics and repair including printers/plotters/desktops etc.
  • Follow safety procedures such as maintenance of all equipment (Telxon scanners, terminals and ladders).
  • Show more

Employment specialist vs specialist skills

Common employment specialist skills
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Rehabilitation, 9%
  • Mental Health, 8%
  • Social Work, 6%
  • Competitive Employment, 5%
  • Mental Illness, 4%
Common specialist skills
  • Patients, 15%
  • Customer Service, 11%
  • Work Ethic, 5%
  • Patient Care, 4%
  • Exceptional Client, 4%
  • Troubleshoot, 4%

Browse business and financial jobs