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Generalist vs staffing manager

The differences between generalists and staffing managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a generalist and a staffing manager. Additionally, a staffing manager has an average salary of $51,367, which is higher than the $46,518 average annual salary of a generalist.

The top three skills for a generalist include sales floor, store sales and customer loyalty. The most important skills for a staffing manager are client relationships, customer service, and phone calls.

Generalist vs staffing manager overview

GeneralistStaffing Manager
Yearly salary$46,518$51,367
Hourly rate$22.36$24.70
Growth rate7%7%
Number of jobs8,58517,860
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 55%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age4747
Years of experience66

What does a generalist do?

A generalist, also known as a human resource generalist, is responsible for overseeing the operations in a human resource department, focusing on employees' welfare and working conditions. They are primarily involved in the hiring and laying off processes among employees, handing training and benefits programs, and coordinating with every department in the company. Furthermore, a generalist must perform administrative tasks that mostly revolve around producing reports and processing paperwork, conducting research and analysis, and responding to correspondence.

What does a staffing manager do?

A staffing manager is responsible for overseeing the overall staffing operations of the company, identifying the staffing needs for each department by coordinating with hiring managers for their requirements and specific instructions for job postings. Staffing managers monitor the performance of the staff, delegating tasks, and ensuring that the recruitment operations adhere to the company's policies and structured guidelines. They also update the company's online job boards, eliminating closed job posts, and reviewing the qualifications of potential candidates, scheduling them for interviews and assessments based on the hiring department's instructions.

Generalist vs staffing manager salary

Generalists and staffing managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

GeneralistStaffing Manager
Average salary$46,518$51,367
Salary rangeBetween $29,000 And $72,000Between $36,000 And $72,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CAMountain View, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaHawaii
Best paying companyMetaGoogle
Best paying industryFinanceManufacturing

Differences between generalist and staffing manager education

There are a few differences between a generalist and a staffing manager in terms of educational background:

GeneralistStaffing Manager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 55%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeNorthwestern UniversityNorthwestern University

Generalist vs staffing manager demographics

Here are the differences between generalists' and staffing managers' demographics:

GeneralistStaffing Manager
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 37.8% Female, 62.2%Male, 33.2% Female, 66.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 5.7% White, 70.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 5.7% White, 70.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage18%18%

Differences between generalist and staffing manager duties and responsibilities

Generalist example responsibilities.

  • Manage and maintain PBX and VoIP phone systems at multiple locations.
  • Manage multiple lab projects for the implementation of new lab analyzers as well as LIS functionality.
  • Plan, install and manage new locations build outs with complete VPN connectivity and VOIP utilization for the multiple locations.
  • Manage UAB and HSF faculty recruitment, staffing needs, terminations, compensation, records management, employee relations and retention.
  • Manage data process flow to ensure employee timekeeping, attendance and payroll objectives are effectively and efficiently maintain.
  • Perform chemistry, microbiology, urinalysis, hematology, and blood bank laboratory tests, equipment calibration and quality assurance reports.
  • Show more

Staffing manager example responsibilities.

  • Manage administrative duties including background checks, drug testing, e-verify.
  • Manage the recruitment budget; approve and track expenses; ensure highest ROI by tracking outputs of events and postings.
  • Leverage online recruiting resources & in house ATS to identify and recruit the very best candidates.
  • Ensure all staffing processes and activities are compliant with EEO, OFCCP, immigration and legal requirements.
  • Control all monthly and bi-weekly payroll transactions to ensure that staff members are paid accurately and on time.
  • Provide corporate classroom instruction on EEO topics, sexual harassment, and training matters as directed by the employer.
  • Show more

Generalist vs staffing manager skills

Common generalist skills
  • Sales Floor, 21%
  • Store Sales, 17%
  • Customer Loyalty, 14%
  • Sales Growth, 12%
  • Customer Service, 6%
  • Processing Customer Transactions, 4%
Common staffing manager skills
  • Client Relationships, 15%
  • Customer Service, 9%
  • Phone Calls, 9%
  • Business Development, 8%
  • Human Resources, 7%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 6%

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