How to hire a human resource officer

How to hire a human resource officer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step human resource officer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a human resource officer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new human resource officer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a human resource officer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the human resource officer you need to hire. Certain human resource officer roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A human resource officer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, human resource officers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of human resource officers.

   Type of Human Resource Officer	Description	Hourly rate
   Human Resource Officer	Human resources managers plan, direct, and coordinate the administrative functions of an organization. They oversee the recruiting, interviewing, and hiring of new staff; consult with top executives on strategic planning; and serve as a link between an organization’s management and its employees.	$28-64
   Talent Acquisition Manager	A talent acquisition manager is in-charged in the selection, recruitment, and retention of talented candidates. The core skills that a talent acquisition manager should possess to accomplish his/her or her job responsibilities include excellent interpersonal and communication skills, the ability to multi-task, and knowledge of human resource laws... Show more	$28-65
   Employee Relations Manager	An employee relations manager's responsibilities revolve around maintaining a strong professional relationship between employees and a company's management. They are also in charge of resolving conflicts and issues within the workplace, providing technical support on all employee programs, developing orientation and workshop activities among trainees and new members of the workforce, and addressing their concerns promptly and professionally... Show more	$28-53

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Human Resources Functions
   • Performance Management
   • Personnel Actions
   • EEO
   • HRIS
   • Employee Development
   • Background Checks
   • Labor Relations
   • Succession Planning
   • Organizational Development
   • Disciplinary Procedures
   • Management System
   • Human Resources Policies
   • Professional Development

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Develop FMLA policy, create curricula and training for supervisory staff, and lead stand up instruction for the leadership team.
   • Recruit, negotiate new benefit contracts, manage compensation budget with department managers, process and oversee payroll.
   • Assist employees with benefit selections, FMLA, payroll deductions, EEO, and personnel information.
   • Prepare government reports relate to EEO compliance, ensure all plans are in compliance with federal and state regulations.
   • Provide consultation on disciplinary and grievance issues, ADA, OEO, FMLA issues and facilitate labor-management committee meetings.
   • Coordinate delivery of statewide HRIS training for banking center managers.

   More human resource officer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your human resource officer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A human resource officer salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a human resource officer in Missouri may be lower than in Connecticut, and an entry-level human resource officer usually earns less than a senior-level human resource officer. Additionally, a human resource officer with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average human resource officer salary

   $89,540yearly

   $43.05 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level human resource officer salary

   $59,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average human resource officer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$119,300	$57
   2	Massachusetts	$114,694	$55
   3	Washington	$112,158	$54
   4	District of Columbia	$110,341	$53
   5	Oregon	$108,566	$52
   6	New York	$107,902	$52
   7	Rhode Island	$107,526	$52
   8	Michigan	$107,080	$51
   9	New Jersey	$102,500	$49
   10	Illinois	$100,330	$48
   11	Pennsylvania	$97,592	$47
   12	Arizona	$91,222	$44
   13	Virginia	$87,857	$42
   14	Minnesota	$87,416	$42
   15	Ohio	$85,075	$41
   16	Texas	$84,320	$41
   17	Wisconsin	$83,856	$40
   18	Colorado	$83,742	$40
   19	Hawaii	$83,391	$40
   20	Maryland	$82,722	$40

   Average human resource officer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Signature Healthcare	$167,412	$80.49	3
   2	Avanade	$153,781	$73.93
   3	Northwell Health	$141,364	$67.96	19
   4	Clinica Sierra Vista	$133,402	$64.14
   5	Backblaze	$129,842	$62.42	2
   6	Edison Electric Institute	$128,832	$61.94
   7	Bangor Savings Bank	$125,393	$60.29
   8	Mastercard	$123,149	$59.21	7
   9	International Monetary Fund	$123,104	$59.18	1
   10	Charter Oak Health Center	$119,707	$57.55
   11	Bank of China USA	$107,826	$51.84	3
   12	Pentair	$106,936	$51.41	5
   13	University Hospitals	$105,801	$50.87	4
   14	General Dynamics	$105,342	$50.65	37
   15	Openlink Financial	$105,069	$50.51
   16	MKS Instruments	$104,113	$50.05	4
   17	Plex Systems	$103,824	$49.92
   18	Hospital for Special Care	$100,606	$48.37	2
   19	Public Company Accounting Oversight Board	$99,611	$47.89
   20	Petaluma Health Center	$98,893	$47.54

4. Writing a human resource officer job description

   A good human resource officer job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a human resource officer job description:

   Human resource officer job description example

   Full Time (40 Hours)
   Monday - Friday (8am - 5pm)
   
   Headquarters
   630 Trade Center Drive
   Las Vegas, NV 89119
   
   PURPOSE:
   The primary purpose of this position is to assist Silver State Schools Credit Union to live out its Mission, "Excellent Member Service and Financial Solutions - For Life," by providing outstanding service to both members and internal members. To deliver service in alignment with our Service Commitments: I will earn respect and build trust by acting with integrity in every situation. I will understand my role in supporting the team to achieve our purpose. I will focus on people over products and build lasting relationships. I will take ownership and accept responsibility. I will treat my coworkers with the same high standards as I treat my member. I will continuously look for ways to improve myself, my credit union, and my community. I will accept there is no "they". We are one working toward the same mission. I will commit to the core values. Meet all established service goals.
   SUMMARY:
   Responsible for assisting in the administration of the Credit Union's Human Resources function, ensuring that the Credit Union has the human resources necessary to attain targeted goals and objectives. Also responsible for internal matters and payroll functions. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned. Conducts the functions of developing sources of qualified non-management applicants, conducting screening interviews, administering tests, checking references and background, evaluating applicant qualifications, and arranging interviews with managers and initial orientation of newly hired employees. Keeps records, does updates, and prepares statistical reports concerning recruitment, interviews, hires, transfers, promotions, payroll, HR actions, and terminations utilizing the HRIS. Stays abreast of legislation and current Human Resource trends by utilizing the Internet and other research tools. Acts as a resource for employees and managers to talk with regarding work or staff relation related problems. Participates as a member of various task forces, and performs other duties and completes projects as necessary. Completes orientation reporting (bondability, new hire, etc) in a timely manner. Tracks open positions from job requisitions, updates open position list on personal computer, and corresponds with applicants as needed. Processes employment applications and assists in other employment activities such as new employee orientation and explanation of credit union employment policies and practices, enrollment of benefits, and compensation. Compiles, processes, and coordinates all human resource functions including but not limited to: time records, all payroll functions, tax information and forms, employment functions, and termination. Records and updates employee information such as personal data, compensation, benefits, tax data, attendance, performance reviews or evaluations, and termination date and reason. Receives, tracks, and processes time slips and invoices for employee from temporary agencies. Prepares all billing for benefits, 401K, and all other compensation. Provides required reports to appropriate departments each pay period, quarter, year - end, per regulations, credit union policy, benefit providers, and as requested. Communicates personally or corresponds through Computer e-mail system any information regarding payroll, benefits, compensation and policies and procedures to staff. Assists the Human Resources Generalist and AVP of Human Resources as required. Performs other duties as might be assigned. EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:
   High school diploma required (AA degree in Business preferred) plus three years related experience and/or training in a HR environment; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
   
   
   *ONLY FULLY COMPLETED APPLICATIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED*
   **SEE RESUME ON APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED**
   SILVER STATE SCHOOLS CREDIT UNION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER (EOE)
   DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find human resource officers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any human resource officers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level human resource officers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your human resource officer job on Zippia to find and recruit human resource officer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit human resource officers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new human resource officer

   Once you've found the human resource officer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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