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How to hire a human resource specialist

Human resource specialist hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring human resource specialists in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a human resource specialist is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new human resource specialist to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a human resource specialist, step by step

To hire a human resource specialist, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire a human resource specialist, you should follow these steps:

Here's a step-by-step human resource specialist 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 specialist job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new human resource specialist
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a human resource specialist do?

A human resources specialist is responsible for assisting in the recruitment and staffing process. Duties of a human resources specialist include updating the requirements and qualifications of a job post, handling employees' inquiries regarding compensation and benefits, maintaining employees' records, updating the status of new joiners, tracking performance reviews, and generating reports as business requires. A human resource specialist must be detail-oriented, as well as excellent in organizational and communication skills. Additionally, a human resource specialist must have a broad knowledge of the recruitment process and structure.

Learn more about the specifics of what a human resource specialist does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you post your human resource specialist job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a human resource specialist for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A human resource specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, human resource specialists 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.

    Here's a comparison of human resource specialist salaries for various roles:

    Type of Human Resource SpecialistDescriptionHourly rate
    Human Resource SpecialistHuman resources specialists recruit, screen, interview, and place workers. They often handle other human resources work, such as those related to employee relations, compensation and benefits, and training... Show more$17-37
    Employment CoordinatorAn employment coordinator is in charge of overseeing a company's employment procedures, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. They coordinate and work together with a company's human resource department to facilitate job opening and hiring procedures, developing strategies to optimize operations... Show more$14-25
    Recruiting CoordinatorA recruiting coordinator's tasks include posting job vacancies, coordinating candidate travel, setting up schedules for interviews and handling last-minute scheduling changes, preparing offer letters, and conducting background checks on aspirants. The coordinator assists in the company's recruiting and talent acquisition procedures and strategies by hiring job-seekers to fill in vacant positions and to supply the company's workforce needs and goals... Show more$16-28
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Data Entry
    • Oversight
    • Life Insurance
    • Human Resources Policies
    • Customer Service
    • Timekeeping
    • Background Checks
    • HRIS
    • Payroll System
    • EEO
    • PowerPoint
    • Labor Relations
    • Performance Management
    • Develop Recommendations
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage site KRONOS payroll, time and attendance, and vacation tracking for hourly.
    • Manage new hire and current employee paperwork that includes status change forms, W-4s, I-9s, etc.
    • Lead a compliance initiative to ensure successful transition to the e-Verify employment verification process.
    • Integrate efforts on actions and programs where joint OPM functional effort are necessary to accomplish recruitment and enhance organizational effectiveness.
    • Advise, coach, and counsele managers and Sr.
    • Assist with affirmative action reporting, VETS100 and EEO-1 submission.
    More human resource specialist duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your human resource specialist job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A human resource specialist 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 specialist in Montana may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level human resource specialist usually earns less than a senior-level human resource specialist. Additionally, a human resource specialist 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 specialist salary

    $53,143yearly

    $25.55 hourly rate

    Entry-level human resource specialist salary
    $36,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 13, 2026

    Average human resource specialist salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1District of Columbia$84,544$41
    2New Jersey$68,299$33
    3Washington$66,862$32
    4Virginia$65,316$31
    5California$64,796$31
    6Maryland$63,209$30
    7New York$63,137$30
    8Pennsylvania$59,238$28
    9Massachusetts$59,132$28
    10Illinois$52,078$25
    11Colorado$51,697$25
    12Ohio$50,081$24
    13Minnesota$49,927$24
    14Texas$49,798$24
    15North Carolina$48,332$23
    16Indiana$47,960$23
    17Georgia$45,940$22
    18Nevada$44,952$22
    19Arizona$44,658$21
    20Hawaii$43,983$21

    Average human resource specialist salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Meta$116,569$56.0462
    2Google$116,102$55.821
    3Microsoft$109,458$52.622
    4NVIDIA$103,595$49.812
    5Abiomed$98,507$47.36
    6Jacob Realty Boston$97,796$47.02
    7Southern California Edison$97,293$46.782
    8Adobe$96,600$46.446
    9MongoDB$96,346$46.32
    10Intuitive Surgical$95,792$46.05
    11UBS$95,182$45.76
    12Shenzhen Capital Group$94,360$45.37
    13Deutsche Bank$93,151$44.781
    14CF Industries$92,465$44.454
    15Skillshare$92,281$44.37
    16Novartis$92,115$44.29
    17Bloomberg$91,635$44.065
    18Banco Itaú$91,238$43.86
    19GFI Group$91,222$43.86
    20Visa$90,857$43.68
  4. Writing a human resource specialist job description

    A good human resource specialist 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 specialist job description:

    Human resource specialist job description example

    This position is responsible for benefits administration, recruiting, safety, training, recordkeeping and other assigned Human Resource duties. Individual must have HR Law knowledge and be able to perform other Specialist functions. Candidate must also have experience with Leave of Absence. Requirements for a successful candidate will have a Bachelor's Degree or 5 years Human Resource experience, excellent verbal and written communication skills, and strong computer skills. Human Resource Specialist experience recommended. Knowledge of ADP is preferred.

    Candidates must have good communication skills and must have the ability to communicate well with all levels of the organization. Position requires strong computer skills in Excel and Word.

    Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

    ● Complete knowledge of state and federal employment laws.● Capable of educating and training Members in Company policies, procedures, and practices● Comprehension skills necessary to interpret HR laws, regulations, policies and procedures● Ability to adapt to changing situations, to solve problems, and prioritize work loads.● Broad understanding of all aspects of Human Resources● Complete process knowledge.● Excellent written communication skills.● Excellent time management skills.● Excellent cooperative personality.● Excellent organizational skills.● Ability to lead, motivate and manage others.● Ability to interact well with coworkers.● Ability to understand, follow and implement posted work rules and company procedures.● Ability to function independently without requiring assistance from, or disturbing the work of others.

    Qualifications, Education, and Experience Required:

    • Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required.
    • 5 years of prior applicable experience in Human Resources

    Work Environment:

    • Open staff room with constant activity and interaction with cross-functional divisions, departments, and sections. Must be able to effectively change tasks at a moment's notice when the situation requires.
    • Some dust, noise, oils, greases, grinding debris, compressed air, metal shavings, propane, solvents and occasional heavy lifting.
    • Exposed to hazardous machinery and/or conditions that could result in injury up to and including a fatality if safety measures are not followed and adhered to.
    • Exposed to shop elements such as noise, dust, odors, fumes, oils. The performance of this position normally requires exposure to a typical manufacturing areas were under certain conditions that require the use of personal protective equipment.

    If needed, you may request the Specific Job Demands analysis (JDA) for this employment opportunity.

    This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.


  5. Post your job

    To find human resource specialists 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 specialists they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level human resource specialists 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 specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit human resource specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Your first interview with human resource specialist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

    You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

    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 specialist

    Once you've found the human resource specialist 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.

    It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

    To prepare for the new human resource specialist first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

  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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How much does it cost to hire a human resource specialist?

Before you start to hire human resource specialists, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire human resource specialists pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

The median annual salary for human resource specialists is $53,143 in the US. However, the cost of human resource specialist hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a human resource specialist for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $17 and $37 an hour.

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