How to hire a human resources consultant

How to hire a human resources consultant, step by step

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

What does a human resources consultant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the human resources consultant you need to hire. Certain human resources consultant 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

   Hiring the perfect human resources consultant also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of human resources consultants.

   Type of Human Resources Consultant	Description	Hourly rate
   Human Resources Consultant	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.	$25-45
   Regional Human Resources Manager	A regional human resources manager is in charge of overseeing a company's local human resource (HR) operations. They mostly identify the hiring needs of different branches, devise compensation and benefits programs, and determine the HR needs of every area, ensuring to develop strategies to meet them... Show more	$31-57
   Human Resource Officer	A human resources officer is typically in charge of managing and handling the employment operations in the company, including the payroll and training systems. Their responsibilities revolve around participating in advertising job openings, interviewing applicants, training and managing new employees, and devising programs that will help them learn about the policies and regulations of the company... Show more	$28-64

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Performance Management
   • Shared Services
   • Workforce Planning
   • Employee Engagement
   • Payroll
   • Customer Service
   • HRIS
   • Project Management
   • EEO
   • Business Development
   • Strong Problem-Solving
   • Employment Law
   • Labor Relations
   • Organizational Development

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage AAP plan development, modification, implementation, and reporting requirements.
   • Advise management on disciplinary actions, compensation, performance management, FMLA issues, and daily policy and procedural interpretation.
   • Handle UN employment claims, safety meetings, and key OSHA information.
   • Prepare cross-check system to ensure compliance with OSHA, EEOC and ADA.
   • Develop payroll relations with ADP and provide application training.
   • Conduct orientations to managers and supervisors on EEO federal/local regulations.

   More human resources consultant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your human resources consultant job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A human resources consultant salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, human resources consultants' average salary in montana is 31% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level human resources consultants earn 44% less than senior-level human resources consultants.
   • Certifications. A human resources consultant with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a human resources consultant's salary.

   Average human resources consultant salary

   $71,882yearly

   $34.56 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level human resources consultant salary

   $53,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 14, 2026

   Average human resources consultant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$86,344	$42
   2	New Jersey	$85,150	$41
   3	Massachusetts	$82,726	$40
   4	Wisconsin	$81,207	$39
   5	California	$78,404	$38
   6	Virginia	$77,727	$37
   7	Texas	$77,127	$37
   8	Ohio	$76,674	$37
   9	Georgia	$75,749	$36
   10	Indiana	$75,375	$36
   11	Maryland	$75,199	$36
   12	Pennsylvania	$74,949	$36
   13	Arizona	$73,852	$36
   14	Illinois	$73,654	$35
   15	New Mexico	$73,539	$35
   16	Michigan	$73,066	$35
   17	New York	$71,086	$34
   18	Missouri	$70,499	$34
   19	Iowa	$69,928	$34
   20	Kansas	$68,967	$33

   Average human resources consultant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Eli Lilly and Company	$109,907	$52.84	7
   2	Cisco	$109,244	$52.52
   3	Microsoft	$108,813	$52.31
   4	Censeo Consulting	$105,784	$50.86
   5	Toffler Associates	$102,874	$49.46
   6	WEC Energy Group	$102,732	$49.39
   7	Booz Allen Hamilton	$101,891	$48.99	4
   8	Santander Bank	$101,707	$48.90
   9	Pure Storage	$101,439	$48.77
   10	SAP	$97,402	$46.83	11
   11	BMO Capital Markets	$96,918	$46.60
   12	Corning Incorporated	$92,347	$44.40	21
   13	Caterpillar	$91,889	$44.18	4
   14	HSBC Bank	$91,313	$43.90
   15	Nokia	$90,160	$43.35
   16	Westinghouse Appliances Australia	$88,941	$42.76	4
   17	Occidental Petroleum	$87,557	$42.09
   18	Deloitte	$87,213	$41.93	342
   19	CBIZ	$87,115	$41.88	11
   20	Guidehouse	$86,874	$41.77	25

4. Writing a human resources consultant job description

   A human resources consultant job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a human resources consultant job description:

   Human resources consultant job description example

   Key Human Services (Key) is one of 5 subsidiary corporations of Keystone Human Services and is governed by a community-based board of directors. Established in 1989, Key expands Keystone's vision of community-based support programs in the State of Connecticut.
   Key Human Services has an exciting opportunity for a HR Consultant to work out of our Wethersfield, CT office.
   
   This position works in a HR Generalist role under the direction of the area Human Resources Director to implement human resources strategies that contribute to organizational success in selecting, engaging and developing employees, reducing costs, improving performance, and ultimately enhancing the experiences of the people we serve. This role assists management and the HR Director to identify human resource needs in the assigned region or agency, works with human resources centers of expertise and administrative services to respond to those needs, and ensures excellence and consistency in human resources practices across Keystone Human Services. Required skills include the ability to diagnose organizational problems and implement HR strategies and solutions; coaching, counseling, conflict management and influencing skills; the ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing; the ability to facilitate change; and excellent judgment and team working. Must be comfortable utilizing technology to improve HR processes, and be committed to continuous improvement.
   
   Minimum of three years' experience as an HR Generalist or Organization Development practitioner. Prior experience establishing positive relationships with employees and supervisors is required. Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, OD or business related field required. Experience with Workday is preferred. An equivalent combination of education and experience providing the required skills and knowledge may be considered. PHR and/or SHRM-CP preferred.
   
   Position Details:
   •Salary $52,000 (exempt)
   •Great work environment, excellent benefits, career development and advancement opportunities
   
   Keystone Human Services is committed to an inclusive workplace that does not discriminate against race, nationality, religion, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or any other protected characteristic under federal, state or local law. We believe in diversity and encourage any qualified individual to apply.
   
   Disclaimer: The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this job. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

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5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right human resources consultant for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   To find human resources consultant candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as hrcrossing, ihirehr, hrjobs, shrm hr jobs.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with human resources consultant 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.

   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 resources consultant

   Once you've decided on a perfect human resources consultant candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   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 human resources consultant 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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