What is a human resources coordinator and how to become one

Q: How long does it take to become a Human Resources Coordinator?

It takes 5 years of professional experience to become a human resources coordinator. That is the time it takes to learn specific human resources coordinator skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 8 to 10 years years to become a human resources coordinator.

Q: Do you need a degree to be an HR coordinator?

Yes, you need a degree to be an HR coordinator. Generally, working as an HR coordinator requires you to have a bachelor's degree in human resources management or a related field. In a human resources degree program, individuals study operations management, employee development, and benefits. Business programs may also offer human resources options through concentrations and minors.

Q: Is HR Coordinator an entry-level job?

Yes, being an HR coordinator is an entry-level job. The HR coordinator often serves as a first step into the human resources field. An HR coordinator position can lead to HR managers, directors, or other related HR careers for those seeking to advance into a management role.

Q: Is it hard to become a human resource coordinator?

No, it is not hard to become a human resource coordinator. To become a human resource coordinator, you need good communications skills, experience, and an HR educational background. If you're interested in becoming a human resource coordinator, you'll first need to meet the educational requirements. Most coordinator roles require a bachelor's degree, but it is possible to become one with a high school diploma.

Q: What does it take to be an HR coordinator?

To become an HR coordinator, you must earn a bachelor's degree or certification and gain work experience. Those seeking to become an HR coordinator must complete a bachelor's degree program in human resources management or a related field.

Q: What is the difference between an HR assistant and an HR coordinator?

The difference between an HR assistant and an HR coordinator is that while both are entry-level roles and support HR management, HR coordinators generally perform higher-level tasks while assistants are responsible for administrative duties.

Q: What makes a good HR coordinator?

To be a good HR coordinator, you should have knowledge and experience in human resources, strong organization and communications skills, and the ability to remain objective. HR coordinators are often people facing, dealing with coworkers and job candidates alike. They must be good listeners and communicate with people in a professional and friendly manner. Additionally, having strong written communication skills is important as emails, and other announcements are sent from HR.

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Denise Barton,

Thomas Byrnes

A human resources coordinator is responsible for supporting the HR department in employee management. They assist with recruitment, onboarding, benefits administration, and maintaining employee records. HR coordinators also ensure compliance with employment laws, resolve employee issues, and provide support to management. They may participate in creating and implementing HR policies and procedures, as well as developing employee training programs. Good communication skills, attention to detail, and the ability to maintain confidentiality are essential for success in this role.

What general advice would you give to a human resources coordinator?

Denise Barton

Senior Professor of Human Resources, Wake Technical Community College

I would advise graduates beginning their careers to earn a human resources certification from the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI). Both organizations are internationally recognized for high-quality HR knowledge-based exams.

ScoreHuman Resources CoordinatorUS Average

Salary

3.4

Avg. Salary $44,074

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.0

Growth rate 8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.61%

Asian 7.71%

Black or African American 10.04%

Hispanic or Latino 19.46%

Unknown 5.13%

White 57.04%

Gender

female 81.61%

male 18.39%

Age - 40

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 40

Stress level

8.0

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.3

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.0

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a human resources coordinator?

Pros

Work with diverse groups of people
Make a positive impact on employee experience
Competitive salary and benefits packages
Ability to work remotely in some cases
Potential for flexible scheduling

Cons

Handling difficult employee situations can be stressful
Managing paperwork and administrative tasks can be tedious
Working with sensitive employee information requires confidentiality and discretion
Can involve mediating conflicts between employees or departments
Can involve working long hours or being on-call outside of regular business hours

Key steps to become a human resources coordinator

Explore human resources coordinator education requirements

Most common human resources coordinator degrees

Bachelor's

65.1 %

Associate

15.4 %

Master's

10.0 %

Start to develop specific human resources coordinator skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	13.34%
HRIS	7.62%
Background Checks	5.70%
Process Payroll	5.69%
Data Entry	4.36%

Complete relevant human resources coordinator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New human resources coordinators learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a human resources coordinator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real human resources coordinator resumes.

Research human resources coordinator duties and responsibilities

Resolve many complex employee relations issues, manage arbitration agreements and provide management with judicial guidance managing the arbitration agreement.
Manage the offboarding process of all terminate employees.
Build and manage various databases and spreadsheets including attendance point systems, disciplinary records, I-9s, and apprenticeship program tracking.
Manage and monitor benefit enrollments/cancellations and PTO program.

Prepare your human resources coordinator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your human resources coordinator resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a human resources coordinator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable human resources coordinator resume templates

Build a professional human resources coordinator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your human resources coordinator resume.

Apply for human resources coordinator jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a human resources coordinator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do human resources coordinators rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Human resources coordinator reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020

Pros

Autonomy to address HR issues as I see fit. Ability to work with people in all areas of the company, in all roles and at all levels.

Cons

I'm the only HR person, so I don't have a team.

A zippia user wrote a review on May 2020

Pros

It increase ones knowledge about information

Cons

Too task a times and need to do a lot of review

A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2020

Pros

I like the interaction with staff, possible candidates, & hiring managers. I possess not only professionalism but friendliness, too. I'm a team player with a positive attitude and enjoy building relationships and helping possible candidates find their career path.

What is a human resources coordinator and how to become one

What general advice would you give to a human resources coordinator?

What are the pros and cons of being a human resources coordinator?

Human resources coordinator career paths

Key steps to become a human resources coordinator

Explore human resources coordinator education requirements

Most common human resources coordinator degrees

Start to develop specific human resources coordinator skills

Complete relevant human resources coordinator training and internships

Research human resources coordinator duties and responsibilities

Prepare your human resources coordinator resume

Choose from 10+ customizable human resources coordinator resume templates

Apply for human resources coordinator jobs

How did you land your first human resources coordinator job

Average human resources coordinator salary

How do human resources coordinators rate their job?

Human resources coordinator reviews

Human resources coordinator FAQs

How long does it take to become a Human Resources Coordinator?

Do you need a degree to be an HR coordinator?

Is HR Coordinator an entry-level job?

Is it hard to become a human resource coordinator?

What does it take to be an HR coordinator?

What is the difference between an HR assistant and an HR coordinator?

What makes a good HR coordinator?

Search for human resources coordinator jobs

Human resources coordinator jobs by state