Being the front face of a company is no easy task, let me tell you. Let's back up for a second. A human resources generalist is typically the first person any guest or visitor see's when they first enter a business. And, as you know, first impressions are important when it comes to business.

As a human resources generalist, you'll be in charge of many administrative tasks, such as hiring new employees, making sure employees receive their paychecks, and making sure company policies and practices are being taken seriously.

All of those responsibilities make your job so important to the company. While we're on the topic of companies, there's a lot of them who need a human resources generalist. So you'll be able to find a job in practically any industry in which you want to work.

What Does a Human Resources Generalist Do

There are certain skills that many human resources generalists have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed detail oriented, communication skills and interpersonal skills.

Learn more about what a Human Resources Generalist does

How To Become a Human Resources Generalist

If you're interested in becoming a human resources generalist, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 69.9% of human resources generalists have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 14.1% of human resources generalists have master's degrees. Even though most human resources generalists have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Learn More About How To Become a Human Resources Generalist

Human Resources Generalist Job Description

Human Resource Generalists are primarily in charge of performing various functions that cater to the different needs of the company's employees. These functions depend on the assignment but may include talent acquisition, employee development, employee and labor relations, talent management, and compensation and benefits administration.

Learn more about Human Resources Generalist Job Description

Human Resources Generalist Career Paths

Average Salary for a Human Resources Generalist

Human Resources Generalists in America make an average salary of $56,159 per year or $27 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $76,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $41,000 per year.
Average Human Resources Generalist Salary
$56,159 Yearly
$27.00 hourly

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Roles and Types of Human Resources Generalist

The role of a human resources generalist includes a wide range of responsibilities. These responsibilities can vary based on an individual's specific job, company, or industry.Here are some general human resources generalist responsibilities:

  • Formulate and recommend program goals and objectives in all areas of employee relations. Develop, implement,
  • Assists the management team with all required forms
  • Meet with employees and listen to their initial concerns, complaints, etc.

There are several types of human resources generalist, including:

Human Resources Coordinator

Role:

Human resources coordinators are essential in almost every business. They're the reason people get hired in the first place. You know that person that recruited, screened, and interviewed you? Most likely a human resources coordinator.

But a human resources coordinator's resposibilities don't stop there. They also handle employee relations, and they might just take a peek at the compensation and benefits package that a company offers. And, maybe, they'll update that sucker because everyone knows it's been too long since it was last updated, and 4 weeks of maternity leave is just not "in" anymore. That was so 1980.

As you've probably already guessed, human resources coordinators spend the majority (if not all) of their time in the office. Although, there are special occasions that allow them to travel a bit, such as job fairs, college campus visits and sometimes just to meet with an applicant. A day spent as a human resources coordinator is definitely never boring.

  • Average Salary: $44,074
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Human Resources Consultant

Role:

Do you want to use your expertise to help and guide others? If you enjoy working with individuals, companies, and organizations to maximize employee potential and love the satisfaction of guiding others through solving their problems, then becoming a human resources consultant might be a rewarding and gratifying career path for you.

A job in human resources may bring you a perfect new direction you've been seeking in your career. HR consultant is a profession that offers you a chance to help people and making a difference in employee's lives by providing their professional assistance. Not only that, but a job in human resources offers you days with a variety of tasks, high wages, telecommunicating opportunities, flexible hours, and a lot more.

Generally, becoming a human resources consultant, you may take on numerous roles and tasks that affect the organizational outcomes by managing and supporting their workforce. As a human resources consultant, your core duty is to ensure that your company is effectively using its personnel to achieve its stated goals.

Other job duties may include developing, reviewing, implementing HR policies and procedures, analyzing your company's current HR programs, and recommending solutions. Overseeing all HR departments, you may ensure productivity, efficiency, and compliance of workflow. If the idea of becoming a human resources consultant intrigues you, then you may need at least a bachelor's degree in business management, marketing, finance, or in a related field.

Additional certification in human resources and years of professional experience working with an HR department may help you set on the top of the competition. To be successful in HR consulting, you must embrace variable competencies, including solid knowledge of marketing and recruitment, strategic thinking, excellent communication and organizational skills, and an ability to work under pressure and meet targets.

Working as an HR consultant, you may get an average annual promising salary of $69,000 along with compensation and commission packages. Suffice to say that the role of HR consultant ranks highly consistent for job satisfaction and potential growth. According to BLS, the employment growth for human resources project to grow 7% between 2018 and 2028, plus job prospects might be favorable, with 21,045 job openings projected annually through the next decade.

It means plenty of work opportunities may be available to you as a human resources consultant. Other than this, the career advancement chances are also bountiful as an HR consultant - with advanced business and human resources skills, knowledge, and extensive experience, you may move into a business development role or promote to a team leader or branch manager.

  • Average Salary: $71,882
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Human Resources Clerk

Role:

Human resources clerks handle the administrative tasks that are needed to help an HR department run smoothly. Most of their duties revolve around hiring new candidates. They handle organizational tasks such as posting openings, scheduling interviews, and processing resumes using software. Human resources clerks also help current employees by entering payroll data and organizing training sessions. They write employee reviews certifying that workers are doing a good job. Although much of their work revolves around data entry and writing reports, human resources clerks also need excellent communication skills. They are the face of the organization to many applicants and workers and help answer any questions.

Many human resources clerks are able to find work with only a high school diploma. However, an associate's or a bachelor's degree makes it easier to find work.

Since this is an entry-level position, human resources clerks don't need many years of professional experience, although a year or two of administrative experience would help a candidate stand out from the crowd. Human resources clerks earn an average salary of $31,086 a year.

  • Average Salary: $35,149
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

States With The Most Human Resources Generalist Jobs

Mouse over a state to see the number of active human resources generalist jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where human resources generalists earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.

Average Salary: Job Openings:

Number Of Human Resources Generalist Jobs By State

Human Resources Generalist Education

Human Resources Generalist Majors

33.7 %

Human Resources Generalist Degrees

Bachelors

69.9 %

Masters

14.1 %

Associate

11.3 %

Top Colleges for Human Resources Generalists

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-State Tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

4. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

6. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

8. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-State Tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

9. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

10. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL • Private

In-State Tuition

$15,094

Enrollment

32,974

Top Skills For a Human Resources Generalist

The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 9.0% of human resources generalists listed hris on their resume, but soft skills such as detail oriented and communication skills are important as well.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Human Resources Generalist Resume templates

Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Human Resources Generalist templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Human Resources Generalist resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

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Human Resources Generalist diversity

Human Resources Generalist Gender Distribution

Female
Female
80%
Male
Male
21%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • Among human resources generalists, 79.5% of them are women, while 20.5% are men.

  • The most common race/ethnicity among human resources generalists is White, which makes up 57.1% of all human resources generalists.

  • The most common foreign language among human resources generalists is Spanish at 70.0%.

Online Courses For Human Resources Generalist That You May Like

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Best States For a Human Resources Generalist

Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a human resources generalist. The best states for people in this position are New York, Washington, New Jersey, and California. Human resources generalists make the most in New York with an average salary of $64,053. Whereas in Washington and New Jersey, they would average $63,461 and $61,805, respectively. While human resources generalists would only make an average of $61,413 in California, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.

1. District of Columbia

Total Human Resources Generalist Jobs: 203
Highest 10% Earn:
$98,000
Location Quotient:
1.78

2. Washington

Total Human Resources Generalist Jobs: 588
Highest 10% Earn:
$87,000
Location Quotient:
1.18

3. New York

Total Human Resources Generalist Jobs: 1,062
Highest 10% Earn:
$87,000
Location Quotient:
1.22
Full List Of Best States For Human Resources Generalists

How Do Human Resources Generalists Rate Their Jobs?

4/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Human Resources Generalist Reviews

4.0
Apr 2019
Pros

The variety in the work.

Cons

Can be stressful if one is not organized and able to shift priorities when needed.


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Top Human Resources Generalist Employers

We've made finding a great employer to work for easy by doing the hard work for you. We looked into employers that employ human resources generalists and discovered their number of human resources generalist opportunities and average salary. Through our research, we concluded that Robert Half was the best, especially with an average salary of $55,869. Boeing follows up with an average salary of $59,756, and then comes Kelly Services with an average of $54,574. In addition, we know most people would rather work from home. So instead of having to change careers, we identified the best employers for remote work as a human resources generalist. The employers include Constellation Energy Partners, General Electric, and Baystate Health

Most Common Employers For Human Resources Generalist

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1Citi$91,650$44.06110
2Dell$78,148$37.5767
3FedEx$62,293$29.9568
4Cummins$61,852$29.7467
5The Home Depot$61,047$29.35107
6Raytheon Technologies$59,799$28.7562
7Boeing$59,756$28.73166
8UPS$59,432$28.5777
9KBR$59,064$28.4061
10Sears Holdings$59,023$28.3873

Human Resources Generalist Videos

Becoming a Human Resources Generalist FAQs

How Long Does It Take To Become An Hr Generalist?

It takes a minimum of six years to become an HR generalist. To become an HR generalist, a person needs to possess a bachelor's degree in Human Resources or a related field and about two years of work experience or a master's degree.

How Much Does A Human Resource Generalist Make A Year?

A human resource generalist makes $55,000 a year. However, the range of salaries can be anywhere from $41,000 to $71,000 annually. The pay varies due to education and experience, industry, and location.

How To Talk To Hr About Your Boss

You talk to HR about your boss by first scheduling a time to talk and having a professional and calm conversation. It is important to HR that you first talk to your manager before involving them. It is a policy in most organizations that you should give your manager an opportunity to solve the issue first.

What Are Hr Operations?

HR operations is the department that supports the entire employee lifecycle and assists your team in their day-to-day tasks. HR operations play a crucial role in developing a company's people strategy to reach its business goals and is a part of an effective HR service delivery model.

What Are Careers In Hr?

HR generalist, recruiter, and HR manager are careers in HR. Here are some details about these careers and others in human resources:

  • HR generalist

What Do I Need To Become An Hr Generalist?

To become an HR generalist, you will need a bachelor's degree and some work experience. Most HR generalists have a master's degree and at least three to four years of experience.

Additionally, an HR generalist should have strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, as these are necessary to perform the role successfully.

What If Hr Is The Problem?

If HR is the problem, it can be difficult to know what to do; reference this guide for help:

  • File a complaint with HR. This first step may seem counterintuitive, but even if your complaint is regarding HR, you should still first file the complaint directly with human resources.

    This is useful in building any sort of case against an HR department or a specific individual in an HR department.

    This also gives them the opportunity to deal with your grievance directly. Keep a copy of the complaint you file with HR for your own records, as it may prove to be valuable down the line in the conflict.

  • Follow company policies. Be sure to reference your employee guide or any official document containing company policies on official complaints from employees.

    This gives you the ability to correctly file the complaint with HR or with some other department within your company.

  • Go to a superior within the company. This is a viable option. However, it can not always be recommended. If you have a good relationship with a superior, you may consider bringing the complaint to them.

    A superior, manager, or executive may be able to either resolve the situation or point you in the direction that will get you the best results.

    Just be sure to give this option heavy consideration before doing so; you do not want to inadvertently put your own job in jeopardy.

  • Reach out to the EEOC. The EEOC is the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. If you've tried to resolve the issue internally in your company and have been unsuccessful, it is probably time to contact the EEOC.

    Before doing so, compile all your documents and evidence, like the complaint you gave to HR, and any witness statements that will support your claim.

    The EEOC handles employee cases that involve harassment and discrimination, and most companies that employ more than 15 workers must adhere to its guidelines.

  • Seek outside legal counsel. After submitting a complaint about HR to your human resource department, they are required to either act on or reject your complaint.

    They must provide you with documentation of either action, so if they've rejected you, take your complaint and official rejection to a lawyer who deals with employment issues.

    Do not go to the legal department of your specific company or any lawyer associated with your organization.

    Lawyers will be able to determine if there is any legal action you can take against the HR department or the HR employee.

    Before taking this step, be sure to notify HR that you plan on contacting a lawyer. This can sometimes be the push that is needed to persuade them to appropriately resolve the issue.

What Is Hr Analytics?

HR analytics is the collection and application of talent data to improve critical talent and business outcomes. HR analytics is also known as people analytics, workforce analytics, or talent analytics. It involves the gathering together, analyzing, and reporting of HR data.

What Is Hr Shared Services?

HR shared services are strategies involving human resource-related services that are utilized within a company that has an expanding employee base.

Meaning tasks that are not currently being taken on by HR, but fall under their jurisdiction, may be transferred to HR permanently. Examples of shared services are payroll processing, inventory, hiring, IT, and in some cases certain forms of financing.

What Is Pip In Hr?

PIP in HR refers to a performance improvement plan. This is a document that aims to help employees who are not meeting job performance goals. A PIP covers specific areas of performance deficiencies, identifies gaps in skills or training, and sets clear expectations for future conduct.

What Is Organizational Development In Hr?

Organizational development in HR is a term that refers to shifts in the processes and structure of HR duties that result in improvements to the department and how it operates.

The overall objective of organizational development in HR is to achieve greater effectiveness within an HR department. To do this, human resource departments employ critical and science-based processes.

What Is The Hr Department Hierarchy?

The HR department hierarchy is the authority structure in a company's human resource department. It consists of entry-level HR roles, mid-level HR roles, and senior-level HR roles. Here is a description of each tier and the common roles found in each:

What Is The Difference Between Hr Manager And Hr Generalist?

The difference between an HR manager and an HR generalist is that the manager is above the generalist. An HR generalist is a career step below the HR manager, requiring higher education and experience.

What Level Is An Hr Generalist?

An HR generalist is a mid-level position. This role is not an entry-level role, but it is also not a management role yet.

An HR generalist has significant opportunities to grow in their career, moving into management roles or simply increasing their knowledge and skill of their current position.

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