How to hire a human resources generalist

How to hire a human resources generalist, step by step

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

What does a human resources generalist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

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

   The following list breaks down different types of human resources generalists and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Human Resources Generalist	Description	Hourly rate
   Human Resources Generalist	Human 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	$19-36
   Human Resources Administration Manager	A human resources administration manager performs multiple roles, one of which is to maintain and review all human resources, administrative systems, and procedures. They give guidance on HR to the office... Show more	$25-51
   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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • HRIS
   • Performance Management
   • Customer Service
   • Exit Interviews
   • Payroll Processing
   • Excellent Interpersonal
   • Employee Engagement
   • FMLA
   • Background Checks
   • Workers Compensation
   • Open Enrollment
   • Human Resources Policies
   • Excellent Organizational
   • OSHA

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage any payroll-relate issues/questions with ADP directly and communicate resolutions to employees.
   • Manage administration and compliance of benefit programs, including FMLA and educational assistance programs.
   • Perform all benefits processing and payroll functions including coordinating and performing employee benefit eligibility and open enrollment activities.
   • Partner with the corporate compensation Sr.
   • Assist with the planning and implementation of KRONOS the organization's HRIS system.
   • Compile data; prepare and present material in PowerPoint presentations for staff meetings.

   More human resources generalist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your human resources generalist job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A human resources generalist can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, human resources generalists' average salary in oklahoma is 42% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level human resources generalists 46% less than senior-level human resources generalists.
   • Certifications. A human resources generalist with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a human resources generalist's salary.

   Average human resources generalist salary

   $56,159yearly

   $27.00 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level human resources generalist salary

   $41,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 24, 2025

   Average human resources generalist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$70,619	$34
   2	California	$65,618	$32
   3	New York	$64,404	$31
   4	Washington	$63,856	$31
   5	Virginia	$60,685	$29
   6	Massachusetts	$60,293	$29
   7	Maryland	$59,804	$29
   8	Oregon	$56,672	$27
   9	Minnesota	$56,430	$27
   10	Colorado	$56,322	$27
   11	Pennsylvania	$55,669	$27
   12	Illinois	$54,159	$26
   13	Ohio	$52,870	$25
   14	Texas	$52,435	$25
   15	Wisconsin	$51,753	$25
   16	Indiana	$51,505	$25
   17	North Carolina	$50,688	$24
   18	Michigan	$50,505	$24
   19	Maine	$50,264	$24
   20	Tennessee	$49,119	$24

   Average human resources generalist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Microsoft	$102,997	$49.52	2
   2	Amazon	$98,528	$47.37	16
   3	Abiomed	$96,395	$46.34
   4	Entegris	$94,671	$45.51	3
   5	Invesco	$93,741	$45.07	1
   6	Yahoo	$93,009	$44.72
   7	Adobe	$92,836	$44.63	1
   8	Citi	$91,650	$44.06	2
   9	General Atlantic	$89,762	$43.15
   10	8x8	$89,139	$42.86
   11	Avid	$87,712	$42.17	1
   12	Visa	$86,566	$41.62
   13	Yelp	$84,441	$40.60
   14	Amphenol	$84,184	$40.47	1
   15	HSBC Bank	$83,746	$40.26
   16	Activision Blizzard	$83,002	$39.90	2
   17	MSCI	$82,935	$39.87
   18	HP	$82,488	$39.66	7
   19	Fortinet	$82,418	$39.62	4
   20	Earthjustice	$81,968	$39.41

4. Writing a human resources generalist job description

   A human resources generalist 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 generalist job description:

   Human resources generalist job description example

   Responsibility
   The Human Resources Generalist assists the Human Resources Manager in the compilation and maintenance of various records and reports related to the personnel function. Administers daily personnel systems such as benefits and other duties as directed by the department manager. Performs and directs a variety of personnel activities with respect to both salaried and hourly employees. Maintains relations with all employees, answers questions from all levels, helping them to develop their abilities to solve problems by promoting, explaining and supporting plant policies while improving employee interest, loyalty and goodwill.
   
   Process
   Assists in recruiting, screening, interviewing and performing background checks and referring qualified hourly and salaried applicants to appropriate management personnel to maintain a quality work force geared to our progressive employment philosophy.Assists the Human Resources Manager in planning, organizing, and presenting new employees orientation programs designed to project the plant's positive employment philosophy. Works with the Human Resources Manager to promote employee involvement throughout the plant.Assists the Human Resources Department on updating computerized personnel databases, in compliance with federal, state and local laws; in the compliance and maintenance of accurate service records for active employees; in the maintenance of records for inactive employees; and, in the compilation and maintenance of appropriate affirmative action reports and all other reports as required.Assists in developing and writing policies and procedures affecting both hourly and salaried employees, i.e., Employee Handbook, Safety Program, etc.Assists in making job offers to all salary and hourly candidates.Assists in the orientation of new hourly and salaried employees to the plant policies, procedures, regulations, safety rules, and fringe benefits including medical insurance and pension systems to assure that they understand conditions and benefits of employment.
   Monitors employee personnel transactions such as layoffs, recalls, permanent transfers, etc., to ensure all such transactions are in accordance with company/plant policies and procedures.Administers on a daily basis the benefits program including employee inquiries, problem resolution and data compilation.Monitors the performance of the Receptionist and HR Specialist as required.Monitors employee activities related to plant welfare such as special events, employee outings, etc.Assists in coordinating with other managers and supervisors effective implementation of the Human Resources Department's policies.Assists Human Resources Manager in work of confidential nature including administration of the salaried merit budget and other project work as directed.Coordinates the FMLA / FLA Leaves for all employees Coordinates all monthly reports for the Human Resources DepartmentAssists in EEO1/Vets 100 ReportingAssists in AAP compliance Assists in the EEOC ComplianceAssists in the Immigration ComplianceAssists in the Investigation and Discharge ProcessCoordinates necessary training for all the employees.Coordinates Special Events activities for all employees and their family.Has the responsibility and authority to stop production in the event of a quality or safety issue Performs other duties deemed necessary by the Human Resources Manager.Performs all roles and responsibilities as defined by the BOS System Policies and ProceduresAbide by all HSE&E requirements & completes Safety Audits as required Bachelor Degree in Human Resources or equivalent
   
   Experience Required:
   Minimum of three (3) years in a similar position and a sound working knowledge of the intricacies of personnel systems. Leadership abilities and ability to provide direction effectively are required. Knowledge of Kronos, Access, Lotus Notes & PeopleSoft. Experience with Word, Excel, & PowerPoint, required.
   
   PRIMARY LOCATION
   
   Riverside MO

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right human resources generalist for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with human resources generalists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit human resources generalists who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with human resources generalist 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 to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to 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 resources generalist

   Once you have selected a candidate for the human resources generalist position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new human resources generalist. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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