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Job outlook for human resources leads in the United States
Human resources lead job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected human resources lead job growth rate is 7% from 2018-2028.
About 12,600 new jobs for human resources leads are projected over the next decade.
Human resources lead salaries have increased 13% for human resources leads in the last 5 years.
There are over 106,315 human resources leads currently employed in the United States.
There are 48,122 active human resources lead job openings in the US.
The average human resources lead salary is $102,531.
Are human resources lead jobs in demand?
Human resources lead job and salary trends over time
Human resources lead jobs over time
Human resources lead job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 106,315 | 0.03% |
| 2020 | 99,976 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | 98,826 | 0.03% |
| 2018 | 91,663 | 0.03% |
| 2017 | 87,022 | 0.03% |
Average human resources lead salary over time
Human resources lead salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $102,531 | $49.29 | +3.9% |
| 2024 | $98,725 | $47.46 | +3.0% |
| 2023 | $95,832 | $46.07 | +2.9% |
| 2022 | $93,142 | $44.78 | +3.0% |
| 2021 | $90,427 | $43.47 | +2.4% |
Human resources lead jobs by state
Most common states for human resources leads
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 185 | 27% |
| 2 | Alaska | 739,795 | 160 | 22% |
| 3 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 223 | 21% |
| 4 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 351 | 18% |
| 5 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 303 | 18% |
| 6 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 153 | 18% |
| 7 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 498 | 17% |
| 8 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 445 | 15% |
| 9 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 290 | 14% |
| 10 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 398 | 13% |
| 11 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 448 | 11% |
| 12 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 129 | 10% |
| 13 | Delaware | 961,939 | 100 | 10% |
| 14 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 642 | 9% |
| 15 | Vermont | 623,657 | 58 | 9% |
| 16 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 436 | 8% |
| 17 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 311 | 8% |
| 18 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 57 | 8% |
| 19 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 873 | 7% |
| 20 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 558 | 7% |
Most common cities for human resources leads
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Goshen | 1 | 3% | $94,265 |
| 2 | Bethesda | 1 | 2% | $128,527 |
| 3 | Avondale | 1 | 1% | $103,093 |
| 4 | Carlsbad | 1 | 1% | $127,072 |
| 5 | Davenport | 1 | 1% | $106,099 |
| 6 | Frederick | 1 | 1% | $128,356 |
| 7 | Grand Rapids | 1 | 1% | $95,381 |
| 8 | Hartford | 1 | 1% | $119,808 |
| 9 | Boston | 3 | 0% | $116,013 |
| 10 | Phoenix | 3 | 0% | $103,229 |
| 11 | Jacksonville | 2 | 0% | $80,057 |
| 12 | Atlanta | 1 | 0% | $109,717 |
| 13 | Baltimore | 1 | 0% | $129,107 |
| 14 | Chandler | 1 | 0% | $102,773 |
| 15 | Chicago | 1 | 0% | $109,471 |
| 16 | Denver | 1 | 0% | $94,140 |
Human Resources Lead job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of human resources lead experts
University of Maine
Portland State University
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
Siena College
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Angelo State University
Hope College
Utah State University
Temple University
University of Richmond
University of South Carolina - Columbia
Grand Valley State University
Saint Leo University
Adelphi University
Kansas State University
Zones, LLC
What general advice would you give to a Human Resources Lead?
Billy Obenauer PhD: Invest in yourself. You will likely change employers several times over the course of your career. You need to focus on continuous self-improvement and ensuring that you will have value in the job market. No matter what an employer wants you to believe, there is limited job security in today’s workplace. You own responsibility for your own career.
What Human Resources Lead skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Billy Obenauer PhD: In my human resource management class, we discuss skills that cannot be easily substituted by technology. We are consistently seeing technology take over tasks previously filled by humans. Think about things like self-checkout kiosks, HR interfaces where employees elect benefits, chatbots, and warehouses where packages are picked by machines. Technology will continue to take over tasks, but humans should continue to hold unique abilities to connect with each other, inspire, empathize, etc. These soft skills will be particularly relevant to a graduating class that spent so much time in isolation during their developmental years. Graduates who can skillfully interact with others in the workplace will have an advantage.
What general advice would you give to a Human Resources Lead?
Talya Bauer Ph.D.: HRM professionals play a strategic role in aligning HR practices with organizational goals, ensuring a positive and productive work environment, and fostering a culture of employee engagement.
What Human Resources Lead skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Talya Bauer Ph.D.: Entering the Human Resource Management (HRM) field can be an excellent career choice for several compelling reasons, especially in today's dynamic and evolving workplace. Glassdoor.com ranks HR management as one of the nation’s top five career opportunities based on average starting salary, job satisfaction, and employer demand.
What will help Human Resources Leads increase their earning potential?
Talya Bauer Ph.D.: Individuals like many things about being an HRM professional, such as having diverse responsibilities, good pay, opportunities to build relationships, and feeling like they are making a positive impact. Some challenges include handling difficult employment situations and conversations, administrative burdens, navigating organizational politics and multiple stakeholders, and dealing with employee grievances and terminations.
What Human Resources Lead skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jill Bradley-Geist PhD: HR data analytics is increasingly important and of interest to employers; at a broad-level, HR analytics uses data to inform organizational decision-making, so research skills and logical thinking/ability are important. Understanding of, and ability to utilize, AI effectively is another key area for the foreseeable future. Artificial intelligence in HR already has applications and is continuing to influence and change the practice of HR, from talent acquisition to compensation and rewards decisions, to analysis of employee surveys of workplace culture and individual satisfaction, engagement, and well-being. Communication skills, interpersonal and cultural skills, and the ability to adapt also will remain important, if not increasingly so.
What will help Human Resources Leads increase their earning potential?
Dr. Eric Landis: Critical thinking skills and interpersonal communication skills. Continue to educate yourself in technology.
David Liebschutz JD/MPP/BCC
Adjunct Professor of BusinessSiena College
Management Sciences And Quantitative Methods
What Human Resources Lead skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
David Liebschutz JD/MPP/BCC: Human resource management is going to be a crucial skill given the large turnover in the workforce as the baby boomers start to retire in large numbers. Also, the management of the hybrid and flexible workspace will also be crucial to those starting out in the workforce. Things like how to make a good impression on your colleagues when you are not in the office is going to be even more important.
What Human Resources Lead skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Aaron Richmond Ph.D.: I think there are several ways students can do this when entering the market place. First, get experience during their undergraduate education. Whether this is through an internship, working as an undergraduate research assistant or teaching assistant, working as a work study at the college/university, volunteering, or a part-time job. Experience is the cornerstone of leverage. Second, understand and leverage the SPS skills and knowledge that students have gained in their education. For example, create a portfolio that demonstrates how they have manage teams, or lead groups, or collaborated with others, or have managed information, etc. Third, try to job shadow. Some colleges and universities have great programs set up to allow students to witness different jobs/professions and learn the needed skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in these fields. Once students have done this, they can begin to really hone the necessary experiences and skills to maximize their salary.
What Human Resources Lead skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Shannon Ahrndt: As we are using technology more and more, it's important to be proficient in online communication platforms such as MS Teams, Zoom, Slack, etc. Knowing the etiquette of communicating virtually and digitally is important -- such as having clear, efficient (concise!), and organized written communication. Being responsive is also an underrated trait – for example, getting back to people within 24 hours or less if possible always leaves a good impression. Following through with what you say you are going to do and taking initiative are also skills that employers appreciate.
Vidya Kalaramadam Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Women’s and Gender StudiesWhat will help Human Resources Leads increase their earning potential?
Vidya Kalaramadam Ph.D.: Be able to articulate what a graduate in Race, Gender and Minority Studies or Community Development and Social Justice Studies brings to the organization-a set of perspectives that take difference, diverse identities and experiences as positive contributors to the workplace, a set of skills such as structural analysis, power analysis, intersectional analysis, leadership theories, and research and analysis, and a set of dispositions that foreground issues of justice, fairness and equity.
Be able to articulate a career path that blends in the organizational needs with your own aspirational goals and guiding principles for being an engaged and ethical citizen
What general advice would you give to a Human Resources Lead?
Vidya Kalaramadam Ph.D.: Critical thinking and problem solving skills for analyzing structural inequalities and practices within organizations, formulation of DEI policies
Conflict resolution skills and experience and ability to work in diverse groups
Research skills and data analysis including community-based research, mixed methods (combining qualitative and quantitative), feminist methods, power analysis, research ethics, digital technology fluency
Global competency and cross-cultural communication skills
What general advice would you give to a Human Resources Lead?
Alex Johnson: We're researching an article for graduates entering the job market with a degree in Human Resources Management, and hope to quote a professor at Saint Peter's University.
What Human Resources Lead skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Alex Johnson: We are looking for insights into what Human Resources Management majors can expect at their jobs. I have two weeks before the article is due :)
What will help Human Resources Leads increase their earning potential?
Alex Johnson: I hope you are well. Would you be able to assist with the request?
John Wegner
Professor, English and Modern LanguagesAngelo State University
English Language And Literature
What will help Human Resources Leads increase their earning potential?
John Wegner: Cliched though it may sound, I tell our soon-to-be graduates that 'Hustle beats talent unless talent hustles.' As new employees in any job, we encourage our graduates to find a mentor, ask questions, and be willing to work hard enough to display your skillset. Employers are often a bit skeptical about humanities majors, but an English major should have the ability to understand her audience and communicate effectively with diverse groups of people. Most importantly, English majors need to explain how their skills reading complex novels and poetry translate to analytics, sales, management, and other professions.
What general advice would you give to a Human Resources Lead?
John Wegner: New workers must be willing to advocate for their own workloads and accomplishments. Too often managers privilege charisma over competence. When we start our career, we should keep updating our resumes and continue logging accomplishments. Be willing to volunteer for tasks others might avoid. Learn all the aspects of your job possible so you can work effectively on multiple teams within the organization. That knowledge and achievements can become part of a personnel file or portfolio for promotion or a new job search. The fastest way to increase your salary is to prove you are in demand by getting other job offers.
What Human Resources Lead skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
John Wegner: As artificial intelligence begins dominating and replacing technological skills, people who can display empathy, critical thinking skills, creativity, and innovatively adapt data to appear to diverse audiences will be increasingly in demand. In many ways, the advent of the AI world, I suspect, will put Humanities majors in more demand than ever. While I don't think AI will replace coders or data analysts, we should note that machine learning is quickly leveling the playing field with regards to those specific skill sets. AI, though, can not use the data creatively or in ways that connect to another human being.
Dr. Sarah Kornfield
Associate Professor of Communication and Affiliated Faculty for Women's & Gender Studies at Hope CollegeHope College
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, And Group Studies
What general advice would you give to a Human Resources Lead?
Dr. Sarah Kornfield: The ability to evaluate data in a way that recognizes structural problems and to develop innovative policy solutions. For instance, imagine a corporation has difficulty retaining and promoting employees--especially women--with young children. To solve this problem, the corporation needs someone who can recognize the trend within the data and can see that there are structural problems preventing parents with young children from maintaining and/or advancing their careers at that corporation. The final step would be implementing a policy solution, such as enabling more flexible work time, creating an on-site daycare, or offering better benefits/subsidies for parents if daycare expenses in the area are expensive.
What will help Human Resources Leads increase their earning potential?
Dr. Sarah Kornfield: It can be awkward to ask about salaries, but unless you know what the general salary range is for your position in your area, you won't know if you're being paid a reasonable salary. I recommend taking informational interviews with liketype companies/non-profits and asking what they consider a normal salary range for someone starting in your field. Then negotiate for yourself. You should especially negotiate when asked to take on additional roles or leadership positions: more work/responsibility should come with raises. If you're in a field or corporation where there is an annual application for raises, you should always apply. If you work in a field where you're given concrete goals--such as recruiting a certain number of underprivileged applicants to a college or university--you should negotiate bonuses for meeting those goals.
Bruce Boucher
Lecturer and Director, Professional Master of Human Resource ProgramUtah State University
Management, Master of Human Resources Departments
What skills stand out on Human Resources Lead resumes?
Bruce Boucher: Actually working in HR, having additional credentials like an MHR, SPHR, and having specific experiences in specific areas of HR.
What soft skills should all Human Resources Leads possess?
Bruce Boucher: Being an Entrepreneur of Talent, being comfortable working in teams, enlisting trust through actions, being empathetic.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Human Resources Leads?
Bruce Boucher: HAVE to know the HR basics. Experience with HRIS, Benefits renewals, pay, etc. REALLY know coaching and a variety of tools available to aid the business and the human capital.
What skills will help Human Resources Leads earn the most?
Bruce Boucher: Being a legitimate business partner and being concerned for the overall welfare of the business. Wearing well and helping over time. Too many young consultants who know 1 or 2 things well and not much more.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Human Resources Leads?
Daniel Goldberg: Having an in-depth knowledge of how the most important areas of production operate.
What skills will help Human Resources Leads earn the most?
Daniel Goldberg: If you can show that you have mastered the above skills, you should be in a good position to get a well-paying position.
What skills stand out on Human Resources Lead resumes?
Daniel Goldberg: a) Understanding the legal aspects of Human Resources as well as the nuances of the organization you work for or to which you are applying.
b) Knowing how to lead and work productively within the culture, vision, and mission of organizations.
What soft skills should all Human Resources Leads possess?
Daniel Goldberg: The ability to communicate effectively, openly, empathically, and directly (without ambiguity) while making sure members within the organization understand their roles.
What skills will help Human Resources Leads earn the most?
John Barr: Companies are focused on their bottom line. If you can help the company improve its performance by hiring and retaining quality candidates while demonstrating an ability to save it money by dealing with workplace conflicts and legal requirements before these explode into litigation, you should be well placed to earn a high level of compensation.
What skills stand out on Human Resources Lead resumes?
John Barr: Skills such as an ability to conduct workplace investigations, develop a diverse workforce, and an ability to help a company meet its various goals while complying with its legal obligations are vital aspects of any resume.
What soft skills should all Human Resources Leads possess?
John Barr: The ability to get along with people. HR managers frequently must resolve workplace conflicts, investigate incidents of harassment or discrimination, or deal with employees who are in danger of losing their job. A critical soft skill is managing these issues when emotions may be running high while focusing on protecting the company's interests and advancing its various goals.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Human Resources Leads?
John Barr: The most important hard/technical skills are experience and training in such areas as workplace investigations, overseeing various employee programs and documentation related to leaving, handbooks, job descriptions, wages, benefits, hiring, and terminations, developing a diverse workforce, and training in the future of the workforce.
Anthony Nyberg
Department Chair and Professor, Program Director, Master of Human ResourcesUniversity of South Carolina - Columbia
Management Department
What skills stand out on Human Resources Lead resumes?
Anthony Nyberg: The most important skill for HR managers as they enter the workforce is professionalism (and everything that goes into this, including being on time, doing what one says they will do, etc.)
This shows up on resumes by having held responsible positions for an appropriate period, leading to positive recommendations from prior employers, teachers, leaders, etc. The item that stands out most on a resume is a strong HR internship.
What soft skills should all Human Resources Leads possess?
Anthony Nyberg: In general, the "soft" skills are actually the hardest, and the most important of these skills involves strong communication and an ability to work in teams - most jobs and all companies require people to work together, and this is a very challenging skill, but imperative in the modern workforce.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Human Resources Leads?
Anthony Nyberg: HR, like many work environments, is driven by using data to address challenges. This requires a strong analytical foundation.
What skills will help Human Resources Leads earn the most?
Anthony Nyberg: The skills that lead, in the short term, to the highest earnings involve analytical skills. The skills that lead to the highest earnings over time include professionalism and strong interpersonal skills. If you can master both, you have created the foundation for a very strong career in HR.
Dan Wiljanen Ph.D.
Affiliate of Practice Professor, SHRM Student Chapter AdviserGrand Valley State University
Seidman College of Business
What soft skills should all Human Resources Leads possess?
Dan Wiljanen Ph.D.: Soft Skills
-Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
-Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
-Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
-Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
-Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
-Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
-Coordination - Adjusting actions concerning others' actions.
-Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
-Competencies - Blend of skills, abilities, and knowledge
-Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
-Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
-Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
-Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
-Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and considerable variety in the workplace.
-Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
-Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and understanding and helpful on the job.
-Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone and being personally connected with others on the job.
-Analytical Thinking - The job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
-Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Human Resources Leads?
Dan Wiljanen Ph.D.: Knowledge of the HR Discipline
-Personnel and Human Resources - Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
-Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
-Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, government regulations, and executive orders.
-Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for training design, implementation, and evaluation.
Technology Skills
-Enterprise resource planning ERP software
-Human resources software - Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS)
-Office suite software
-Project management software
-Web page creation and editing software
-Word processing software
J. Adam Shoemaker Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Management & Human ResourcesSaint Leo University
Management & Operations Department
What skills stand out on Human Resources Lead resumes?
J. Adam Shoemaker Ph.D.: First and foremost, communication skills - this is what you will see somewhere on every HR coordinator job posting. But there's a difference between simply saying you have "excellent communication skills" and providing evidence!
In your resume, be sure to highlight how you used your communication skills to get things done in your previous job titles. Write something like: "Effectively communicated complex plans and new initiatives verbally and in writing to diverse teams across the organization." This tells me that this candidate knows how to talk to and write to people in very different roles in ways that they will understand.
What soft skills should all Human Resources Leads possess?
J. Adam Shoemaker Ph.D.: FYI, soft skills are a lot more difficult to train than hard skills. This is part of the reason that there is so much demand for soft skills - for the most part, they need to be innate to the candidate.
Here again, communication comes up - and here, it is important to recognize that communication is much more than just telling people. A good communicator is a great listener. He knows when to speak his mind and when to wait and see what happens. She knows how to collaborate effectively with people and how to take action when needed.
What skills will help Human Resources Leads earn the most?
J. Adam Shoemaker Ph.D.: In any field, it helps to be able to demonstrate you are qualified by presenting professional certification. Certification is shorthand for all soft and hard skills that an employer would want a new hire to have. You can say that you have the skills; you can demonstrate that you have the skills if you get the chance. Alternatively, you can show that an external organization has assessed your skills and found you worthy by presenting your certificate. Most upper-level HR professionals hold one or more certifications in compensation, strategic human resources, or talent development, demonstrating that they have the experience and the know-how to get the job done.
What skills stand out on Human Resources Lead resumes?
Raghida Abdallah Yassine Ph.D.: The pandemic has been a major contributor to how work has changed and the type of skills and knowledge set that students may need to enter an ever-changing workforce. HR has played a major role during the pandemic and will continue to do so for many years to come. Universities need to understand this in order to provide the right set of skills for graduating students entering the workforce during challenging times.
How we recruit, train and manage the workforce has changed, and a reliance on technology has increased. Various softwares are available nowadays for different HR functions, and for students to succeed in the real world, they need to be exposed early on to different types of technology to make them more technology-savvy individuals. Business decisions are becoming more and more data-driven. Students who understand data analytics and how to use it to drive better decision-making have become indispensable skills. Additionally, understanding new laws and policies are always important, especially with the onset of remote work and the changing nature of benefits.
Some essentials skills that will help new graduates stand out are adaptability or the need to be resilient and cope with changes in a proactive manner, emotional intelligence, communication, and collaboration, especially in virtual environments, presentation skills, data literacy, critical thinking, strategic thinking as well as good time management. The ongoing desire for continuous learning is important as well. One thing that students can do is to be part of an HR society and get certified. They need to think of what will make them stand out in the crowd. Currently, they have the opportunity for continuous learning with MOOCs and other open courses available. The richer you are in terms of knowledge, the better your chances are of standing out in the crowd. Individuals who have a thirst for knowledge are more likely to succeed as it shows they want to evolve and keep moving forward in a fast-paced work environment.
Technology is changing at a fast pace as such, graduates need to be extremely tech-savvy in terms of social media platforms that can be used for recruitment purposes, artificial intelligence, and how it is used for various purposes, one of which is to also recruit individuals and the use of data to drive better decision making. Knowledge of various video conferencing software is important as well, especially with remote and virtual work scenarios. They must have the skills to manage a diverse workforce concerning remote work, flexible work arrangements, and other workforce categories. Understanding this means they need to understand diversity, equity, and inclusion to create policies and procedures that take into account the differences everyone brings with them to the office. This will also help them in making better strategic decisions in terms of what will help retain employees. After all, we know employee retention is key to company success, especially if these employees are committed and satisfied in the workplace.
What technical skills for a Human Resources Lead stand out to employers?
Anthony Ferraro Ph.D.: Transferable skills sounds like a cliche but it is one of the strengths for our students which allows a diverse range of career options both within our field and outside of it. Some of the most consistent skills that we attempt to foster and seem to be important for prospective employers include: strong interpersonal communication skills including listening and advanced technical writing, understanding of program development and evaluation, community outreach, etc. While I wouldn't quite consider these skills, many of our students demonstrate high levels of empathy, have firm knowledge of social issues and human development processes, as well as a baseline understanding of the policymaking process in the U.S. and within our state. This combination of skills and knowledge lends itself well to work with nonprofit organizations, public and private agencies, and work with the cooperative extension network most directly. However, many of our students also use these skills to move into health-related professions, including occupational therapy and nursing, as well as counseling professions including marriage and family therapy, school counseling, social work, etc. Many students will complement their undergraduate studies in HDFS with graduate degrees that will further enhance their competitiveness and/or provide the technical training, certification, and/or licensure needed.
How have salaries changed over time for Human Resources Leads?
Anthony Ferraro Ph.D.: This is a hard question as I feel as though the reach of our field has pretty drastically shifted over time, with more and more of our students moving across sectors (really to my point about transferable skills above). As such, I would say the best description would be that the range of earning potential has increased, with less restriction on what the top end of salary potential can be. As far as projecting forward, there is high demand in the workforce for our students and overwhelming most have jobs lined up or are already in positions prior to graduation.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Human Resources Lead job market given the pandemic?
Anthony Ferraro Ph.D.: One of the things that we are seeing at the moment is a move toward remote work. Over the last year we saw many of our student internships and work placements operating in a remote space. There is some suggestion that this style work may continue. Reducing overhead for physical spaces when work can be done remotely and comfort-level with remote work has increased is likely a contributing factor there. Given some of the trends we are seeing in mental health and demands on counseling services, I foresee increased opportunity in that space. One of the things that is most appealing about each of these trends to our students is that in either scenario being "location locked" (due to family obligations or unwillingness to relocate) will not be an issue and that these emerging professionals will be able to make a difference in their own communities. Many of our students place a high value on impacting change, particularly at the local level.
What soft skills should all Human Resources Leads possess?
Adrianne Keeler: Soft skills that all graduates should possess and make sure they display during the interview process are public speaking/presentation skills (and specifically the ability to speak and present to various levels of audiences), persuasion/hunting/competitive mentality (especially when targeting working for sales organizations like Zones! We want to know that this soft skill set is natural for you!), coachability (graduates are going to have to learn and retain a lot of information, and are bound to need coaching- are they going to take it?), and lastly a flexible positive attitude. (These times demand flexibility in the workplace, things are pivoting all the time! And the ability to remain positive is key to success with both internal and external customers.)