Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between search consultants and human resources generalists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a search consultant and a human resources generalist. Additionally, a human resources generalist has an average salary of $56,159, which is higher than the $51,380 average annual salary of a search consultant.
The top three skills for a search consultant include client websites, digital marketing and wordpress. The most important skills for a human resources generalist are HRIS, performance management, and customer service.
| Search Consultant | Human Resources Generalist | |
| Yearly salary | $51,380 | $56,159 |
| Hourly rate | $24.70 | $27.00 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 15,165 | 44,365 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A search consultant works for educational institutions such as colleges and universities to search for deans, college presidents, and vice-presidents. You will be responsible for identifying and evaluating the best potential candidates to fill an institution's job vacancies. Your duties will include looking for effective ways to organize the search process, writing the job description, and responding to applications and nominations. In addition, you are expected to organize interviews, structure the search committee, and check references. You will also guide the chair in providing leadership for the search process so that confidentiality rules are understood and adhered to.
A human resources generalist is responsible for monitoring the human resources policies and procedures, making adjustments as needed to align with the company's goals and objectives. Duties of a human resources generalist also include improving employee relations system, organizing compliance and knowledge training, reviewing benefit plans, managing compensation inquiries, assisting in recruitment and staffing needs, communicating with department heads in employees' performance reviews, and storing employees' files for reference. A human resource generalist must have excellent communication and decision-making skills to address issues concerning the company and employees' welfare.
Search consultants and human resources generalists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Search Consultant | Human Resources Generalist | |
| Average salary | $51,380 | $56,159 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $71,000 | Between $41,000 And $76,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | New York |
| Best paying company | VLink | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Technology |
There are a few differences between a search consultant and a human resources generalist in terms of educational background:
| Search Consultant | Human Resources Generalist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between search consultants' and human resources generalists' demographics:
| Search Consultant | Human Resources Generalist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.2% Female, 38.8% | Male, 20.5% Female, 79.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 8.7% White, 58.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 8.0% White, 57.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |