A growing population means a growing workforce—which in turn means a growing need for human resource professionals.
According the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U. S employers are expected to add over 10,800 human resource managers1 and about 33,000 human resource specialists2 between 2018 and 2028. That’s a lot of opportunity, particularly for anyone who holds great credentials, like a human resource degree at the master’s level.
What makes a master’s-level HR degree so useful? For one, earning a degree such as an MS in Human Resource Management can help you gain the strategic, organizational, management, and analytical skills that today’s employers are seeking. For another, a master’s degree can help you qualify for the full range of human resource careers.
Five popular careers a master’s in human resource management can help prepare you for include:
Compensation and Benefits Manager
In charge of designing competitive compensation packages and selecting employee benefit programs, compensation and benefits managers use labor market and insurance market expertise to help organizations compete for top talent.
Labor Relations Specialist
Every organization has to abide by local, state, and federal labor law. Labor relations specialists make sure organizations do just that. They use their expertise in labor law and labor issues to ensure compliance with legal mandates and avoid labor-related lawsuits and other labor-related problems. For organizations using union labor, labor relations specialists are typically the liaison between the organization and the union(s).
Employee Recruitment and Staffing Specialist
In charge of finding the right people for the right jobs, employee recruitment and staffing specialists are skilled at attracting good job candidates and screening those candidates. They typically handle every step of the hiring process, from meeting with managers to assess needs to placing hiring ads and conducting initial interviews.
Training and Development Specialist
Good organizations invest in training and development—and it’s the role of the training and development specialist to create and manage everything from new employee orientations to training programs for employees of all levels and positions. Typically, training and development specialists work closely with management to determine what skills need improving and then seek out appropriate materials and/or seminars. It’s often the specialist’s job to get employees excited about training sessions, which requires these specialists to have excellent motivational skills.
Human Resource Manager
An HR manager is skilled and knowledgeable in all facets of human resource management. In smaller and mid-size companies, they typically run the HR department and advise upper management or ownership on HR strategies that can help meet future goals. In large organizations, an HR manager may be under a corporate HR director or vice president. In these situations, HR managers handle one branch within the company or oversee a specific HR department, like recruiting, training, or compensation and benefits.
How Online Education Can Help You Earn Your MS in Human Resource Management
If earning a master’s in human resource management sounds like the right choice for your HR career, you should consider earning your MS degree online. When you attend an online university, you don’t have to live close to a campus or even drive to school. Instead, an online MS in Human Resource Management program will let you complete your coursework from home. On top of that, online learning gives you the flexibility to study at whatever time of day works best for you, making it possible to continue working full time while you earn your degree.
There are many career opportunities in human resources, and when you earn a human resource degree online, you can prepare for the one that interests you most.
Walden University is an accredited institution offering an MS in Human Resource Management degree program online. Expand your career options and earn your degree in a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.
1 Source: www.bls.gov/ooh/management/human-resources-managers.htm
2 Source: www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/human-resources-specialists.htm
Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.