This paper examines three appealing career paths within the field of human resources: payroll manager, employee relations manager, and recruitment specialist. It outlines the core responsibilities, approximate salary ranges, and lifelong learning opportunities associated with each role. The paper also reflects on why the human resources field is personally appealing, emphasizing its centrality to organizational functioning and its emphasis on interpersonal interaction. Finally, it discusses the content knowledge and formal credentials—including relevant degrees and professional certifications from bodies such as the Society for Human Resource Management—required for success in these careers.
The three careers in the field of human resources that are most appealing include payroll manager, employee relations manager, and recruitment specialist (also known as a headhunter). The responsibilities and tasks of these positions differ accordingly. Payroll managers are tasked with supervising all aspects related to the timely payment of employees and contractors. Recruitment specialists are tasked with finding and placing the proper candidates in the appropriate job positions that are available (Martinez, 2001, p. 48). An employee relations manager, also referred to as a director of labor relations, supervises general policies for employment. In fact, they oversee virtually all aspects of employment, from benefits and compensation to complaints, while contending with global change in labor practice (Townsend and Wilkinson, 2014, p. 203).
Depending on the specific industry in which payroll managers and employee relations managers specialize, they can earn upwards of $100,000 a year. Headhunters tend to earn about half of that annually. The lifelong learning opportunities for these positions are all relatively similar. It is advisable for serious candidates to earn post-baccalaureate degrees in fields related to human resources. Additional opportunities include professional certification from any number of certifying agencies in this field. The vast majority of these agencies require continuing education in the form of seminar attendance, online seminars, and continuing education units at formal educational institutions.
There are several aspects of the human resources field — particularly as they relate to the three career possibilities discussed above — that make it a desirable choice. First, it is a field with a great deal of interaction with others. Some careers do not offer the opportunity to communicate directly and in person with colleagues and clients on an almost daily basis. Human resources, however, does, which is exciting for anyone who is a people person. Nonetheless, the primary reason this field is so attractive is the degree of importance human resource management holds for organizations across all industries. Human resource departments perform some of the most critical functions within any organization. They are a central component of the very structure of any enterprise, without which no organization can fully function.
The attraction associated with this reality is that the field is vital to modern business itself, especially in the area of "strategic human resources" (Mustafa et al., 2016, p. 273). Working in this field would allow a professional to serve as one of those responsible for maintaining order and continuity in how business operates. The thought of contributing to such an important and necessary function within today's organizations makes human resources a compelling career choice.
"Degrees, certifying bodies, and continuing education requirements"
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