HR Specialist – Role, Responsibilities, Requirements, Salary and Educational Qualifications

An HR Specialist in an organization is responsible for enrolling, training, supporting, placing, keeping up records, and overseeing the performance of the employees of an organization.

A Human Resource Specialist acts as a bridge between the boss and the staff.

Right from hiring candidates to conducting seminars, these professionals help in boosting up the business. The job is not just about interviewing and hiring new employees; there are many more duties involved.

These specialists must possess a particular skill set to find the best staff members for the organization. They have to amplify the work yield to get the best output from the employees.

So, employee needs are to be looked after by these Human Resource Specialists.

Who is an HR Specialist?

The job of an HR Specialist is a broad spectrum. It includes attending to the company and employee needs.

An HR Specialist is also in-charge of the recruiting process. Their job can even be about telecommunication. They form company schedules and look after the administration.

He/she has to plan and execute the employment procedures.

The work of an HR Specialist need not be limited to the office but can include visiting colleges for campus placement. They recruit students based on interviews and other selection methods.

So, the job requires more than just desk-work.

What does an HR Specialist do?

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, five key things that an HR specialist is supposed to do are-

1. Employment and Enrolling

HR specialists are required to work with the recruiting chief for making befitting candidate measures.

Also, they team up with private headhunting agencies, scrutinize job-boards to discover the right candidates, pull in qualified workers, match them to the best-suited roles, and facilitate their relocation.

2. Training & Development

Human resource specialists also organize and channelize employee orientation, employee training, and employee engagement programs.

They figure out what kind of training preparation is fundamental to organizational growth, plus they also structure materials and workshops for such sessions.

3. Management & Employee Relations

HR specialists also work as a medium between company management and employers or the workforce. They are responsible and authorized to negotiate with labor unions over grievances and contract issues.

They resolve different conflicts and direct employee wellbeing and safety in the organization.

4. Job Analysis 

HR specialists need to analyze and document different job duties, obligations, requirements, and necessities to find out their significance in organizational growth. They also use key data and info to make training materials, decide to pay, create job titles, descriptions, etc.

5. Benefits and Compensation

Human resource specialists are also responsible for deciding salary and benefits packages.

They also guarantee benefits that fit the necessities of workers.  An HR specialist will additionally plan performance analysis, design bonus and stock option plans, work as a liaison with insurance providers, design pay structure, etc.

Responsibilities

1. To create, execute, and assess all HR division arrangements, policies, methods, and structures
2. To manage wellbeing, insurance, and life protection programs
3. To design and execute training and development plans
4. To perform quarterly and yearly employee performance audits
5. To ensure all worker records are kept up and refreshed with fresh recruit data or changes in the status of employees
6. To find out the organization’s employing needs and deal with the hiring cycle to guarantee it runs easily
7. Track division financial plans and budgets
8. To attend and respond queries of employees and resolve issues on time in an expert way

In addition to these, some of the other vital duties that HR specialists do are-

• Induct employees after a series of selection processes
• Conduct interviews and hire the perfect candidate for the job
• Research on each candidate before hiring him/her
• Manage the employee reports and solve their queries
• Work on skill development and training of the employees
• Analyze the employee satisfaction via feedbacks and surveys
• Update and explain the employees about the company policies

Requirements

1. Bachelor’s certificate in business administration, HR or a related field
2. A least of 3 years’ experience with a comparable job
3. Useful information about labor legislation and payroll measures
4. Good comprehension of the full recruitment measures
5. Excellent verbal and written communication abilities
6. Good problem-solving, critical thinking and team-management capacities

Specialties in the Human Resource field for HR Specialist Role

Most of Human Resource Specialists have expertise in specific HR fields-

1. Some specialize in analyzing job posts, looking after company policies, or labor relations.
2. They can have different roles based on their proficiency.
3. An HR specialist looks after employee satisfaction, solving doubts, and brainstorming ideas.
4. There may be some companies looking for people with most of the specialties.
5. On the other hand, some organizations need people with specific skill sets required for the job.

Skills of an HR specialist

1. Basic knowledge of Business Administration
2. Practical skills in HR Management
3. Excellent communication skills for better engagement
4. Good listening skills for interviewing and problem-solving
5. Quick thinking and decision making
6. Organizational skills for conducting seminars and workshops
7. Efficiency in Research and Analysis

Educational Qualifications of an HR Specialist

Since HR Specialists help in business growth, he/she is expected to know the basics of business administration. An HR Specialist must at least possess a bachelor’s degree in Human Resources or any business-related course.

A candidate with a specialization in any HR field is preferred for the post. Even those with psychology or management skills are hired as HR Specialists.

Companies usually prefer candidates with an MBA (Master of Business Administration) degree with a specialization in HR management.

Professional Certifications for Human Resource Specialists

Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM)

1. SHRM-SCP (senior certified professional)
2. SHRM-CP (certified professional)

HR Certification Institute (HRCI)

1. Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR)
2. Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR)
3. Professional in Human Resources (PHR)
4. Human Resource Business Professional (HRBP)
5. Human Resource Management Professional (HRMP)
6. California Certification for PHR and SPHR certified professionals

Goals of an HR Specialist

The main focus is to expand the reach and productivity of the company. An HR Specialist filters out the most suitable candidates for the respective job posts.

They keep a watch on the work rate, motivate the employees, handle their doubts and queries along with informing them about their work status. So, they stress on improving the work efficiency of employees.

An HR Specialist is responsible for the paperwork of the recruits. So, they do a pre-employment verification. This prevents the company from hiring a fraud.

Working Hours of an HR Specialist Job

There are no fixed working hours for the job. Depending on their position, the working time is mostly flexible.

Based on the company guidelines, an HR Specialist has to work part-time or full-time. The working hours may vary based on the work they are assigned.

The day-to-day responsibilities of an HR Specialist depend on company projects. They have to balance all the duties assigned to them.

Expectations from an HR Specialist

Every company has different needs, and according to that, the HR Specialists are assigned work.

1. Familiarity with the use of necessary technology
2. Accuracy and perfection in the daily reports and statistics
3. Ability to handle crucial business clients
4. Ability to carry sensitive information and private matters
5. Potential to be a good leader and encourage teamwork
6. Capability to look after the company issues and resolve them

Salary of HR Specialist

The average salary of an HR Specialist comes to around $60,000 per annum. However, the estimated salary ranges from $40,000 to $80,000 per annum.

The more qualified you are, the better pay you get. Few earn around $80,000 to $90,000 per annum.

Does the HR Specialist field have a good career scope?

Yes, the profession of an HR Specialist has a great scope. It is one of the best job opportunities in the field. Jobs related to Human Resources have a growing demand in the market.

According to a survey, around 500,000 to 600,000 people work as HR Specialists.

Also, businesses are growing day by day. The economy will rise if productivity persists. So, an HR Specialist needs to find all those deserving candidates out there.

If you possess the necessary skills, it is easy for you to get the job of an HR Specialist.

Finally- are you suitable for the HR Specialist role?

The job may look simple and easy, but it requires more than just a degree.

An HR Specialist should possess individual skills like maintaining social relations and having a mutual understanding with the employees.

An HR Specialist may have to do more than one task at a time. One should be good at his/her vocabulary and management skills to be fit as an HR Specialist.

On the concluding note, we hope you would have understood everything about Human Resource Specialist Jobs.

Do you also want to be an HR specialist?

Liked this post? Check out the complete series on Human resources