Human resources officer
Also called Personnel officer, HR officer.
Human resources (HR) officers hire, develop and look after employees in a company.
- Potential salary
- £24,000 starter to £40,000 experienced per year
- Typical hours
- 38 to 40 a week. Working pattern: between 8am and 6pm.
- Career area
- Business and administration
- Where they might work
- You could work in an office, from home or remotely.
- A typical task
- help to recruit new employees
- Subjects that may help
- 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
- Typical route
- You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in any subject. You could then apply for a graduate human resources (HR) training scheme.
- Interest area used here
- Organising information and detail
What you might do
- help to recruit new employees
- plan staff training and development activities
- make sure employees have the right pay and benefits
- arrange employee support services like welfare and counselling
- handle complaints and disciplinary procedures
- deal with work absence and staff performance issues
More tasks (3)
- advise on pay negotiations, redundancy and employment law
- develop company HR policies and procedures
- maintain confidential employee records
Could this suit me?
Consider which of these skills and ways of working appeal to you.
- administration skills
- knowledge of human resources and employment law
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to work well with others
- the ability to monitor your own performance and that of your colleagues
- excellent written communication skills
More skills
- business management skills
- sensitivity and understanding
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently
Routes into this career
University route
- You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in any subject. You could then apply for a graduate human resources (HR) training scheme.
- You may have an advantage if you study for an HR related subject like: human resources management; business management and human resources; psychology.
- If you already have a degree, you could do a postgraduate qualification in human resource management, though this is not essential.
- You can find graduate HR opportunities with: small and medium sized private sector companies in most industries; large multi-national companies; charities and education organisations; public sector employers like the NHS and Civil Service.
University courses that could lead to this career
These are course families, not published offers. A link does not mean the degree is sufficient on its own.
- Business management
Alternative route. Possible. Human resources degrees and professional qualifications are alternatives.
- Human resource management
Common route. A relevant degree. Professional qualifications and experience still matter, and other degrees can lead in.
Apprenticeship or vocational route
- You can study for human resources qualifications at college, such as the Foundation Certificate in People Practice, offered by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).
- Courses like these are aimed at helping people to get some of the knowledge and skills needed to find their first job and get started in the profession.
- You may be able to apply for an apprenticeship, for example: Admin Assistant Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship; HR Support Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship; People Professional Level 5 Higher Apprenticeship.
- You could start as a human resources assistant or a business administrator in a company's HR department and work your way up through training and promotion.
- a degree in any subject for a postgraduate course
Other routes
- You can study a range of professional qualifications in human resources, either online or at a training centre approved by the CIPD.
Career progression
- You could move from a smaller organisation to a larger public, private or voluntary sector HR department to further your career.
- At work, you could train part-time or do an apprenticeship to become a HR manager.
- You might also be able to: work as a HR specialist in an area like policy development, training or dispute mediation; set up your own consultancy to offer recruitment services and advice; work as a HR specialist in the Army or the Royal Air Force.
Subjects that may help
Subject guidance
- 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree