How to Become a Human Resources Manager

Recently, we wrote about what you can do with a Master’s in Human Resource Management, and here, we’ll explain how you can use your degree to get a job as a human resources manager.

This is a fantastic job that allows you to manage an organization’s HR efforts, performing critical tasks like developing and implementing company policies related to recruitment, hiring, firing, compensation, and benefits.

This post will explore why you should consider getting into this line of work, what you’ll be asked to do on the job, what you’ll need to do to prepare yourself for success in the field, and how you can increase your chances of landing this excellent role.

After you’ve read about how to become a human resources manager, fill out our information request form to receive additional details about our online Master’s Degree in HR Management, which is one of the best possible ways to start down the path towards becoming a professional HR manager.

If you’re ready to get started, submit your application today.

Is Becoming an HR Manager Really a Good Career Option?

Human resources is an excellent career opportunity for anyone seeking a job where they get to work with other people on a daily basis.

But beyond that interest, there are three compelling reasons to consider getting into this field, including:

• Demand for qualified human resources managers is projected to continue increasing, with BLS estimating that employment for this role will rise 9% between 2020 and 2030.
• Human resources managers get to play a huge role in driving success at modern organizations, which makes them extremely high-valued assets in nearly every industry.
• This tends to be a well-paid position, with BLS reporting that human resources managers earned an annual average salary of $121,220 as of May 2020.

This field also offers many opportunities for growth and advancement, and while you may need to start out as an entry-level HR assistant, you should be able to launch a successful lifelong career in HR once you’ve acquired the skills and abilities needed to provide effective support in this field.

What Are Some Common Job Titles for Human Resources Managers?

Not everyone who serves as an “HR Manager” goes by that specific job title.

In fact, there are all sorts of different titles that refer to essentially similar roles, and you can find HR professionals performing the work of HR managers while holding titles as varied as:

• Directors of human resources: This tends to be a more senior-level employee who is in charge of HR managers and potentially an entire HR department.
• Employee relations managers: This professional typically deals with employee complaints and problems.
• Recruiters: Recruiters look for qualified applicants for jobs by advertising openings, evaluating resumes, and conducting interviews.
• Training and development managers: These HR professionals plan and oversee the development and implementation of training programs.
• Talent acquisition managers: This role focuses on finding and hiring new employees, and is essentially the same role as a recruiter.
• Benefits specialists: These HR professionals are usually responsible for administering employee benefits programs.
• Compensation managers: Compensation managers help to determine pay rates and benefits for employees.
• Personnel managers: These employees are usually responsible for supervising employees, evaluating work performance, and recommending promotions or termination.

HR managers may be tasked with all of these same processes, though they could hold vastly different titles. 

The important thing to keep in mind here is that while there are many different job titles for people working in HR, they’re all doing essentially similar tasks by helping the organization maintain and optimize its human assets.

What Do Human Resources Managers Actually Do?

Human resources managers are usually in charge of handling traditional HR responsibilities, like recruiting and hiring new employees, managing payroll and benefits programs, and ensuring labor law compliance.

To carry out this mission, HR managers are often tasked with responsibilities like:

• Developing and implementing HR policies and procedures: This could include setting standards for employee conduct, creating guidelines for performance management, and establishing procedures for handling HR documentation.
• Interviewing job candidates: During the interview process, HR managers may be responsible for assessing a job candidate’s skills and qualifications, as well as their cultural fit within the organization.
• Administering payroll and benefits: As an HR manager, you may be responsible for overseeing and administering employee benefits programs, tracking vacation and sick time, and ensuring that employees are paid correctly and on time.
• Managing layoffs: When it comes time to make cuts, HR managers are usually involved in the process, and may need to work with management to determine who will be laid off, then manage the termination process itself.
• Ensuring compliance with labor laws: Many HR managers are tasked with staying up-to-date on labor laws to ensure that their organization is in compliance with all applicable regulations.
• Organizing employee training and development programs: Some HR managers are responsible for developing and overseeing training programs that help employees learn new skills.
• Providing employee counseling: When employees are experiencing personal or work-related problems, they may turn to HR managers for guidance and support.

Clearly, this is a critical role in virtually every organization, since HR managers are essentially responsible for all sorts of employee processes and relationships. 

If you’re looking to play an important role in helping an organization maximize its human potential, then this could be the perfect job for you.

Launching your career in HR can be difficult though because you’ll need to first develop a set of complex skills and abilities in order to qualify for working in this complex role.

What Skills & Abilities Are Needed to Become a Successful Human Resources Manager?

To become an effective HR manager, you’ll need to build and refine difficult, professional, people-oriented, and relationship-focused skills and abilities.

First, we suggest building your abilities in all the hard skills, or skills focused exclusively on critical HR processes and tasks, like:

• Communication skills: Human resources managers must be able to communicate effectively with employees at all levels of the organization. They must be able to articulate HR policies and procedures clearly and concisely, and they must also be able to listen attentively to employee concerns.
• Problem-solving skills: Human resources managers are often called upon to resolve disputes between employees or between employees and management so they must have the ability to think critically and come up with creative solutions to complex problems during high-stress situations.
• Organizational skills: Human resources managers may be asked to handle a wide range of HR processes and procedures, so succeeding in this role will require being able to stay organized and keep track of multiple tasks at the same time.
• Knowledge of employment law: Human resources managers must be familiar with the various laws that govern the workplace, including being able to interpret employment laws and ensure that the company is in compliance with them.

In addition to these hard skills listed above, you should also spend time developing soft skills, like:

• People skills: Human resources managers must be good listeners and communicators, as well as people capable of working extremely well with others. To succeed in this role, you must be able to build positive relationships with employees, management, and other members of the HR team.
• The ability to stay calm under pressure: Human resources managers often have to deal with difficult and stressful situations, so you’ll have to develop the ability to remain calm and professional at all times, even when under pressure.
• Flexibility: Human resources managers must be able to adapt quickly to changing circumstances, including sudden changes in the workplace, such as layoffs or restructuring.

You may not yet possess all of these skills, but the good news is that you can develop and refine them by completing a degree in human resources, like CSU Global’s online Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management.

This 100% online program will ensure that you’re learning and developing the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to provide real value to any organization from your first day on the job.

Do I Really Need a Degree to Become a Human Resources Manager?

The BLS reports that the typical entry-level education requirement for a human resources manager is a bachelor’s degree, so it’s likely that you’ll have to hold at least a bachelor’s in order to qualify for this job.

If you haven’t already earned a bachelor’s degree, then you should think about completing our online Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resource Management, which is the perfect way to develop the skills you need to break into this industry, even if you don’t have any experience in HR.

If you’ve already got a bachelor’s degree, in any subject, then you should think about improving your marketability for the best HR management roles by completing a more advanced degree, like our online Master’s Degree program in HR Management.

If you’re serious about getting a job as an HR manager, then you’ll almost certainly need to get a degree first, since anyone looking to hire for this important position is likely to want candidates with academic credentials that prove they’re capable of performing the challenging, complex work.

How Will CSU Global’s Master’s in HR Management Help Prepare me for a Career as an HR Manager?

Our online program will provide you with everything you need to become a successful HR manager, including all of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to succeed in this complex, but important position.

Completing this program will ensure that you’ve studied all of the most important HR subjects, including topics like talent development, HR leadership, and best practices for maximizing human capital as well as:

• The different laws and regulations that affect businesses, including employment law, health and safety law, and equal opportunity laws.
• How to develop effective HR policies and procedures that comply with the relevant labor laws.
• How to recruit employees, including how to write job descriptions and advertisements, how to assess resumes and interview candidates, and how to make offers of employment.
• How to manage employee relations, including conducting investigations, managing performance reviews, and handling disciplinary procedures.

You’ll emerge from our program ready to utilize modern HR theories, programs, and best practices so that you can serve as an effective HR manager.

What Can I Do to Increase My Chances of Success?

Getting your degree in HR management is the best way to prepare for a successful career in this challenging field, but you can take other steps to help improve your odds of success.

One of the best ways to create an advantage over other job candidates, after completing a Master’s Degree in HR Management of course, is to earn a professional HR certification.

According to Payscale, the best certifications for HR professionals include options like:

• HRCI’s Professional in Human Resources certificate (PHR).
• HRCI’s Senior Professional in Human Resources certificate (SPHR).
• HRCI’s Associate Professional in Human Resources certificate (aPHR).
• SHRM’s Certified Professional certificate (SHRM-CP).
• SHRM’s Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP).

While you may not necessarily need to complete a Master’s Degree in HR Management or a certification program to get a job as an HR manager, taking these steps is likely to help make you more competitive for available jobs.

If you’re serious about becoming a leader in HR, then you should definitely consider these educational opportunities.

Should I Get My Degree in Human Resources Online? 

Yes, no matter which degree or certification program you choose to pursue, we suggest studying online instead of in person.

Studying online offers many advantages compared to in-person learning, but the most important benefit is that it will give you so much more flexibility and freedom since you can learn anytime, and from anywhere!

Choosing to study with CSU Global will mean you get to take advantage of several other benefits as well, like:

• No requirements to show up at set times or in physical locations.
• Monthly class starts.
• Accelerated courses.

These benefits make it easier to complete your degree, especially if you have to juggle your educational pursuits with other existing responsibilities.

If you’re a busy person with existing family and work responsibilities that you can’t simply set aside, then you consider studying online with us.

Why Should I Choose CSU Global?

Our online HR Management Master’s program is the ideal option for developing the knowledge, skills and abilities you need to get a job as a human resources manager.

This program is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and the program’s curriculum is aligned with the SHRM HR Curriculum Guidebook and Templates.

Our program is sure to impress potential hiring managers, as it currently holds the #2 ranking for Best Online Master’s in Human Resources by Online Course Report, and our alumni report excellent results from the real world too, with the top three reported job titles for graduates of this program being HR Director, Corporate Recruiter, and Employee Relations Manager.

CSU Global is also widely regarded as an industry leader in higher education, and currently holds several excellent university rankings, including:

• A #10 ranking for Best Online Colleges for ROI from OnlineU.
• A #1 ranking for Best Online Colleges & Schools in Colorado from Best Accredited Colleges.
• A #1 ranking for Best Online Colleges in Colorado from Best Colleges. 

Finally, we offer competitive tuition rates and a Tuition Guarantee to ensure that your affordable tuition rate won’t increase while you remain enrolled with us, which protects you from the tuition rate hikes that are common at other schools.

To get additional details about our fully-accredited online Master’s Degree in HR Management, please give us a call at (800) 462-7845, or fill out our Information Request Form.

Ready to get started today? Apply now!