HRs career ladder is never quite clear. So who cares?

Human resources job titles mean nothing,

right?

Climbing the career ladder of HR job titles

Wrong. Even if you really dont care about it, others will judge you for better or worse the
instant they see your job title. Today well look at some of the various common titles as well as
some career development choices youll have to make as an HR pro (generalist, specialist, or
recruiting tracks).

Human Resources Job Titles-Ultimate Guide

Table of Contents
1. List of HR Job Titles and Duties
2. Progressing Up the Ladder
3. Specialist vs. Generalist
4. Recruiting-HRs Cousin
5. Educations Role
6. Additional Resources on HR Job Titles and Careers

List of Human Resources Job Titles and Duties

HR Assistant/Intern-Performs lower level, repetitive HR tasks. Takes direction from

senior HR staff. More info on this specific role in the Entry Level HR Jobsguide.

HR Specialist/Generalist/Administrator-Performs tasks within a range of focus areas and

of varying complexity. (See chart below for different career tracks of specialist and
generalist.)

HR Manager-Manages HR department staff and accomplishes high level HR activities

reserved for senior level staff (negotiating with vendors, creating policies, etc.).

HR Director-In some companies this position is very similar to the HR Manager role. The
key difference is that in smaller companies the HR director can report directly to the
CEO.

VP of HR-Normally seen only in mid-size or larger companies, this is a top level HR

position. Decisions are made at high levels with significant impact to the organization.
Strategically focused.

Chief HR Officer (CHRO)-Normally seen only in mid-size or larger companies, this is a

top level HR position. Decisions are made at high levels with significant impact to the
organization. Strategically focused. Works with other C-suite individuals to develop
HR plans affecting the entire company.

Human Resources Job Titles-Progressing Up the Ladder

Check out the diagram below for a general idea of the career progression for an HR pro. The
basic idea (in my opinion) is the higher up the chain you go, the less hands-on HR work you do
(recruiting, employee relations, etc.) and the more strategic you get (negotiating with vendors,
working to forecast staffing levels and recruiting plans, etc.). Also, the higher you go, the bigger
the decision-making power and impact.

In a small company like mine as the solo HR person, I could claim just about any title, but in
reality I am doing everything HR-related, so my current title of HR Generalist is actually more
accurate. If I had a manager between me and the CEO, they would be the HR Director or HR
Manager, then it would go up from there if there were more layers to the HR cake. Once we
bring in a new HR assistant (hopefully sometime in 2013), Ill be moving into an HR manager
role.
If you are moving into a higher level HR role (especially at a new, unfamiliar company), this
article on questions to ask management would be especially helpful.

HR Job Title Career Progression Diagram

One thing to note is the split after the first row. There are numerous career tracks, and there are
rarely two people who follow the exact same path. I talk more on those in the next few sections
of this article.

Human Resources Job Titles-Specialist vs. Generalist

Do you want to be a specialist or a generalist? It depends on a number of factors, including

personal preference. Some people love training and development. Others want to work in labor
relations. If thats your calling, then by all means go for it and find a job that will sustain your
passion for HR in that niche. Company size can also affect the call toward either side of the
spectrum.
A smaller company will want a generalist that can handle the variety of tasks that fall under the
HR umbrella. Its a big reason I targeted a small company to work for.
Larger companies need subject matter experts. As an example, they want someone who doesnt
just have a grasp on the Family Medical Leave Act-they want someone who can tell them the
nuances of it, where their legal risk might be, and how to develop training to ensure managers
handle it well.
Theres no right or wrong answer here. I thought for a while that I wanted to be a specialist, but
Ive come to see that being a generalist (at this point, at least) is exactly what I was made to do.

Recruiting-HRs Cousin
This is a question I get quite a few times, so I wanted to cover it here. For a new HR pro,
recruiting can be a differentiation tool. Learning to recruit and source candidates is a highly
marketable skill, and it can set you apart from other candidates all other things being equal.
One word of caution-Ive worked with people who spent years in recruiting roles who wanted to
move to HR, but their extensive recruiting experience pigeonholed them as a recruiter, not as
an HR pro. I would say that there is a limit to how many years you can work as a recruiter and
still be a viable candidate for HR positions.
Ive seen it work out okay for a friend with ~2 years of recruiting experience to come back into
the HR realm. Its going to vary based on your own experience and resume, but just something to
keep in mind.

Educations Role

So getting a degree in HR and leaping into the marketplace is a surefire way to success, right?
Not necessarily.
HRs a field that is strange because so many people fall into it. Someone is tasked with an HR
action, and soon they find themselves working through all of the HR activities without ever
planning to be in that position. They may have a degree in Art Appreciation, Business, or nothing
at all.That variety makes this field interesting.
If you plan to follow a traditional career path and work your way up intentionally, you can get a
leg up on the competition to get into your first HR role if you do have a degree.
Once youre in HR, an advanced degree can help you continue moving into higher roles. In some
companies, an MBA or Masters degree in a business/HR concentration may be required for
advancement to the top levels mentioned in the sections above (VP, CHRO, etc.).
Certifications can help as well. If you get your PHR or SPHR, that can help you to be a stronger
candidate for jobs or promotions. Check out the article linked below for how much money you
can make with an HR certification. Lets be clear-getting an HR degree or even a certification
guarantees you nothing. If you are not willing to fight for the role you want, those pieces of
paper wont do it for you.

Additional Resources

How much money can I make with an HR certification?

How to move up in HR

Should I get an MBA or a PHR (or SPHR)?

Ultimate Guide to Entry Level HR Jobs

Government Resources on HR Career Outlook for Specialists, Assistants, and Managers.

(After I finished writing I went looking for some additional resources. I ran across the following
and wanted to share since it covered some good info.)
The Generalist
HR generalists have a broad spectrum of responsibilities: staffing the organization,
training and developing employees at all levels, managing a diverse workforce,
maintaining a fair and equitable compensation program, developing personnel
policies and procedures, planning ways to meet the human resource needs of the
future, and ensuring that internal policies and programs conform to all laws that
affect the workplace.
Entry-level generalist positions are often titled human resource/personnel assistant
and support the work of the whole department. Examples of generalist job titles
include HR business partner; HR generalist; HR department or branch manager;
chief HR officer; people services specialist or manager.
The Specialist
Larger organizations require specialists with technical knowledge and skills in specific
areas of human resource management. The five most common areas of specialization
are described here. Entry-level positions often fall within these specialties.
Opportunities in these areas are more likely to be found in larger organizations.
Workforce Planning and Employment
The typical entry-level positions are often called interviewer or recruiter. The work
includes implementing the organizations recruiting strategy, interviewing applicants,
administering pre-employment tests, assisting with conducting background
investigations, and processing transfers, promotions and terminations. Examples of
job titles in this specialty area are chief talent manager or officer; recruiter;
recruitment and retention specialist or manager; staffing specialist or manager.
HR Development

The typical entry-level position may be a training or orientation/ on-boarding

specialist. The work consists of conducting training sessions, administering on-the-job
training programs, evaluating training programs and maintaining necessary records
of employee participation in all training and development programs. Such training
responsibilities may involve specific fields such as sales techniques or safety programs.
Career planning and counseling are becoming increasingly important activities in this
field, as are responsibilities for human resource planning and organizational
development. Examples of job titles in this specialty area are trainer; employee
development specialist or manager; leadership development specialist or manager;
organizational development (OD) specialist or manager.
Total Rewards
Entry-level positions are typically salary administrators, compensation analysts and
benefits administrators. Responsibilities in compensation include analyzing job duties,
writing job descriptions, performing job evaluations and job analysis, and conducting
and analyzing compensation surveys. Benefits professionals may develop detailed
data analysis of benefits programs, administer benefits plans and monitor benefits
costs. They may be responsible for oversight of vendors or partners to whom these
functions have been outsourced. Example job titles in this specialty area are
compensation and administrative services specialist; benefits analyst; compensation
specialist or manager.
Employee and Labor Relations
Entry-level positions include labor relations specialist, plan personnel assistant or
employee relations specialist. In union environments, these positions involve
interpreting union contracts, helping to negotiate collective bargaining agreements,
resolving grievances and advising supervisors on union contract interpretation. In
non-union environments, employee relations specialists perform a variety of
generalist duties and may also deal with employee grievances, employee involvement
or engagement programs and other employee relations work. Examples of titles in this

specialty area are performance management specialist, manager or director;

employee advocate; and manager of labor relations.
Risk Management
Safety specialists responsibilities include developing and administering health and
safety programs, conducting safety inspections, maintaining accident records, and
preparing government reports in order to maintain compliance obligations under the
law. Security specialists are responsible for maintaining a secure work facility to
protect the organizations confidential information and property, and the well-being
of all employees. Employee assistance program counselors and medical program
administrators also work within this function. Examples of titles in this specialty area
are safety officer; risk management specialist or manager; and OSHA manager.
Other specialists responsibilities dont fall neatly into one functional area. Human
resource information systems (HRIS) specialists manage the computerized flow of
information and reports about employees, their benefits and programs.
Some specialists manage global HRa growing specialty areawhile others
concentrate on organizational development and meeting the organizations needs for
workers in the future. Still, others pursue HR consultancy or teaching HR in an
academic setting. Many options are available, depending on the area of HR that
interests you most. Changing specialties within HR can also enhance career
development possibilities; at some point in your HR career, you may wish to pursue
another area of interest within the field. Source
What about you? What has your career progression looked like? Did you fall into HR or was
it an intentional choice?
Posted in General | Tagged Career Advice, hr jobs, Ultimate Guide | 2 Comments

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2 thoughts on Human Resources Job Titles-The Ultimate Guide

1.

Human Resources Job Titles-The Ultimate Guide Human Resources 123 says:
November 26, 2012 at 7:47 am

[] this link: Human Resources Job Titles-The Ultimate Guide Comments []

2.

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Human Resources Job Titles-The Ultimate Guide | Business Management & Sustainable
Development | Scoop.it says:
November 26, 2012 at 9:25 am

[] Even if you really don't care, others will judge you for better or worse the instant they see your Human
Resources Job Titles. Here's how to get one (Human Resources Job Titles-The Ultimate Guide: HRs career
ladder is never quite clear. []