Human resource specialists have the unique position in an organization of attracting, choosing, motivating, and keeping qualified and talented employees (Stone, Deadrick, Lukaszewski & Johnson, 2015). I am currently in the military working in the Installation Personnel Readiness Office, and many of my job duties, such as ensuring deployed individuals are qualified for the job they have been given, are a match for a future career as a HR specialist. The HR specialist’s tasks, tools, knowledge, skills and education enable employers to have a mediator between their employees and employment issues such as hiring and grievances.
The tasks of a HR specialist are varied and include different duties for the different stages of staff employment. Prior to employing a person, human resources are charged with attracting and selecting candidates. This may involve creating job postings or attending job fairs to advertise open positions. In open discussions with potential employees, the specifics of positions will be discussed. This includes job duties and responsibilities. Finally, prior to employment, human resource specialists may administer pre-employment exams, run background checks, and participate in the interview process. Once an employee is hired, HR specialists ensure that employment paperwork is processed and employees are properly trained. Along with this training is the development and evaluation of training programs along with developing improvements to the process. They will also evaluate compensation, perform job analyses, and develop employment retention strategies. Lastly, HR specialists may work with unions when applicable or process employee complaints. In this light, they also develop employee safety programs and ensure compliance. Overall, HR specialists are the mediator between the employer and the employment process (“How to Become a Human Resource Specialist,” 2018).
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The tools and technology that a HR specialist uses are growing, as technology permeates all aspects of the corporate world. While job posting may have once been done at the employment department and posted in key locations, there are now web tools designed to reach as many people as possible to ensure a good employee pool from which to select. They may also have to work in virtual teams and do telework to find and recruit potential employees. Information technology is everywhere in organizations, and relationships between subordinates and their supervisors are often kept via electronic medium. The great advantage of these technological tools in the human resource profession are increased efficiency and decreased cost (Stone et al. 2015).
Knowledge and experience are key aspects of a quality HR specialist. Knowledge of employment laws and safety requirements are essential in order to develop programs for employees but also to help them through grievances. This is also important in order to make sure business practices protect the organizations from lawsuits related to employment activities. Experience also helps, especially in emotionally charged situations, where a knowledgeable and experienced HR specialist may be able to solve conflicts to the benefit of both the employee and the employer.
There are many skills and abilities that can help an HR specialist to do his or her job. Organization skills are essential in order to manage the number of current employees while recruiting more employees. In the case of new employees, a HR specialist will have to sort through possibly hundreds of applications and dozens of interviews in order to find the right candidate. They simultaneously have the duty of making sure current employees are satisfied and productive (“How to Become a Human Resource Specialist,” 2018). Other skills include the ability to work in a team, communication skills, and the patience to process paperwork.
Finally, the educational requirements for an HR specialist are not standardized and typically require some on-the-job experience. Most HR specialists who desire managerial positions have at least a bachelor’s degree in human resources and often a master’s degree. Some HR specialists have a Master of Business Administration, and then there are multiple certificates one can earn to stand out amongst other human resource candidates “How to Become a Human Resource Specialist,” 2018). These educational opportunities are not requirements, but they do help other employers and HR teams to see one application above others when recruiting new members to their team.
Two ways to recruit HR specialists are web-recruiting and to search colleges and universities. In web-recruiting, jobs can be posted online, and qualified candidates can submit their applications online. The internet is also used to view other similar postings in order to build a competitive compensation package. When searching colleges and universities, job fairs may be one place to find eager candidates. HR specialists can also seek out employees from certain universities with reputations for solid HR curricula that fit the organizational goals of the employer (Youseff-Morgan, 2015).
Assessing candidates when recruiting HR specialists can be done through interviews and online evaluations. Interviews are an appropriate assessment tool because they allow the interviewer to get a sense of the personality of the candidate, and they can be unstructured to uncover possible issues that might not be considered until the interview. Online evaluations from previous employers can give an employer an idea of how one was able to work with others in a previous HR experience (Youseff-Morgan, 2015). This lets an employer confirm the experiences of the candidate.
Tasks, tools, knowledge, skills and education make HR specialists an important part of any organization, as they facilitate relationships during the hiring and employment process. I am already establishing the background, experience, and education necessary to pursue an HR management in the future. My skills and experience during this time will make me a premium performer in a future HR environment.
- How to become a human resources specialist. (2018). Humanresourcesedu. Retrieved from https://www.humanresourcesedu.org/hr-specialist/
- Stone, D., Deadrick, D., Lukaszewski, K., & Johnson, R. (2015). Human Resource Management Review. Retrieved from http://takmaghale.com/uploads/product/ssgdgd_14975983571423.pdf
- Youseff-Morgan, C.M. (2015). Recruitment: Attracting the right talent. Human Resources Management, (2nd ed.). Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
