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Human Resources Jobs

Any company worth its salt knows the value of finding and keeping quality employees. Thats where human resources professionals come in.

Human resources workers must have an eye for talent and a knack for matching that talent to the right occupation in the right company. With a job in human resources, you could play a vital role identifying the next generation of leaders for a company, too.

Human resources jobs are available at employment and staffing agencies, as well as with companies, non-profit organizations, and the government. Human resources generalists must also handle increasingly complex employment laws and health care coverage options as well as equal employment opportunity and affirmative action issues.

Human resources jobs are expected to grow 21 percent, from 2010 to 2020, which is faster than the average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Human resources specialists, for example, earned median annual pay of $52,690 in May 2010, the Bureau reports.

Individuals typically need a bachelors degree to work in the human resources. Industry organizations also provide continuing education and certifications to keep human resources professionals up to date.

When youre working in a human resources job, you also may be responsible for sharing with staff information about salaries, bonuses, and benefits such as insurance coverage and retirement plans. Human resources professionals also can contribute to company decisions, such as helping create guidelines related to the use of social media and other workplace behavior.

Some human resources workers also organize training to make sure the company complies with regulations and to educate employees about new technology or systems. Human resources personnel also can provide ways for workers to be more efficient or even live healthier lives, as part of a companys wellness effort. Working in human resources also could involve some travel, if you are recruiting at college campuses, trade shows, job fairs, and other events.

As a human resources professional, you could help create a corporate culture that attracts smart, highly motivated individuals and makes the company a great place to work. While extremely challenging, a career in human resources can also be extremely rewarding.