Hiring Human Resources Specialists

What do human resources specialists do?

• Interpret and explain human resources policies, procedures, laws, standards, or regulations.
• Hire employees and process hiring-related paperwork.
• Maintain current knowledge of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and affirmative action guidelines and laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
• Prepare or maintain employment records related to events, such as hiring, termination, leaves, transfers, or promotions, using human resources management system software.
• Address employee relations issues, such as harassment allegations, work complaints, or other employee concerns.
• Review employment applications and job orders to match applicants with job requirements.

Core tasks, O*NET OnLine, 13-1071.00.

What does it take to become one?

Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

O*NET Job Zone 4, SVP (7.0 to < 8.0). O*NET OnLine.

Employers commonly list experience with Applicant tracking software, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word for this role.

What do human resources specialists get paid?

BLS OEWS, May 2025 publishes a wage for human resources specialists in 92 of the metro areas in this build. The median ranges from $51,780 to $112,140 a year depending on the metro, with a midpoint of $73,010. This is what employers pay, place of work, not a single national figure and not what any one person takes home.

BLS OEWS, BLS OEWS, May 2025, SOC 13-1071.

What does hiring one cost?

The same as any role: tier, not location or salary, sets the fee. Across all six tiers the published range is $6,240 to $54,340 per search. For scale, the highest published median for human resources specialists in this build is $112,140. A contingency firm hiring at that level would bill roughly $22,428 to $33,642 on the first year salary alone, 20 to 30%.

Frequently asked

How fast can a human resources specialists search fill?

23 to 35 days, 2 to 3x faster than a typical contingency search, per the recruiting provider's published figures.

What if the hire does not work out?

A 45-day replacement guarantee, at 50% off a repeat search for the same role.