Human resources (HR) professionals perform a vital function in any company or organization. Some of the duties they perform involve hiring, training and developing employees, performing employee evaluations, managing employee promotions and layoffs, facilitating employee/management relations, keeping records of all employee data and managing compensation, pensions, and benefits, often in conjunction with the payroll office.
An associate degree in human resources will provide you with an understanding of the applicable employment regulations at local, state, and federal levels, train you in effective interpersonal communications skills, and teach you how to manage all of the paperwork involved in HR functions. You will also receive training in the necessary software applications that facilitate records management. With this degree you may qualify for some entry-level HR jobs.
Other entry-level positions will require a human resources bachelor's degree, in which social science courses will be introduced to complement the business ones. Background knowledge of psychology, behavioral sciences, and organizational communication will help you perform the most basic functions of the HR professional to attract and then retain the most qualified employees for your organization.
Graduate-level studies in human resources will help you to perform the research and create the necessary educational materials to train other human resources professionals in the most effective ways to perform this job. You may earn a Master of Science (MS), MBA or PhD in human resource management and/or personnel administration if this is a direction you'd like to pursue.



































