Many a time, the HR is tasked to be the judge, the jury, and the executioner. It may not be at the same level or even the same person, but they are in charge of every decision made and every policy being introduced, so it is imperative to understand the different job roles in HR.

Striving to build a career in HR? HR online certificate courses can help you understand the different job roles in HR, enabling you to pick one that tickles your fancy. Till you decide to enrol in a credible certificate course, this guide can help you get started.

Entry-Level Job Roles

• HR Intern/Assistant/Trainee

HR interns and trainees are the bottom rungs of the HR ladder. These are the paid or unpaid assistants who do everything ranging from setting up meetings and interviews to scouring for resumes of eligible candidates. In fact, this is probably the first job you’ll land after pursuing HR online certificate courses.

• HR Associate

An HR associate’s job role is similar to that of the assistant, but there are some differences in a long-term role at the entry-level as opposed to the assistant. Simply put, HR associates are the generalists who handle every task that comes their way but are not in a position to make managerial decisions.

• HR Coordinator

As an HR coordinator, you’ll be performing day-to-day HR-related tasks like smoothing the path between low-level employees, managers, and directors, helping with employee documentation, performing employee actions, sending notices to employees, preparing material for meetings, etc.

• Recruiter

Recruiters are responsible for fulfiling the hiring needs of the company. As a recruiter, you’ll be required to review and filter resumes, manage job posting, schedule interviews, and send cold contacts to passive candidates. You’ll be the first line of defence for higher-level recruiters who make the hiring decisions.

• Analyst

There are different types of analytics in human resource management. However, as an entry-level HR analyst, you’ll be dealing with information and high-level thought and analysis of employee data. Simply put, you’ll collate employee data, analyse it, and develop reports for higher-level employees and directors to review.

• Staff Coordinator

Staff coordinators are the final layer of the entry-level employees in the HR department. They are on the verge to enter mid-level management and are the supervisors of interns, trainees, and other entry-level personnel in the HR department. You can land this job role by pursuing credible HR online certificate courses.

Also Read : Strategies For Effective Human Resource Management

Mid-Level Job Roles

• Manager

An HR manager is a flexible mid-level role wherein professionals are required to manage the lower-level people, make overview decisions, and act as a buffer between HR associates and HR directors. As a manager, you’ll be expected to be good at communication, relationship building, leadership, and critical thinking.

• Sourcer

Sourcers are basically the refined version of recruiters. They are the managers responsible for guiding the overall recruitment efforts and negotiates with the candidates directly. Sourcers tend to be more aggressive with hiring and recruitment but are empowered to make decisions, so that’s an upside. The XLRI talent management and HR course can help you acquire the skills you need to land this job role.

• Generalist

HR generalist is one of the common roles you can land after pursuing HR online certificate courses. They do a little bit of everything ranging from training, analysis to employee engagement and onboarding. They don’t specialise in anything but often become specialists in one role or another after gaining some experience.

• HR Information Specialist

Information specialist is nothing but a higher-tier version of an HR analyst. These professionals are required to deal with all the high-level analytics and reporting. Furthermore, these specialists report directly to upper-level management with their insights and findings. They may also be tasked with auditing and compliance overviews as well as guide analysts on what they are doing.

Also Read : Essential Skills of Human Resources Management

Upper-Level Job Roles

• HR Manager

HR managers are the lowest of the higher-end job roles of the HR domain. As an HR manager, you’ll be required to give overall direction to the entire HR department and interface between the middle and upper-level directors.

If you strive to move into this role, you must hone your leadership and managerial skills and advance your knowledge in the domain. The XLRI talent management program comes in handy here. By providing exposure to every facet of the domain and honing your people management skills, this course from XLRI can help you ace in this domain.

• Talent Acquisition Manager

A talent acquisition manager, also known as recruiting manager, guides and oversees every hiring activity for the organisation. They liaise with managers of other departments to determine their hiring needs and work with internal and external sources to fulfil those recruitment needs.

• Business Partner

This HR job role is closer to consultants and a little off from that of managers. As an HR business partner, you’ll be required to work internally and outside the company to build relationships and business plans that guide the organisation’s direction. You’ll also be required to formulate policies and oversee the implementation of these policies.

• HR Director

The HR director is typically the highest job role you can land in HR. In smaller companies, these directors are also known as C-levels or VP of HR. Their role depends on the company itself. An HR director oversees every sub-domain of HR, including business partners, recruitment, generalists, etc.

The XLRI talent management program can provide you with the exposure and credentials you need to land this job role. However, you’ll still need years of hands-on experience in people management and leadership to reach this high in the HR hierarchy.

Also Read : Human Resource Management Vs Talent Management

What’s Your Take?

It’s important to recognise that while all HR jobs are achievable, a certain amount of experience and expertise is required to reach the top of the HR ladder. Furthermore, when you enter this domain, you can also choose to transition into a business administration career, so ensure you are making the right career choice between business administration and HR.

If you do decide to go down the HR lane, there are several HR online certificate courses that can help you. The best HR certification among them is the XLRI talent management certification offered on the Talentedge platform.

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