What does an HR Specialist do and how can you become one?

Human Resources is a vast field that touches many different industries and areas. Within HR, there are many specialties you can focus on to build your career.

An HR specialist is someone who works in the Human Resources department at a company and has expertise in specific areas within HR. 

An HR specialist usually has a concentration in one particular area of human resources, such as recruiting, benefits or training. Some HR specialists have a generalist approach and might handle several areas of HR at once. Others have so much depth in one area they are like an expert on that topic.

Where can an HR Specialist work?

HR specialists can work in any type of organization—from small businesses to big corporations, non-profits or government agencies—and may have titles such as employee services manager or talent management specialist.

What does an HR Specialist do?

These people have a unique set of skills and knowledge that allows them to identify problems, create solutions, and implement great new ideas. 

An HR specialist is a company’s first point of contact for employee-related issues. This person may also be responsible for creating employee handbooks and researching company benefits.

HR specialists may also work with other departments to create interview questions and conduct mock interviews with job applicants. 

HR specialists are often the first to know if a company needs to hire new staff, which could include hiring a new HR specialist to handle the increased workload. HR specialists work closely with managers to create and implement hiring plans, training programs, and policies.

They may also be responsible for conducting exit interviews to better understand why an employee is leaving and how the company can retain their talent.

HR Specialist job responsibilities

HR Specialists have different tasks depending on what a company may need, but in general their responsibilities include:

• • Interview candidates and offer feedback to hiring managers.
  • Conduct mock interviews with job applicants. 
  • Address questions from existing employees. 
  • Create or maintain training programs. 
  • Assist with new hire onboarding. 
  • Review company policies. 
  • Conduct exit interviews.

Hiring tasks

A recruiting specialist is responsible for hiring new staff. A recruiting specialist may hire internal employees, or they may hire external candidates for open roles. 

A recruiting specialist may work with an HR specialist to create interview questions, or they may work with hiring managers to find qualified candidates. 

A recruiting specialist may develop hiring plans and timelines for hiring open positions. They may also select job boards and other recruiting tools to find candidates and oversee the screening process for candidates. 

A recruiting specialist may also be responsible for creating and managing hiring incentives or incentives for hiring internally.

What is the typical day of an HR Specialist?

A day in the life of an HR specialist is less routinary than one might expect. Each day is different.

At any given time, an HR specialist could be conducting interviews, reviewing resumes, conducting exit interviews, preparing for benefits seminars, onboarding new hires, or reviewing employee handbooks. 

An HR specialist may also have specific tasks they need to complete each day, such as reviewing company policies or creating training programs.

How to become an HR Specialist

To become an HR specialist, you’ll need to earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree in human resources or business administration. In some cases, experience in a human resources role may be required, but it’s not common when applying for this role. 

You’ll likely need a bachelor’s degree to get hired as an HR specialist, and you may need a master’s degree to earn a higher salary. 

You can find human resources programs at colleges and universities, online, or at traditional academic institutions. You may also be able to find online bachelor’s degree programs in human resources. 

Although some employers may hire entry-level candidates with a bachelor’s degree in HR, many will expect higher-level experience.

HR Specialist job offers

If you think working in the role is the right fit for you, check out our job offers here (or send your CV to recruitment@cityjoboffers.com) to work as an HR Specialist in your own language! 

If you want to land a job in this role and work in Barcelona, here are two offers: 

Recruitment Specialist (French market) in Barcelona

HR Specialist (Dutch market) in Barcelona

 

💡 Positive job references can help you secure an offer, negative ones can cost you one. Discover how you can get a great job recommendation. Read more here →