Are you interested in:

• Making a difference to people and improving their work lives every day
• Contributing to the viability and success of businesses, nonprofits, and government organizations
• Performing investigations
• Evaluating workplace issues
• Teamwork
• Solving complex problems
• Making positive change
• Understanding the law as it applies to work, employers, and employees

The human resources function in any organization is comprised of a set of activities that help to manage human capital, the most valuable resource in any firm. Those tasks include such things as employee recruiting, training, employee relations, compensation and benefits administration, compliance, and strategic human resource planning. Students interested in a career in human resource management should major in business administration and complete a concentration in human resources. Successful HR professionals must understand both the “people” side and the “business” side of their role to move up the career ladder. As a part of the requirements, students must complete an HR internship because practical, hands-on experience is essential to getting an entry-level job.

Types of jobs:

• Human resource generalist
• Recruiter
• Compensation analyst
• Benefits specialist
• Employee relations specialist
• Corporate trainer
• HR information systems analyst

Attend graduate school for:

• Professional certifications, such as their PHR (Professional in Human Resources), SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resources), and/or GPHR (Global Professional in Human Resources)
• Master in Business Administration
• Law school
• Graduate studies in public policy

Options for the major:

• B.S. in business administration, concentration in human resources
• All majors are required to complete a professional internship with responsibilities connected directly to business administration
• Students wanting to expand their knowledge and skills might consider adding:
  
  • A minor in accounting, economics, entrepreneurship and family business, finance, hospitality and tourism management, or marketing
  • A minor or additional courses in technology or statistics — analytical skills will make you more competitive in the job market
  • A minor in another language such as Spanish makes students more attractive to employers
  • Other opportunities for experiential learning including leadership roles in student organizations, which provide experience managing people, projects, or resources

Professional associations:

• Students can join the Meredith chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), which has been selected a top-ten chapter in the U.S. www.shrm.org
• Join the Raleigh/Wake Human Resource Management Association (RWHRMA), the local SHRM organization

Career outlook:

Human resource manager
Compensation and benefits manager
Corporate trainer

Additional information:

Meredith’s business administration major with a human resource management concentration »

The curriculum offered at Meredith College has been certified as in alignment with the National SHRM HR Curriculum. These educational requirements help a student understand what is needed to succeed as an HR professional. SHRM is the preeminent professional organization for HR professionals. Meredith has an award-winning student chapter of SHRM, offering many opportunities to learn about HR careers and network with HR professionals.