How to Become an HR Manager

Personnel management is absolutely necessary in any industry; be it finance, manufacturing, health

care, business, or information technology. Be it in any area of work, you will always find a human
resource professional being employed. In simple words, Human Resource Management (HRM) is
associated with the management of employees and workplace problems. Since this is an integral
part of any employment entity, the HRM practice cannot be avoided. A person who takes care of this
practice is referred to as an human resource manager.
Becoming an HR Manager
Generally, to become an HR manager, you need to possess a good amount of experience as an HR
executive. When it comes to the education, the first step that you need to take is to get a bachelor's
degree in human resources administration and management. With this degree, you can work as an
executive for a few years. For the manager post, you need to have a master's degree in human
resources or industrial and labor relations.
In some agencies, you can work as an HR manager without the above mentioned education, but you
should show some real good hands-on expertise and experience in the domain. Though these are
some general educational requirements to get into the HR field, there are colleges who offer
diploma and certificate courses as well. These courses normally last for a year, and can fetch you a
job as a human resource assistant. Moreover, these short courses have an internship which is useful
in gaining hands-on experience.
If you want to work in a company that deals in a particular area of business, it is recommended to
have the basic functional knowledge of that area. For example, if the employer is a financial firm, it
is suggested to have an understanding of how the financial sector works. Same goes for sectors such
as manufacturing, health care, production, and marketing industries. You can even excel in the HR
management field with certifications from recognized organizations.
Good examples can be certifications like the Professional in Human Resources (PHR) and Senior
Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) are available from the Society for Human Resource
Management. You can even check out at professional certifying entities such as American Society for
Training and Development (ASTD) and International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans.
Job Description
An HR manager basically has to make sure all employees are satisfied with their work and there is
no formal issue bothering them. If he comes across any issue reported by the employee, he has to
assess the complete problem and its aspects. If the matter is serious, he needs to get in touch with
the top management members for advice. In order to solve employee problems, he has to be in direct
contact with respective employee heads or department leads.
An important part of the responsibilities is managing the HR department. He has to make sure all
HR executives are working as expected, with regards to recruitment, payroll, benefits, leave
management, performance appraisals, and other tasks. He has to carry out the performance
appraisal process of his subordinates at a specific time in every year. An HR manager is supposed to
keep a detailed record of employees and staff in the company database.

Devising company policies is also a significant part of the tasks of an HR manager. He has to help
the top management prepare certain workplace policies. He acts as a link between workers and the
company. The job description of an HR manager largely depends on the type of company and field of
employment he is providing services in.
Salary Range
It has been recorded that the median per annum income of HR managers comes to around $96,500.
Years of Experience
Median Salary Scale
0 to 1 Year
$31,000 - $49,000
1 to 4 Years
$39,000 - $56,000
5 to 9 Years
$47,000 - $68,000
10 to 19 Years
$53,000 - $78,000
Over 20 Years
$56,250 - $85,500

State of Employment
Median Salary Scale
New York
$50,000 - $77,500
California
$53,250 - $79,350
Texas

$45,000 - $70,500
Illinois
$49,000 - $74,250
Pennsylvania
$47,000 - $72,000

City of Employment
Median Salary Scale
New York City
$56,700 - $81,700
Houston
$51,700 - $78,000
Atlanta
$49,800 - $75,000
Chicago
$51,500 - $80,000
Los Angeles
$53,000 - $79,400

After working as an HR manager for a couple of years, you can advance to the next level if you show
that you have what it takes. The salary ranges mentioned above are just estimated per annum
figures. A mandatory requirement is to have good communication, interpersonal, managerial,
decision-making, logical thinking, and time management skills.