The roles and responsibilities of human resource employees have considerably changed in the last few years because organisations have gradually shifted towards a flexible and hybrid working model. Also, with a rise in companies and startups, several new HR roles have been created.
This article lists the top career opportunities in HR as per skills and professional experience.
Top Career Opportunities in HR
Since there are several job roles in the human resource field, it can be pretty challenging to understand the hierarchy and parallel roles in this industry. Therefore, let us see the hierarchy of HR jobs in India and the list of careers in human resources that are the most sought-after.
Entry-level HR Jobs
The following are some of the most popular HR jobs for freshers or early-level candidates with a post qualification experience (PQE) of 0-3 years.
1. Human Resource Executive
This is the most popular HR career opportunity for freshers. Large companies hire several human resource executives whose primary responsibilities are to staff and onboard employees, send employee contracts, approve employee leaves, review the performance of employees, and prepare periodical reports. The average salary of a human resource executive or HR generalist is ₹388,417 per year.
2. HR Assistant
HR assistant is a junior-level position for an HR executive. They assist in overall HR processes, communicate with employees, complete administrative work, post job descriptions on various recruitment websites, reach out to candidates, explain hiring and onboarding policies to candidates, and filter potential employees. The essential skills required for the job of an HR assistant are employee relations, recruitment, Microsoft Office, and administration. The average salary of an HR assistant in India is ₹296,831 per year.
3. HR Analyst
The role of an HR analyst is more on the technical side. They use various techniques, strategies, and software tools to extract market data for the recruitment team. This helps organisations get better market information on relevant skills, new job opportunities, and salary standards in the industry. The average salary of an HR analyst in India is ₹484,736 per year.
Mid-level HR Jobs
The mid-level HR jobs are primarily offered to HR professionals with a PQE of 4-8 years.
4. Recruitment Manager
A recruitment manager in the HR team is responsible for hiring employees for the organisation. They prepare the job description, review applications, interview candidates, negotiate salaries, and send offer letters/employee contracts to ensure a smooth recruitment process. They are experts in evaluating candidates and leading the recruitment and training processes in a company. The average salary of a recruitment manager in India is ₹940,821 per year.
5. HR Consultant
HR consultants are professionals hired by organisations to help frame policies for the workplace and improve the relations between the employers and employees. The average salary of an HR consultant in India is ₹481,373 per year. Essential skills for HR consultants include organisational development and employee relations.
6. Human Resources Manager
Unlike recruitment managers, HR managers manage overall HR processes like preparing and managing policies at the workplace and employee benefit schemes. They also deal with employee complaints at workplaces, conduct inquiries, and suggest appropriate steps for resolution. Essential skills for HR managers are people management, recruitment, and employee relations. The average salary of a human resources manager in India is ₹697,284 per year.
Senior-level HR Jobs
The senior-level HR Jobs are offered to professionals with 8 to 10 years of experience in this field.
7. HR Director
HR directors are senior professionals in the company that take crucial HR decisions. They handle complaints made by employees related to employee payroll and benefits. HR directors are also responsible for training the staff. The average salary of an HR director in India is ₹2,793,779 per year. Their essential skills include organisational development and team management.
8. VP Human Resources
This is the highest position in the HR job hierarchy. Human resource vice presidents serve as the head of the HR team and lead a team of many HR employees. They oversee employee contracts, ensure legal and regulatory compliances and policies at workplaces, and head discussions and team meetings.
HR vice president overlooks gratuity, bonus, and other employee benefit schemes. They may sometimes act as a line of communication between the contractors or workers and the key managerial personnel of a company at the time of strikes or lockouts by workers. The average salary of a vice president in human resources in India is ₹3,109,987 per year, according to PayScale.
Specialised HR Jobs
The following are some of the most popular HR jobs that require a special skill set:
9. Compensation and Benefits Manager
A compensation and benefits manager analyses an organisation’s employee remuneration and benefits policies. They ensure that all employees are given fair salaries, bonuses, retirement benefits, etc.
A compensation and benefits manager works with other HR professionals in the company to ensure that salaries, bonuses and employee benefits are at par with the industry standards. They also analyse the standard pay in the market for various roles. The average salary of a compensation and benefits manager in India is ₹1,591,061 per year.
10. International HR Associate
The role and responsibilities of International or Global HR associates are similar to those of HR associates. However, they are generally hired by recruitment agencies or consultancies to find candidates globally for mass recruitment in companies. The average salary of an HR associate in India is ₹320,265 per year.
11. Training and Development Manager
It is essential for organisations to periodically arrange workshops or seminars for their employees’ upskilling and career development. A training and development manager is responsible for overseeing that all the employees receive proper training throughout their career with the company.
Training and development managers may also mentor employees individually for higher roles within the company. They also oversee supervisors’ performance, approve the budget for training workshops, head training programs, etc.
The average salary of a training and development manager in India is ₹901,356 per year. The most popular skills for training professionals include people management, training management, and organisational development.
12. HR Entrepreneur
This is an interesting career path in the human resources field. Leadership is an essential skill for HR professionals, but entrepreneurship is a level up. HR entrepreneurs must understand the company’s goals or objectives to frame appropriate policies for employees. They must possess an entrepreneurial mindset to help an organisation grow. HR entrepreneurs do not delve much into technical HR roles like staffing. Sometimes, HR entrepreneurs may work in the capacity of a business partner.
