Careers for a PhD in Human Resources Graduate
- Human Resource Manager
- HR Consultant
- Human Resource Executive
- Professor
- Employee Education Consultant
There are various excellent jobs for graduates of human resource doctorate programs. These professionals are equipped with the knowledge to help organizations in various areas, including employee relations, hiring, training protocols, and compensation processes. Professional human resource professionals are very much in demand in any number of fields. In addition to having access to some very good career opportunities, they also have the potential to earn very good wages. Here are five careers for a human resource PhD graduate.
Related Resource: Top 10 PhD Programs in Human Resources
1. Human Resource Manager
Behind every successful organization, you’ll usually find a highly-qualified and well-trained human resource manager busily overseeing the organization and all its employees. Human resource managers may work with the employees as a group or may work directly with individual employees and have one-on-one interaction. They coordinate HR activities, develop benefits programs, interview potential employees, deal with labor disputes, and perform many administrative duties. They’re also the head of the HR department and oversee the entire HR department of an organization. HR managers also have the most direct impact on the employees in the company.
Related Resource: 20 Companies With the Best Benefits
2. HR Consultant
Unlike the human resource manager who spends all his or her time working within an organization, the HR consultant is usually called into an organization to shake it up a little and provide some much-needed services. Human resource consultants may specialize in various fields, including employee incentives and rewards, mergers and acquisitions, benefits, recruiting employees, retirement plans, and outsourcing jobs. The consultant will assess a company’s current status and offer suggestions on how the company can best meet its goals. This job is popular because the consultant can often choose when and where to work and how much to charge.
3. Human Resource Executive
A human resource executive may also be referred to as Vice President of HR or Chief HR Officer. Regardless of which title they use, they’ve chosen a career that offers excellent employment opportunities and great wages. Their main goal is to develop an HR strategy for an organization, which typically includes systems, policies, and the company’s overall goals. Every part of a human resource department from recruiting an employee, training employees, developing benefits packages, and implementing new jobs all goes through the human resource executive. An HR specialist usually has many years of experience before he or she moves up to human resource executive.
4. Professor
Human resource professors can generally be found working in universities and colleges. Like most teachers, they develop lesson plans, teach students, and evaluate the progress of each student. They also teach various aspects of human resources and may specialize in a specific area, such as the hiring process, compensation, or equal employment. Additionally, human resource professors may spend a lot of their time performing research. Professors, like most post-secondary teachers, are very much in demand and typically find good career options.
5. Employee Education Consultant
Employee education consultants do many of the same jobs as development and training matters, which includes holding classes, workshops, and conferences designed to increase employees’ knowledge and skill set. The majority of employee education consultants feel that their job is relatively low stress. Employee education consultants are often hired on a retainer or contract basis and called in when their services are needed. One thing that makes this occupation so popular is that it offers a lot of freedom and flexibility. The employee education consultant may only work six months out of the year if that’s what he or she chooses to do.
Working as a human resource professional can be an exciting path because it’s such a broad field that encompasses many areas in the business world. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Human Resources Managers earn a median income of over $100,ooo a year and positions are on pace to increase faster than average. Earning a PhD in Human Resources provides students with the additional knowledge and skills needed to fill these leadership roles in many organizations.
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