Human resources 

Career Focus: Human Resources Manager

Human Resources (HR) Manager’s (also known as Human Resource Officer’s) provide administration services for the recruitment and employment of staff. In small organisations, HR Managers are usually responsible for all staffing matters. In large organisations they may specialise in a particular area such as recruitment, wages and entitlements or staff training. Their salary range can vary depending on the size of the organisation. Importantly, HR Managers are projected to see a 12.5% increase in employment growth in the next 5 years*.

HR Managers:

• Determine staffing numbers, skills and needs to meet the organisation’s objectives
• Analyse the skills and qualities required for each particular job and develop job descriptions and duty statements
• Advertise staff vacancies, assess applications, interview applicants, administer selection tests, prepare reports and make recommendations to management about staff appointments
• Maintain the personal records of employees on matters such as wages, superannuation, leave and training, and prepare associated management reports
• Arrange and conduct staff training
• Use a number of management information systems to record, maintain, plan and manage the organisation’s human resources
• Provide advice and information to management and employees on human resource policies and procedures, including equal opportunity, anti-discrimination and occupational health and safety programs
• Assist employees with work matters, career development, personal problems and industrial matters
• Organise employee welfare services such as health and wellbeing programs, first aid and fire warden training, superannuation and social activities
• Take part in enterprise bargaining talks where employees, management and unions discuss the development of specific work arrangements and conditions (pay and hours of work, for example)
• Help implement organisational changes (such as those following from industrial relations legislation, revised job classification structures or technological changes)
• Take part in strategic management.

To work as a HR Manager, it is beneficial to:

• Be a good planner, organised, analytical and effective decision-making skills
• Have good oral and written communication skills
• Be tactful and discrete when dealing with people and confidential information.

There are a few options to become qualified as a HR Manager:

• A VET qualification; TAFE Certificate IV or diploma. The ‘Australian Human Resources Institute’ and the ‘Recruitment and Consulting Services Association’ (RCSA) also offer short courses and VET qualifications in human resources.
• A traineeship – entry requirements may vary, but employers generally require completion of Year 10.
• Completing a degree in HR Management, or Business/Commerce with a major in HR Management.

To gain entry into these courses you usually need to have completed your VCE with prerequisite subjects in one or more of English and mathematics however universities have different prerequisites and some have flexible entry requirements or offer external study. (Please note: A degree in a related area such as industrial relations, psychology management or economics may also be useful in gaining employment).

HR Managers are employed by both small and large organisations in industries such as banks, insurance companies, hospitals, manufacturing firms, airline and shipping companies and large retail stores. They are also employed by federal and state or territory government departments. Some people establish their own businesses as human resource consultants or find employment with HR firms that offer outsourced human resource functions to clients.