Work for Human Resources in the Federal Government
As a human resources student or new professional, you may not be aware of how many human resources jobs exist at the level of the federal government. Just like any other entity, the federal government needs talented human resources professionals to oversee employees and benefits across their many agencies, organizations and systems. As well, the “baby boomer” generation of employees is continuing to retire in government as well as the private sector, opening up many new government job opportunities in fields such as human resources. According to Government Central, the official website listing government jobs, salaries and pay scales, some of the agencies that are hiring human resources professionals include the Veterans Health Administration, the Department of Defense and the Office of Personnel Management.
Career Path to HR at the Federal Level
If you are a student who wants to find out more about a master’s degree in human resources or similar HR-related advanced degree program, you are making a wise choice in terms of long-term career and salary potential. Government Central offers these general statistics to help you predict salary potential long-term.
- Starting salary for federal government human resources specialists is in the $30-40,000 range.
- Higher level human resources employees can earn between $55-85,000.
- Military-grade human resources specialists can earn $85,000 and higher.
HR Coursework Leading to Federal Employment
Because the human resources function is more specialized in the government sector, your coursework will reflect this as well. Here is a sampling of the type of coursework you can expect to take during your degree plan.
- Compensation and benefits in the federal sector.
- Staffing strategies and practices in the federal sector.
- Performance management in the federal sector.
- Human resources legal issues in the federal sector.
- Human resources management in the federal sector.
- Human capital management in the federal sector.
Types of Federal HR Jobs
You may also be curious about the types of human resources jobs you can apply for within the federal government system. The good news is – you will have lots of variety to choose from. The even better news, however, is that once you work within the federal government system, this makes it much easier to transfer between agencies and departments if you want to work in a new facet of human resources. Here are some common jobs that you may find during your search.
- Human resources recruitment and placement specialist. This position is responsible for hiring, placement and sometimes training of new or transferred employees.
- Human resources labor relations specialist. This position works with unions and contractors to oversee contractual negotiations and maintain relationships.
- Human resources employee relations specialist. This position is similar to that of labor relations but focuses on relations with internal salaried employees.
- Human resources employee benefits specialist. This position focuses on implementing and revision employee benefits plans and policies and advising employees to make best use of their available benefits.
As a student or new graduate, you can also learn more about open HR federal government jobs by visiting USA Jobs.
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