What are Human Resource Managers?
Becoming a human resources (HR) manager in Arkansas is a rewarding career path in the growing field of business. HR managers are essential for sourcing talent, managing existing workforces, and fostering positive company cultures. They set hiring standards to build diverse teams, ensure fair compensation, and establish performance management and organizational development goals. HR professionals also play a key role in promoting employee wellness. Whether in a small business or large corporation, HR managers are integral to an organization's success and employee satisfaction.
Students pursuing a career in HR management in Arkansas have various opportunities to specialize in areas that align with their interests. They can focus on talent development, such as becoming benefits specialists or working on improving workforce diversity. Other popular HR career paths include entry-level generalist roles, payroll specialists, training and development managers, HR consultants, recruiters, HR managers, and HR directors. These diverse career options allow individuals to tailor their HR journey and contribute to the success of organizations in different ways.
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Online Human Resources Education in Arkansas
Students pursuing a degree in human resource management are passionate about helping others achieve their career goals and play a key role in business success. Many top colleges and universities in Arkansas offer HR management degrees and certificates, allowing students to build a career in the field. These programs are often part of a business degree offering, with opportunities to take electives or specialize in HR management.
Unlike other business roles, human resources managers typically require specialized HR training to address the diverse needs of a workforce, often spread across multiple locations. Many Arkansas colleges offer dedicated human resources management majors for students pursuing this field.
Human resources management studies equip students with essential skills like communication and interpersonal abilities. Specialization typically occurs on the job once students gain practical experience. With abundant work opportunities across Arkansas, this field is an attractive option for business-minded students.
Online Associates (AS)
Unlike more technical fields like computer science or data analytics, students in human resources management can find employment with just an associate degree. Employers prioritize HR candidates' ability to empathize with the workforce and solve key issues—skills that are developed through an associate program.
However, those with only an associate degree are typically qualified for early entry-level roles such as HR assistant, benefits assistant, assistant recruiters, payroll assistants, or compliance specialists. While career advancement is possible, those with advanced degrees may have more opportunities and higher-paying positions. According to Payscale, the average salary for someone in HR management with an associate degree is $48,641 annually.
US rankings for top 25 online associates in human resourcesOnline Bachelors (BS)
The most popular degree for those pursuing a career in human resources management is a four-year bachelor’s degree. This program focuses on business training and talent management, equipping students with the skills to handle HR functions like hiring, benefits management, and workplace culture development.
Most HR jobs require a bachelor’s degree or higher, offering career opportunities as HR specialists, training and development specialists, compensation and benefits analysts, and labor relations specialists. With a few years of experience, entry-level hires can be promoted to managerial roles. According to Payscale, the average salary for someone with a bachelor’s in HR is $57,860 annually, a notable increase from those with only an associate degree.
US rankings for top 25 online bachelors in human resourcesOnline Masters (MS)
Attaining a master’s degree in human resources management or an MBA degree with a human resources concentration is usually not a requirement for entering management in this field. However, students may wish to pursue a graduate-level degree in order to find a job in certain HR specializations, like managing labor relations. Additionally, completing a master’s or MBA degree with an HR focus can in many cases help accelerate an employee’s career and allow them to move quickly into a managerial position compared to working one’s way up by building multiple years of work experience.
Other important considerations for completing a graduate-level human resources management degree are the earnings improvements that come with attaining a higher educational degree. According to Payscale, employees who have completed a master’s degree in human resources management earn an average salary of $67,987 a year and those with an MBA in HR Management earn an average of $69,004 a year, which is a strong improvement over employees with just an associate or bachelor’s degree.
US rankings for top 25 online masters in human resourcesOnline Doctorate (PhD)
Very few positions in the HR field will require a candidate to have completed a doctorate in human resources. Typically, those with a Ph.D. in HR will look to focus on building careers in academia as researchers and professors who seek to teach future generations about the newest developments of how to improve talent management in an organization. Others with doctorate degrees looking for a more applied work experience, rather than focusing on HR theory, will typically find employment as high-level HR managers or executives in organizations or take on consulting opportunities to help firms improve their existing HR division. According to Payscale, employees with a doctorate in human resources management will earn an average annual salary of $95,000.
Learn more about FAFSA and financial aidWhat Does an HR Manager Do?
Employee Benefits
A large part of what attracts and helps firms retain their talent pool is the employee benefits that are offered. HR specialists working in the benefits field will help firms ensure that their health insurance, retirement account, vacation time, sick leave, family leave, and health care flexible spending account information is correctly conveyed to employees. HR Benefits certifications include CBP, CEBS, etc.
Employee Compensation
Getting paid for their time and work matters to every employee and it is the HR compensation team’s job to help determine the most attractive and reasonable pay package for every job title. CEBS and CBP certifications and some others cover the area of employee compensation.
Labor Relations
HR students looking to work in the labor relations team of a company will need to be strong readers who can understand procedures that affect their organization’s employees, whether or not they are unionized. Written communication on the office’s code of conduct and performing disciplinary action can also fall under this team. Labor relations certifications are available as CLRL certification, CLRP, SHRM, and more.
Employee Training and Development
HR specialists who enjoy helping their firm’s employees feel valued and enjoy growth on the job should look to work in employee training and development.
Become a Human Resources Manager in Arkansas
While students typically pursue a general human resources degree, it’s important to consider their specific interests within the field. Identifying a preferred HR role can guide students toward relevant electives and internship opportunities that align with their career goals.
Certification is not usually required for advancement in HR careers in Arkansas, but pursuing options like the SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP can enhance practical knowledge and demonstrate commitment to employers. Below, we discuss key HR management areas that can help students focus their studies. Earning certification is a personal choice that can help your career.
HR staff in recruitment and talent acquisition need strong communication and organizational skills. They work with hiring teams to review applications and resumes, helping managers select the best candidates. Familiarity with applicant tracking systems is essential to streamline the process. Recruitment certifications include aPHR, SPHR, GPHR, SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, and more.
HR specialists who enjoy helping their firm’s employees feel valued and enjoy growth on the job should look to work in employee training and development. Students looking to work in this field should have strong written and oral communication skills, as well as working knowledge of software and video tools so that they can help circulate important written and video training tools throughout the organization. HR employee training and development certifications include SHRM certification, SHRM-SCP, CPTM, and more.
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Top College Programs in Arkansas for Human Resources
Most of Arkansas’ leading online schools offer students the opportunity to specialize in human resources management through their business degree programs. Some of the available programs in the state can be seen below.
- University of Arkansas:
This large, public university located in Fayetteville, Arkansas offers a robust business administration program that graduated around 300 students out of around 1,600 total business graduates in 2019. This program offers a focus in human resources management, and the school also offers a bachelor’s degree in human resources development. - Harding University:
Harding University is a small, private university in Searcy, Arkansas that provides bachelor’s in a number of strong business options, including human resources management/personnel administration. - University of Central Arkansas:
The University of Central Arkansas is a mid-size to large, public university located in Conway, Arkansas. Their business administration and management program awarded over 100 degrees in a recent year at both the bachelor’s and master’s levels. This program includes a focus in human resources. Of its many business degree options, human resources management is one of the more popular after its general business administration and management option. - Arkansas State University:
Athens State University is a large, public university situated in Jonesboro, Arkansas with a business management and administration program that awarded around 175 bachelor’s and master’s degrees in 2021. The school offers a focus on human resources, though it does not offer any certificates in the human resources management field. The university’s business administration and finance majors are the most popular majors out of its business degree offerings.
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Additional Careers for Human Resources Graduates
- HR Personnel Trainer:
A human resource trainer is an employee that focuses on ensuring employees of a specific department or organization have the tools they need to succeed at their job. Daily job tasks can include assessing the current level of a workforce’s skills, delivering training materials, supervising instructors (both internal and external), and discussing training goals with departmental heads. - Compensation Specialist:
Compensation specialists are responsible for helping to establish a company’s pay structure, differentiate pay grades by employee type, and ensure that employee compensation programs are properly executed. Other job tasks include approving bonus and commission requirements that are submitted by different teams and overseeing a firm’s executive compensation programs. Other tasks include researching competitor pay structures and ensuring that the firm’s compensation programs remain fair and attractive. - HR Manager:
HR managers will take on a variety of roles including hiring new staff, administering pay and benefits programs, and enforcing company policies. Job responsibilities will differ depending on the specific team that the HR manager is hired into, but most positions will require many supervisory responsibilities. HR managers will also need to remain in close communication with the leadership team to understand and execute the firm’s talent strategy, as well as help oversee the daily operations of the HR team. - HR Director:
HR directors are typically tasked with ensuring that the human resources team runs smoothly and adheres to its budget. The HR director will likely need to remain in close contact with the senior-level management of the firm to ensure that they understand the firm’s strategic objectives and the types of talent that need to be hired and maintained. HR directors will also play a large role in helping to set the company culture. - Recruiter:
HR Recruiters are employees who help a firm actively seek out potential candidates and hires for open positions. They will typically be responsible for researching the available applicant pool and even actively extend interview requests. Other responsibilities include screening applicants, interviewing candidates, writing offer letters, conducting reference checks, and negotiating the terms of the hiring contract. - Labor/Union Negotiator:
Many industries allow employees to join labor unions that negotiate with employers on their behalf. HR labor/union negotiators are the other side of that coin and are responsible for creating and maintaining procedures for smooth labor relations within a company. They will often participate in the negotiation of labor agreements and conduct grievance hearings for employees.
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