Human Resource Professionals
Overview
Snapshot
Summary
Human Resource Professionals plan, develop, implement and evaluate staff recruitment, assist in resolving disputes by advising on workplace matters, and represent industrial, commercial, union, employer and other parties in negotiations on issues such as enterprise bargaining, rates of pay and conditions of employment.
Tasks
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arranging for advertising of job vacancies, interviewing and testing of applicants, and selection of staff
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maintaining personnel records and associated human resource information systems
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providing advice and information to management on workplace relations policies and procedures, staff performance and disciplinary matters
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arranging the induction of staff and providing information on conditions of service, salaries and promotional opportunities
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receiving and recording job vacancy information from employers such as details about job description, wages and conditions of employment
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providing information on current job vacancies in the organisation to employers and job seekers
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undertaking negotiations on terms and conditions of employment, and examining and resolving disputes and grievances
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studying and interpreting legislation, awards, collective agreements and employment contracts, wage payment systems and dispute settlement procedures
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developing, planning and formulating enterprise agreements or collective contracts such as productivity-based wage adjustment procedures, workplace relations policies and programs, and procedures for their implementation
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overseeing the formation and conduct of workplace consultative committees and employee participation initiatives
Characteristics
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University
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Vocational Education and Training (VET)
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Informal or on-the-job
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Administrative
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Enterprising
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Helping
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Sedentary
Outlook
JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. The latest data are for the five years from November 2021 to November 2026. Over this period, the number of workers:
- is expected to grow strongly
- is likely to reach 89,100 by 2026.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Notes: The number employed includes people who work in this occupation as their main job. People who work in more than one job are counted against the occupation they work the most hours in.
Employment projections figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Calculations based on these rounded figures may result in differences to the numbers that are displayed on this page. Employment projections data (including occupations) can be downloaded from the Employment Projections page.
Number of Workers
Year | Employment |
---|---|
2011 | 64,600 |
2012 | 49,300 |
2013 | 62,300 |
2014 | 52,700 |
2015 | 58,700 |
2016 | 57,400 |
2017 | 66,100 |
2018 | 71,700 |
2019 | 78,800 |
2020 | 66,200 |
2021 | 78,900 |
2026 | 89,100 |
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Earnings and hours
Working arrangements
-
Around 81% of people employed as Human Resource Professionals work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 15 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).
Full-time workers work an average of 42 hours per week in their main job. This is similar to the all jobs average (44 hours per week).
More than a third of workers regularly work overtime or extra hours (either paid or unpaid).
Median full-time earnings are $1,732 per week, this is higher than the all jobs median ($1,593):
- 3 in 4 workers earn more than $1,378
- 1 in 4 earn more than $2,211
Median hourly earnings are $48, this is more than the all jobs median ($41 per hour).
Sources: Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average. Overtime hours: ABS, Characteristics of Employment, 2021. Full-time median earnings and median hourly earnings: ABS, Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021. Compared to all jobs median.
Weekly Earnings (Before Tax)
Earnings | Human Resource Professionals | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Full-Time Earnings | 1,732 | 1,593 |
Total Earnings | 0 | 0 |
Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.
Industries
Main industries
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Human Resource Professionals work in industries like:
- Administrative and support services
- Public administration and safety
- Health care and social assistance
- Professional, scientific and technical services.
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, annual average 2021.
Regions
Employment across Australia
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Employment by State and Territory (% Share)
State | Human Resource Professionals | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
NSW | 33.0 | 31.6 |
VIC | 25.4 | 25.6 |
QLD | 18.5 | 20.0 |
SA | 6.0 | 7.0 |
WA | 11.0 | 10.8 |
TAS | 1.6 | 2.0 |
NT | 1.2 | 1.0 |
ACT | 3.3 | 1.9 |
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Around 74% of Human Resource Professionals live in capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 62%.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Worker profile
Age and gender
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The median age of Human Resource Professionals is 37 years. This is similar to the all jobs average of 40 years.
A large share of workers are aged 25 to 34 years.
Females make up 72% of the workforce. This is 24 percentage points above the all jobs average of 48%.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.
Age Profile (% Share)
Age Bracket | Human Resource Professionals | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
15-19 | 0.3 | 5.0 |
20-24 | 6.7 | 9.3 |
25-34 | 36.0 | 22.9 |
35-44 | 27.5 | 22.0 |
45-54 | 18.1 | 21.6 |
55-59 | 5.9 | 9.0 |
60-64 | 3.6 | 6.0 |
65 and Over | 1.8 | 4.2 |
Median Age | 37 | 40 |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Employment Pathways
Education, training and experience
Formal qualifications are not essential to work as a Human Resource Professional. Although some workers have a Vocational Education and Training (VET) or university qualification in human resources.
Visit
- Course Seeker to search and compare higher education courses.
- ComparED to compare undergraduate and postgraduate student experiences and outcomes.
- My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
- AAPathways website to explore Business Services VET training pathways.
Highest Level of Education (% Share)
Type of Qualification | Human Resource Professionals | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate | 14.3 | 10.1 |
Bachelor degree | 35.9 | 21.8 |
Advanced Diploma/Diploma | 16.1 | 11.6 |
Certificate III/IV | 12.3 | 21.1 |
Year 12 | 15.1 | 18.1 |
Year 11 | 2.4 | 4.8 |
Year 10 and below | 3.9 | 12.5 |
Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Skills and Knowledge
Employers look for Human Resource Professionals who have strong people skills, who are well presented and can communicate clearly.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
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59%
Active listeningListening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
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59%
Reading comprehensionReading work related information.
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57%
SpeakingTalking to others.
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57%
Critical thinkingThinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
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55%
Social perceptivenessUnderstanding why people react the way they do.
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55%
WritingWriting things for co-workers or customers.
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54%
MonitoringKeeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
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52%
Coordination with othersBeing adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
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48%
Serving othersLooking for ways to help people.
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46%
Judgment and decision makingFiguring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
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46%
Active learningBeing able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
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45%
Complex problem solvingNoticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
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45%
InstructingTeaching people how to do something.
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45%
Learning strategiesFiguring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
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45%
NegotiationBringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
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45%
PersuasionTalking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
-
43%
Management of personnel resourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
-
43%
Time managementManaging your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
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41%
Systems evaluationMeasuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
-
39%
Systems analysisFiguring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
-
86%
ClericalWord processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
-
81%
Personnel and human resourcesRecruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
-
67%
Administration and managementBusiness principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
-
62%
Customer and personal serviceUnderstanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
-
58%
Computers and electronicsCircuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
-
58%
English languageEnglish language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
-
44%
Education and trainingCurriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
-
43%
MathematicsArithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
-
38%
Law and governmentHow our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
-
34%
PsychologyHuman behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
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33%
Therapy and counsellingDiagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and career counselling and guidance.
-
33%
Economics and accountingEconomics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.
-
31%
Philosophy and theologyPhilosophical systems and religions, including their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and impact on society.
-
30%
Public safety and securityUse of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
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28%
Communications and mediaMedia production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
-
27%
Sociology and anthropologyGroup behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
-
25%
Sales and marketingShowing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
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19%
Technical designDesign techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
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18%
TelecommunicationsTransmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
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16%
Production and processingRaw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities..
-
57%
Deductive reasoningUse general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
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57%
Oral comprehensionListen to and understand what people say.
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57%
Written comprehensionRead and understand written information.
-
55%
Oral expressionCommunicate by speaking.
-
55%
Written expressionWrite in a way that people can understand.
-
54%
Near visionSee details that are up-close (within a few feet).
-
52%
Speech recognitionIdentify and understand the speech of another person.
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52%
Problem spottingNotice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
-
52%
Speech claritySpeak clearly so others can understand you.
-
52%
Inductive reasoningUse lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
-
50%
Sorting or orderingOrder or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
-
50%
CategorisingCome up with different ways of grouping things.
-
45%
BrainstormingCome up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
-
45%
OriginalityCome up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.
-
43%
Flexibility of closureSee a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
-
36%
MemorizationRemember things like words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
-
36%
Perceptual speedUse your eyes to quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
-
36%
Speed of recognitionQuickly make sense of and organize things you can see like letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
-
34%
Selective attentionPay attention to something without being distracted.
-
32%
MathematicsChoose the right maths method or formula to solve a problem.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
-
76%
Planning and prioritising workDeciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
-
72%
Building good relationshipsBuilding good working relationships and keeping them over time.
-
72%
Communicating within a teamGiving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
70%
Negotiating and resolving conflictsHandling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.
-
67%
Hiring and organising staffRecruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees.
-
67%
Providing office supportDoing day-to-day office work such as filing and processing paperwork.
-
64%
Scheduling work and activitiesWorking out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
-
62%
Researching and investigatingLooking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
-
62%
Communicating with the publicGiving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
60%
Making decisions and solving problemsUsing information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
-
59%
Keeping your knowledge up-to-dateKeeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
-
57%
Assessing and evaluating thingsWorking out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.
-
57%
Making sense of information and ideasLooking at, working with, and understanding data or information.
-
57%
Guiding and directing staffGuiding and directing staff, including setting and monitoring performance standards.
-
57%
Collecting and organising informationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.
-
57%
Checking compliance with standardsDeciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
-
56%
Documenting or recording informationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
-
50%
Looking for changes over timeComparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
-
50%
Working with computersUsing computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
-
45%
Explaining things to peopleHelping people to understand and use information.
Interests and demands
Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
-
86%
EnterprisingStarting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
-
67%
AdministrativeFollowing set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
-
57%
HelpingWorking with people. Helping or providing service to others.
-
38%
AnalyticalIdeas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
-
38%
CreativeWorking with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
-
14%
PracticalPractical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
Values
-
81%
RelationshipsServe and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
-
76%
SupportSupportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.
-
71%
AchievementResults oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
-
69%
Working conditionsJob security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.
-
57%
IndependenceWork alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.
-
57%
RecognitionAdvancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.
Demands
-
100%
Electronic mailUse electronic mail.
-
100%
TelephoneTalk on the telephone.
-
98%
Face-to-face discussionsTalk with people face-to-face.
-
91%
Contact with peopleHave contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
91%
Letters and memosWrite letters and memos.
-
90%
Unstructured workHave freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
-
87%
Freedom to make decisionsHave freedom to make decision on your own.
-
86%
Spend time sittingSpend time sitting at work.
-
84%
Indoors, heat controlledWork indoors with access to heating or cooling.
-
84%
TeamworkWork with people in a group or team.
-
82%
Being exact or accurateBe very exact or highly accurate.
-
82%
Frequent decision makingFrequently make decisions that impact other people.
-
80%
Impact of decisionsMake decisions that have a large impact on other people.
-
79%
Time pressureWork to strict deadlines.
-
76%
Conflict situationsDeal with conflict or disagreements.
-
72%
Contact with the publicWork with customers or the public.
-
71%
Angry or unpleasant peopleDeal with unpleasant, angry, or rude people.
-
71%
Making repetitive motionsSpend time making repetitive motions.
-
70%
Responsible for outcomesTake responsibility for the results of other people's work.
-
69%
Repeating same tasksRepeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 13-1071.00 - Human Resources Specialists.
Links and downloads
Research and reports
The Skills Priority List provides a current labour market rating and a future demand rating for nearly 800 occupations nationally. Current labour market ratings are available for occupations at a state and territory level.
Downloads
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Occupation profiles data are available for download.
The Employment Projections are available for download.