HR Generalist: Job Description, Salary, Duties & More (2024)

The Human Resources department of many companies consists of several members.

These members are all focused on the recruitment and organization of staff to ensure peak productivity and functionality in the department.

The Human Resources department consists of the HR advisors, director, manager, and so on.

In many small companies, an HR generalist combines several HR roles, handling a wide range of HR duties.

HR Generalist Information Table

Official Job Title	HR Generalist
Average Salary	$57,963
Stress Level	Average
Work/ Life	High
Job Satisfaction	Average
Career Advancement	Average

HR Generalist Job Description

Who Is an HR Generalist?

A Human Resource Generalist or HR Generalist is an employee in the Human Resource department who can handle every task/responsibility in the department.

In simple terms, they’re a jack of all trades when it comes to HR duties.

Usually, there are HR specialist roles, where people work on specific HR duties like staff training, recruitment, employee relations, etc.

However, a generalist, as the name implies, is capable of working across all sectors.

Note that a generalist could have specialized functions.

Responsibilities, Duties, and Roles of an HR Generalist

An HR Generalist’s responsibilities comprise any duty you can think of in a Human Resource department.

Some of these include:

Recruitment and training of new staff
Reviewing employee performances
Handling benefits administration
Handling general employee welfare, health, and safety
Ensuring compliance with labor laws and health insurance.

What Does an HR Generalist Do on a Daily Basis?

Typically, HR generalists work for small establishments, where HR tasks are shuffled between a few generalists, who may submit to an HR manager.

Daily, HR generalists would be involved with the following:

Conflict resolution among employees
Monitoring and evaluating workers to ensure that company policy and practices are being followed
Advising the company management on how to satisfy needy staff
Monitoring the external mail and calls to and from the company.

HR Generalist Salary

According to Payscale:

Average Salary

The Average Salary of an HR Generalist is around $57,963.

Starting Salary

The starting salary for lower levels is usually around $50,141.

Senior Salary

And the Senior salary is usually around $61,852.

How To Become an HR Generalist

The Entry Level: Certification, Training & Degree

While some employers require a master’s degree, the minimum requirement for this role is a Bachelor’s degree in Human resources management, Business Administration, organizational development, or related majors.

Although certification isn’t always a requirement for employment, it shows that you have better knowledge about the position.

Plus, it may give you a competitive edge over other applicants.

You can get several forms of HR certifications from several courses or online training.

Other Skill Sets, Requirements & Qualifications

To succeed as an HR generalist, you must have the following skills:

Be a good communicator.
Know how to manage interpersonal relationships, as you have to deal with many people.
Be trustworthy with confidential information.
Make excellent decisions, always.
Be computer literate
Be able to work with a team.

How Long Does It Take to Become an HR Generalist?

Becoming employed as an HR generalist may take a minimum of two years after your Bachelor’s degree.

You may intend to take some certification courses, and you would definitely need to work some entry-level jobs to gain valuable experience to work as a generalist.

Is It Hard to Become an HR Generalist?

No, it is not hard to become an HR Generalist.

With a Bachelor’s degree and some experience, you are good to go.

HR Generalist Career Paths

The HR Generalist Roadmap

The HR generalist journey is relatively short.

You have to get a bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline, get some certifications, and work as an entry-level HR officer.

After all these, you can apply to be an HR generalist.

Projections For Growth in HR Generalist Jobs

As an HR Generalist, you can be promoted to specialist positions like a Human Resources manager or advisor.

From there, you can be upgraded to become a director, where you will take part in board meetings.

In Summary: Is HR Generalist A Good Career?

An HR generalist has the opportunity to move up the corporate ladder very quickly. It is a promising career.

Working Conditions

Can an HR Generalist Work Remotely from Home?

No, HR Generalists do not work from home.

How Many Hours Does an HR Generalist Work?

HR Generalists actively work for about 40 hours a week.

Can an HR Generalist Work Part-Time?

No, HR Generalists and all HR staff must be around the workplace during all working hours.

What Are the Average Vacation Days of an HR Generalist?

HR generalists usually get an annual paid leave of 10 to 15 days.

However, the benefits typically differ, depending on experience level.

Alternative Careers & Similar Jobs to an HR Generalist

HR Generalist Resume Tips

To be employed as an HR Generalist, you need to be excellent at a wide range of soft skills.

Especially communication, tech-savviness, and human relations.

You must also be well experienced and familiar with the duties of HR, from intern roles and entry-level jobs.

Here are some tips for writing an appealing resume:

Outline your experiences in reverse chronological order, stating your most recent experiences first.
Talk about your responsibilities at lower-level roles, emphasizing your achievements using quantifiable numbers.
Let them know why your old company will miss you.

For example:

“With my development in… I created a unique system that improved employee productivity by 25% without increasing working hours

“I created an automatic workflow routine that helped new recruits easily get along. This fostered a great working experience, and employee retention rose by 10%.”

Highlight your responsibilities and achievements in the most appealing way possible.

Always highlight your experience working with teams.
This will show your interpersonal relationships and teamwork.
Show that you’re tech-savvy, don’t let your computer awareness be focused on just basic data processing applications.
Instead, talk about more software programs and how you can creatively use them.
Ensure to use the right keywords to pass through the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) software filter.

HR Generalist Interview Questions

What are your ideal recruitment approaches?

Why it works: It helps determine your HR skills. Staff recruitment is an essential requirement for HR positions, so you must be able to describe the methods you prefer.

Don’t say something generic; talk about your preference; the recruiter wants to see your unique processes.

How do you conduct training for new employees?

Why it works: This also tries to judge your HR skills.

This question is best answered using examples from your past experiences. Again, remember to be unique.

What are your conflict resolution techniques?

Why it works: This question helps to judge your human relation and interpersonal skills.

How well you can communicate and relate with fellow employees to ensure no personal friction deters the company from progressing.

What software and applications can you use?

Why it works: It helps to judge your tech-savviness and how you can make work easier with software.

Also, ensure to keep yourself updated with trends in the job so that you won’t be too obsolete for employment.

What skills do you consider vital for an HR official?

Why it works: It helps determine your skills. You are expected to mention skills you possess to a certain degree.

You should mention skills that your experience can back up.

Jobs Related To HR Generalist

Some careers related to HR generalist include the following:

Human Resource Specialist
Human Resource Assistant
Human Resource Representative
Human Resource Manager.

For HR Managers: Tips for Hiring an HR Generalist

Key Characteristics to Look for In an HR Generalist

HR generalists have a lot of requirements and expectations.

They must be intelligent, savvy, and creative because they are required to perform across all HR roles.

Therefore, when hiring an HR Generalist, you must ensure that he can communicate excellently with all staff members and managerial executives.

Emotional intelligence and interpersonal relation are also very vital.

For example, HR may be required to break the news of the staff’s dismissal.

The HR generalist in this role must ensure to do this in the best way possible to cushion the shock.

The HR will also be involved in writing official memos, documents, letters, and so on.

Therefore, an HR generalist must not only be a vocal communicator but must be an excellent writer.

As the direct link to all employees, the HR Generalist will have access to information.

Therefore, it is essential that someone in this role is respectful of privacy and keeps other people’s data confidential.

Minimum Level of Education and Experience

The minimum requirement to employ an HR generalist is a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, with some years of experience working in similar roles.