0112-NOC

Human resources professionals

(NOC 1121)
High opportunity occupation High opportunity occupation
Annual Earnings
$79,253
Typical Education Background
Degree
Job Openings
(2022-2032)
3,360

Career Overview

Human resources (HR) professionals develop and manage a range of activities for a company. This may include hiring and promoting employees; training and supporting workers; creating labour relations policies, programs and procedures; and laying off or firing people.

HR professionals work in the private and public sectors, may work for an HR consulting company, or may be self-employed.

Duties

In general, human resources professionals:

  • Plan and manage staff and labour relations including policies, programs and procedures
  • Oversee programs that support employees and make sure that the workplace is diverse, fair, respectful and inclusive
  • Write job descriptions, occupational classifications and pay scales
  • Hire, promote, layoff and fire staff
  • Develop and deliver training programs, or contract trainers to do this
  • Support management by providing advice on what jobs are needed and how employees can be supported
  • Tell employees about policies, pay rates, benefit programs and union agreements
  • Settle collective agreements on behalf of employers or workers, and act as a go-between in labour disputes and grievances
  • Co-ordinate employee job reviews
  • Oversee programs that make sure that the workplace supports health and safety measures, and put forward changes when necessary
  • Deliver programs that help employees to do their best work and help them to feel good about their work
  • Advise on wage/salary levels and other rewards programs
  • Set goals and make recommendations to senior management about HR efforts in the company
  • Manage HR risk to the company

In smaller companies, often one person handles all HR duties. In larger organizations, there is often a team of HR staff who work in specific HR areas.

Earnings

Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.

Annual Earnings

$79,253

Provincial Hourly Rate

High$57.95/hr
Median$38.00/hr
Low$25.00/hr
Source: B.C. Labour Market Information Office, derived from 2022 Job Bank Wage data

Work Environment

# Workers Employed

7,600

% Employed Full Time

65%
Source: 2016 Census

Human resources professionals generally work a five-day workweek, with a minimum of 40 hours per week.

Better technology means that some HR professionals are able to work from a home office. Technology has also helped HR professionals to be more productive. Examples of this include having a video call instead of an in-person meeting or working together by sharing an online document, allowing each person to access the most recent version of it.

Workers may experience back and neck injuries and eye strain from using computers for long periods of time.

Career Pathways

Recent graduates can expect to find work as an HR administrator, payroll co-ordinator, benefits clerk, recruitment co-ordinator, HR co-ordinator or HR advisor. Workers with more experience and education may take on roles such as HR generalist, senior specialist, benefits manager, compensation specialist, training manager and recruiting specialist. Over time, HR professionals can hold more senior roles such as HR manager, HR director, vice president of HR, chief HR officer, or a title that has come into being more recently: chief people officer.

Occupational Interests

It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.

For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.

Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:

Social
Social
Enterprising
Enterprising
Conventional
Conventional

Job Titles

Administrator, staff relations
Adviser, human resources
Agent, bargaining
Agent, business - labour union
Analyst, human resources policy
Analyst-researcher, compensation
Case manager, disability
Certified disability management pro.
Chief, compensation & HR information
Consultant, benefits / compensation
Consultant, industrial relations
Consultant, training and development
HR professional
Manager - compensation and benefits claims
Mediator-concilliator, labour relations
Officer, employment standards & practices
Officer, human resources
Officer, industrial relations
Officer, returning - labour relations
Organizer, labour / union
Representative, labour / union
Specialist, human resources

Education, Training and Skills

People in this career need a university degree or college diploma in a field related to personnel management (including business administration, industrial relations, commerce or psychology).

Some employers may expect a human resource professional to have:

  • Three to five years of work experience that shows growth in their job
  • Skills in using computer-based management information systems
  • A Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation
  • Understanding of the Employment Standards Act and other employment laws and regulations
  • Experience working with confidential information

Education programs in B.C.

The following program areas are related to this occupation:

  • Business Administration/Management/Commerce
  • Human Resources
  • International Business
  • Psychology (Arts)
  • Psychology (Science)
EducationPlannerBC Logo
Find out more information about programs offered specifically for this career.

Skills

Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.

Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.

See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!

Speaking

Talking to others to share information effectively.

78%
Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

78%
Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

76%
Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

72%
Writing

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

70%
Social Perceptiveness

Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

70%
Learning Strategies

Choosing and using training, instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

68%
Monitoring

Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

67%
Instructing

Teaching others how to do something.

67%
Judgment and Decision-Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

66%

Labour Market Statistics

Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.

Employment

Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.

Employment

7,600
Source: 2016 Census

Employment by Region

Map of BC Map of Cariboo region Map of Kootenay region Map of Mainland/Southwest region Map of North Coast and Nechako region Map of Northeast region Map of Thompson-Okanagan region Map of Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
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Region Employment (2022) % Employment of this Occupation
Cariboo 240 2.4%
Kootenay 140 1.3%
Mainland/Southwest 6,460 71.1%
North Coast and Nechako 100 1.1%
Northeast 90 0.8%
Thompson-Okanagan 710 7.9%
Vancouver Island/Coast 1,340 15.6%
Source: 2016 Census and B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Labour Market Outlook

The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.

Forecasted Job Openings (2022-2032)

3,360
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted Job Openings

Forecasted Employment Growth Rate

Composition of Job Openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Job Openings by Region (2022-2032)

Map of BC Map of Cariboo region Map of Kootenay region Map of Mainland/Southwest region Map of North Coast and Nechako region Map of Northeast region Map of Thompson-Okanagan region Map of Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
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Region Job Openings Avg. Annual Employment Growth
Cariboo 100 0.8%
Kootenay 40 1.3%
Mainland/Southwest 2,300 1.3%
North Coast and Nechako 0 1.0%
Northeast 0 0.0%
Thompson-Okanagan 300 1.6%
Vancouver Island/Coast 600 1.5%
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Industry Highlights

Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.

Forecasted Job Openings by Industry

IndustryJob Openings (2022-2032)
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services148,000
Public Administration49,200
Repair, Personal and Non-Profit Services46,100
Finance, insurance and real estate50,900
Health Care and Social Assistance149,700
For additional industry information, visit the Industry Profiles page.
Source: 2016 Census and B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Insights from Industry

While there are currently enough people graduating from HR programs, most recent graduates do not have the experience needed for a specialist role—and that means those jobs are in high demand. In the past few years, employers in B.C. and throughout Canada have found it difficult to find experienced HR professionals and HR generalists. This is expected to continue in the coming years until graduates gain the skills needed for these jobs.

HR professionals can work their way up in a business without a formal HR education or a CHRP designation. However, most companies want their HR person to have these qualifications. Employers also have a growing interest in HR professionals who can use technology and who have analytical skills.

People in this career who work for an HR agency may step into a client’s business for a number of weeks or months, depending on the client’s need, or may act in a “consultant” role, supporting HR professionals who work for that company.

Resources