Human resources and recruitment officers
Career Overview
Human resources and recruitment officers identify and advertise job vacancies, recruit appropriate candidates and help with the selection and reassignment of employees.
Workers in this group:
- Are familiar with the business operations of their employer and provide support to assist in the success of the business
- Are employed in both the public and the private sectors
- Have excellent organizational and verbal and written skills
- Can gracefully deal with the concerns of individuals who are upset or in disagreement
Job Titles
Duties
Human resources and recruitment officers perform some or all of the following duties:
- Identify current and future staffing requirements, prepare and post notices and advertisements, and collect and screen applications
- Advise job applicants on employment requirements
- Review candidate applications and contact potential applicants to arrange interviews and transfers, or to redeploy and place personnel
- Recruit graduates of colleges, universities and other educational institutions
- Co-ordinate and participate in selection and examination boards to evaluate candidates
- Notify applicants of results of selection process and prepare job offers
- Advise managers and employees on staffing policies and procedures
- Organize and perform staff consultation and complaint procedures
- Negotiate settlements of appeals and disputes and co-ordinate termination of employment process
- Determine eligibility to entitlements, arrange staff training and provide information or services such as employee assistance, counselling and recognition programs
- Supervise personnel clerks and perform filing and record-keeping duties
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.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
3,925% Employed Full Time
66%Human resources and recruitment officers are typically employed by larger organizations. Work takes place in an office environment for approximately 35 to 40 hours during the work week although working evenings or on weekends as well as some travel may be required.
These workers interact with employees, job applicants and members of management. They may represent their organization in developing important relationships with competitors, government, educational institutions and the public, which can be critical for the business to achieve its priorities.
Human resources and recruitment officers must be able to carefully deal with sometimes challenging or potentially stressful situations that may arise from hiring, employee qualifications, staffing shortages, employment equity and privacy issues.
Career Pathways
Recent graduates may be hired at the junior administrative level. Such positions may include: human resources generalist, recruitment coordinator, administrator or assistant, staffing administrator, personnel administrator or human resources administrator, coordinator or assistant.
Workers with experience and further education may progress to specialist and management positions, such as recruiters, recruitment managers, staffing managers, personnel managers, human resources managers, recruitment specialists or self-employed recruiters.
As well, many specialist opportunities may be available to experienced workers, and work may involve international recruiting, immigration, compensation and benefits, health and safety and developing strategies for employee retention.
Related Careers
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:
Education, Training and Skills
Human resources and recruitment officers are generally required to have a college diploma or university degree in a field related to human resources management. Other training may include:
- A university degree or college diploma in a field related to personnel management such as business administration, industrial relations, commerce or psychology, or
- Completion of a professional development program in personnel administration is usually required
- Certification as a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP). Many employers are now are placing a stronger emphasis on CHRP certification, which may become a standard requirement in the future
- Some experience in a clerical or administrative position related to personnel administration may be required
For more information, consult the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources of British Columbia and Yukon (CPHR BC& YK) at http://cphrbc.ca/.
Workers with 8,100 hours of documented, directly related work experience can challenge the Interprovincial Red Seal examination. For more information, please see SkilledTradesBC's website at https://skilledtradesbc.ca.
Human resources and recruitment officers who are certified for that occupation by a regulator elsewhere in Canada can apply for the same certification from the regulator in B.C. Under the terms of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), most applicants who are transferring their credentials from elsewhere in Canada will not be required to complete additional training or testing. However, the B.C. regulator may ask applicants to provide further information such as a letter of good standing, references, or criminal record check.
For those who trained outside of Canada and never received certification from any Canadian jurisdiction, a full assessment is likely needed. Most occupational regulators have a process for assessment and recognize internationally trained applicants.
Contact the regulatory authority for details on how to apply for certification in B.C. View a list of Professional Regulatory Authorities in B.C.
For information about labour mobility in Canada, visit www.workersmobility.ca.
Education programs in B.C.
Top 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!
Talking to others to share information effectively.
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.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Motivating, developing and directing people as they work, and identifying the best people for the job.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
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
3,925Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 70 | 1.8% |
| Kootenay | 35 | 0.9% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 2,955 | 75.2% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 30 | 0.8% |
| Northeast | 15 | 0.4% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 315 | 8.0% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 500 | 12.7% |
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 (2024-2034)
1,850Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 20 | 1.1% |
| Kootenay | 10 | 0.1% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 1,360 | 1.6% |
| North Coast and Nechako | Not available | Not available |
| Northeast | Not available | Not available |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 190 | 1.3% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 270 | 1.3% |
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
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 400 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 350 |
| Business, Building and Other Support Services | 330 |
| Public Administration | 190 |
| Educational Services | 110 |
Insights from Industry
Most job openings in this occupation are expected to result from retirements. B.C. is expected to experience difficulty filling skilled labour positions in the coming years, which will likely impact demand for workers as businesses, both public and private, will increasingly need personnel and recruitment officers to assist in recruiting and retaining skilled labour.
Many human resource professionals work for specialized consulting and recruitment firms that provide services to smaller clients unable to hire full-time workers. It is also becoming increasingly common for companies to hire consultants to do specialized work, rather than hiring a full-time human resources employee, so there may potentially be increased opportunities in private sector firms.
The demand for intermediate and senior personnel and recruitment officers will be greatest in larger urban areas or with larger employers in more remote locations, while rural areas are expected to have greater difficulty in obtaining skilled workers.
Applicants who have experience, as well as the ability to process and interpret data, prepare and deliver presentations and have a broad understanding of human resources trends will be most in demand by employers. Workers who are competent in using social networking technologies will also have an advantage.
Resources
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Chartered Professionals in Human Resources (CPHR) of British Columbia & Yukoncphrbc.ca