Ohio’s economy was ranked the seventh largest in the nation in 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. A strong state economy inherently indicates a need for high quality human recourse professionals who can recruit, train, and manage a growing workforce.
And that demand is leading to lightning fast job growth in almost all HR job classifications. Recent data coming from the Ohio Occupational Employment Statistics shows strong projections for human resource managers and specialists during the ten-year period through 2026:
HR Management Roles
- Compensation and Benefits Managers: 5 percent increase for an average of 40 openings per year
- Human Resources Managers: 1 percent increase for an average of 390 openings per year
- Training and Development Managers: 5 percent increase for an average of 80 openings per year
Non-managerial HR Roles
- Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists: 3 percent increase for an average of 310 openings per year
- Human Resources Specialists: 4 percent increase for an average of 2,080 openings per year
- Training and Development Specialists: 9 percent increase for an average of 1,010 openings per year
- Labor Relations Specialists: 1 percent increase for an average of 490 openings per year
- Human Resources Assistants: 6 percent increase for an average of 490 openings per year
In 2016, the U.S. Census Bureau compiled a list of employers that contribute to the strengthening of the Ohio workforce, and that drive demand for human resource professionals:
- Wal-Mart – employs 50,625
- Cleveland Clinic – employs 39,300
- Kroger – employs 39,000
- Catholic Healthcare Partners – employs 31,300
- Wright-Patterson Air Force Base – employs 27,100
- University Hospitals – employs 21,000
- JP Morgan Chase – employs 20,500
- Giant Eagle – employs 19,500
- OhioHealth – employs 16,500
- Meijer – employs 15,500
- General Electric – employs 15,000
What Ohio’s Employers Look for in a Human Resources Professional
Expanding job opportunities for human resource professionals generally aligns with the growth of major industries in a state. The size and stability of major industries determines the need for human resource professionals responsible for employee screening, recruiting, training, and payroll management (shown for illustrative purposes only):
Human Resources Careers in Government
For State of Ohio Government jobs in human resources, all applicants should have a bachelor’s degree in human resources, business, or public administration, along with two to three years of experience in human resources or one year of experience as a human capital management associate.
Positions with specific agencies include (shown for illustrative purposes only):
- Human Capital Management Analyst for the State of Ohio Transportation Agency in Ross County
- Human Capital Management Analyst for the State of Ohio Rehabilitation & Correction Agency in Trumbull County
- Human Capital Management Analyst for the State of Ohio DODD Mt. Vernon Developmental Center in Knox County
- Human Capital Management Analyst for the State of Ohio Public Safety Agency in Franklin County
- Human Capital Management Analyst for the State of Ohio Public Safety Agency in Franklin County
- Human Capital Management Senior Analyst for the State of Ohio Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities Agency in Franklin County
Human Resources Careers in Ohio’s Private Sector
In the private sector, human resources job titles range from payroll administrator to employee relations supervisor (shown for illustrative purposes only):
- Payroll and HR Administrator for Anderson International Corporation in Stow—This position requires that applicants have a bachelor’s degree in human resources or accounting, along with three to five years of experience in payroll. This role manages the HRIS/Payroll system, assists with recruiting and job posting, and manages vacation, PTO, and OSHA.
- Human Resources Manager for Johnson Controls in Northwood—This position requires a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in human resources and eight years of experience, but some years of experience can be substituted for a master’s degree in human resources. The position supports the large organizational needs, including ensuring that the location’s talent and HR needs are met.
- Human Resources Manager for RealFlex Applications LLC in Copley—This position requires a bachelor’s degree in human resources and seven to ten years of experience, with at least five years as an HR partner or consultant. The manager assists in developing and implementing HR processes, programs, and initiatives, and protects the interests of employees and the company.
- Human Resources Assistant for CommuniCare Health Services in Columbus– Applicants for this position will need a bachelor’s degree in human resource management or a degree in a related field with a human resource certification (PHR, SPHR). You will be responsible for screening applicants, processing new hires, maintaining employee files, and processing HR paperwork.
- Human Resources Business Partner with Volaris Group in Canton—Applicants should have a bachelor’s degree in human resources or business management, along with five to ten years of experience in human resources. This position requires you to work on compensation practices, organizational diagnosis, employee relations, diversity, performance management, and more.
Earning the Right Degree for a Career in Human Resources
Job applicants with higher levels of education and distinction are more likely to obtain their preferred jobs in the human resources field. Although Ohio employers prefer to hire human resources professionals with advanced degrees and certifications, many professionals are able to start their career after obtaining a bachelor’s degree.
Earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources
Bachelor’s degrees in human resources (BA, BS, BBA) prepare graduates for lower-level management and human resources generalist positions. These jobs involve recruiting, selection, affirmative action, equal employment opportunity, benefits administration, strategic planning, employee records, policy, labor relations, employment laws and more.
Core courses for bachelor’s degrees in human resources will generally include:
- Business language
- Computer concepts and applications
- Management
- Business applications
- Human resources management
- Legal environment of business
- Personnel interviewing
- HR policy and procedure writing
- Employee training
- Labor relations
- Mandatory benefit
- Voluntary benefits
- Workplace safety
- HR records management
Potential job opportunities in Ohio for human resource professionals with bachelor’s degrees are listed here:
- Payroll and HR Administrator for Anderson International Corporation in Stow
- Human Resources Assistant for CommuniCare Health Services in Columbus
- Human Resources Manager for RealFlex Applications LLC in Copley
- HR Generalist for Ohio Northern University in Ada
Earning a Master’s Degree in Human Resources
Because advanced HR positions generally require five to ten years of human resources experience, applicants who have advanced education—such as a master’s degree—will be more likely to obtain jobs in upper-level management, consulting, and as an HR partner.
Graduate programs in human resources range in titles, including:
- MA or MS in Human Resources
- MA or MS in Human Resource Management
- Master of Business Administration (MBA) with concentration in Human Resources
Depending on the degree, human resources professionals will be able to specialize their area of study at the graduate level.
For instance, an MS in Human Resource Management generally offers courses such as:
- Strategic human resource management
- Employment law
- Compensation and incentive systems
- Organizational development and intervention
- Organizational leadership
- International human resources
On the other hand, an MBA with a concentration in Human Resources is more likely to offer courses such as:
- Executive leadership and business strategy
- Financial management
- Marketing management
- Operations and project management
- Human capital management
For illustrative purposes, potential job opportunities for HR professionals with advanced degrees and experience are listed here:
- Human Resources Manager for Johnson Controls in Northwood
- Human Resources Manager for RealFlex Applications LLC in Copley
Human Resources Certifications
Certifications for human resource professionals can be obtained either through one of three agencies:
Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
- SHRM-CP (certified professional)
- SHRM-SCP (senior certified professional)
HR Certification Institute (HRCI)
- Associate Professional in Human Resources (aPHR)
- Associate Professional in Human Resources – International (aPHRi)
- Professional in Human Resources (PHR)
- Professional in Human Resources – International (PHRi)
- Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR)
- Senior Professional in Human Resources – International (SPHRi)
- Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR)
International Public Management Association for Human Resources (IPMA-HR)
- Certified Professional (IPMA-CP)
- Senior Certified Professional (IPMA-SCP)
HR Associations and Staffing Firms in Ohio
Joining an Ohio human resources association is a great way to network with other human resource professionals in the area. Ohio human resources associations and staffing firms include, but are not limited to:
Ohio’s HR Professional Associations
- Human Resources Association of Central Ohio
- Ohio State Council of Society for Human Resources
- HR Leadership Group of Northeast Ohio
- Northwest Ohio Human Resources Association
- Springfield Human Resources Management Association
Human Resources Staffing Firms in Ohio
- Integrity Staffing Services
- Safe Staffing in Ohio
- Reliable Staffing Services
- Employ – Temps Staffing Services
Examples of HR positions were taken from a survey of job listings in the state at the time of this writing and are shown for illustrative purposes only. These examples do not represent job offers or positions that are currently available.
Job growth projections sourced from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and published in the U.S. Department of Labor-funded Long Term Occupational Projections (2016-2026) database – https://projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm. Employment conditions in your area may vary.
All salary and job growth data accessed in October 2019.