A Brief Introduction to HR Jobs in India

Have you always liked being around people? Talking to them, finding out their passions in life, encouraging them to aim for the upper echelons of career, growth and professional development. Maybe you really get into the nitty-gritty of managing people, coordinating groups, finding out their problems and possible solutions...all within a social atmosphere and environment that oozes compassion, teamwork and friendliness.

If you’ve been nodding your head in affirmation all along, then perhaps a job in Human Resources as an HR professional might be your ultimate calling. While you agree to all the qualities we’ve listed above, there’s much you have to do and learn.

Don’t worry, we’ll tell you as much as you need to know about the world of Human Resources — the skills you need to master, the job responsibilities, eligibility criteria, the jobs and roles, including the hiring companies and so much more.

Without further ado, let’s get started about what it truly means to be a successful HR professional in India, the various requirements of the job, and your chances of landing one in the best firms across the country.

1) The Big Q: What is the function of HR professionals in any industry or sector?

Well, that would totally depend on the industry you’re in, the nature and operations of your company, and finally, your role in the company as an HR professional. All of these parameters will dictate if you’re to focus on one aspect of the HR or handle multiple tasks.

In the case of the former i.e., a particular area of an HR job, you could be given the responsibility to consult with the higher ups and the executives, contribute towards strategic planning or help the business and its leaders connect with their employees.

Multiple roles or a particular area, that’s the name of the game as an HR professional. Or you could say that HR professionals are split into two spectrums —HR specialist and HR generalist.

If you want to take up the role of an HR specialist then your on-the-job duties would most revolve around specific HR work. But this work that you do will mostly focus on either training or recruiting. In most of the large companies and businesses, HR specialists are usually engaged in training, recruiting or both.

On the other hand, HR generalists constantly organize and cope with a variety of undertakings. It could be a number of things that you handle as an HR generalist: pre-screening of potential employees, recruiting, screening, interviewing of shortlisted candidates, onboarding of selected candidates and induction.

And that’s not all. HR generalists also get into the thick of things and oversee payroll, employee benefits, conflict resolution, employee training, and employee relations. Some HR generalists must also shoulder the additional responsibility of handling administrative duties which may include the planning, coordinating and directions the various functions of the company.

There is definitely a fine line that divides the roles of an HR specialist and an HR generalist. It’s more of a blur between the two. And why not? Both HR specialists and generalists have almost similar duties. What’s more, the skills that both possess and the qualities required for both roles overlap at all times.

So, that’s good news, you won’t have to pick one and forget the other. You can start out as an HR professional, get to know whatever there is to know about both HR generalists and specialists, and finally pick one on the basis of your interests, experience and passion.

We’ll have you know that there are many HR roles that you can choose once you get more clarity about the job. You can choose to be a trainer, HR clerk, payroll specialist, HR clerk, development coordinator, HR assistant and so on.

2) Do I need a degree to be an HR professional?

Yes, you will require a degree. But you do have two options when it comes to the degree you will have to pursue to become an HR professional. You could either go for a Masters degree in Business Administration (MBA) with a specialization in Human Resources(HR) or a Master’s Degree in Human Resources.

Please be advised that while the aforementioned are the educational requirements for a career in Human Resources(HR), employers may have a variety of needs and wants which every candidate needs to fulfil. For example, for a vacant HR executive position, an individual with hands-on experience in HR affairs might have an advantage over an entry-level HR professional. The requirements also heavily depend on the reputation and size of the company.

Although an experienced candidate might have an upperhand, never count yourself out of the race as your interpersonal, personality and people skills can dictate the overall outcome.

3) Do HR Jobs in India hold promise in a country like India?

Yes, HR jobs hold great promise for job seekers in India. You’re talking about a country where the startup culture is rampant. What’s more, there are homegrown conglomerates in India that possess global presence. And if that’s not enough, the biggest brands that are not originally from India operate in and out of India on some level. Many countries depend on our country to fulfil their HR obligations. As such, there is always a demand for Indian talent and workforce.

But let’s leave the talent, economy, and the country aside for a moment and talk about Human Resources as a career. Irrespective of the industry or sector, every organisation, big or small, requires HR professionals.

Having said that, bear in mind that work experience matters a lot. If you have experience in handling people from an industry that is similar to the industry you want to join next, then you definitely qualify as a superior candidate for the HR job as opposed to someone who’s not. For instance, if you have a few years of experience as an HR professional in an IT firm then you will definitely be in the box seat as compared to another HR professional from the creative industry.

As things stand, know that you will always have plenty of options as an HR professional because the nature of the role is such that it isn’t limited by any industry. Simply put, you will always have the final say in which industry you want to enter when looking for HR jobs.

To put things in perspective, the following are some of the popular industries(areas) that heavily recruit HR professionals in India.

Administration
Technology
Healthcare
Sales
Hospitality
Finance
Education
Information Technology(IT)

4) What would an HR professional have to do upon joining a company? Can the various roles and responsibilities of an HR professional be elaborated?

Let’s take a look at some of the common responsibilities of an HR professional in India below.

Manage and maintain work policies within the organisation and ensure that they’re strictly followed by the workforce
Assimilate and build prospective resources based on the needs and wants of the employer
Shortlist all the eligible candidates who applied for the vacant post, practise direct and clear communication with them and then interview them on the basis of their qualifications and those required by the company
Perform and oversee training and onboarding of the new employees
Understand the exact recruitment needs of the company and then create and post vacancies
Run verification checks on all the applicants who have been shortlisted for selection
Ensure the upkeep of the company and work culture
Carry out highly engaging activities for the employees
Lead the way to reduce and end conflicts between the management and the employees

How to Find the Latest HR (Human Resources) Job Vacancies in India?

Let’s just assume that you’re an entry-level HR professional who has recently acquired a degree in HR. So, how and where would you look for HR jobs? The best course of action for a fresher HR professional looking for a job is to apply to vacancies at small businesses and companies.

The reason is simple — HR job opportunities at smaller companies provide you with multiple opportunities to learn all the aspects of HR jobs, including the overall functions. This happens because smaller companies usually do not have openings for HR specialist roles.

Learning at smaller companies widens your understanding of HR functions and various responsibilities. In a way, you could say that starting out small prepares you for jobs at bugger organisations. What’s more, since you will get a feel of almost every aspect of HR, figuring where your interests lie and what specialisation in the HR world you would want to take up in the future will be all the more easier.

Now comes the part where you actually need to apply for HR jobs at companies. The basic rule to finding your area of specialisation is zeroing in on the industry and the employer. When choosing the organisation you want to work for, be sure to reflect your interest and personality. Doing this will convey to the potential employer that you seek a professional relationship at the workplace that delivers absolute meaning.

When push comes to shove and you, in reality, have to impress the employer or the interviewer, shrewdly craft your resume so that you stand out from the crowd. Make use of every space on your curriculum vitae. Of course, details such as skills acquired, work experience, education etc. are the key highlights of your professional growth and career.

But only mentioning these doesn’t necessarily mean that you should miss out on the finer and smaller details such as the subject line, the salutation for the interviewer, the structure of the resume, the content you put in it, the signature etc.is one of the first things everybody sees on the resume. Be strategic about every little detail on your resume — that’s the bottomline.

Do you know what’s elementary to HR jobs? Some would say the work experience, or a college degree from a prestigious institution etc. Yes, you could say that. But even more than these are your personality, communication and people skills. If you do get an opportunity to flaunt your communication and written skills, take it.

It’s also important to note that HR professionals are also expected to be well-groomed and smartly dressed. Make it a point to be professionally dressed and groomed, at all times, but especially during the interview rounds.

How to Apply for HR Jobs Online on Rocket Jobs?

On Rocket Jobs, just about any eligible candidate can sign up for HR jobs in India. We list the eligibility requirements for HR openings so that you know the criteria for such a role.

There have been instances where HR professional jobs have opened the doorway for promotions to other higher job roles in other departments. Also, getting an HR job puts your administrative and management abilities on display. In India, candidates who dream to be an HR guru have a postgraduate degree in HR(as mentioned up top).

On Rocket Jobs, you can find HR jobs that are perfect for both entry-level & experienced candidates. On this page, you can find HR executive job openings advertised by the best companies in India.

Since all the HR jobs listed here are verified by our expert team of recruiters and AI-enabled algorithms, you can go ahead and apply the filters on the left-hand-side to shortlist all the HR executive vacancies in India that meet your own requirements.

Once you’ve done that, follow the steps given below to apply:

Click on “Book Interview” or “Apply with CV” button on the job card
Enter your first and last name, primary contact(mobile) number, and email address in the pop-up form and hit “Apply”
Then confirm your job application for the India HR executive job by entering the OTP
Enter mandatory details for your application, verify your email and hit “Confirm”.
Then enter secondary details and click on “Confirm”. The recruiter will be alerted with your details. By doing this, you give us the opportunity to find more HR jobs in India for you. However, if you want to conduct your own search for HR jobs in India, you can choose to skip this step.

What then? All you have to do is wait for the recruiter to respond. To track the progress of your applications for HR jobs in India, you can click on the “Applications’’ tab up top.

What Are the Benefits of Working as an HR?

Here are some of the benefits of working as an HR professional in India.

You will be positioned to influence the future of the organisation as you will be directly involved in the recruitment activities
The compensation received by HR professionals is above-average as compared to other professions. The reason? They are key to an organization's success and future plans
The professional responsibility of HR professional to have a pulse on the organisation’s day-to-day activities that revolve around employee welfare and happiness will ultimately lead to them changing people’s lives
Although technology, innovation and Artificial Intelligence are ever present in any jobs landscape, including HR, it will not be able to completely rid the world of human HR professionals. So, you could say that your job as an HR professional is secured, regardless of the technological advancements and automation

Basic Eligibility Criteria(Requirements) to Apply for an HR Job

As mentioned earlier, you will need a degree to be an HR professional. Let’s take a look at the educational requirement in detail. It’s important to note that the field of Human Resources requires a specialized degree. Most of the universities in India teach this subject only at the postgraduate level.

Interested candidates who want to take up Human Resource Management(HRM) as a postgraduate specialization must’ve completed their 10th, 12th and graduation(any discipline) from institutes and universities recognized by the Government of India. Furthermore, to do a PG in HR, the aggregate marks in 1oth, 12th, and Graduation must at least be 50%.

Many colleges accept students for a PG in HRM based on the aggregate % they receive in their 10th, 12th and graduation. However, the premier institutes in India require students to sit through a competitive examination where their aptitude, personality and critical thinking abilities will be tested. On successfully making the cut-off, shortlisted candidates have to take part in Group Discussions and also appear for interviews.

The competitive examinations are usually for government-funded organisations. Bear in mind that in the competitive examinations, candidates who belong to categories, such as SC, ST, OBC(NCL), EWS, PwD, are offered some respite in terms of the cutoff where it may be lowered.

As for the skill requirements to excel in the field of HR, the following are what you should possess or work on. Again, organizations necessitate the following skills or traits.

1) Project management

HR jobs require professionals to handle many projects. You could say that HR professionals are always pursuing, managing, and planning projects. They could be organising events or formulating(altering) organizational policies. If you’re a seasoned HR professional then it’s always best to highlight the details of the projects you handled. However, if you’re a fresher, you can jot down details of the HR-related courseware or completed internships in your resume.

2) Knowledge or skill in HR software

HR software systems are intrinsic to an HR professiona’s roles and responsibilities. While you may not be familiar with HR systems and software, make it a point to highlight your desire to learn new things.

3) Listening skills

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again — a true HR professional is a people person who excels at solving their problems. That said, you can only solve problems if you have the often-ignored trait of good listening.

This unique skill is something you should develop from the get-go. Or polish if you have it already. If you’re looking for a new HR professional job then make it a point to put your listening skills on display. Maybe you could mention instances where you solved problems faced by employees(or people) by listening to their grievances.

How To Get free HR job alerts?

Rocket Jobs is the right place to start your hunt for HR job opportunities in India. We have an assortment of HR executive jobs, from part-time HR executive jobs in India to permanent HR manager career opportunities for freshers and experienced.

On our platform, you can be assured of finding jobs in the HR domain. Not only that, but you can also seamlessly search for HR executive openings on the basis of your qualification. Once you sign up on our platform and set your filters based on salary, education, company, etc., free alerts about any new Human Resources employment opportunities in India will be sent directly to your email inbox.

Here is the process for easily setting-up HR executive job alerts using Rocket Jobs.

Open Rocket Jobs in your browser
Select 'Create job alerts'
In the form that opens up, enter relevant details like your name, email id, job category, location etc.
Give relevant keywords such as 'HR Executive', 'HR Manager', ‘Recruiter’ and so on in the ‘Add Keywords’ field
You can set the mail frequency on the form so that you get timely alerts.
Once you complete adding the information, click on 'Subscribe' to receive custom job notifications daily, monthly or weekly to your email inbox.

HR Jobs - FAQs

1) How much can I earn as an HR Generalist in India?

Here's what we have found for HR Generalist jobs in India according to recent compensation software and data reports.

An entry-level HR Generalist with less than 1 year work experience can expect to earn an average total compensation of INR 2,49,895 per year (including tips, bonuses and overtime pay)
An early-career HR Generalist with 1-4 years of work experience can expect to earn an average total compensation of INR 3,14,188 per year (including tips, bonuses and overtime pay)
A mid-career HR Generalist with 5-9 years of work experience can expect to earn an average total compensation of INR 4,85,162 per year (including tips, bonuses and overtime pay)
An experienced HR Generalist with 10-19 years of work experience can expect to earn an average total compensation of INR 8,73,303 per year (including tips, bonuses and overtime pay)
An HR Generalist in their late career with 20+ years of work experience can expect to earn an average total compensation of INR 21,14,928 per year (including tips, bonuses and overtime pay)

2) How much can I earn as an HR Specialist in India?

Here's what we have found for HR Specialist jobs in India according to recent compensation software and data reports.

An entry-level HR Specialist with less than 1 year work experience can expect to earn an average total compensation of INR 3,84,280 per year (including tips, bonuses and overtime pay)
An early-career HR Specialist with 1-4 years of work experience can expect to earn an average total compensation of INR 4,37,181 per year (including tips, bonuses and overtime pay)
A mid-career HR Specialist with 5-9 years of work experience can expect to earn an average total compensation of INR 6,55,503 per year (including tips, bonuses and overtime pay)
An experienced HR Specialist with 10-19 years of work experience can expect to earn an average total compensation of INR 9,29,189 per year (including tips, bonuses and overtime pay)
An HR Specialist in their late career with 20+ years of work experience can expect to earn an average total compensation of INR 14,37,500 per year (including tips, bonuses and overtime pay)

3) How can I find an HR job in India?

Through references: Employee referral is a common way to get in touch with potential employers. There are various professional websites and social media platforms where you can be referred by someone you know.

On Rocket Jobs: This is the one of the best ways to find HR jobs in India. Many employers are already on our portal, actively looking for HR generalists and specialists. You don’t have to hunt for jobs manually as we alert you about the opportunities instantly at no cost. What’s more, the hiring process is extremely hassle-free and quick.

Via the Employer Portal: This option makes sense if you have already zeroed in on the employer where you want to work as an HR professional. Just visit their company website, navigate to the employment/careers/jobs page, select the HR job post, and submit your resume.

4) What is the application fee to be paid by job seekers for HR jobs on Rocket Jobs?

None. Candidates who are applying to HR jobs in India, or any jobs for that matter do not have to pay any application or membership fee. The services are completely free of cost, including the free SMS/email alert service.

However, if any of the employers on Rocket Jobs request any kind of commission or fee from you, please contact us immediately with the details of the job posting/employer.