HR Manager Salary, HR Courses and HR Jobs Guide

HR is a people job inside every office, factory, hospital and bank. Students like it because it opens to every stream and does not need hard maths. In this guide I cover the HR manager salary at each stage, the HR courses that matter, how freshers get their first HR job, which government posts exist for HR graduates, and what the work feels like day to day. Most people reach a manager post after an MBA or PG diploma in HR and around 6 to 10 years of work.

HR full form in a job and what HR people do

HR stands for Human Resources. When a company says "HR will call you", it means the team that hires, pays and looks after employees. The HR meaning in a job covers these tasks:

• Recruitment: writing job posts, screening CVs, setting up interviews and making offers.
• Onboarding: joining formalities, documents, induction for new staff.
• Payroll and HR operations: attendance, leave, salary inputs, PF and ESI work, employee records.
• Performance and training: appraisal cycles, training plans, promotions.
• Employee relations and labour law: grievances, discipline, union talks, following labour codes and rules.
• Policy and culture: leave rules, workplace safety, the anti-harassment committee, engagement events.

An HR recruiter job description focuses only on hiring. An HR executive job description is broader: hiring, joining, records and payroll support. An HR manager leads a team, sets policy and advises senior management on people decisions.

HR courses after 12th and after graduation

You can enter HR from any stream. Here are the main human resources courses, from a first degree to an HR management course at PG level.

Among MBA courses, human resource management is a popular specialisation. The CAT exam gives entry to the IIMs and many other B-schools. MBA HR courses at government universities cost much less than private ones, where two-year fees can run into several lakh. See our MBA career page for more.

Short HR courses online, including some free online HR courses with certificates, are fine for learning basics like Excel, HR analytics or labour law. Treat them as add-ons. Employers still look first at your degree, your MBA or MA and your internships.

HR jobs for freshers: how to get the first one

Human resources jobs for beginners, like most HR jobs for freshers, start at the executive or assistant level. Common titles are HR assistant, HR intern, recruiter or talent acquisition executive, HR operations executive and payroll executive. Here is what helps you land one:

• A summer internship in HR during your MBA, MA or BBA.
• Good spoken and written English, plus the local language of your city.
• Comfort with Excel and basic HR software.
• Basic knowledge of PF, ESI, gratuity and the labour codes.

HR recruiter jobs are the easiest door for many graduates, even without an MBA, because recruitment and staffing firms hire in large numbers. Remote HR jobs also exist, mainly in recruitment, but most HR roles still need you in the office. MBA HR fresher jobs come mostly through campus placement.

HR jobs in India are spread across cities. Metros and large industrial hubs have the most openings, but HR executive jobs also come up in tier 2 cities like Nagpur, Nashik, Mysore, Dehradun, Mohali, Guwahati and Visakhapatnam, in factories, hospitals, schools and service firms.

HR manager salary in India

HR salary in India depends on your qualification, institute, city and the size of the employer. These are broad ranges, not offers.

So the human resource manager salary is usually somewhere between ₹10 lakh and ₹25 lakh a year in mid-sized and large firms, and lower in small businesses. The HR executive salary for a graduate without an MBA starts lower and rises more slowly. The MBA HR salary from a top institute can start much higher than these ranges. Use the calculator below to see the in-hand amount from any CTC offer.

HR government jobs

There are steady HR govt jobs for those who prefer sarkari naukri:

• HR or Personnel Officer in public sector banks: recruited through IBPS SO for Scale I posts. The notification usually asks for a graduate plus a PG degree or diploma in personnel management, industrial relations, HR, social work or labour law.
• HR posts in PSUs: many PSUs recruit HR executives or management trainees. Some use UGC NET scores in the HRM or labour welfare subject; others hold their own test. Read our UGC NET page.
• Labour Officer and Labour Welfare Officer: in state labour departments, usually through the state PSC, and in central labour bodies.
• Teaching: assistant professor in HRM after a master's and UGC NET.

Qualifications, age limit and pay change with each notice, so read the official advertisement before you apply. Government pay comes with DA, HRA and other allowances, which often makes the total package better than a similar private job at the start.

Is HR a good career

HR suits people who are patient, good listeners and fair. If you enjoy understanding people, also look at a psychology career.

How to become an HR manager: step by step

1. Pass class 12 in any stream and do BBA, BA or BCom.
2. Do a summer internship in HR or a recruitment firm during graduation.
3. Prepare for CAT, MAT, CMAT or your state MBA test for an HR specialisation; or do an MA in HRM or MSW.
4. Join as HR executive, recruiter or HR operations staff.
5. Add an HR analytics course and labour law knowledge in your first two years.
6. Move to HR business partner and then HR manager in about 6 to 10 years.

For more options, see jobs after BBA and jobs after graduation.