Specialization, international expansion, training, regulatory compliance and rising health care costs are only some of the many issues that are expected to increase the demand for qualified employment, recruiting and staffing workers in the coming years. In other words, in an increasingly complex employment market, people are a growth industry. Human resources jobs are evolving rapidly; opportunities are particularly strong for trainers, specialists, consultants and temporary staffing professionals.

Experience and training qualifications in the HR industry can vary widely. For traditional HR jobs dealing with compensation, benefits, and employee relations, anything from on-the-job training to a bachelor’s degree in human resources or labor relations may be required. For HR executive jobs or management positions, a law degree or labor or business-related master’s degree is advantageous. Certification as a PHR (Professional in Human Resources) or SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resources) is another way to qualify for management opportunities. With the hiring and even the laying off of employees now being outsourced by many companies, HR consulting firms are an excellent place to look for training or recruiting jobs. Continued growth in the temporary employment industry will likewise create new openings for professional staffing jobs.