HR Training Center Guide
The HR generalist is the person an organization turns to for almost everything: hiring, pay questions, leave, a complaint, a policy. This guide collects our articles on the role, for people entering it, people doing it, and people hiring for it.
The first section describes the job and the career around it. The second covers what a generalist has to know to do the job well. The third helps you weigh certificates, certifications and training programs.
Start here
What an HR generalist is, what the role covers, and the skills it calls for.
Read the overviewStage 1
What the job is, what it pays, how it compares with neighboring roles, and how to get into it.
HR generalist salary explained with dated BLS figures: the median, the range, pay by industry, and how metro, company size and credentials affect offers.
Read the article →24 HR generalist interview questions by topic, with what a strong answer shows and the red flags to watch for. Written for candidates and hiring managers.
Read the article →Build an HR generalist resume that shows scope and results: the skills employers screen for, a fictional sample section, and mistakes that get resumes cut.
Read the article →HR generalist vs HR manager vs HR coordinator: how the three roles differ in scope, decision rights and typical experience, and how to move between them.
Read the article →Stage 2
The working knowledge: employment law, benefits, payroll and the compliance routines a generalist runs.
HR fundamentals for your first 90 days: a 30/60/90 plan covering I-9s, FLSA classification, posters, recordkeeping and leave laws by employee headcount.
Read the article →Stage 3
Certificate or certification, whether it is worth it, and how to choose a program.
Comparing HR certification online options? See how exam-based certifications (HRCI, SHRM) differ from HR certificate programs, and which fits your goal.
Read the article →A three-day, instructor-led program, in person or by video conference, covering the core areas of HR practice and employment law. It awards 18 SHRM and HRCI recertification credits.
A generalist handles the full range of HR work rather than one specialty: recruiting, onboarding, employee relations, benefits, leave, compliance and records. Our article on the HR generalist job description lists the duties and includes a sample description.
Most generalists move up from an HR assistant or coordinator role, or move across from payroll, benefits or office management, and add training in employment law and HR practice. Our career guide lays out the steps.
No. PHR and SHRM-CP are exam-based certifications with eligibility and recertification requirements. A certificate program is training you complete, and many award credits toward those certifications. Our article on certificates and certifications explains the difference.
It depends on where you are. It tends to help most for people new to HR, people who are the only HR person in their organization, and specialists broadening their scope. Our article on whether a generalist certification is worth it works through the decision.
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