Employment and Placement Specialist

Career Overview

Employment and placement managers supervise the hiring and oversee the departure of employees. In organizations of any size they supervise a staff of recruiting specialists, placement specialists and interviewers. An employment and placement manager reports to the director of human resources, and is responsible for developing a quality workforce and assuring that employees are placed in positions where they will function efficiently.

Education

The employment and placement process requires socialization skills. Professionals in this field should have some intuitive feel for a prospective employees strengths and weaknesses; they should also be able to align employees with positions where they fit, both as an individual and as part of a team. Degrees in psychology, industrial relations, the social sciences can apply; in some industries knowledge of the technology and production process may be necessary.

Employment

There were 197,000 employment and placement specialists working in the U.S. in 2006. They are scattered throughout businesses and industries; ninety percent of them work in the private sector. Some work for specialty placement firms who work on contract for employers.

Job Outlook

Positions in this field are expected to grow faster than the average pace of overall job growth, according to the Department of Labor. As the jobs that are staying in this country grow more complex it becomes more of a challenge to match potential employees with job roles. More employers will turn to professional placement firms, where job growth will be substantial.

Salary

Lowest 10% $28,030

Median Salary $45,470

Highest 10% $85,760

Source: U.S. Department of Labor