The types of jobs available for people holding labor relations degrees
The labor relations degree track is relatively new to colleges but the job it prepares students for has been around for a long time. Since the middle ages when traders guilds started, people ranging from factory managers to merchants to kings have needed to interact with their labor forces and negotiate. Labor relations itself, as a part of human resources in general helps prepare you for the following jobs: Employment and recruiting specialist, Compensations manager, Employee assistance manager, and director of industrial relations.
As an employment and recruiting specialist you will be in charge of finding and placing new employees for your company, or possibly for a recruiting firm. You will get to read resumes do interviews and evaluate potential applicants. This can be done both with your existing employees or brand new applicants depending on the position.
If you get a job as a compensation manager you can expect you will be expected to create or evaluate the company pay system and be responsible for making sure employees are paid fairly. You will also get opportunities to develop other non-pay reward systems for the firm’s employees. Similar to a compensation manager you could become a benefits manager and be responsible for the health insurance, pensions, and other benefits that the company provides to its employees.
If you become an employee assistance manager you will get to develop and implement programs designed to promote healthy living, workplace safety, and career counseling for employees. IN addition you will also get to help ensure that employees get their physical fitness and medical fitness evaluated properly and fairly.
If you succeed in your career you may even get an opportunity to become the director of industrial relations. IN many cases a person will have experience already in human resources or working at that company and go back to school to get to their labor relations degree to help them be competitive for this position. As the director of labor relations you will negotiate with unions, resolve disputes, and implement grievance policies company wide.
