The demand for skilled talent in the human resources (HR) profession remains high in mid-2024. That means employers must intensify their efforts to hire and retain both long-term and short-term talent if they want to meet their hiring goals in the months ahead.
It helps to know which roles are in highest demand so you can prepare to compete effectively for top candidates — and understand where to amplify retention efforts within your organization.
Robert Half’s Demand for Skilled Talent report can equip you with that insight. It highlights the latest data from surveys of hiring managers and our analysis of thousands of job postings to help you make informed hiring and management decisions.
Let’s look at what we learned from our research for the midyear update of our report.
According to analysis of a proprietary dataset of more than 3.5 million U.S. job postings, including 60,000 Robert Half placements, the HR job market witnessed steady growth throughout 2024, culminating in the creation of over a quarter million jobs.
Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that unemployment rates for HR professionals have been trending below the national average, which was 4.1% in June. The rate for training and development specialists, for example, was 1.4% in Q2 2024, while the rate for HR assistants was 2.5%. The unemployment rates for payroll clerks and HR managers were 2.9% and 3.5%, respectively.
The business and professional services sector has played a significant role in recent job growth in the HR field, adding over 52,000 HR positions in 2023. Sectors that were major contributors to the HR job market in the first half of 2024 were government (12,000 jobs), healthcare (15,000 jobs) and manufacturing (16,000 jobs).
Explore our Demand for Skilled Talent report to see what specializations employers need most.
The following positions were selected for this list because they had consistent hiring demands in the first half of 2024 and high volumes of new openings. They represent the top 25% of in-demand HR roles, according to an analysis of thousands of job postings and Robert Half placements:
HR assistantHR generalistHR managerRecruiter
HR managers are trying to staff teams to help support several top strategic priorities for 2024, including initiatives focused on training and development and compensation and benefits. But many are facing increased competition for talent, particularly for positions that call for experience in HR operations, recruitment, and compensation and benefits.
Meanwhile, fewer professionals are actively looking for jobs. Robert Half’s research also shows that the Big Stay is in effect, with only 35% of U.S. workers planning to look for a new job in the second half of 2024. That’s down from 49% during the same period last year.
While 84% of hiring managers for HR departments said they face challenges finding skilled candidates in today’s hiring environment, many aim to recruit talent in the second half of 2024.
Well over half of HR managers (56%) said they plan to expand their teams and staff both new and vacated positions. Sixty-nine percent report that they are hiring for entry-level roles, while 52% seek talent for management positions.
To help augment their permanent teams, 51% of HR managers said they plan to increase their use of contract professionals in the second half of 2024, especially for roles in the following areas:
General HR
Training and development
Compensation and benefits
Future-forward measures, such as providing flexible work arrangements and the ability to learn and work with emerging technology like AI, can help companies attract and keep in-demand professionals. So, too, can providing more traditional offerings that many employees value today, such as:
Competitive compensation, including compelling perks and benefits
Opportunities for career advancement and professional development
Programs and policies that promote a healthy work-life balance (our workplace research shows one-third of professionals are experiencing high levels of burnout)
Employers may also want to consider engaging resources like specialized recruiters to find the HR talent they need, including passive job seekers prepared to make a move for the right opportunity and high-potential candidates willing to be trained.
Want more insights? Check out the full midyear update of Robert Half’s Demand for Skilled Talent report.
The Demand for Skilled Talent report by Robert Half is an authoritative source providing essential insights into employment trends. This report has offered a deep dive into the U.S. hiring landscape for over a decade, spotlighting challenges and strategies to attract and retain talent. It explores what employees seek in their careers, identifies common recruitment errors and suggests solutions. The report spans finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, administrative and customer support, and human resources, proving crucial for business leaders and managers.
