Job: Human Resources Specialist (42A)

JOIN THE U.S. ARMY!
To be a U.S. Army Soldier is to be a part of the strongest fighting force in the world. You'll spend your days training, working and serving together to protect America's freedoms. But you'll also have time after work for family, friends and personal interests. From recruitment to retirement, the U.S. Army provides a unique and diverse lifestyle for Soldiers.


Human Resources Specialists are central to providing the Army with qualified Soldiers. A Human Resources Specialists primarily helps Soldiers develop their Army careers, but also provides personnel support and assistance to all divisions of the Army. Some of your duties as a Human Resources Specialist may include:

* Prepare orders and request for orders
* Prepare personnel accounting and strength management reports
* Prepare and process recommendations for awards and decorations and arranges for awards ceremony
* Process classification/reclassification actions
* Prepare, update, and coordinate requests for evaluations, to include responding to evaluation inquiries
* Prepare and monitor requests for reductions, transfers, and discharges
* Type military and non-military correspondence in draft and final copy
* Prepare and maintain officer and enlisted personnel records

Job training requires nine weeks of Basic Training, where you'll learn basic Soldiering skills, and nine weeks of Advanced Individual Training and on-the-job instruction. Some of the skills you'll learn are:

* Basic typing skills
* How to prepare Army correspondence and forms
* How to manage personnel records and computer update and retrieval procedures

Helpful attributes include:

* Interest in English, speech, business administration and typing
* Ability to follow detailed procedures and instructions
* Ability to communicate and write clear instructions or correspondence
* Interest in working closely with others

Advanced level Human Resources Specialists provides guidance, supervises and trains other Soldiers within the same discipline.

* Perform duties shown at preceding skill level

In civilian life, a Human Resources Specialist could work in any business that requires personnel or human resources experience. The payroll, timekeeping and human resources departments of most companies require the kinds of skills that you'll acquire as a Human Resources Specialist.

* Chaplain Assistant (56M)
* Paralegal Specialist (27D)

Learn more about the relationship between military training and civilian certification requirements.