Education · 1 of 5

The path

A degree opens the door, but the first real job is usually an assistant or coordinator role, and everyone starts there.

1. 1

   High school diploma

   Grade 12

   Business, accounting, psychology and any class that makes you write and speak in front of people.

2. 2

   Bachelor's degree

   4 years

   Human resources, business, psychology or communications all work. The federal career profile lists a bachelor's degree as the usual entry point.

3. 3

   An internship or a campus job

   Summers

   Any role where you handled schedules, hiring paperwork or onboarding. This is what gets you the interview.

4. 4

   Coordinator or recruiter

   1 to 3 years

   Job postings, interview scheduling, new-hire paperwork, benefits questions. Dull, and the fastest way to learn how a company really works.

5. 5

   Certify and specialize

   Year 2 onward

   Sit a professional exam, then pick a lane: recruiting, benefits and compensation, employee relations, or people systems and data.