HR and recruitment graduate jobs & schemes 2025

HR is a broad field with several career paths, including:

• Talent Acquisition & Recruitment: Focuses on hiring and employer branding.
• Learning & Development (L&D): Helps employees grow through training and career development programs.
• HR Consulting: Advises companies on HR strategy, culture, and workforce planning.
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI): Develops policies to create inclusive workplaces.
• Compensation & Benefits: Manages salaries, bonuses, and employee perks.
• Employee Relations & Employment Law: Handles workplace disputes and legal compliance.

Salaries in HR vary depending on the role and sector:

• HR Graduate Schemes: £25,000 – £32,000
• Talent Acquisition & Recruitment: £22,000 – £30,000 (commission may apply)
• HR Generalist Roles: £24,000 – £30,000
• HR Consulting (e.g., Big Four firms): £30,000 – £40,000
• Learning & Development / DEI Roles: £25,000 – £35,000

Corporate HR roles tend to pay less than HR consulting, but salaries rise with experience.

HR professionals are needed in nearly every industry, but key employers include:

• Corporate Firms: Large employers like Unilever, Google, and Amazon.
• Professional Services & Consulting: Big Four firms (PwC, Deloitte, EY, KPMG).
• Financial Services: Banks, insurance firms, and asset management companies.
• Public Sector & Non-Profits: NHS, government, charities.
• Retail & Hospitality: Large chains like Tesco, John Lewis, and Marriott.

The best degrees for getting a HR graduate job are human resources management, business administration, business education or something similar – although many companies welcome students of all academic disciplines.

Most degrees will likely give you the required skills (i.e. excellent communication, critical thinking and conflict resolution) to succeed in the role.

• Communication & interpersonal skills – HR involves constant interaction.
• Problem-solving & conflict resolution – Especially in employee relations.
• Commercial awareness – Understanding business strategy is key.
• Organizational & multitasking skills – HR covers multiple responsibilities.
• Data & HR tech knowledge – Many companies use HR software for analytics and payroll.

HR graduate schemes can be highly competitive , especially in top firms. There are usually fewer spots compared to other fields

• Get HR-related work experience – Internships, part-time HR roles, or admin work.
• Volunteer for people-focused roles – E.g., mentoring, recruitment fairs, student union activities.
• Develop HR-specific skills – Learn about HR software, employment law, or diversity initiatives .
• Show commercial awareness – Understand how HR contributes to business success.
• Network – Connect with HR professionals via LinkedIn or career events.