An HR Manager is the person who keeps the people side of an organization fair, legal, and working. You hire, pay, develop, and sometimes let go of people, and you advise leaders on hard calls. This path teaches you the 'why' behind each part of the job, starting with employment law and core HR functions, then adding the data, systems, and judgment that get you hired. Most HR managers hold a bachelor's degree (about 82%) and spend several years as a generalist or specialist first, so plan to build experience through entry roles, internships, or volunteer HR work for a nonprofit. Everything here
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Stage 1 of 4 · about 10 weeks
Learn what HR does and the basic rules. Understand the employee lifecycle (recruit, onboard, pay, develop, separate). Learn the main US laws: Title VII, ADA, FMLA, FLSA, ADEA, and OSHA basics. Get comfortable with Excel and clear business writing.
The employee lifecycle and what HR actually does
Every HR task fits somewhere in the lifecycle. If you can see the whole map, you will know why a hiring choice affects pay, why a pay error causes a complaint, and why a bad exit can become a lawsuit. This is the base for everything else.
Anti-discrimination law: Title VII, ADEA, and ADA
Hiring, discipline, pay, and firing all carry discrimination risk. HR managers are the people expected to spot it first. Knowing these three laws lets you advise managers before a mistake is made.
Wage, leave, and safety law: FLSA, FMLA, and OSHA basics
Pay mistakes and leave mistakes are among the most common and most costly HR errors. Back wages, penalties, and class actions often start with a simple misclassification. Safety law protects people and also triggers inspections and fines.
Excel for HR data
HR managers use spreadsheets constantly for headcount, payroll checks, turnover, and compensation. Clean, correct numbers make your advice believable. Excel is also named in the job's standard software.
Clear business writing for HR
HR runs on written words: policies, offer letters, emails to managers, notes of conversations. Clear writing prevents misunderstandings and creates a record that can be relied on if a dispute arises.
Then 3 more stages (about 118 weeks in all) with lessons, drills, projects, 10 interview questions with strong answers and free resources.