Consulting - HR and Organizational Behavior

Information compiled by the GradSchools.com team - last updated December 2010

Remember the "Bobs" in Office Space? They were the two same named consultants who were hired by the worthless manager Lumbergh and charged with the task of streamlining headcount and making workers, like the aimless Peter Gibbons (Ron Livingston), more productive. The "Bobs" were actually human resources and organizational behavior consultants. HR consultants focus on people and how to maximize their productivity, so they can work together harmoniously in an organization and achieve the bottom line: big company profits.

HR consultants advise all types of human resource/personnel departments in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, as well as in corporations, labor unions, and government. Some of the top HR consulting firms, according to Vault's 2009 Consulting Firm Rankings, are Mercer LLC, Hewitt Associates, Towers Perrin, Watson Wyatt, Deloitte, and Hay Group.

HR consultants help firms source the right talent from the most appropriate pools, create or revamp a workable organizational tree, ensure workers are performing the right activities at their optimal capacity, and help make them more accountable. A major part of HR consulting involves cultivating leadership and optimizing the organization's leadership system by creating a structure whereby leaders get ongoing developmental feedback to meet personal and company goals.

HR consultants typically have a bachelor's degree in human resources or a business related field. Graduate degrees in human resources, organizational development, or an MBA are often expected for HR consulting jobs. HR certifications like PHR (Professional in Human Resources) or SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resources) are strongly recommended for certain positions. 2009 salaries for HR consultants are in the low $70s.