What Does it Take to Be a HR Assistant?

Occupation Description Compile and keep personnel records. Record data for each employee, such as address, weekly earnings, absences, amount of sales or production, supervisory reports, and date of and reason for termination. May prepare reports for employment records, file employment records, or search employee files and furnish information to authorized persons.

Life as a HR Assistant: What Do They Do?

• Prepare badges, passes, and identification cards, and perform other security-related duties.
• Explain company personnel policies, benefits, and procedures to employees or job applicants.
• Select applicants meeting specified job requirements and refer them to hiring personnel.
• Request information from law enforcement officials, previous employers, and other references to determine applicants’ employment acceptability.
• Arrange for advertising or posting of job vacancies and notify eligible workers of position availability.
• Process, verify, and maintain personnel related documentation, including staffing, recruitment, training, grievances, performance evaluations, classifications, and employee leaves of absence.

What a HR Assistant Should Know

When polled, Human Resources Assistants say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Related Job Titles for this Occupation:

• Civil Service Clerk
• Personnel Officer
• Human Resources Team Member
• Contract Clerk
• Employment Assistant

HR Assistant Employment Estimates

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 141,500 jobs in the United States for Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping.

Human Resources Assistant jobs are decreasing by a rate of -1.8%. This means the total job opportunities are shrinking. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a loss of -2,600 jobs for Human Resources Assistants by 2026. There will be an estimated 15,100 positions for HR Assistant per year.

The states with the most job growth for Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping are Texas, Florida, and New York.

Watch out if you plan on working in Minnesota, Pennsylvania, or Illinois. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

How Much Does a HR Assistant Make?

The typical yearly salary for Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping is somewhere between $27,610 and $58,200. A Human Resources Assistant median salary is $40,390.

How much do Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping make in different U.S. states?

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
District of Columbia	$53,560
Connecticut	$48,410
Massachusetts	$47,380
Alaska	$46,110
New York	$45,260
Washington	$45,100
Maryland	$45,030
California	$44,600
New Jersey	$43,780
Colorado	$43,640
Virginia	$43,240
Minnesota	$43,030
Rhode Island	$42,770
Oregon	$42,190
Hawaii	$41,590
North Dakota	$41,520
Kentucky	$41,380
Illinois	$41,220
Missouri	$40,940
Arizona	$40,620
New Hampshire	$40,570
Pennsylvania	$40,550
Tennessee	$40,460
Iowa	$40,390
Utah	$40,290
Texas	$40,080
Oklahoma	$40,040
Maine	$39,920
Nebraska	$39,890
Ohio	$39,540
Vermont	$39,460
Idaho	$39,420
Georgia	$39,340
Wisconsin	$39,290
Louisiana	$38,740
Kansas	$38,730
Indiana	$38,720
West Virginia	$38,560
New Mexico	$38,490
Wyoming	$38,420
North Carolina	$38,270
Florida	$38,210
Michigan	$38,160
Delaware	$38,120
Mississippi	$37,630
Nevada	$37,610
Montana	$37,570
Alabama	$37,450
Arkansas	$36,610
South Carolina	$36,000
South Dakota	$34,810

What Tools & Technology do Human Resources Assistants Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Human Resources Assistants may use on a daily basis:

• ADP Workforce Now
• Microsoft Visio
• SAP ERP
• Microsoft Outlook
• Enterprise resource planning ERP software
• Oracle PeopleSoft
• Google Docs
• LinkedIn
• Microsoft SharePoint
• Microsoft PowerPoint

How do I Become a HR Assistant?

Learn what Human Resources Assistant education requirements there are.

How Long Does it Take to Become HR Assistant?

Where do Human Resources Assistants Work?

You May Also Be Interested In…

Those interested in being a Human Resources Assistant may also be interested in:

• Tellers

Career changers with experience as a Human Resources Assistant sometimes find work in one of the following fields:

• Brokerage Clerks

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons