Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping
In the Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping occupation, workers compile and keep personnel records. O*NET rates it as medium preparation, which usually means one or two years of vocational training, an apprenticeship or an associate’s degree. It leans on reading comprehension, active listening, and speaking. A regular part of the work is to process, verify, and maintain personnel related documentation, including staffing, recruitment, training, grievances, performance evaluations, classifications, and employee leaves of absence. On the six-type interest model it reads CES, meaning orderly work with data, records and clear procedures comes first, followed by leading, persuading and making business decisions. People who want orderly work with data, records and clear procedures usually fit better here than those who need creative work with room for original expression.
What they do
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.
Main tasks
- Process, verify, and maintain personnel related documentation, including staffing, recruitment, training, grievances, performance evaluations, classifications, and employee leaves of absence.
- Record data for each employee, including such information as addresses, weekly earnings, absences, amount of sales or production, supervisory reports on performance, and dates of and reasons for terminations.
- Explain company personnel policies, benefits, and procedures to employees or job applicants.
- Provide assistance in administering employee benefit programs and worker's compensation plans.
- Answer questions regarding examinations, eligibility, salaries, benefits, and other pertinent information.
- Prepare and set up for new employee orientations.
Skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Writing
- Social Perceptiveness
- Monitoring
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You like clear rules and getting the details right.
- You like taking the lead and making the call.
- You are willing to put in a year or two of focused training.
- You are comfortable relying on reading comprehension and active listening.
May not suit you if
- You get restless with routine, records and exact procedures.
- You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
- You need to start within a few months, with no training period.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code CES takes the three highest, and Conventional comes first here.
Preparation
Medium preparation. Expect vocational school, an apprenticeship, related experience or an associate’s degree, usually one or two years in total.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Bachelor's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- Human Resources Administrative Assistant (HR Administrative Assistant)
- Human Resources Assistant (HR Assistant)
- Human Resources Associate (HR Associate)
- Personnel Clerk
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.