How to hire a human resources analyst

How to hire a human resources analyst, step by step

Here's a step-by-step human resources analyst hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a human resources analyst job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new human resources analyst
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a human resources analyst do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The human resources analyst hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A human resources analyst's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, human resources analysts from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of human resources analyst salaries for various roles:

   Type of Human Resources Analyst	Description	Hourly rate
   Human Resources Analyst	Management analysts, often called management consultants, propose ways to improve the efficiency of an organization. They advise managers on how to make organizations more profitable through reduced costs and increased revenues.	$23-46
   Staff Analyst	Staff Analysts are employees who oversee the activities related to the employees. They monitor the performance of the employees and assess whether particular employees suit the role they have... Show more	$34-65
   Benefits Analyst	A Benefits Analyst is responsible for administering and communicating benefit programs for an organization. They attract and retain employees through researching, recommending, and explaining benefit programs.	$17-33

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • HRIS
   • Customer Service
   • PowerPoint
   • Data Analysis
   • Data Integrity
   • Process Improvement
   • Performance Management
   • Excellent Interpersonal
   • Management System
   • SQL
   • Payroll System
   • Business Process
   • Visualization
   • PeopleSoft

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage ADP implementation through completion.
   • Lead overall Kronos implementation as in-house lead consultant.
   • Manage annual affirmative action plan including ongoing tracking of EEO information and annual reporting.
   • Manage leave-of-absence program and work with corporate benefits to administer FMLA notifications and assist with disability relate issues.
   • Perform weekly quality audit checks for KRONOS to ensure update records are accurate and correct.
   • Prepare written and electronic reports and presentations in PowerPoint.

   More human resources analyst duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your human resources analyst job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A human resources analyst salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a human resources analyst in Kentucky may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level human resources analyst usually earns less than a senior-level human resources analyst. Additionally, a human resources analyst with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average human resources analyst salary

   $69,001yearly

   $33.17 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level human resources analyst salary

   $49,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 21, 2025

   Average human resources analyst salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$85,003	$41
   2	District of Columbia	$81,614	$39
   3	California	$79,015	$38
   4	Connecticut	$78,162	$38
   5	Massachusetts	$76,141	$37
   6	New York	$75,127	$36
   7	Illinois	$70,663	$34
   8	Minnesota	$70,346	$34
   9	Oregon	$69,412	$33
   10	Virginia	$68,942	$33
   11	Pennsylvania	$68,726	$33
   12	Ohio	$65,826	$32
   13	Texas	$65,778	$32
   14	Colorado	$65,472	$31
   15	North Carolina	$64,618	$31
   16	Delaware	$63,910	$31
   17	Michigan	$63,374	$30
   18	Georgia	$62,545	$30
   19	Utah	$60,778	$29
   20	Indiana	$60,674	$29

   Average human resources analyst salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	The Citadel	$116,387	$55.96
   2	Meta	$116,201	$55.87	15
   3	Google	$114,441	$55.02	3
   4	Apple	$111,154	$53.44	15
   5	PayPal	$110,342	$53.05	3
   6	NVIDIA	$107,343	$51.61	6
   7	First Republic Bank	$105,452	$50.70
   8	Mayo Clinic	$104,625	$50.30	6
   9	Applied Materials	$102,422	$49.24	7
   10	Visa	$101,990	$49.03	13
   11	Juniper Networks	$100,058	$48.10
   12	eBay	$99,422	$47.80	5
   13	Amazon	$98,098	$47.16	45
   14	KLA	$97,242	$46.75	3
   15	Dolby Laboratories	$97,118	$46.69
   16	Bloomberg	$96,887	$46.58	21
   17	Bayer	$96,451	$46.37
   18	Deutsche Bank	$96,003	$46.16	7
   19	Booz Allen Hamilton	$95,122	$45.73	73
   20	Orange County Sanitation District	$93,920	$45.15

4. Writing a human resources analyst job description

   A human resources analyst job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a human resources analyst job description:

   Human resources analyst job description example

   The NISC IV program at Leidos is seeking a Human Resource Program Analyst to collect, compile, and analyze HR data, metrics, and statistics, and apply this data to make recommendations related to recruitment, retention, and legal compliance.
   
   The Human Resource Program Analyst will have experience in preforming a variety of organizational support duties that require a wide range of knowledge and skills specific to organization procedures and policies, directing and assisting customers, and resolving problems.
   Human Resource Program Analyst Primary Responsibilities:
   Lead, coach and mentor FAA interns.Collect, compile and analyze HR Intern Programs metrics and data from a variety of sources including vendor participations lists and existing files.Support AHR and FAA through data analytics by developing processes and procedures to align with automation, streamlining and efficiency initiatives.Analyzes data and statistics for trends and patterns with attention to recruitment, hiring practices and LOB participation.Present data results and explaining findings to senior leadership.Lead a group of FAA Interns, assign duties and manage their work loads.Identifies and recommends reasonable short- and long-term goals, milestones, and benchmarks for key performance metrics.Based on metrics and analysis, makes recommendations for policies and activities to improve the organizational culture including suggestions to attract and hire qualified student program candidates.Assist in planning logistics for program sessions.Track and monitor suspense status for completion dates and deadlines.Assist with development of internal organization policies and procedures, which affect cross-functional activities and best practices.
   
   Human Resource Program Analyst Qualifications:
   Typically requires a BA degree and 12-15 years of prior relevant experience or Masters with 10-13 years of prior relevant experience.Ability to obtain a Public Trust clearance.Prior experience supporting HR staffing functions.Excellent customer service skills.Experience leading, mentoring, coaching junior staff members.Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint).Proficiency in SharePoint and KSN organization.
   
   NISC IV
   
   Pay Range:
   Pay Range $101,400.00 - $156,000.00 - $210,600.00
   
   The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right human resources analyst for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your human resources analyst job on Zippia to find and recruit human resources analyst candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit human resources analysts, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new human resources analyst

   Once you have selected a candidate for the human resources analyst position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new human resources analyst. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a human resources analyst?