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Human resources assistant vs human resources technician

The differences between human resources assistants and human resources technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a human resources assistant and a human resources technician. Additionally, a human resources technician has an average salary of $40,933, which is higher than the $36,498 average annual salary of a human resources assistant.

The top three skills for a human resources assistant include customer service, payroll processing and background checks. The most important skills for a human resources technician are human resources, customer service, and data entry.

Human resources assistant vs human resources technician overview

Human Resources AssistantHuman Resources Technician
Yearly salary$36,498$40,933
Hourly rate$17.55$19.68
Growth rate--
Number of jobs40,40839,846
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Average age4343
Years of experience22

What does a human resources assistant do?

Human resources (HR) assistants are responsible for various activities of the human resources department of the organization. This is usually an entry-level position for those who intend to build a career in human resources. Human resources assistants usually do administrative and clerical activities for the department. They are also exposed to various facets of HR, such as recruitment, training, compensation and benefits, employee relations, and organizational development. They get trained to do different activities, and as time goes by, they get to have more significant responsibilities within the department.

What does a human resources technician do?

A human resources technician is primarily responsible for performing clerical support tasks in a human resources office. Their duty revolves around preparing and processing documentation, managing schedules, reviewing requirements and applications, participating in planning and executing HR projects and programs, and gathering information as necessary. They must also update and maintain a database, making sure everything is running smoothly. Should there be any issues or inquiries, it is crucial to address and resolve them right away. Furthermore, a human resources technician may participate in the hiring processes, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.

Human resources assistant vs human resources technician salary

Human resources assistants and human resources technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Human Resources AssistantHuman Resources Technician
Average salary$36,498$40,933
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $48,000Between $29,000 And $57,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DCPennsauken, NJ
Highest paying stateNew YorkNew Jersey
Best paying companyPaul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & GarrisonPayPal
Best paying industryTechnologyGovernment

Differences between human resources assistant and human resources technician education

There are a few differences between a human resources assistant and a human resources technician in terms of educational background:

Human Resources AssistantHuman Resources Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Human resources assistant vs human resources technician demographics

Here are the differences between human resources assistants' and human resources technicians' demographics:

Human Resources AssistantHuman Resources Technician
Average age4343
Gender ratioMale, 15.9% Female, 84.1%Male, 23.0% Female, 77.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 19.1% Asian, 10.4% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 20.0% Asian, 9.0% White, 53.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage15%15%

Differences between human resources assistant and human resources technician duties and responsibilities

Human resources assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage all candidate activity and conduct full life- cycle recruiting through an applicant tracking system (ATS).
  • Manage new employee orientation training, including e-verify.
  • Operate TALEO software system for managing prospective and current employee application status and procedures
  • Manage short-term disability and FMLA claims; notified/educate employees of eligibility and qualification requirements.
  • Maximize efficiency of HRIS system by participating in initial design, managing ongoing system enhancements and streamlining reports.
  • Conduct compensation analyses, manage EEO compliance tracking activities and deliver presentations to corporate management regarding process improvement.
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Human resources technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage KRONOS time reporting leave tracking and relate policy for a department, division or section.
  • Integrate efforts on actions and programs where joint OPM functional effort are necessary to accomplish recruitment and enhance organizational effectiveness.
  • Develop and implement a training module on payroll and FMLA for new managers.
  • Conduct KRONOS, digital database and digital recorder training on an as need basis.
  • Enter all benefit data into PeopleSoft application.
  • Generate initial paperwork for FMLA and short/long term disability.
  • Show more

Human resources assistant vs human resources technician skills

Common human resources assistant skills
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Payroll Processing, 8%
  • Background Checks, 8%
  • HRIS, 7%
  • Data Entry, 6%
  • Assist Human Resources, 4%
Common human resources technician skills
  • Human Resources, 15%
  • Customer Service, 12%
  • Data Entry, 6%
  • HRIS, 6%
  • Payroll System, 6%
  • Personnel Actions, 6%

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