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Human resources assistant vs personnel assistant

The differences between human resources assistants and personnel assistants 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 personnel assistant. Additionally, a personnel assistant has an average salary of $38,830, 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 personnel assistant are human resources, data entry, and office equipment.

Human resources assistant vs personnel assistant overview

Human Resources AssistantPersonnel Assistant
Yearly salary$36,498$38,830
Hourly rate$17.55$18.67
Growth rate--
Number of jobs40,4086,684
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 53%
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 personnel assistant do?

Personnel assistants are professionals who perform administrative duties while assisting the human resources director to maintain and keep the records and confidential files of employees working in an organization. These assistants must communicate with all personnel about their compensation policies while ensuring that the company policies and procedures are consistently applied. They are required to coordinate with supervisors to create job descriptions and develop recruiting advertisements. Personnel assistants must also purchase office supplies while maintaining the cleanliness and orderliness of their office area.

Human resources assistant vs personnel assistant salary

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

Human Resources AssistantPersonnel Assistant
Average salary$36,498$38,830
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $48,000Between $29,000 And $51,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DCMonterey, CA
Highest paying stateNew YorkCalifornia
Best paying companyPaul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & GarrisonPaul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
Best paying industryTechnologyNon Profits

Differences between human resources assistant and personnel assistant education

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

Human Resources AssistantPersonnel Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Human resources assistant vs personnel assistant demographics

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

Human Resources AssistantPersonnel Assistant
Average age4343
Gender ratioMale, 15.9% Female, 84.1%Male, 18.5% Female, 81.5%
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, 12.5% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 9.1% White, 55.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage15%15%

Differences between human resources assistant and personnel assistant 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.
  • Show more

Personnel assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage new employee orientation training, including e-verify.
  • Maintain employee's timekeeping and personnel records.
  • Coordinate staff reports, monthly activity, insurance updates and EEO activity.
  • Record data for each employee, including absences, coaching and timekeeping.
  • Maintain and handle confidential information such as grievances, EEO relate matters, etc.
  • Create and maintain a database for the sick line, FMLA tracking, payroll document tracking, and benefit adjustment tracking.
  • Show more

Human resources assistant vs personnel assistant 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 personnel assistant skills
  • Human Resources, 16%
  • Data Entry, 13%
  • Office Equipment, 7%
  • CAC, 5%
  • Personnel Actions, 4%
  • Background Checks, 4%

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