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Human resources assistant skills for your resume and career

Q: What skills stand out on Human Resources Assistant resumes?

Organization. Students are often interested in administrative work, supporting a company and employees (the company may be working with clients, so the HR department is supporting them in that work), policies.

Updated January 8, 2025

7 min read

Quoted experts

Dr. Vickie Hall,

J. Adam Shoemaker Ph.D.

Human resources assistant example skills

One of the most important hard skills a Human resources assistants can possess is ability to perform background checks, as this is a common and recurring duty of human resources assistants. It's also important for human resources assistants to have the hard skill of experience managing personnel files.

When it comes to soft skills, human resources assistants should have strong customer service skills above all else. Human resources assistants will need to manage a lot of clerical and administrative paperwork, so great organizational skills are also crucial.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical human resources assistant skills. We ranked the top skills for human resources assistants based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 10.2% of human resources assistant resumes contained customer service as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a human resources assistant needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 human resources assistant skills for your resume and career

1. Customer Service

Customer service is the process of offering assistance to all the current and potential customers -- answering questions, fixing problems, and providing excellent service. The main goal of customer service is to build a strong relationship with the customers so that they keep coming back for more business.

Here's how human resources assistants use customer service:

Dedicated Customer Service Representative motivated to maintain
Provided comprehensive administrative support to the Director of Human Resources and provided excellent customer service to clients and hospital associates.

2. Payroll Processing

Here's how human resources assistants use payroll processing:

Reference and Background checks Scheduled customer appointments for service technicians Data entry, Payroll processing and verification using Excel software
Assisted with recruiting, performance management, benefits administration and open enrollment, payroll processing, and policy development/enforcement.

3. Background Checks

Here's how human resources assistants use background checks:

Determine candidate eligibility for employment by reviewing background checks and drug tests and communicating results to appropriate parties.
Verified background checks, screened candidates, developed role-appropriate interviewing strategies and questions.

4. HRIS

Here's how human resources assistants use hris:

Maximized efficiency of HRIS system by participating in initial design, managing ongoing system enhancements and streamlining reports.
Maintained HRIS records and compiled monthly reports for senior management from database, coordinating personnel records management.

5. Data Entry

Data entry means entering data into a company's system with the help of a keyboard. A person responsible for entering data may also be asked to verify the authenticity of the data being entered. A person doing data entry must pay great attention to tiny details.

Here's how human resources assistants use data entry:

Completed administrative duties including appointment management, calendar maintenance, data entry, and payment tracking.
Provided administrative assistance by maintaining employee records and performing data entry duties using the dedicated databases.

6. Assist Human Resources

Here's how human resources assistants use assist human resources:

Supported Human Resource Director in daily operations including creating statistical staffing spreadsheets, recording meeting minutes, and numerous clerical tasks.
Interpret policy, military regulations and provide procedural guidance to commanders, supervisors and staff members on human resource procedures.

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7. Administrative Tasks

Here's how human resources assistants use administrative tasks:

Conducted interviews, administered skills testing, facilitated classroom training, managed database, and performed administrative tasks.
Performed personnel and administrative tasks for a headquarters-level squadron of over 300 military, civilian and contractor personnel.

8. I-9

I-9 is a government verification form that indicates, whether an individual is eligible for work in the US. The form was created by the United States Department of Homeland Security division, named as the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) which requires that all US citizens must fill out and submit an I-9 form to start their working career in the US. An I-9 form includes a person's identification information and education credentials, that are ought to be verified by the employer.

Here's how human resources assistants use i-9:

Organized and removed outdated Form I-9 in accordance with Department of Homeland Security retention requirements.
Complete I-9 documentation and ensure all paperwork are submitted to headquarters for timely new-hire activation.

9. PowerPoint

Here's how human resources assistants use powerpoint:

Created standard operating procedure to expedite handling and PowerPoint presentation to explain new process to direct customers.
Upgraded training/orientation materials and presentations using Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Microsoft Publisher.

10. Clerical Support

Clerical support performs activities that must be done in every workplace in order to support the company going forward. These duties, which come within the category of clerical support, are typically delegated to entry-level employees since they are simple and easy to learn. Even though clerical duties like printing and filing are easy, they require time and in many instances, other workers are preoccupied with other activities and unable to keep up with all that needs to be accomplished. As a result, many businesses employ clerical support staff who are solely responsible for these duties.

Here's how human resources assistants use clerical support:

Provide administrative/clerical support processing various military personnel actions.
Provided clerical support, processing applications, answering phones, also did temporary assignments of administrative assistant\receptionist work outside the company.

11. Provides Administrative Support

Here's how human resources assistants use provides administrative support:

Job Description: o Provides administrative support including writing correspondence reports and documents.
Managed reception area and provides administrative support to Human Resource Director on all personnel matters.

12. EEO

Here's how human resources assistants use eeo:

Developed, investigated and consolidated EEO statistical information to ensure compliance with established EEOC and Agency rules and regulations.
Maintain the affirmative action program by accurately recording information in the Applicant Tracking database conforming to EEO regulations.

13. Personnel Actions

A personnel action means any action taken which affects compensation, appointment, promotion, transfer, assignment, reassignment, reinstatement, evaluation of performance, layoff, dismissal, discipline, commendations, or any other action that affects the status of employment, etc. For example organizational reassignment, hiring an employee, or an employee leaving the company, are represented by separate personnel actions.

Here's how human resources assistants use personnel actions:

Analyzed factual data to complete personnel actions for active duty personnel separating, retiring, and recommendations for awards and decorations.
Processed military personnel actions reports, deployment and redeployment forms and records, while maintaining privacy and confidentiality of personnel information.

14. Reference Checks

Here's how human resources assistants use reference checks:

Performed several recruitment activities including managing resumes, scheduling interviews, creating letters to unsuccessful applicants, and professional reference checks.
Collaborate with colleagues in the employment recruiting process including screening potential candidates and performing reference checks.

15. Life Insurance

Here's how human resources assistants use life insurance:

Research and resolve problems with insurance providers for medical/dental/life insurance/short term disability/cobra/flexible benefits for 3300 employees and family members.
Reconciled monthly billing statements, allocating expenses to appropriate department for long term disability and voluntary life insurance.

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What skills help Human Resources Assistants find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on human resources assistant resumes?

Dr. Vickie Hall

Director Human Resources Operations, Wayne State University

Those skills that are technical (technology) in nature; customer service skills and facilitation skills abilities

What soft skills should all human resources assistants possess?

J. Adam Shoemaker Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Management & Human Resources, Saint Leo University

FYI, soft skills are a lot more difficult to train than hard skills. This is part of the reason that there is so much demand for soft skills - for the most part, they need to be innate to the candidate.
Here again, communication comes up - and here, it is important to recognize that communication is much more than just telling people. A good communicator is a great listener. He knows when to speak his mind and when to wait and see what happens. She knows how to collaborate effectively with people and how to take action when needed.

What hard/technical skills are most important for human resources assistants?

J. Adam Shoemaker Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Management & Human Resources, Saint Leo University

Even though these skills are much more trainable, it helps if HR professionals are familiar with HR information systems.
There are too many to name them all here (sorry, no free advertising)! It would be difficult for a candidate to be familiar with every platform a company might use for their HRIS, but it is good to know that they generally work in the same ways.
If the company asks if you have experience with a particular platform that you have never heard of, always be truthful but still be ready to ask intelligent questions about it: "I'm not too familiar with that platform, but I'd be curious to know about your employees' experiences with it. How long have you been using it, and how robust is the self-service interface?"

What human resources assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Dr. Michael Pasquale Ph.D.

Professor of Linguistics, Humanities Division Chair, Cornerstone University

Graduates should continue to develop expertise and fluency in their language learning and development. They should focus on developing language fluency in the career areas they are pursuing. For example, they should read extensively and listen to podcasts in their target language to understand the field and how to use the language fluently and effectively in those contexts.

What type of skills will young human resources assistants need?

Dwaine Turner Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, East Central University

Graduates will need to be multiculturally competent, have great interpersonal skills, and Telehealth exposure. Upcoming graduates will be faced with providing services to a diverse population that will be very challenging, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The graduates will have to implore the usage of their interpersonal skill set to strengthen the therapeutic alliance between counselor and client relationship. Also, the new trend in the profession is virtual sessions, which can be awkward at times but very necessary with the current landscape of society. The graduate will have to be more creative when creating an environment that is therapeutic in a virtual meeting room to allow the client to emote/divulge sensitive information.

What technical skills for a human resources assistant stand out to employers?

Adam Smith Ph.D.

Bicentennial Professor, Associate Professor of Management, Enactus Sam Walton Fellow, Indiana University Kokomo

That varies by industry, employer, level, and position. Also, it depends on their approach to hiring and training. It is important that students research employers and industries that interest them. But overall, it may be skills such as decision-making, problem-solving, critical thinking, time management, and collaboration that remain vital. Going forward, effective communication, tech savviness, a positive view of change (as opportunity), and an openness to continuous learning may set people apart in organizations.

Do you want to know more?

List of human resources assistant skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a human resources assistant resume and required skills for a human resources assistant to have include:

Customer Service
Payroll Processing
Background Checks
HRIS
Data Entry
Assist Human Resources
Administrative Tasks
I-9
PowerPoint
Clerical Support
Provides Administrative Support
EEO
Personnel Actions
Reference Checks
Life Insurance
Open Enrollment
Workers Compensation

E-Verify
FMLA
Front Desk
Scheduling Interviews
Kronos
Office Equipment
ADP
Exit Interviews
Benefits Administration
Termination Paperwork
Health Insurance
Unemployment Claims
PTO
Interview Process
Administrative Functions
Cobra
Drug Screens

Travel Arrangements
Hr Administration
Status Changes
Employment Verifications
Performance Management
Payroll System
PeopleSoft
Performance Evaluations
I9
Open Positions
Telephone Calls
Recruitment Process
Performance Reviews
Phone Interviews
Expense Reports

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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