How to hire a human resources clerk

How to hire a human resources clerk, step by step

Here's a step-by-step human resources clerk 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 clerk job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new human resources clerk
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a human resources clerk do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the human resources clerk you need to hire. Certain human resources clerk roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect human resources clerk also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of human resources clerks.

   Type of Human Resources Clerk	Description	Hourly rate
   Human Resources Clerk	Information clerks perform routine clerical duties such as maintaining records, collecting data, and providing information to customers.	$12-21
   Clerk Typist	A clerk typist is responsible for data entry procedures and document transcriptions, alongside other clerical and administrative duties as required by the employer. Clerk typists create reports and presentation materials, transcribe audio meetings, write business drafts, and send documents to appropriate office personnel or clients... Show more	$12-18
   Clerk	Clerks are responsible for many of the general administrative tasks in the office. They are in charge of manning office telephone lines, managing incoming and outgoing mails, filing paperwork and other needed records, scheduling and documenting meetings, typing out documents when needed, disseminating memos and other official announcements, and keeping an inventory of office equipment and supplies... Show more	$11-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Data Entry
   • Customer Service
   • Background Checks
   • I-9
   • HRIS
   • Front Desk
   • PowerPoint
   • Office Equipment
   • Clerical Support
   • Word Processing
   • Computer System
   • Reference Checks
   • FMLA
   • Provides Administrative Support

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage mail, postage, bank deposits and FedEx runs, etc.
   • Manage timesheets for payroll, account for all employees, and enter information into QuickBooks.
   • Operate TALEO software system for managing prospective and current employee application status and procedures
   • Enter all payroll/timekeeping information into payroll system, including leave slips for vacations, flex time, bereavement and/or FMLA.
   • Utilize the Kronos system to retrieve time bank information, alter hours for correction, verify accurate processing.
   • Track all 2nd and 3rd shift attendance by running reports in Kronos and transferring attendance data into PeopleSoft.

   More human resources clerk duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the human resources clerk job description is a good way to get more applicants. A human resources clerk salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a human resources clerk in Mississippi may be lower than in Oregon, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level human resources clerk. Additionally, a human resources clerk with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average human resources clerk salary

   $35,149yearly

   $16.90 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level human resources clerk salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

   Average human resources clerk salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$39,463	$19
   2	Massachusetts	$39,438	$19
   3	Washington	$38,812	$19
   4	California	$38,764	$19
   5	Alaska	$38,586	$19
   6	Illinois	$36,924	$18
   7	Arizona	$35,451	$17
   8	Texas	$34,033	$16
   9	Nevada	$33,871	$16
   10	Minnesota	$33,600	$16
   11	Virginia	$33,444	$16
   12	Pennsylvania	$32,618	$16
   13	Michigan	$32,584	$16
   14	Georgia	$31,947	$15
   15	Florida	$31,782	$15
   16	Hawaii	$31,487	$15
   17	South Carolina	$27,076	$13

   Average human resources clerk salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	University of Massachusetts Boston	$56,772	$27.29	2
   2	Kent Daniels & Associates	$48,441	$23.29	1
   3	Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith	$47,118	$22.65	6
   4	Golden Eagle Casino	$45,167	$21.71
   5	Beacon Hill Staffing Group	$43,427	$20.88
   6	The Bicycle Hotel & Casino	$41,946	$20.17
   7	ALDI USA	$41,554	$19.98
   8	NewYork.com	$40,309	$19.38
   9	The Wonderful Company	$40,307	$19.38	13
   10	National Frozen Food	$39,951	$19.21
   11	Hawaii Pacific Health	$39,594	$19.04
   12	Campbell Soup	$39,342	$18.91	4
   13	St. Luke's Hospital	$39,257	$18.87	2
   14	POM Wonderful	$39,061	$18.78	2
   15	Gestalt Community Schools	$38,704	$18.61
   16	Honeywell	$38,559	$18.54	7
   17	Integrated Services	$38,459	$18.49	5
   18	Advance Holding Corporation	$38,442	$18.48	4
   19	Choice in Aging	$38,395	$18.46
   20	Cactus Wellhead	$38,342	$18.43	2

4. Writing a human resources clerk job description

   A good human resources clerk job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a human resources clerk job description:

   Human resources clerk job description example

   This position maintains records of all associates, maintains compliance and assists with other administrative clerical duties. This position also bill and collect revenues owed to the hotel and provide administrative support to the Accounting department. This position will report directly to the Director of Finance with direction with a dotted line report to the Director of Human Resources
   ESSENTIAL HUMAN RESOURCE JOB FUNCTIONS:
   
   Ensure associate files, and I9's are audited regularly for proper certifications on all required trainings such as Serve Safe, TIPS, Safety trainings, including monthly orientation and upload certificates into Ultipro Archive terminated files. Ensure all new hire 6 part files are created and organized accordingly to Crescent Standards. Ensure all administrative filing is completed weekly for Human Resources department. Reviews and maintains compliance for documentation with Marriott & Crescent standards and obtain missing paperwork from associates and file and upload accordingly into Ultipro-UKG. Assists putting together new hire packets and orientation packets. Assists with reference checks on all new hires. Create or update Human Resource bulletin boards and other posting locations as needed.
   Ensure front desk is aware of birthdays/anniversaries monthly for Downtown Daily Assist with associate team events and recognition, as needed, e.g. Rising Star program, Anniversary Awards program, hotel brand required meetings, etc.
   Assist with filing and monitoring Worker Compensation claims and updating OSHA logs. Understand brand specific and Crescent audit requirements. Provide support on hotel branded system if applicable which includes but not limited to resetting passwords, assist with on line brand required trainings and set up, reviewing associate discount procedures. Assists with resetting Ultipro-UKG associate access and logging in for training. Attends daily stand up meetings Maintain confidentiality at all times.
   
   ESSENTIAL ACCOUNTING JOB FUNCTIONS:
   
   Sort and verify accuracy of Night Audit work (primarily receivables aspect), i.e. including reconciliation of banquet check extensions, coding of banquets at cost, review and route sales and promotion checks with back-up. Record department administration phone calls and inform Controller of any potential concern. Post city ledger payments in property management system, reconcile and bill all city ledger accounts. Perform follow-up billing and credit collection documentation and inform Controller of any potential uncollectible accounts. Reconcile credit card back-up to General Cashier Summary and inform Controller of any discrepancies. Bill out credit cards (AMEX, DINERS, etc.). Maintain accurate and legible logs for all credit cards. Set up new accounts in accordance with established credit policy. Assist in reconciling open account status items. Input General Cashier Summary and maintain binder. File and distribute credit card cancellations, bulletins and credit warnings. Process and follow-up on all returned checks accepted as cash payment. Record General Ledger and City Ledger reconciliations. Comply with attendance rules and be available to work on a regular basis. Perform any other job related duties as assigned.
   
   SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
   
   Must have the ability to communicate in English. Self-starting personality with an even disposition. Maintain a professional appearance and manner at all times. Ability to verbally communicate effectively with guests and co-workers. Must be willing to "pitch-in" and help co- workers with their job duties and be a team player.
   
   Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
   
   The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right human resources clerk 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 clerk job on Zippia to find and recruit human resources clerk candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit human resources clerks, 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to 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 clerk

   Once you have selected a candidate for the human resources clerk 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.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new human resources clerk. 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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