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What is a recruiting assistant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Dr. James Lampley
introduction image

A recruiting assistant works in the human resources department, helping to source and screen job candidates. They assist in the hiring process by posting job ads, reviewing resumes, scheduling interviews, and communicating with applicants. The recruiting assistant may also maintain candidate databases and ensure compliance with hiring regulations. They work with recruiters and hiring managers to identify the best candidates. Essential skills include communication, attention to detail, and an understanding of human resources practices.

What general advice would you give to a recruiting assistant?

Dr. James LampleyDr. James Lampley LinkedIn profile

Professor, East Tennessee State University

Be willing to go where the jobs are. Many of our graduates are "place-bound". Their family obligations or spouses make it difficult to relocate.
ScoreRecruiting AssistantUS Average
Salary
3.3

Avg. Salary $42,207

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity
8.2
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.94%

Asian 11.13%

Black or African American 10.53%

Hispanic or Latino 17.98%

Unknown 4.95%

White 54.48%

Gender

female 73.30%

male 26.70%

Age - 42
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42
Stress level
5.8

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
5.9

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
7.0

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a recruiting assistant?

Pros

  • Opportunity to help people find their dream job

  • Chance to learn about different hiring processes and strategies

  • Possibility for career advancement within the company

  • Competitive salary and benefits packages

  • Opportunity for flexible scheduling or remote work

Cons

  • High-pressure environment with tight deadlines and quotas

  • Can be emotionally taxing to communicate rejection to candidates

  • Long hours may be required during high-volume recruitment periods

  • May have to work outside of normal business hours to meet hiring needs

  • Constantly shifting priorities and workload can be stressful

Recruiting assistant career paths

Key steps to become a recruiting assistant

  1. Explore recruiting assistant education requirements

    Most common recruiting assistant degrees

    Bachelor's

    68.5 %

    Associate

    13.1 %

    High School Diploma

    7.3 %
  2. Start to develop specific recruiting assistant skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Customer Service13.33%
    Background Checks9.56%
    HR7.53%
    Data Entry6.58%
    Phone Screens5.62%
  3. Complete relevant recruiting assistant training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New recruiting assistants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a recruiting assistant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real recruiting assistant resumes.
  4. Research recruiting assistant duties and responsibilities

    • Schedule interviews with managers booking conference rooms and manage conflicting schedules and calendars.
    • time to fill, cost per hire for the best ROI.
    • Oversee vacation schedule, e-verify employees.
    • Maintain staffing attendance and changes in KRONOS system
  5. Prepare your recruiting assistant resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your recruiting assistant resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a recruiting assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable recruiting assistant resume templates

    Build a professional recruiting assistant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your recruiting assistant resume.
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    Recruiting Assistant Resume
  6. Apply for recruiting assistant jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a recruiting assistant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first recruiting assistant job

Zippi

Are you a recruiting assistant?

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Average recruiting assistant salary

The average recruiting assistant salary in the United States is $42,207 per year or $20 per hour. Recruiting assistant salaries range between $30,000 and $58,000 per year.

Average recruiting assistant salary
$42,207 Yearly
$20.29 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do recruiting assistants rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

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1 star

Recruiting assistant reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2019
Pros

I like Bonus and helping people. Sometimes our company cover expanse for networking and meeting. More we do networking more we can earn.

Cons

too much pressure. to hire 1 executive vacancy we have to make connections with 100s of people. We work with people and people are sometimes really hard even we are doing our best. After weeks of hard work right before the placement, some firms reject them without any answers


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2019
Pros

Communicating with people, interview applicants.

Cons

I don't have anything I don't like.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2019
Pros

I enjoy and I’m great in recruiting in any organization I trust and believe in.

Cons

Nothing.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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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