How to hire a Human Resources Administrative Assistant

How to hire a human resources administrative assistant, step by step

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

What does a Human Resources Administrative Assistant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The human resources administrative assistant hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine Employee vs Contractor Status

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

   Yes

   No

   A human resources administrative assistant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, human resources administrative assistants from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents human resources administrative assistant salaries for various positions.

   Type Of Human Resources Administrative Assistant	Description	Hourly Rate
   Human Resources Administrative Assistant	Human resources specialists recruit, screen, interview, and place workers. They often handle other human resources work, such as those related to employee relations, compensation and benefits, and training... Show More	$12-23
   Administrative Support	Administrative support specialists provide different types of governmental assistance. They carry out varied clerical duties in almost all industries... Show More	$12-25
   Administrative Internship	Administrative interns are entry-level professionals providing administrative support in organizations. The interns are responsible for the improvement of their knowledge of administrative works... Show More	$14-24

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common Skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Data Entry
   • Background Checks
   • PowerPoint
   • HRIS
   • Travel Arrangements
   • I-9
   • Administrative Tasks
   • Front Desk
   • Office Equipment
   • Expense Reports
   • Provides Administrative Support
   • Reference Checks
   • Word Processing

   Check All Skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage unemployment verification process and enter employee changes into PeopleSoft.
   • Labor hours, PTO, accident reports and training records are all track through data entry and issuance of reports.
   • Handle and make necessary changes to payroll processes/system daily by using KRONOS.
   • Enter and balance payroll, certify payroll and send ACH file to bank.
   • Assist with the instruction and training of new associates regarding KRONOS punches, attendance policies, and payroll incentive programs.
   • Submit employment of identification per e-verify.

   More Human Resources Administrative Assistant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your human resources administrative assistant job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A human resources administrative assistant salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a human resources administrative assistant in Nebraska may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level human resources administrative assistant usually earns less than a senior-level human resources administrative assistant. Additionally, a human resources administrative assistant with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average human resources administrative assistant salary

   $37,044yearly

   $17.81 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level human resources administrative assistant salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated March 14, 2025

   Average human resources administrative assistant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	New York	$43,846	$21
   2	California	$43,596	$21
   3	Massachusetts	$43,188	$21
   4	Virginia	$41,512	$20
   5	Washington	$39,730	$19
   6	Pennsylvania	$38,211	$18
   7	Colorado	$38,138	$18
   8	Minnesota	$37,851	$18
   9	Oregon	$37,538	$18
   10	Illinois	$36,529	$18
   11	Ohio	$36,204	$17
   12	Florida	$34,781	$17
   13	Texas	$34,513	$17
   14	Utah	$33,969	$16
   15	North Carolina	$33,918	$16
   16	Wisconsin	$33,425	$16
   17	Missouri	$33,279	$16
   18	Arizona	$32,801	$16
   19	Georgia	$32,091	$15
   20	Alabama	$32,068	$15

   Average human resources administrative assistant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	Emory University	$48,824	$23.47	1
   2	University of California-Berkeley	$48,429	$23.28
   3	American Woodmark	$45,850	$22.04	3
   4	Christensen O'Connor Johnson Kindness P	$45,737	$21.99
   5	FUJIFILM Medical Systems USA	$45,035	$21.65	7
   6	Beacon Hill Staffing Group	$44,505	$21.40
   7	The Chicago High School for the Arts	$44,423	$21.36
   8	Energy Northwest	$44,319	$21.31	1
   9	A123 Systems	$43,968	$21.14	2
   10	AtriCure	$43,634	$20.98	6
   11	Catholic Health East	$43,433	$20.88	2
   12	University of Nevada, Reno	$43,055	$20.70	8
   13	Aramco Services Company	$42,840	$20.60	5
   14	Post Holdings	$42,724	$20.54	32
   15	DEKA Research	$42,553	$20.46
   16	Irving Isd	$42,230	$20.30	5
   17	Gap Inc.	$41,584	$19.99	16
   18	Dartmouth	$41,580	$19.99	13
   19	United Health Centers Of The San Joaquin Valley	$41,538	$19.97	4
   20	Washington State University	$41,423	$19.91	3

4. Writing a Human Resources Administrative Assistant Job Description

   A good human resources administrative assistant 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 administrative assistant job description:

   Human Resources Administrative Assistant job description example

   Voted as one of the Best Places to Work 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 & 2022 in Orange County, and one of the fastest-growing tech companies!
   
   The ideal candidate for our HR Assistant position is a proactive individual who is eager to assist in all aspects of the company’s HR operations. This individual will support managers and employees throughout a variety of tasks related to organization, tech setup, shipment, employee onboarding, off boarding, recruitment and coordination, planning/facilitating company events, alongside other initiatives and projects that fall under Human Resources/People Operations.
   
   This person will communicate in person and virtually ensure that all administrative and HR related operations are completed accurately and delivered with high quality and in a timely manner. This individual must be efficient, possess the ability to multitask, maintain confidentiality, and must be detail-oriented. This position requires exceptional organizational and problem solving skills.
   Major Responsibilities: Execute employee onboarding and off boarding process, while ensuring a high level of organization for all documentation Responsible for setting up laptops, technology, etc. for new hires Responsible for shipping out tech equipment to new employees alongside receiving tech from employees who have been off boarded, while maintaining inventory of all company tech Responsible for the Swag Box (new hire welcome package) process and shipping, and ensuring all new hires receive their Swag Box within a required time period Setting up hardware for local employees within the office Actively participating in the coordination of recruitment activities for numerous requisitions within the company Working in conjunction with Recruitment to ensure candidates receive/submit offer letters, background checks in a timely manner Organizing and facilitating company events (i.e. sporting events, holiday parties) Actively managing various HR systems used on a day to day basis (Paychex Flex HelloSign, Close, Greenhouse, Indeed, ZipRecruiter, etc.) Required Education, Skills, Experience: 1-2 years experience in an HR Assistant/Representative role Strong verbal and written communication skills with demonstrated ability to communicate to all levels of the organization effectively Experience handling difficult or sensitive situations in a professional, timely and thorough manner Exudes confidence and can set and manage expectations Effective collaboration and time management skills Positive and self-starter attitude Tech savvy, ability to work with various hardwares, software for setup, troubleshooting Willingness to start days early when a need arises Bachelor's degree preferred * This position is 5 days a week, on site in our Costa Mesa office. Company DescriptionSmartFinancial.com is a leading technology-enabled insurance marketplace with a focus on helping insurance shoppers find savings while providing exceptional service and coverage for their needs.
   
   Founded by a team of insurance and technology experts, SmartFinancial.com focuses on delivering measurable results and exceptional service. With offices in Costa Mesa, CA, Columbus, OH, and Tampa FL, we are one of the fastest-growing digital insurance comparison engines in the US. We are hiring top talent and building a world-class technology and client services team with ambitious goals of streamlining insurance.
   
   We offer a fun, engaging work environment. Solve challenging problems and have the opportunity to grow within the company. We were honored as one of the fastest-growing technology companies by Deloitte's Fast500 three years in a row. Voted as one of the best places to work in OC and Central Ohio.
   
   Come join our fast-growing company!

   Copy This Example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right human resources administrative assistant for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with human resources administrative assistants they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit human resources administrative assistants who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your human resources administrative assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit human resources administrative assistant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with human resources administrative assistant candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 administrative assistant

   Once you've decided on a perfect human resources administrative assistant candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new human resources administrative assistant. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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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