Everything You Need To Know About Becoming a Human Resources Assistant
Working in human resources can be a very rewarding experience. You get to work with people and help them to grow into their careers. You can change the company culture for the better, find and train new staff and resolve work conflicts.
We’ve all dealt with the HR department before in various workplaces. They are the people who helped write the job ad you applied for, they helped to interview you for the position, and they organised your training, not to mention the company picnic, work wellness program and every company party or morning tea.
But what does their whole job role entail? Where do they work? How much do they make? What do they study? And what kind of skills do they need? Here is your complete guide to becoming a human resources assistant.
What does a human resources assistant do?
Human Resources assistants work under a human resources manager, and they need to assist the manager with tasks as required. Depending on the size of the company and the industry they work in, a human resources assistant could have a variety of tasks. They could be assisting with reviewing and organising payroll, updating the employee skills matrix, consulting on plans to improve company culture, mediating workplace disputes, or assisting in training and hiring.
Where do human resources assistants work?
Human Resources are required in all industries so as a human resources assistant you could work in retail, education, business or anywhere in the public or private sector. You could work for a company in their HR department or for a human resources company that other businesses outsource to. There’s no shortage of roles for these talented individuals and as a human resources assistant you can work in any industry you have an in interest in.
How much human resources assistants make?
Human Resources assistants are in high demand. This role can be a wonderful stepping stone to management roles in the HR industry. According to the Indeed job search website, the average Human Resources Assistant makes $65,140 per year.
But this salary is variable depending on the company you work for and how much responsibility you’re given in your role.
How do you become a Human Resources Assistant?
There are many different paths to becoming a human resources assistant. Some people work their way up to it, others have studied an applicable degree such as something in social sciences or psychology. But the best and clearest path to this career would be to complete the Certificate IV in Human Resources. This course is delivered entirely online, through self-paced, trainer-supported study. Which means you can start anytime and study from anywhere. The course covers everything you’ll need to know to excel in the HR industry such as how to recruit staff, manage workplace relations and performance and how to support employees.
In this course you’ll learn how to:
- Administer performance development processes
- Support employee and industrial relations
- Support the learning and development of teams and individuals
- Coordinate recruitment and onboarding
- Support human resource functions and processes
- Implement and monitor WHS policies, procedures and programs
- Coordinate health and wellness programs
- Apply business risk management processes
- Organise business meetings
- Undertake project work
- Apply communication strategies in the workplace
- Coordinate separation and termination processes
You can learn more about the course here.
What skills do you need?
Studying provides a wonderful basis for your understanding of the human resources industry and the tasks you’ll be doing. But there are some specific soft skills that will help you to really shine in your role as a human resources assistant.
Compassion
Working in human resources means working with people and being the point of contact to have hard discussions. Whether it be about problems a worker is having at home or issues between colleagues, it’s a part of your job in the HR department to assist staff and offer support. Compassion is a valuable soft skill when you’re trying to mediate disagreements or help someone with a leave application.
Organisation
Working as a human resources assistant you will be involved in maintaining the filing and organisation for all staff records and the staff skills matrix. As well as being involved in the hiring and training side of the organisation, this means you’ll need exceptional organisational skills making sure everything is filed and all procedures followed to ensure records can be easily accessed.
Attention to detail
In HR you deal with very sensitive information, so approaching the role with nuance and an eye for the details can really help you to navigate this complex role. A fastidious nature comes in very handy, bringing a keen eye for detail to your role will help you to manage each task while maintaining the high level of professionalism required.
Communication
Excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential to working in HR. As a human resources assistant, you’ll be the point of contact between staff and management, handling sensitive conversations and conflict resolution. You’ll also be heavily involved with communicating new policies and procedures as well as keeping everyone up to date with training.
Your written communication skills will come in handy with the paperwork for staff members, their skills matrix entries and their professional development reviews. Overall, communication skills are a must for the HR industry.
Mentoring
The human resources field is a perfect fit for those who have a passion for mentoring and like to lift up other employees. In HR part of the role requires you to hire and train new staff and assist and guide staff on their journey for professional development.
Knowing how to provide measured and personalised mentoring to staff members will help to build a stronger workforce for the company, by making sure the staff feel supported and find their work fulfilling.
Final Thoughts
Working in HR has so many benefits including the opportunity to shape the company culture, the chance to help people achieve their career goals and the ability to assist people when they are struggling.
If you’re a people person with a passion for helping people, this might be the perfect career path for you! You can check out the course here or organise to have a chat with one of our course advisors. They would be happy to help you find the right course for your career.