Working behind the scenes, the human resource assistant helps organizations to run smoothly. Hiring, training, managing paychecks, keeping employees happy and safe — these are just some of the vital tasks in which human resource staffers play a role.

An ideal HR assistant will “facilitate an environment of unity and cooperation and encourage creativity and innovative thinking — the opposite of NBC’s ‘The Office’,” said Sharen Jacobs, the Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC) Extension Program assistant and former office manager.

She explains that the HR professional should have strong leadership qualities in order to communicate the company’s vision to employees, as well as a clear understanding of company protocols.

Every organization with employees needs personnel management, so job opportunities for HR assistants are everywhere! At large companies they specialize by function; at smaller firms, they’re generalists. An HR assistant might be found supporting employee orientation, payroll and benefits, performance management, employee relations and communications, recruitment and training, insurance claims, employee safety, records and legal matters, such as sexual harassment.

A Typical Day

Jessica Raab, 34, an Ajilon Professional Staffing Associate, currently works as a human resource assistant for a large manufacturing company in L.A. County. Her daily work mostly focuses on payroll issues.

“Money is a sensitive topic,” Raab said. Helping an employee with a paycheck problem “can be challenging sometimes because you are limited by law and corporate policy. You do genuinely feel empathy for this employee.”

Raab completed her graduate degree in anthropology, which relates to the study of cultures, and chose to work in HR because she was looking for a career in which she could interact with a lot of people. “I have friends who work in HR and have achieved a meaningful working life.”

She has also found working in HR to have its rewarding moments. “The employee is having difficulty, but I solve their problem and it improves their day,” Raab said. “They got their needs met. It is an important function of HR.”

Lourdes Jordan works in HR at a manufacturing facility in Cerritos. She is a great example of how dynamic the role can be. Because the company is small (54 employees), she not only runs the department by herself, but also manages the company’s safety program. She has a bachelor’s in business administration and reports directly to the president and three VPs.

In a previous job, Jordan switched from working in sales to HR administration when her employer started to downsize. “It kind of chose me,” said Jordan when asked why she entered HR. “I speak Spanish fluently. It works in California.”

In a typical day, Jordan may spend time facilitating the safety program, answering phones or performing employee orientations. She does all the hiring herself — from project managers to manufacturing workers. “Working in Human Resources is a diversified position, task-oriented; a lot of it deals with troubleshooting of some sort.”

When asked, she reports that the most challenging part of her job is management of employee behavior and communications, and the most rewarding relates to the safety program.

Does This Sound Like You?

When asked what qualities are needed to succeed in this field, Jacobs offered her insight. Being a “people person” is vital. The HR professional must develop a rapport and trust with new and existing personnel, in order to find mutually beneficial and fair resolution for complex problems, such as labor contract negotiations, changing health plans, or prolonged family leaves of absence.

Organizational skills are important due to the varied, sometimes time-sensitive responsibilities of the HR Department, such as sending out W2 statements, and reporting payroll taxes to state and federal agencies.  

Confidentially is another important quality when dealing with legal issues such as sexual harassment and wrongful termination. Careful documentation is key in such cases.

HR Assistants are quite dependent on computers. Jordan said knowledge of computers is “100% important” and candidates should be fluent with Internet use, (Microsoft) Excel, Word and Outlook.

Raab also emphasized how much this skillset can help open opportunities. “Things are more and more automated,” she said as she thought about her daily routine. “There are so few tasks that don’t involve a computer.”

Salary Range

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the salary of a HR Assistant can range from $20,839 to $64,458, depending on years of experience in the field. A starting salary of $40,000 is reasonable, says Jacobs from LAVC. “The more value you can add to a business, the more valuable you become.”   

Train for This Career

Q&A with Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC) Extension Human Resource Assistant Academy

What degree or certificate does your school offer?
We offer an HR Assistant Credential.

What does it take to enroll in the program?
No prior experience or schooling is necessary to participate; however, a high school-level knowledge of English and basic computer skills are recommended. Some of our classes include: training & development, cultural diversity, compensation and benefits, workers compensation, violence in the workplace, recruitment and selection, investigation and OSHA regulations.

How long does the course take to complete?
12 weeks.

If you had to convince somebody that this was a good career, what would you say?
Human Resource is a vital department of every company, in every industry. In regards to liability, particularly in this litigious society, the better trained HR personnel are, the more money is saved and greater protection is afforded an organization. For instance, lawsuits involving workers’ compensation and sexual harassment must be handled with the utmost care, at every level. Our program includes such topics, which are taught by specialists in their field.

Do you help the grads to find jobs?
We offer a private job board to our extension students, as well as a monthly job club, within our Dept. of Job Training. Staff is available to offer advice to students regarding their resumes, cover letters, interviewing tips. We can’t guarantee a job, but we do a great deal to support our students in finding a excellent position.