How to Become a Human Resources (HR) Administrator Without Experience
This article provides a detailed guide on the steps needed to become an HR administrator.
An HR administrator is an HR professional responsible for employee documentation, including contracts, recruitment paperwork, and starter packs.
They are the first link to employees and external partners for all HR-related queries. Human resources managers expect HR administrators to form and maintain employee records, update databases internally, prepare and amend necessary HR documents, review and renew company policies and legal compliance, communicate with external partners, regularly report on HR metrics, and help with various arrangements internally.
If you’re interested in learning more about becoming an HR administrator, this article is for you. Below is a detailed guide on how to become an HR administrator.
Step 1: Have a Bachelor’s Degree
A degree is the most basic requirement and core competency for becoming an HR administrator. It can be a bachelor’s or master’s degree in business (HR) administration, human resources, or a related field.
A bachelor’s degree in a human resources field teaches you the fundamentals of a human resource information system administrator role.
Qualifications hone your abilities to become an expert, so becoming an HR administrator should be your goal. With a relevant degree, you can master the fundamentals of the HR administrator job description:
- Administrative and organizational skills
- Interpersonal skills
- Time and project management
- Software and computer skills
- Accounting programs
- Word processors
A degree in HR pushes candidates to learn more and dive deeper. Comprehensive research with better studying habits will increase your chances of mastering the skills required for an HR administrator role.
You can further improve your skills with a specialization or certificate in HR analytics or administration.
Certification increases your job application, enhances your chances of getting selected, and allows you to hone your skills professionally.
With a certification in HR, you can master analyzing employee performance evaluation sheets, maintaining employee records and extracting trends from the records, providing valuable insights for better business growth, and strategizing to target short—and long-term HR goals with better productivity and quicker turnout.
However, the learning outcomes are much broader, so if you’re willing to learn and enroll in a program, then take a look at the curriculum and learning outcomes for this HR Certification at HR University:
Step 2: Cultivate a Comprehensive Skillset
Aside from a degree in human resources, hr professionals often look at the experience of potential candidates.
After the primary assessment, human resources managers categorize employees’ soft and hard skills. This includes previous work experience as an HR administrator, interpersonal and communication skills, documentation skills, computer literacy, understanding of HR software, and knowledge of labor relations.
A comprehensive skill set is rewarding as employers can gauge your work portfolio, experience, and skills through your history. Employers know that you know what you need to do to succeed and what talent you need to bring to the table, and that will be less teaching from their side. In addition, having a work portfolio can relieve employers, and they can delegate work to you.
Step 3: Internship or Work Experience
Career advancement for HR administrators ties to their work experience.
Work experience as a Human Resources assistant counts toward the HR experience needed to advance to higher positions. Although the amount of knowledge required to advance varies, individuals need as many as five years to qualify for some human resource management positions.
Individuals interested in this career should also join an organization that offers training opportunities and workshop events. Human resources professionals in some sectors wish to seek voluntary professional certification from the HR Certification Institute. Professional certification demonstrates to employers that the holder has specific skills in HR management.
Certification also boosts resumes for those seeking employment elsewhere. Additionally, by enrolling in continuing education courses, those working in human resource management can stay up-to-date with changes affecting industry standards and practices.
Candidates should consider registering for courses providing the opportunity to acquire additional knowledge and sharpen skills essential to continued success.
Step 4: Analysis and Presentation
Data research and analysis are two of the most critical skills needed for the human resources department. An HR administrator must know how to conduct data analysis, as they are responsible for employee data and extracting valuable results and metrics from it.
Thus, it would help if you could analyze data from reports, such as evaluation sheets, employee feedback reports, and departmental progress reports, to extract meaningful results. Then, you can further research and suggest valuable strategies and recommendations for better employee productivity and business growth.
After mastering the analysis, you can rehearse the tactics to analyze the data and extract meaningful results. You are responsible for explaining such metrics to HR professionals and seniors to make them aware of how well the business, departments, and employees perform.
Thus, it would help if you had a good grip on preparing presentations, as your audience can extract the results you want to convey from your work. In addition, it would help if you learned how to break down the technical statistics into more accessible reports so that a non-technical investor or individual can understand the meaning of the work.
So, you must have the skills to present metrics and statistics to everyone. This skill is one of the essential skills required for an HR administrator.
Step 5: Technical Skills
Without experience in HR programs, you cannot help HR as you cannot develop the appropriate analytical thinking, which is why you must understand how an HR department works.
Generally, the HR administrator needs to know about:
- Talent acquisition
- Recruitment
- Onboarding
- Payrolling
- Employee rewards and retention
- Labor relations
- Conflict management
- You must understand these processes in detail to master HR skills. Only then can you contribute to human resource managers by providing insights into changes in departmental policies that will improve employee relations and business development
In addition, once you have complete knowledge of how human resources managers work and about HR software, your mindset and methodology will adapt to the goals, and your contribution will become even more grounded.
Step 6: Apply for an HR Administrator’s Role
Once you fulfill the general criteria, such as qualifications, skillset, specializations, and certifications, it’s time to start searching for the perfect role.
Read the complete HR administrator job description for any position you apply for, and then tweak your resume and job application according to the organization’s demands.
Also, research the organization’s goals, aspirations, culture, and preferences on its website and social media platforms. This will give you a broader idea of the organization and what kind of talent it is working towards.
Refresh your skills with the most recent market trends and demands to increase your chances of winning the human resources administrator position.
FAQs
Here are the most frequently asked questions about the HR administrator role.
What is the role of an HR administrator in human resources management?
An HR administrator plays a crucial role in human resources management. They oversee various HR processes, ensure compliance with employment laws, and manage employee records.
What are the key responsibilities of an HR administrator?
Key responsibilities include preparing HR documents, managing HR data, handling recruitment processes, assisting in employee onboarding, and ensuring accurate HR reporting.
What types of HR documents does an HR administrator prepare?
An HR administrator prepares various HR documents such as employment contracts, employee handbooks, performance evaluation forms, and onboarding materials.
How does an HR administrator manage HR data?
HR administrators manage HR data by maintaining accurate employee records, updating databases, and ensuring data security and confidentiality.
What is HR reporting, and why is it important for HR administrators?
HR reporting involves analyzing and presenting HR data to inform decision-making. HR administrators must track employee turnover, recruitment efficiency, and compliance with HR policies.
What skills are essential for a successful HR career as an administrator?
Essential skills include solid organizational abilities, attention to detail, excellent communication skills, knowledge of HR software, and a good understanding of employment laws and regulations.
How can one advance their HR career as an administrator?
Advancing an HR career can involve pursuing further education, obtaining HR certifications, gaining specialized experience in recruitment or compliance, and networking within the HR field.
If you are new to Human Resources and are looking to break into an HR Administrator position, we recommend taking our HR Certification Courses, where you will learn how to build your skillset in human resources, build your human resources network, craft an excellent HR resume, and create a successful job search strategy that lands you a sought-after HR Administrator job.
