Human Resources Assistant resume keywords and skills

HR assistant postings ask for two things at once: administrative volume and discretion with sensitive records. They name tasks such as onboarding, I-9 verification, benefits enrollment and personnel files, and they usually name the HRIS. Use the posting's own nouns, including the platform if you have worked in it, and attach a count to each task. List compliance terms like FMLA or E-Verify only if you have handled that paperwork yourself.

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  • New hire onboarding
  • Employment eligibility verification (I-9)
  • E-Verify
  • Background checks
  • Interview scheduling
  • Applicant tracking system (ATS)
  • HRIS (Workday, ADP, UKG)
  • Personnel files
  • Employment verification
  • Confidentiality
  • Benefits administration
  • Leave of absence (FMLA)
  • COBRA notices
  • Timekeeping
  • New hire orientation
  • HR policies and procedures
  • Offboarding
  • aPHR certification

Human Resources Assistant resume keywords

The bullets are writing models, not anyone's real results. Use a keyword only when you can back it with your own work.

Hiring and onboarding

New hire onboarding
The task most postings list first. Give the number of hires you processed and which steps were yours.
Coordinated new hire onboarding for about 140 employees a year, from offer paperwork through first-day orientation.
Employment eligibility verification (I-9)
Federal law requires Form I-9 for every hire, with documents reviewed within three business days. Postings want someone who has completed it correctly.
Completed employment eligibility verification for every new hire within three business days of the start date.
E-Verify
Required for federal contractors and by some states. List it only if your employer was enrolled and you opened cases.
Opened E-Verify cases for new hires at two locations and worked through tentative nonconfirmations with the HR manager.
Background checks
Postings may call it pre-employment screening. Mirror their phrase and name the vendor if you used one, such as HireRight or Checkr.
Ordered background checks and drug screens for about 20 candidates a month and tracked results to clear start dates.
Interview scheduling
Recruiting-heavy teams hand this to the assistant. Show volume and the number of recruiters or hiring managers you supported.
Handled interview scheduling for 6 recruiters, booking about 35 phone and panel interviews a week.
Applicant tracking system (ATS)
Name the product, such as Workday Recruiting, Greenhouse or iCIMS. Recruiters search resumes for the system they use.
Posted requisitions and moved candidates through hiring stages in the Greenhouse applicant tracking system.

Records and HR systems

HRIS (Workday, ADP, UKG)
Postings almost always name the system. List the platforms you have entered data in, since each one is a search term.
Entered new hires, job changes and terminations in the Workday HRIS for a workforce of 600.
Personnel files
Shows you know what belongs in the file and what must be kept apart, such as medical and I-9 records.
Maintained personnel files for 450 employees and kept medical records in separate locked storage.
Employment verification
Lenders and agencies ask HR to confirm job titles and dates. It is routine work that postings list by name.
Responded to about 15 employment verification requests a month from lenders and landlords within two business days.
Confidentiality
Every HR posting names it. Tie it to the kinds of records you had access to.
Handled salary data, disciplinary notes and medical paperwork with strict confidentiality.

Benefits, leave and timekeeping

Benefits administration
Assistants handle forms, deadlines and carrier updates. Mention open enrollment and the headcount you supported.
Assisted with benefits administration for 300 employees, entering open enrollment elections and sending changes to carriers.
Leave of absence (FMLA)
Postings ask for FMLA familiarity because leave paperwork has deadlines. Say what you tracked, sent or filed.
Tracked about 40 leave of absence cases a year and mailed FMLA notices within the required five business days.
COBRA notices
Departing employees must be told about continued health coverage. Mention it if you prepared or tracked the notices.
Sent COBRA notices to departing employees through the benefits vendor and logged each mailing date.
Timekeeping
HR assistants often check hours before payroll runs. Name the timekeeping system, such as UKG or ADP.
Reviewed timekeeping records in UKG each pay period and sent missed-punch corrections to supervisors before payroll closed.

Employee support and credentials

New hire orientation
Different from onboarding paperwork. It means presenting or setting up the first-day session, so say which part you led.
Presented the benefits and policy portion of new hire orientation to groups of up to 12 every other Monday.
HR policies and procedures
Assistants are the first stop for policy questions. Name the topics you answered without passing them up.
Answered employee questions on HR policies and procedures, including attendance, paid time off and the dress code.
Offboarding
Postings list it beside onboarding. Mention the checklist items you owned, such as final paperwork or badge collection.
Completed offboarding for about 60 departures a year, including exit paperwork, equipment return and system access requests.
aPHR certification
An entry-level HR credential from HRCI that needs no prior HR experience. Postings list it as preferred, rarely required.
Earned the aPHR certification from HRCI while working full time as an HR assistant.

Human Resources Assistant job description for a resume

Common duties written as resume bullets. Keep the ones you did and add your own numbers.

  • Prepare offer letters, new hire packets and onboarding schedules for incoming employees.
  • Complete employment eligibility verification and submit E-Verify cases within required deadlines.
  • Enter new hires, status changes and terminations in the HRIS and audit records for errors.
  • Maintain personnel files and keep medical and confidential records stored separately.
  • Schedule interviews, post job openings and update candidate status in the applicant tracking system.
  • Process benefits enrollment forms and answer routine questions about plans and deadlines.
  • Track leave requests, send required notices and keep leave logs current.
  • Respond to employment verification requests and routine employee questions about policies.
  • Support payroll by reviewing timekeeping records and collecting missing approvals.

Human Resources Assistant resume summary examples

Entry level

Recent business graduate with an HR internship at a 200-person manufacturer. Prepared new hire packets, scheduled interviews for three recruiters and updated employee records in ADP Workforce Now. Completed coursework in employment law and is studying for the aPHR. Careful with confidential files and deadlines.

Experienced

HR assistant with 4 years supporting a 600-employee workforce across two sites. Onboards about 140 hires a year, completes employment eligibility verification and E-Verify cases, and maintains records in Workday. Handles benefits enrollment, FMLA tracking and employment verification requests, and holds the aPHR.

Phrases to replace on a human resources assistant resume

  • Helped with new employee paperwork

    Name the forms and the count. Completed I-9 verification and onboarding packets for 140 new hires a year.

  • Assisted the HR department with various tasks

    List the tasks by their posting names. Scheduled interviews, entered status changes in Workday and tracked FMLA leave.

  • Trustworthy and discreet

    Show what you were trusted with. Maintained personnel and medical files for 450 employees in separate locked storage.

Human Resources Assistant resume examples

See these keywords in a full resume, by experience level.

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Human Resources Assistant resume keywords FAQ

What keywords should an HR assistant resume include?

Onboarding, I-9 verification, HRIS, personnel files, benefits enrollment and confidentiality appear in most postings. Add the systems you have used by name, such as Workday, ADP or UKG, and compliance terms like FMLA, COBRA and E-Verify if you handled that paperwork. Use the posting's exact phrases, and only the ones you can back with a bullet.

Do I need a certification to be an HR assistant?

Most postings do not require one. The aPHR from HRCI is built for people starting out and has no experience requirement, so it can help when you lack HR job history. The SHRM-CP is a broader exam that suits people with some HR work behind them. If you are studying for either, say so with your expected test date.

How do I list HRIS experience on a resume?

Name the platform and what you did in it. For example: Entered new hires, job changes and terminations in Workday for 600 employees. A bare line that says HRIS experience gives a recruiter nothing to search on. If you have only run reports or looked up records, say that plainly.

Should I write I-9 or employment eligibility verification?

Use the wording in the posting, and include both once if you have room. Most postings write I-9, while some spell out employment eligibility verification. Add E-Verify only if your employer was enrolled and you opened cases yourself, because it is a separate system from the form.

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