Human resources manager to human resources assistant
A human resources manager already meets 37% of what the human resources assistant role asks for. The move turns on 13 required skills not yet in the profile.
62.2/ 100
1 How much of what a human resources assistant is expected to do is already part of a human resources manager’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the human resources assistant role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A human resources assistant role treats 4 of its required skills as things a human resources manager already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- administer appointments
- apply company policies
- hire human resources
- identify with the company's goals
What stands in the way is 13 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 18 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A human resources assistant role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a human resources manager background worth leading with.
- already held ensure gender equality in the workplace assisting and caring
- already held negotiate with employment agencies communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held support employability of people with disabilities management skills
- already held identify necessary human resources management skills
- already held negotiate employment agreements communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held manage payroll management skills
All 18 carried skills, including the 4 the human resources assistant role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 20 missing skills fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn communicate by telephone required
- still to learn listen actively required
- still to learn support managers required
- still to learn use communication techniques required
- still to learn write work-related reports required
- optional, not held apply knowledge of human behaviour optional
- optional, not held assist employee health programmes optional
- optional, not held coach employees optional
- optional, not held manage employee complaints optional
- still to learn profile people required
- still to learn assess character required
- still to learn fix meetings required
- still to learn maintain professional administration required
- optional, not held disseminate messages to people optional
- optional, not held introduce new employees optional
- still to learn document interviews required
- still to learn manage payroll reports required
- still to learn observe confidentiality required
- still to learn job market offers required
- optional, not held business communication optional
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a human resources assistant role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 profile people practise this
- 02 assess character practise this
- 03 communicate by telephone practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 18 skills that carry over
- already held administer appointments skill
- already held apply company policies skill
- already held hire human resources skill
- already held identify with the company's goals skill
- already held advertising techniques knowledge
- already held employment law knowledge
- already held ensure gender equality in the workplace skill
- already held gather feedback from employees skill
- already held human resource management knowledge
- already held human resources department processes knowledge
- already held identify necessary human resources skill
- already held interview people skill
- already held labour legislation knowledge
- already held manage payroll skill
- already held negotiate employment agreements skill
- already held negotiate with employment agencies skill
- already held recruit employees skill
- already held support employability of people with disabilities skill
7 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held apply knowledge of human behaviour optional
- optional, not held assist employee health programmes optional
- optional, not held business communication optional
- optional, not held coach employees optional
- optional, not held disseminate messages to people optional
- optional, not held introduce new employees optional
- optional, not held manage employee complaints optional
66 held skills the human resources assistant role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role adapt training to labour market skill
- not needed by the target role advise on conflict management skill
- not needed by the target role advise on organisational culture skill
- not needed by the target role advise on personnel management skill
- not needed by the target role advise on risk management skill
- not needed by the target role advise on social security benefits skill
- not needed by the target role apply conflict management skill
- not needed by the target role apply technical communication skills skill
- not needed by the target role build trust skill
- not needed by the target role company policies knowledge
- not needed by the target role comply with legal regulations skill
- not needed by the target role consultation knowledge
- not needed by the target role coordinate educational programmes skill
- not needed by the target role coordinate operational activities skill
- not needed by the target role corporate law knowledge
- not needed by the target role corporate social responsibility knowledge
- not needed by the target role create a work atmosphere of continuous improvement skill
- not needed by the target role develop corporate training programmes skill
- not needed by the target role develop employee retention programs skill
- not needed by the target role develop professional network skill
- not needed by the target role develop staff skill
- not needed by the target role develop training programmes skill
- not needed by the target role discharge employees skill
- not needed by the target role ensure information transparency skill
- not needed by the target role evaluate performance of organisational collaborators skill
- not needed by the target role evaluate training skill
- not needed by the target role give constructive feedback skill
- not needed by the target role government policy implementation knowledge
- not needed by the target role government social security programmes knowledge
- not needed by the target role identify policy breach skill
- not needed by the target role labour law knowledge
- not needed by the target role leadership principles knowledge
- not needed by the target role manage budgets skill
- not needed by the target role manage corporate training programmes skill
- not needed by the target role manage government policy implementation skill
- not needed by the target role manage human resources skill
- not needed by the target role manage pension funds skill
- not needed by the target role manage stress in the work place skill
- not needed by the target role manage sub-contract labour skill
- not needed by the target role monitor company policy skill
26 further entries not listed here
2 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn job market offers required
- optional, not held business communication optional
Other moves recorded from human resources manager
- equality and inclusion manager 80% covered · adjacent
- pension scheme manager 68% covered · moderate
- public employment service manager 59% covered · moderate
- labour relations officer 59% covered · moderate
- human resources officer 56% covered · moderate
- corporate training manager 51% covered · substantial
- health and safety inspector 44% covered · moderate
- employment agent 43% covered · substantial
Common questions about this move
Can a human resources manager become a human resources assistant?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A human resources manager already covers 37% of what a human resources assistant is expected to do: 18 skills carry over, 4 of which the human resources assistant role treats as required.
What skills does a human resources manager need to become a human resources assistant?
13 required skills are missing, plus 7 optional ones. They fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by communication, collaboration and creativity. The single most important is profile people.
How hard is the move from human resources manager to human resources assistant?
Its learning distance is 62.2 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.