A human resource assistant is the person that will assist the human resource manager or generalist in the HR department. If one wants to get more involved in this career, but has limited experience, this is a great way to get your foot in the door, learn the ropes and move up with the company. Some of the main skills that are requested for this position are the following.

The first main thing to have is computer knowledge. Knowledge of Microsoft Office is almost essential including programs, such as like Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint; sometimes a basic knowledge of Access may be asked for. As far as typing skills, an average of 40 to 45 words per minute is a good start.

Know basic human resources laws. Knowing the basic laws of the industry is more than helpful, such as illegal interview procedures, sexual harassment laws, worker compensation and the equal opportunity laws. All these will come in handy during your job and if you do not know them, you can buy some books or ask your supervisors for advice on them.

Know some payroll. Some basic payroll knowledge can be very useful, especially if you have used some of the different software available.

Keeping employee files updated is also important and should be done either daily or weekly. You must make sure to create one for a new hire or update someone that has quit or been laid off, and keep all of their benefits information up to date.

Keep information confidential. This skill goes well with updating the files of your employees, which should be kept in a locked cabinet that only few have access to since you are privy to a lot of private information, such as age, salary and Social Security numbers.

Liking people and having good communication skills are important in the human resources industry, since you will deal with employees all day for a variety of different tasks from questions of their benefits to vacation time permits and even complaints. As such, it's important to maintain your professionalism. Professionalism is important, meaning not only acting with good manners, but also respecting the way someone dresses, acts and speaks.