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Personnel Officer: tasks, salary and jobs
The personnel officer (m/f/d) is a central role in the personnel administration and development of a company. As an all-rounder in the HR department, they take on tasks ranging from recruiting and onboarding new employees to personnel development. The HR officer ensures that the right employees are placed in the right positions and that they have the best possible working conditions.
Personnel Officer: Overview
- Education: Often a degree in business administration or HR management, alternatively commercial training with appropriate further training.
- Hard skills: Recruitment, employment law, personnel development and personnel marketing.
- Soft skills: strong communication skills, empathy, organizational talent and negotiation skills.
- Salary: Depending on experience and industry, the salary is between € 41,000 and € 70,000 gross per year.
What does a Personnel Officer do? - The tasks in detail
The day-to-day work of an HR officer is varied and includes numerous HR tasks that are crucial to the success of a company. Typical tasks include:
- Determining personnel requirements: the HR officer analyzes the need for new employees and develops appropriate strategies in collaboration with the management.
- Recruitment: from the creation of job advertisements to the selection of suitable candidates, the HR officer is responsible for the entire recruitment process.
- Onboarding: Another focus is on the integration of new employees to ensure that they quickly fit into the company.
- Employee support: The HR officer acts as a point of contact for employees and supports them in personnel law and organizational matters.
- Personnel development: Together with the management and the specialist departments, the personnel officer plans further training and courses to promote employee development.
- Employment law documentation: drawing up employment contracts, references and other legal documents.
- Downsizing: In times of restructuring, the personnel officer is also responsible for dismissals or other personnel law measures.
Training & career path to becoming a Personnel Officer
There are various ways to become a personnel officer. A typical career path is as follows:
- Degree: a bachelor’s degree in business administration, HR management or a related field is a common foundation. Alternatively, some universities offer specialized courses in HR.
- Work experience: often a career starts in an HR assistant position or as a junior HR officer before progressing to a role with more responsibility.
- Further training: Specific further training, for example in employment law, HR management or recruiting, helps to prepare you for the requirements of the position.
- Lateral entry: Even with a commercial education and relevant professional experience in other areas, entry can be achieved through further training or on-the-job training.
Salary of a Personnel Officer
The salary of a personnel officer depends on the industry, company size and experience:
- Junior personnel officer: €41,000 - €50,000 gross per year.
- Mid-level personnel officer: €50,000 - €60,000 gross per year.
- Senior personnel officer: In senior positions, especially in large companies, salaries of over €70,000 are possible.
Career prospects as a Personnel Officer
The job of personnel officer opens up a wide range of development opportunities. HR officers can specialize in various areas, e.g. in personnel development, talent management or employment law. In medium-sized and large companies, there is the opportunity to advance to senior HR positions, such as HR Manager or Head of HR.
HR officers are also in demand in related areas, such as commercial administration, legal departments or in the field of further education and training.
Hard and soft skills of a Personnel Officer
In addition to specialist HR knowledge, a successful HR officer also has strong social skills. The most important hard skills include:
- Personnel planning: knowledge in the field of personnel requirements assessment and recruitment.
- Employment law: familiarity with legal requirements and the preparation of employment contracts and references
- HR software: Use of modern HR tools to manage and analyse HR data.
The soft skills of an HR Officer include:
- Strong communication skills: the HR officer is the interface between management and employees.
- Empathy and social skills: A good feel for people and their needs is essential.
- Organizational talent: The ability to manage various HR projects efficiently.
Personnel Officer vs. HR Manager
While the Personnel Officer is deeply involved in the operational tasks of HR management, the HR manager focuses more on strategic HR planning and management. The personnel officer takes care of the day-to-day business, such as recruiting and employee support, while the HR manager develops and implements the long-term HR strategy.
Current job vacancies for Personnel Officers
Are you looking for a new challenge as a Personnel Officer? Discover exciting vacancies in our network and find your next career step in human resources. Start now and let's shape your professional future together!