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General affairs and human affairs workers

How to become a HR Clerk

Also called: Recruitment clerk, Payroll clerk, Personnel administrator, Staff benefits clerk, Employee relations officer

Handles the administration of managing staff, from hiring to leaving.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say university is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

No particular education or qualification is required to start. People graduate from university or similar, are hired by a company or organisation and are assigned to the personnel section or another HR department. Many are moved into HR after working in other departments. Knowledge of employment law and personnel management can be an advantage. Mid-career hires are expected to have experience and a thorough knowledge of recruitment, pay systems and social insurance procedures. You start with simple administrative tasks and, as you gain experience, move on to important work such as recruitment, staff transfers and reviewing pay systems. Related qualifications include labour and social security attorney (sharoushi), career consultant and the mental health management test. Workplaces (offices, factories and so on) with 50 or more workers must have a dedicated health officer, so holding that qualification can be an advantage. You need knowledge of many laws, starting with employment law, plus the ability to work and coordinate with other departments, negotiate with government offices and other companies, and gather information. HR work also involves personal information, so you need the integrity to keep things confidential and a fair attitude that keeps personal feelings out of hiring and assessments.

Ways in

Pay · Job openings · AI and this job

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Questions people ask

How do I become a HR Clerk?

No particular education or qualification is required to start. People graduate from university or similar, are hired by a company or organisation and are assigned to the personnel section or another HR department. Many are moved into HR after working in other departments. Knowledge of employment law and personnel management can be an advantage. Mid-career hires are expected to have experience and a thorough knowledge of recruitment, pay systems and social insurance procedures. You start with simple administrative tasks and, as you gain experience, move on to important work such as recruitment, staff transfers and reviewing pay systems. Related qualifications include labour and social security attorney (sharoushi), career consultant and the mental health management test. Workplaces (offices, factories and so on) with 50 or more workers must have a dedicated health officer, so holding that qualification can be an advantage. You need knowledge of many laws, starting with employment law, plus the ability to work and coordinate with other departments, negotiate with government offices and other companies, and gather information. HR work also involves personal information, so you need the integrity to keep things confidential and a fair attitude that keeps personal feelings out of hiring and assessments.

How much does a HR Clerk earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥5,252,200 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group General affairs and human affairs workers, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a HR Clerk?

Not always. In this job's census occupation group, 43% of workers are university graduates.

Will AI change the work of a HR Clerk?

Generative AI could change many tasks in this job, which usually reshapes the work more than it replaces it, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026