Human Resources Resume Example
Pursuing a career as a human resource specialist provides opportunities for career progression and responsibilities involving resolving workplace conflicts and conducting employee interviews. If you want to stand out with your human resource specialist applications, you'll need to create a professional resume that makes a strong impression on employers. In this article, we'll showcase resume tips and examples that can help you create a professional human resources resume that catches the eye of hiring managers.
After reading this article, you'll feel confident creating a human resources resume that effectively showcases your relevant skills and experience. The article will take you through the key steps of creating a resume that presents your key skills, qualities and career achievements in a format that employers favor. It will also help you tailor your resume according to your unique skills and experience level. Read on to learn how to write a perfect human resources resume, from the advice of careers experts at Jobseeker.
Main sections of an HR specialist resume
A successful human resources resume will typically include each of the sections listed below, with some optional sections.
For junior and entry-level human resource specialist positions, you may be short on work experience to include in your resume. Select a resume layout that emphasizes your skills and qualifications, such as a functional format. Draw attention to your soft and transferable skills, as employers will value these highly for entry-level roles. You could also mention any internships, training or volunteer work that helps you showcase skills relevant to the position.
For those with some prior experience as a human resource specialist work experience is the most important element of a resume. Use a traditional, reverse-chronological resume format to emphasize your career timeline and achievements. By using this resume format you can focus on showing how your experience has helped you develop the required skills for the job. Review the job description to understand which key skills and experience to focus on.
Senior job applications require a slightly different approach to mid-level or junior human resource specialist roles. Use a reverse-chronological format focusing on your work experience, with a particular emphasis on the impact you've made. Some elements to include in a senior resume for maximum impact might include awards, publications, conference presentations or professional memberships. By adding these sections, it's likely that your resume will be longer than a junior resume.
Your resume layout and structure may differ depending on your experience levels, but make sure your resume includes the following:
Resume Header
Your human resources resume header should contain your name and contact details. These include your email address and phone number. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you can also add that, to give employers the chance to learn more about your skills and experience. It's not necessary to include a photo or any other personal information. Make your resume header clear, concise and as brief and compact as possible. Consider different layouts that spread the information horizontally across the page rather than using a different line for each piece of information.
Make sure your email address appears as professional as possible, and doesn't include anything like nicknames, inappropriate language or personal information. If it does, set up a new email account with an address based on your name or initials, and use that for your job applications. Always double-check your contact details are up-to-date before sending your resume.
Caroline Adams
caroline.adams@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
124 Conch Street, Bikini Bottom, CA
linkedin․com/in/caroline–adams123
Resume Summary
Following your resume header, write a resume summary to introduce yourself and showcase some of your key skills and achievements. Alternative names for this section are 'resume objective' and 'personal profile'. While a resume summary focuses on your career experience, a resume objective covers your ambitions and career plans. Always make sure your summary reflects the job description and highlights some of the key skills required for human resource specialist roles.
Alternatively, use this section to emphasize your career objectives and explain how and why this role is a suitable step for you at this stage of your career.
A good resume summary is short and snappy, and focused on the skills and experience listed in the job description, with evidence to back it up. It will also help the reader to form their first impressions of you by providing an insight into your personality and unique qualities. The graphic below showcases some good examples of what to include in your human resources resume summary.
Good example:
Results-driven Human Resource Specialist with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resource Management and extensive experience as a Talent Acquisition Specialist. Proven track record in recruiting top talent, developing effective hiring strategies, and fostering a positive work environment. Adept at utilizing innovative sourcing techniques, managing full-cycle recruitment processes, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to meet organizational goals. Strong interpersonal and communication skills with a commitment to enhancing employee engagement and retention
Bad example:
Human resource professional with some background in business and finding people for jobs. Worked on getting people hired and making the workplace nice. Used different ways to find candidates and handled hiring from start to finish. Worked with different teams to help the company. Good at talking to people and focused on keeping employees happy and staying with the company
Conversely, a bad resume summary might be too generic, lacking focus on the specifics of the job description. It will also fail to provide any useful insights on what makes you a unique candidate. The visual above includes some examples of what not to do with your human resources resume summary
Work History
In the next section, list your employment history focusing on the most relevant previous roles and achievements that showcase your human resource specialist skills. Include any relevant jobs you've held in reverse-chronological order. Start with your current or most recent roles and work back through previous roles. For each job, list your title, the name of the company, its location and the dates you worked there.
In addition, include a few bullet points under each job, highlighting your key achievements so the hiring manager can see how they led to successful outcomes. Back up each point with evidence to show how you meet the job description.
A successful resume work experience section will always showcase skills and experience relevant to the job description, and how you put each to good use in your previous roles. Offering quantifiable evidence in an HR specialist resume proves you're a strong candidate for the job, such as client feedback, project outcomes, KPIs or financial results. Take a look at the examples below for some guidance on what works best for your work experience section.
Good example:
Talent Acquisition Specialist, January 2022 - Present
TalentSphere Solutions, Louisville
- Successfully reduced time-to-hire by 30% through streamlined recruitment processes and strategic sourcing techniques
- Increased candidate retention rate by 40% by implementing a comprehensive onboarding and engagement program
- Filled over 100 critical positions within a year, contributing to a 15% growth in company workforce
Bad example:
Talent Acquisition Specialist, January 2022 - Present
TalentSphere Solutions, Louisville
- Improved recruitment processes to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in hiring
- Developed and implemented programs to boost employee engagement and retention
- Played a key role in expanding the company's workforce
In the graphic above you can see a great example of what to avoid when writing your resume work experience section. A poor resume work experience section would typically use vague descriptions of activities in previous jobs, while focusing too much on responsibilities rather than achievements. Failing to focus on the skills and experience that match the job description is likely to harm your chances of success.
Education
Under education, add details of any degrees or professional qualifications relevant to human resource specialist roles.
If you're applying for human resource specialist positions you'll typically need to have a degree. A Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resource Management will usually help your chances of success. You could also list any qualifications that demonstrate your performance management systems or HRIS software proficiency.
List your relevant qualifications in reverse-chronological order. Add the name and level of the award, the institution, its location (if this isn't obvious from the name) and your dates of study. If you have space, include some bullet points outlining any specialist areas of study, awards or high grades, so the employer can learn more about your unique skill set and knowledge.
Membership or leadership of any societies, clubs or causes while studying can also make a positive impression on hiring managers. Consider adding these to your education section for more insight into how you used your time as a student.
Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resource Management, 2017 - 2020
Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Hard and Soft Skills
Adding a list of your key skills provides a quick reference for the reader of what you can bring to a human resource specialist role. Skills such as employee relations management or effective communication skills are particularly useful for human resource specialist jobs. Again, include any skills that match those listed in the job description. Focus particularly on technical skills required for human resource specialist jobs and transferable skills that show your qualities as a human resource specialist.
Highlighting your hard skills
For your hard skills list, include any technical abilities or specific industry knowledge that's essential to working as a human resource specialist. These could be skills gained through work experience or qualifications. Furthermore, it's important to show these skills in a human resources resume as they provide a strong indication of your experience in the sector. If possible, add four or five hard skills that reflect the requirements of the job description. These will boost your chances of success in your applications.
For an effective resume hard skills section, focus on the technical skills that are most essential in the job description, and that match your specific expertise. Some examples of the best hard skills for a human resources resume are listed below.
- Employee relations management
- HRIS software proficiency
- Performance management systems
Showcasing your best soft skills
In your list of soft skills, add any personal strengths, qualities or transferable skills that make you a good fit for the job. Soft skills are often less specific to different industries, but that doesn't make them any less important. In fact, as technology develops, soft skills are growing in importance for recruiters and employers, so be sure to add several of these to your resume. Think of your best soft skills and add up to five that match the requirements of the job description.
A strong soft skills section should play to your strengths, listing skills that reflect your personal qualities while also reflecting the skills listed in the job description. For some examples of good soft skills for a human resources resume, see below.
- Effective communication skills
- Empathy and understanding
- Conflict resolution abilities
Certifications and Training
Your certifications section is the place to mention any relevant professional human resource specialist certifications, licenses or qualifications. Add any official certifications or accreditations that increase your level of qualification and suitability for working as a human resource specialist. Therefore, include the details of any licenses and professional certifications required for human resource specialist roles, along with completion dates so employers can see you're up-to-date.
Review the list below for some suitable certifications for a human resources resume:
- SHRM-CP, 2022
- PHR, 2022
- SPHR, 2022
Hear from experts:
Optional Resume Sections
If you need to provide further evidence of your suitability for the job, optional sections can be useful for an HR specialist resume. Pick from the optional sections below to help show the employer you have the skills and experience for the job.
Hobbies
Hobbies and interests can be a useful way of showing your skills and experience beyond your work and education. Hobbies can help you show different sides of your personality and make your resume more memorable to hiring managers. They're ideal to include if you're a junior candidate who might lack real world human resource specialist experience. Only include hobbies and interests that showcase your personality and personal qualities, and add something different to your application.
Voluntary Work
If you're lacking relevant human resource specialist work experience, volunteer work can help to show you still have the relevant skills. Add your volunteer job title or role, the name of the organization, its location and the dates you were involved.
References
Although it's rare to include references on a human resources resume, some employers may ask for it. Don't add references unless they're specifically mentioned by the employer in the job advert. Add two or three professional references, and be sure to approach each referee before you include them.
References will be available upon request.
Best action words for your human resources resume
Add strong verbs to your work experience section to show the hiring manager the impact you made in your previous roles. Add strong verbs from the list below to create a greater impact with your work experience section.
- Coordinate
- Recruit
- Analyze
- Facilitate
- Manage
- Develop
- Implement
- Negotiate
- Advise
- Evaluate
If you want to create a resume that stands out from the crowd, use Jobseeker's expert-designed resume templates. You can also find cover letter templates that work to get you noticed by employers.
Sample resume for human resource specialist positions
Now we've covered the main sections to include in your human resources resume, let's take a look at how it all comes together in the example below:
124 Conch Street, Bikini Bottom, CA
•
caroline.adams@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/caroline–adams123
Human Resource Specialist with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resource Management and extensive experience as a Talent Acquisition Specialist. Proven ability to develop and implement effective recruitment strategies, manage full-cycle hiring processes, and build strong relationships with candidates and hiring managers. Adept at utilizing various sourcing techniques and HR technologies to attract top talent and support organizational growth. Strong communicator with excellent organizational and multitasking skills
Talent Acquisition Specialist
2020
-2022
TalentQuest Solutions (Tucson)
- Successfully reduced time-to-hire by 30% through streamlined recruitment processes and enhanced candidate sourcing techniques
- Achieved a 95% hiring manager satisfaction rate by implementing targeted recruitment strategies and improving candidate quality
- Increased diversity hires by 40% through strategic partnerships and inclusive recruitment practices
Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resource Management
2017
-2020
Colorado State University (Fort Collins, CO)
Employee relations management
HRIS software proficiency
Performance management systems
Effective communication skills
Empathy and understanding
Conflict resolution abilities
SHRM-CP
PHR
English - Fluent
Spanish - B2
Best practices for a human resources resume
Tips for best resume practices
- Make a strong first impression with a concise, impactful human resources resume summary that showcases your key qualities.
- Keep your human resources resume concise, with a target length of one page for less experienced candidates, and two pages for senior positions.
- Use reverse-chronological order for your work and education, starting with your most recent employment and education.
- Quantify your achievements and show evidence of how you've used your skills to bring positive outcomes in your career to date.
- Adapt your resume for every job application for maximum impact. Review the job description to understand the specific requirements for the role.
Keep away from these common resume mistakes
- Don't use jargon or acronyms that can make your human resources resume more difficult to read.
- Don't include personal details beyond your name, location and contact details. Adding your age, gender, nationality or a photo can create unwanted hiring bias.
- Don't add any hobbies or interests unless they directly showcase a skill or experience that's relevant to the job.
- Don't forget to keep your contact information up to date, to ensure the employer can contact you if necessary.
- Don't use an unprofessional email address. Instead, create a simple email address based on your name.
Tips on creating an ATS-optimized resume
Applicant tracking systems (ATS) help recruiters and employers to streamline their hiring process. They can store and process data, including applications and applicant data, quickly and efficiently. One of the jobs ATS applications are increasingly responsible for is initial candidate screening. The systems can quickly scan and rank resumes based on how closely they match the job description. When writing your human resources resume, a few simple tips can help you pass the ATS stage with a higher-ranking resume, giving you a better chance of success with your applications.
Follow these simple rules when writing your resume, to make sure it's ATS compliant:
- Use a traditional resume layout, such as a reverse-chronological or functional format. This will mean your resume includes all the necessary sections, in the expected order.
- Use keywords throughout your resume that reflect the job description, so ATS resume scanners can recognize a strong connection between your skills, and those in the job description.
- Using clear, simple headings makes it easier for an ATS application to scan your resume, as it can easily identify what's in each section of your document.
- Adopt a clean, unfussy design that gives your content enough white space to breathe. Use professional, readable fonts and subtle use of color and other design elements.
- Use simple, concise language to keep your resume to a maximum of one to two pages in length. This will make it easier for ATS software to read.
For help crafting a winning resume, read our in-depth career blog and review our resume examples for inspiration.
Frequently Asked Questions about an HR specialist resume
Accompanying your resume for human resource specialist applications, you'll want to produce a cover letter that similarly leaves a positive impression on hiring managers.
Firstly, think about whether you want to write a full, formal cover letter or whether a brief email to introduce yourself and draw attention to your resume will suffice.
A traditional cover letter should follow formal letter-writing conventions and structure, including a header, the recipient's address and professional greetings and sign-offs. For the main body of the letter, open with a short paragraph introducing yourself and explaining your reasons for applying for the human resource specialist role. Follow that with an explanation of your skills and experience and how they're relevant to the position. Close by expressing your gratitude and enthusiasm, and leaving a call to action that encourages the employer to open a dialogue with you.
You can create a professional cover letter in just a few simple, easy-to-follow steps using Jobseeker's tried and tested cover letter templates.
There are plenty of ways to still make a positive impression with your human resources resume, even if you lack relevant work experience. Use a functional resume format instead of the standard reverse-chronological structure. This emphasizes your skills and education over your work experience. Additional resume sections such as volunteer work, hobbies and interests, certifications and internships can all help you showcase your relevant skills. These can be more prominent in your resume if you haven't got a lot of work experience.
If you want to create a strong first impression in your human resource specialist application, a resume headline can help. A well-written resume headline is also a way to increase your chances of passing the ATS resume scanning stage, by referencing keywords that match the job description. Write a concise headline including the job title, a reference to your experience or track record and one or two key skills.
Below you can see a resume headline example:
- Junior Human Resource Specialist
- Strategic HR Specialist Driving Success
- Experienced Senior HR Specialist
The resume format that gives you the best chances of success depends on your experience levels, as well as the type of job you're applying for and its seniority level. For entry-level roles, or situations where you're changing to a new career, a functional resume is often the best option. This places your skills and education above your work experience. For more senior roles where you have plenty of relevant experience, use a reverse chronological format. This resume structure places work experience at the heart of the document, using it as a showcase for your skills and achievements.
Takeaways for a winning human resources resume
Writing a strong, impactful resume is about using your experience to demonstrate your relevant skills and achievements. You can do this through your work history or other resume sections. Choose a resume structure that makes the most of your relevant experience, whether through work or other activities, and be sure to tailor your resume to match the job description.
Remember, Jobseeker resume templates and other tools make it easy to create a resume and cover letter that leaves a positive impression on hiring managers. Sign up now to start building your perfect resume. To make the best possible impression with your applications, write a cover letter with the help of Jobseeker. You can also find plenty of expert-designed cover letter examples for inspiration.
Sources:
(1) Tips for Writing a Federal Resume, U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/tips-for-writing-a-federal-resume
(2) Resume Tips, Duke University: https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/resume-tips/
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