How to build an eye-catching human resources resume?
Whether you are a seasoned human resources manager or you are aspiring for an entry-level HR job, you form part of the department that effectively oversees the employee life cycle.
You may find yourself recruiting, hiring, training, and even firing employees. Your position certainly requires a very complex skill-set, and there is no doubt you can succeed in any position.
However, you will, for starters, need to craft a jaw-dropping HR resume that will impress your prospective employer.
1. Select an adequate format for your HR resume
As an HR job applicant, you certainly know how important it is to make your CV easy to read and easy to navigate for a hiring manager.
If you want to prevent your resume from ending up in the “reject pile”, follow these handy formatting tips, and make your CV clean looking.
- Opt for a two-column layout. With your contact details, skills, and any extra sections featuring in the left column, your right side can be dedicated to segments such as professional profile, work experience and education.
- Make your resume more scannable through listing your work history and education in a reverse-chronological order. Start with the most recent role, and use bullet points avoiding large blocks of text.
- Employ negative space between individual sections granting your resume breathing room.
- Avoid flashy images and stylish fonts. If you opt for graphic elements, make sure they work as focal points leading a hiring manager’s eye to the desired section.
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2. Make your HR professional summary stand out
A successful professional summary should be:
- Relevant to the job position you are applying for
- Captivating
- Concise
- Achievement-focused
Make your professional profile 3-5 lines long, projecting your best accomplishments and brilliant HR skills.
Human resources professional profile example
Self-driven, detail-oriented human resources professional with 4+ years of experience developing and enhancing employee onboarding and orientation processes. Successfully collaborated with all departments to create a 100% virtual onboarding for new hires. An outstanding problem solver with an eagerness to learn. Excellent communicator and effective team leader who thrives in a deadline driven environment. Able to manage both internal and external relationships with appropriate sense of urgency and courtesy.
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3. The most effective skill-set to put on your human resources CV
Not anyone could be in charge of filling positions, handing walking papers, looking after employee benefits and managing confidential data.
Interpersonal skills, outstanding communication, teamwork and patience are just a few of many skills you’ll need to equip yourself with in order to fulfil your role.
Customize your skill-set effectively to the job posting you are interested in, and impress your potential employer.
The best human resources soft skills for your resume
- Customer service skills
- Teamwork
- Outstanding spoken and written communication skills
- Responsibility
- Flexibility
- Confidentiality
- Diplomacy
- Patience
- Decision making
- Problem solving
- Ability to work well under pressure
- Organization
- Time management
Effective hard skills to put on your human resources CV
- Payroll systems
- Candidate assessment
- Compensation and benefits
- Talent acquisition techniques
- HRIS (Superior proficiency)
- MS Office (Superior proficiency)
4. Create a job-winning work experience section for your HR resume
It often happens that a promising employee is overlooked by a hiring manager due to an underperforming work experience resume section.
Don’t let that happen, and have the recruiter see what you are — a top-notch professional who will contribute to the success of their company.
- Always tailor your work history to what is expected from you in a specific job posting.
- Avoid large chunks of text, and use bullet lists instead. Keep the number of points moderately low.
- Mention only the most relevant achievements and quantify them whenever you can.
- Use powerful language.
HR work experience section example
Mark & Benson
Human Resources Assistant
2015–2018
- Developed an onboarding and orientation process, and successfully collaborated with all departments to create a 100% virtual onboarding for new hires.
- Coordinated employee benefits and served as the first point of contact for all benefits related inquiries.
- Developed 7+ recognition programs.
- Effectively coordinated 19 events and assisted the Marketing department with 10+ large-scale campaigns.
- Served as the first point of contact for all HR-related queries.
5. Make your HR education section shine with academic achievements
When it comes to listing your education, it’s a real plum to have a bachelor's degree in business, human resources, or a related field.
However, even if you have not received formal education in the field, you can still use your academic achievements, relevant coursework or areas of interests to make your resume shine.
Listing education in an HR resume
University of Europe
MA in Psychology
2010–2015
- Excelled in Diversity and Multiculturalism
- Thesis: Methods of Data Collection,
- Relevant Coursework: COgnitive Psychology, Statistics, Organizational Behavior, Motivation, Conflict Management and Negotiation
6. Include suitable extra sections in your human resources CV
Passions, activities, interests, learning experiences — you can leverage any of these to showcase your related competencies.
Having learned a foreign language, for instance, can perfectly convey your ability to communicate effectively.
Pick relevant additional sections that can convey your exceptional HR skills:
- Language skills
- Certifications
- Qualifications
- Volunteering activities
- Testimonials from employees
- Training
- Conference
- Awards
- Projects
- Accomplishments
- Interests
Listing additional sections in your HR resume
Volunteering Activities
- Member / Volunteer, Junior League of Colorado Springs, January 2019
- Board Secretary, Colorado Springs Society of Human Resource Management
Certificates
- Associate Professional in Human Resources (aPHR), HR Certification Institute, March 2019
- Veterans at Work Certificate, SHRM Foundation, May 2020
Language Skills
- French, B2 Certificate
- German, Fluent