8 Human Resources (HR) Resume Examples
Written By Nathan Soto
Reviewed By Conrad Benz
Also, make sure to write an HR cover letter to pair with your resume and show employers why you're the best fit for the role.
HR resumes by experience level
If you want more examples, check out our library of free resume samples for different jobs.
HR resume template (text format)
After choosing a resume template you like, take inspiration from the example below to start filling in your resume.
[Your Address] New York, NY
[Your Email Address] | [Your Phone Number]
[LinkedIn Profile] (optional)
Personable and dedicated Human Resources Generalist with 8+ years of experience in benefits management and administration, as well as staff recruitment and development. At Meadow Labs Inc, increased employee satisfaction rate by 35% and reduced recruitment and benefit costs by 15%. Able to decrease the gap between labor force and upper management to produce a cohesive and productive work environment. Possess a BA in Human Resources Management and a Professional in Human Resources certification.
- Manage all HR-related tasks for a 200+ employee medical firm, including payroll processing, employee benefits program, documentation, interviewing, training, and on-boarding new recruits
- Coordinate with IT department to update and automate several onboarding tasks, streamlining new-hire processes and increasing new employee satisfaction rate by 35% and reducing recruitment costs by 15%
- Cut benefits costs by 15% through negotiating for improved contracts with leading healthcare providers, ensuring benefits were not allocated to non-eligible employees
- Shadow and help conduct employee interviews across 20+ positions, develop user friendly applications forms and questionnaires, and construct more accurate picture of duties and responsibilities for online job descriptions
- Develop and implement new targeted hiring policies and outreach recruitment programs, diversifying workplace environment by 20%
- Scheduled interviews for candidates across 25+ roles. Helped onboard avg. of 5 new employees each week
- Conducted seminars updating hospital employees on health benefit options
- Invited 20+ motivational speakers and industry experts to give speeches to employees on building workplace confidence and morale
- Cooperated with local law enforcement to conduct background checks on prospective candidates
- Assisted new employees with on-boarding training, ensuring all application forms were filed correctly, and that employees understood company health benefits package
Bachelor of Arts in Human Resource Management Science | NYU, New York, NY
Graduation Date: May 20XX
3.8 GPA
Honors Thesis: Effect of Perceived Organizational Justice Among Gen X & Gen Y
Captain of varsity baseball and rugby team
- Professional in Human Resources (PHR) Certificate
- Typing skills (WPM 90)
- Proficient with Human Resource Management Systems (Workday, Kronos)
- Skilled with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Recruitment and selection
- Training and onboarding
- Benefits management and administration
HR resumes by experience level
Below are two examples of human resources resumes for different experience levels:
Entry-level human resources resume
This entry-level HR resume was written to emphasize the applicant’s potential:
Example highlights
- GPA: This applicant is still new to the job market, but they do have an HR-relevant degree, so they include their GPA on their resume to demonstrate their commitment to the field.
- Internship experience: When you have little to no work experience, adding internships or volunteer work is a great way to show employers your skills and willingness to work hard.
HR manager resume
If you’re an experienced HR professional applying for a manager role, use this HR manager resume example for inspiration:
Example highlights
- Advanced degree: Even if you have previous HR work experience, including an advanced degree like an MBA on your resume will emphasize your academic achievements in your field, setting you apart from other candidates.
- Keywords: Job descriptions for HR manager roles often include resume keywords related to leadership, coordination, and organization. This resume includes these words throughout the resume to demonstrate the applicant’s suitability for a managerial position.
6 Human resources resumes by job title
These resume examples show you how to write an effective resume for an HR position:
HR generalist resume
Here’s a good example that can give you some ideas if you need to write an HR generalist resume but don’t know where to start:
Example highlight
- Technical skills: After over a decade in different HR roles, this applicant is familiar with numerous different HR tools which they list in the skills section. Demonstrating proficiency with common HR software (often mentioned in the job ad) will let employers know you’re ready to hit the ground running.
HR coordinator resume
HR coordinators need to be highly organized with strong interpersonal skills. Here’s an example showing how to highlight these qualities on an HR coordinator resume:
Example highlight
- Industry-recognized certifications: This applicant includes relevant certifications on their resume to prove their competency to employers. You should do this too to show that you’re a continuous learner committed to professional development.
HR business partner resume
To land a job as an HR business partner your resume needs to emphasize your ability to collaborate effectively with senior leaders at the company, like in this HR business partner resume example:
Example highlight
- Compelling resume summary: An employer who picks up this resume will immediately notice that the applicant has extensive experience working with senior executives to support the growth of businesses.
HR specialist resume
Preparing to apply for an HR specialist role? Model your resume on this example:
Example highlight
- Relevant knowledge: The applicant emphasizes their understanding of relevant regulations and experience handling confidential documents, which signals to hiring managers that they can be trusted to handle sensitive information appropriately.
Recruiter resume
This example has all the components of a good recruiter resume:
Example highlight
- Hard numbers: Having quantified accomplishments on your resume helps demonstrate the impact of your efforts in previous roles. This is more effective than simply listing your job duties, because it shows employers the value that you can add to the role if hired.
HR assistant resume
This example focuses on the applicant’s ability to support senior HR employees:
Example highlight
- Action verbs: Starting your resume bullet points with action verbs emphasizes that you took initiative to complete a task. This makes your resume more engaging than beginning each bullet with a descriptive phrase like “responsible for” or “tasked with”.
How to write an HR resume
These tips will help you write a convincing HR resume that highlights your top qualities as a human resources professional.
1. Craft a strong resume introduction
To catch and keep a hiring manager’s attention, you’re going to need a well-written HR resume objective (if you’re an entry-level applicant) or resume summary (if you have several years of experience already).
Here are two examples of each to help you start your resume:
HR resume objectives
Recent graduate HR resume
Recent college graduate with a BA in Human Resource Management. Detail-oriented with a 3.8 GPA and an honors thesis in organizational psychology in the workforce. Seeking to leverage academic knowledge in common HR customs and practices to help achieve company goals and fill a Human Resources Specialist position at Johnson & Johnson.
HR intern resume
HR professional with 1 year of internship experience in recruitment and HR policy implementation. Highly motivated to develop skills further and support organizational goals by fostering a positive work environment and promoting company values.
HR resume summaries
HR generalist resume
Personable Human Resources Generalist with 8+ years of experience in benefits management and administration, as well as staff recruitment and development. Passionate about decreasing the gap between the labor force and upper management to support a productive work environment. Possess a Professional in Human Resources certification.
HR manager resume
Innovative HR manager successful at leading talent management and retention efforts through engagement surveys, diversity programs, and data-driven planning. Recognized for myunique ability to balance analytics with compassion. Looking forward to the opportunity to enable leaders at [Company Name] to build a world-class team.
2. Quantify your human resources work experience
Using hard numbers and percentages when describing your accomplishments gives the hiring manager a better understanding of your work performance and how you contributed at your previous roles.
Here are a few examples of how to do it the right way:
- Managed all HR-related tasks for a 200+ employee medical firm, including payroll processing, employee benefits program, documentation, interviewing, training, and on-boarding new recruits
- Invited 20+ motivational speakers and industry experts to give speeches to employees on building workplace confidence and morale
- Streamlined the recruitment process, successfully filling 30+ positions in a year
- Coordinated annual performance review process for a department of 150+ employees, leading to a 10% increase in productivity
- Automated timekeeping and payroll processes for 250+ employees, reducing payroll processing errors by 11%
3. Include key human resources skills and keywords
Highlighting your skills and keywords from the job description in your resume can effectively demonstrate your qualifications and draw the employer’s interest.
Look through the job listing for important terms and integrate them seamlessly into your resume. Doing this reinforces your knowledge of the role and your ability to meet the job’s requirements.
According to HR expert Matt Erhard, these are the currently the most in-demand skills for HR specialists:
Based on what I’m seeing currently from the clients we work with, the most in-demand skills are data analytics, emotional intelligence and empathy, and talent management, including sourcing and recruiting strategies. Experience in leading DEI initiatives is also highly sought-after.
– Matt Erhard, Managing Partner at recruitment firm Summit Search Group
For further inspiration, we’ve extracted the top keywords from real HR job postings:
We analyzed hundreds of real HR job ads to find the top keywords to add to your resume.
Data
| Keywords | Count | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Communication Skills | 36 | 1.0 |
| Attention to Detail | 29 | 0.8 |
| Polices & Procedures | 27 | 0.8 |
| Employee Relations | 26 | 0.7 |
| Related Field | 23 | 0.6 |
| Benefits Administration | 22 | 0.6 |
| Performance Management | 20 | 0.6 |
| Laws & Regulations | 19 | 0.5 |
| Microsoft Office | 18 | 0.5 |
| Administrative Support | 17 | 0.5 |
4. Include HR certifications
Including relevant HR certifications on your resume is a great way to strengthen your job application, because they prove that you have the required skill set and competencies necessary for HR work.
Here are some HR credentials that you can include on your resume to show employers that you’re qualified for the job:
- SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP)
- SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP)
- PHR (Professional in Human Resources)
- SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resources)
- IPMA-CP (International Public Management Association for Human Resources Certified Professional)
- aPHR (Associate Professional in Human Resources)
- GPHR (Global Professional in Human Resources)
- PHRi (Professional in Human Resources – International)
- SPHRi (Senior Professional in Human Resources – International)
- CEBS (Certified Employee Benefit Specialist)
The best format for your resume
Learn how to pick a resume format that highlights your strengths and downplays your weaknesses by reading our HR-approved guide.
Average human resources generalist salaries in the US
After you’ve written your resume, make sure you use it to apply for jobs within a fair salary range.
The following table includes information from the most recent US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report (May 2024). Here are the ten states with the highest salaries for HR professionals, as well as the national average for your reference when applying for work.
Top 10 states by average human resources generalist salary
| State | Salary / Year |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $110,050 |
| California | $94,720 |
| Washington | $93,800 |
| Massachusetts | $92,230 |
| New York | $91,490 |
| Maryland | $90,080 |
| Virginia | $86,260 |
| New Jersey | $86,070 |
| Connecticut | $83,200 |
| Minnesota | $82,260 |
| National Average | $79,730 |
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8 Human Resources (HR) Resume Examples
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