- What should your HR resume include?
- How can you create a professional summary?
- How should you describe your work experience as an HR professional?
- Include a fitting HR resume education and certifications section
- Which key skills are relevant for an HR resume?
- How to select the most impactful HR resume template
- Copyable HR resume example
- Key takeaways for writing an HR resume
You may have hired dozens of employees during your career in human resources. But writing your own resume? That’s a different challenge. Get some help with writing an HR resume by exploring this guide and example.
As you prepare to advance in your human resources career, a powerful resume can help you attract the attention of recruiters. Whether you’re an entry-level employee or a seasoned HR manager with a decade of experience, it’s vital to display your qualifications in a compelling way. If you’re ready to make yourself a more competitive candidate, review our HR resume example and writing guide.
This guide and corresponding example will show you how to write an HR resume. We’ll discuss:
What should an HR resume include
Advice on each section of your resume (summary, work history, education)
Adding relevant key skills to your resume
Choosing the right resume template for an HR professional
What should your HR resume include?
Your HR resume should showcase your ability to create a positive workplace culture and help employees succeed in their roles. It should convey your broad knowledge of different areas, such as recruitment and onboarding, employee retention, benefits administration, and regulatory compliance.
On your HR resume, include the following sections:
The resume header with your contact information
The resume summary
The employment history section
The resume skills section
The education section
Expert Tip
Include additional sections
While the sections listed above are the essential ones to include, you can add other information to make your resume stand out. Some additional sections for HR professionals can include projects or initiatives, awards, volunteer work, and professional organizations.
How can you create a professional summary?
If you’ve ever reviewed resumes, you know a strong professional summary can set a candidate apart from the crowd. In a few sentences, describe the qualities that make you the best candidate for the role. Mention notable accomplishments you’ve had in your career, such as executing a new workforce development plan or streamlining payroll processes to cut costs.
You can also include a bulleted list of your areas of expertise below your summary, as we’ve shown in the example. Highlight your top skills, such as staff development and regulatory compliance. See our adaptable HR summary below.
Energetic and dedicated Human Resources Professional offering expertise in all aspects of human resources administration, from staff recruitment and onboarding to benefits, compensation, and employee relations. Proven success strengthening staff and program performance to advance goals of large, multi-state organizations. Highly proficient in MS Office products. Results driven and effective at cost containment
How should you describe your work experience as an HR professional?
In your work experience section, you can prove you have the background and skills to succeed in a new HR position. This section should show your career progression and emphasize your knowledge of different HR functions, such as recruitment, compensation, and employment regulations.
List your work history in reverse-chronological order, including your job titles and employment dates. Briefly outline your key responsibilities in each role. Tailor this description for the type of HR job you want to get. If you’re an HR generalist looking for a new job as a recruiter, for example, discuss how you’ve sourced candidates and built talent pipelines in other roles.
Below the job description, create a bulleted list of your primary achievements. Include quantifiable results to measure your impact. For instance, if you reduced recruitment costs or improved retention rates, provide this information on your resume. When you don’t have metrics to share, showcase your key projects or contributions. Our example resume highlights the job seeker’s ability to plan and execute HR initiatives, like a wellness program.
HR Administrator at Harvest Investments, Burr Ridge 2014 - Present
Provide administrative assistance to the Human Resources Department and day-to-day support to employees and the management team.
Advise managers on employee performance concerns, recruit to fill job openings, manage HR e-mail inbox, administer benefits, and gather employee data.
Process monthly billings and prepare vouchers for payment of fees for all group plans.
Manage operations of semi-monthly payroll process for both hourly and salaried staff including resolution of issues related to payroll production.
Developed a communication strategy to effectively articulate company goals and recognize employee accomplishments.
HR Generalist – Benefits Administrator at Rivers Casino, Des Plaines, IL and Chicago 2011 - 2014
Recruited for exempt and non-exempt roles.
Provided analytical and technical support related to delivery of benefits programs, including processing insurance invoices.
Updated and maintained detailed benefits procedural manuals.
Facilitated new hire orientation for management and employee understanding of benefit plans.
Oversaw enrollments, COBRA, terminations, changes, beneficiaries, disability, accident and death claims, rollovers, QDROs, QMCSOs, distributions, loans, and compliance testing.
Investigated discrepancies and provided information in non-routine situations.
Managed all vendor relationships dealing with benefits.
Acted as project manager for HRIS self-service portal implementation.
Launched new benefits program and HRIS plan design; created standard reports to support over 1200 benefits eligible employees.
Implemented wellness education and initiatives resulting in significant cost savings to the organization.
Recruited and filled over 200 positions with high caliber talent.
Risk Administrator at Harrah’s Metropolis, Metropolis, IL 2006 - 2011
Processed and monitored general liability and workers’ compensation claims.
Worked with defense attorney and third-party administrator on claims with high exposure.
Trained supervisors on preventing accidents and techniques for investigation.
Ensured certificates of insurance were valid; reviewed group sales and entertainment contracts and agreements to meet company standards.
Prepared statistical reports for safety and executive meetings monthly.
Ensured 100% compliance with OSHA’s recordable incidents and annual 300A form postings.
Designated Head of Safety Committee.
Reduced legal risk for property by creating and maintaining a tracking system for facilities work requests.
Include a fitting HR resume education and certifications section
Hiring managers want to know if you meet the educational requirements for an HR position. Create a section to list your degree and highlight professional certifications you’ve earned. When writing your education section, follow these tips:
Provide the right information. List the full name of your degree and the institution where you earned it. You don’t need to include your graduation date unless it’s recent.
List your education in reverse-chronological order. If you have a master’s degree in human resources or another field, list it before your bachelor’s degree.
Mention certifications. HR professionals can earn additional certifications to expand their skills and knowledge. Mention a relevant certification you’ve completed, like the Professional in Human Resources (PHR) designation.
Bachelor of Science in Public Administration at Minor in Legal Studies Murray State University, Murray, KY
Which key skills are relevant for an HR resume?
While you should mention your relevant skills throughout your resume, have a dedicated space on your resume to list your core competencies. In this section, mention your top skills for the HR position, such as benefits administration or employment regulations.
Choose relevant skills for the role you want to get. For example, if you’re applying for an HR manager role, highlight your budgeting and project management skills. Additionally, review the job description to learn which skills to include on your resume. By including those keywords, you can optimize your resume for applicant tracking system (ATS) software. (For more information on using keywords, check out our article on resume ATS optimization.)
Some common HR skills for a resume include:
Recruiting
Workplace culture development
Legal compliance
Payroll and benefits administration
Labor relations
Conflict resolution
Human resources management system (HRMS)
How to select the most impactful HR resume template
Choose a clean, structured, and ATS-friendly template for your HR resume. Label each section with bold headers and use a professional font. Make use of bullet points and white space, so it’s easy for a hiring manager to read.
Keep your resume to one or two pages. Aim to convey the most important details about your skills and experience, so an employer wants to contact you for an interview to learn more.
There’s no need to start from scratch when you use our resume builder to choose a professional template. For additional help, you can check out over 100 resume examples we have available.
Copyable HR resume example
Summary example
Energetic and dedicated Human Resources Professional offering expertise in all aspects of human resources administration, from staff recruitment and onboarding to benefits, compensation, and employee relations. Proven success strengthening staff and program performance to advance goals of large, multi-state organizations. Highly proficient in MS Office products. Results driven and effective at cost containment.
Employment history example
HR Administrator at Harvest Investments, Burr Ridge 2014 - Present
Provide administrative assistance to the Human Resources Department and day-to-day support to employees and the management team.
Advise managers on employee performance concerns, recruit to fill job openings, manage HR e-mail inbox, administer benefits, and gather employee data.
Process monthly billings and prepare vouchers for payment of fees for all group plans.
Manage operations of semi-monthly payroll process for both hourly and salaried staff including resolution of issues related to payroll production.
Developed a communication strategy to effectively articulate company goals and recognize employee accomplishments.
HR Generalist – Benefits Administrator at Rivers Casino, Des Plaines, IL and Chicago 2011 - 2014
Recruited for exempt and non-exempt roles.
Provided analytical and technical support related to delivery of benefits programs, including processing insurance invoices.
Updated and maintained detailed benefits procedural manuals.
Facilitated new hire orientation for management and employee understanding of benefit plans.
Oversaw enrollments, COBRA, terminations, changes, beneficiaries, disability, accident and death claims, rollovers, QDROs, QMCSOs, distributions, loans, and compliance testing.
Investigated discrepancies and provided information in non-routine situations.
Managed all vendor relationships dealing with benefits.
Acted as project manager for HRIS self-service portal implementation.
Launched new benefits program and HRIS plan design; created standard reports to support over 1200 benefits eligible employees.
Implemented wellness education and initiatives resulting in significant cost savings to the organization.
Recruited and filled over 200 positions with high caliber talent.
Risk Administrator at Harrah’s Metropolis, Metropolis, IL 2006 - 2011
Processed and monitored general liability and workers’ compensation claims.
Worked with defense attorney and third-party administrator on claims with high exposure.
Trained supervisors on preventing accidents and techniques for investigation.
Ensured certificates of insurance were valid; reviewed group sales and entertainment contracts and agreements to meet company standards.
Prepared statistical reports for safety and executive meetings monthly.
Ensured 100% compliance with OSHA’s recordable incidents and annual 300A form postings.
Designated Head of Safety Committee.
Reduced legal risk for property by creating and maintaining a tracking system for facilities work requests.
Education example
Bachelor of Science in Public Administration at Minor in Legal Studies Murray State University, Murray, KY
Skills example
Employee Recruitment
Regulatory Compliance
Payroll Processing
Vendor Management
Program Assessment / Change
Employee & Customer Relations
Training & Staff Development
Key takeaways for writing an HR resume
An HR resume should describe your experience and skills in core areas, like workforce development and payroll.
Provide measurable data, such as high employee retention rates, to prove your value as an HR professional.
Review the job description to identify keywords you can use on your resume to pass an ATS.
