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15 human resources skills to help your resume stand out

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What are human resources skills?

What skills are needed for human resources? 15 for your resume

How to improve your human resources skills

Anchor Build the skills you need to succeed

Human resources professionals play roles in the workplace no one else can.

They onboard eager new hires , manage employee benefits , and organize activities that bring teams closer together . It’s a rewarding role full of growth opportunities.

As a human resources professional, your role touches every department of an organization. With such a wide reach, your skill set is vital in shaping company culture and retaining employees . And that’s a lot of pressure.

If you want to build confidence and find a job that makes a difference, there are k ey human resources skills that will always be needed. He re’s what they are and ways to improve them.

What are human resources skills? 

Human resources skills, also known as HR skills, are a set of competencies that help professionals effectively coordinate the administrative functions of an organization. These skills empower progressive human resources managers and assistants to successfully recruit talent , guide employee growth, and resolve conflict .

Although there are various jobs in this field — from entry-level assistant roles to senior-level vice president positions — there are common skills between them that everyone should hold. These include communication , decision-making , and training and developmental skills. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, human resources management is a reliable field with an average annual income of $126,230 and a projected growth rate of 7% from 2021–2031 . This growth rate is just as fast as other occupations, meaning although there are lots of opportunities, there are still few enough that competition is stiff.

If you’re applying for positions in the human resources industry, you’ll need to show off relevant hard and soft skills for human resources. Here are 15 essential human resources resume skills to list on your resume or CV : 

1. Communication skills

Interpersonal communication is necessary for any worker, but even more so for human resources professionals. You interact with employees and managers daily, often when tensions are high. The skills you need include both written and verbal communication because you’ll correspond by email, phone, and in person. You have to interview candidates , discuss growth opportunities , and resolve workplace conflict , depending on the day. 

Becoming a strong public speaker is also vital to performing well during recruitment events and while onboarding new hires. If your company sends you to a university career fair, for example, you must speak with conviction when delivering company information to motivate the students to apply. This won’t happen every day, but it’s still important to consider.

woman-giving-conference-at-work-human-resources-skills

2. Organizational skills

A day in the life of a human resources professional includes numerous administrative tasks such as scheduling meetings, developing training plans , and filing company information systematically.

Because this wide range of responsibilities involves time-sensitive planning, they require someone with strong organizational skills . You need to pay attention to detail and make sure no scheduling conflicts arise. 

You also have to ensure that new hires follow onboarding processes and training materials — and that documentation is comprehensive. Staying organized makes it easier to remember which documents employees need and when, and that you make proper follow-ups with department leaders.

3. Decision-making skills

Professionals in this field make critical decisions on the daily, whether deciding to advance a candidate in the hiring process or fire someone . Because these decisions heavily influence the well-being and careers of others, you need to consider situations carefully, keep the organization’s best interest in mind, and make decisions without cognitive bias .

4. Training and development skills

Although most departments might give employees on-the-job training , human resources professionals often conduct presentations and plan training sessions to help them along the way. In this field, you have to be confident in your training skills, with patience, effective communication, and strong leadership abilities .

5. Emotional intelligence skills

One of human resources’ primary responsibilities is managing human capital and employee relations. And when you have strong emotional intelligence , you regulate your reactions, sympathize with others, and help mediate stress and conflict between employees. 

Suppose an employee feels unmotivated and directionless in their career development . In that case, you should understand their feelings and provide them with the information they need to make productive decisions regarding their career. And that requires compassion and empathy as well as technical knowledge.

This skill is especially important if you have to lay off employees . It’s a challenging task to conduct, but even if it’s hard for you, you have to consider the person in front of you and what they’re going through. Understanding their emotions and expressing empathy makes this process less painful than it needs to be. 

colleagues-talking-to-each-other-at-team-building-activity-human-resources-skills

6. Conflict resolution skills

This is one of the most important human resources skills for your resume. Although emotional intelligence and empathy are valuable skills, being able to resolve conflict is a unique challenge on its own. 

Conflict resolution requires a combination of skills, including active listening , being assertive , and problem-solving . If a work dispute frustrates someone, or an ex-employee lashes out after termination, it’s often your job to address their emotions and de-escalate the situation professionally.

7. Recruitment skills

As a human resources professional, one of your primary tasks is the entire process of sourcing, identifying, and screening potential employees. Workers shape the company’s environment, productivity, and success, which makes this a critical role to play. You need to know how to spot great candidates and offer a strong employee value proposition to encourage them to sign on.

8. Time management skills

With so much on their plates, human resources managers often have busy schedules and need strong time management skills. Besides being able to organize and manage meetings, you need an accurate sense of how much time a particular task will take and when the best time to do it is. 

Imagine you’re recruiting for a position and aim to interview 10 candidates in a day. You should know how long each interview will take to avoid scheduling conflicts and make sure those meetings don’t go over time.

9. Knowledge of HRIS

Human resources information systems, also known as HRIS, are integral to organized and informed human resources management. This software manages and maintains essential employee data, policies, and procedure documentation. You can learn it on the job, but listing it on your resume shows employers you’re an asset.

10. Cultural sensitivity skills

Cultural sensitivity skills are essential for building an inclusive workplace environment that respects diversity. This skill lets you gain awareness and appreciation for cultural groups other than your own, and it lets you apply that knowledge to the job. You’ll encourage recruiters to hire fairly and ensure all employees are treated with respect in the workplace.

manager-talking-to-his-team-incluiding-a-person-with-diabilities-human-resources-skills

11. Finance skills

Although the finance department handles all statements and reporting, human resources professionals oversee employee benefits, compensation, and social activities. An effective rep ensures everyone follows budgets properly and there’s no overspending.

12. Computer skills

Most skills on this list are soft, meaning they involve emotional intelligence and critical thinking . But there are many hard skills that human resources professionals need to learn.

Whether you correspond with employees regarding personal matters or send important company-related documents to third parties, you must be familiar with computers and online applications.

And since that information is sensitive, it’s also important to keep security in mind. Without a proper understanding of software and applications, you could make mistakes when publishing job postings or leak critical company data to the wrong audience.

13. Teamwork skills

If you’re working at a large company, the human resources department will have multiple team members on individual and interconnected tasks. Each member of the team must be able to work on a team to share ideas and reach the department’s goals.

14. Proactivity skills

Being proactive is the best way to anticipate upcoming challenges before they arise. And since human resources professionals confront interpersonal challenges every day, they need to take initiative and solve problems before they get worse.

15. Adaptability skills

In this field, expect the unexpected. Some days, you’ll organize your schedule and know exactly what’s coming. Other days, you’ll encounter time-sensitive matters that you need to drop everything for. Stay flexible and build your adaptability skills so when your schedule does change, you go with the flow. 

How to improve your human resources skills 

No matter your work experience, there’s always room to improve your hard and soft skills . Here are four tips for improving your human resources skills:

  • Listen actively: Other people are your best asset when it comes to upskilling . Practice active listening to new and current employees’ needs to develop your communication skills and pinpoint where you might need to grow. 
  • Work on your non-verbal communication: Around 70% of communication is nonverbal , so make it count. Use body language to your advantage to help others feel comfortable communicating with you. Effective eye contact shows you’re interested in what the other has to say, while a strong stance shows that you’re self-assured.
  • Develop patience: Even the most experienced human resources professionals have strong emotions on the job once in a while. When dealing with intense feelings and an unpredictable work schedule, you’ll need to be patient and remain flexible. This ensures you can tolerate any circumstances that come your way and deal with issues calmly.
  • Learn the software: You’ll encounter human resource management software and applicant tracking systems at nearly any job. Although they’ll differ from company to company, familiarizing yourself with them on your own saves you time and helps you make the most out of your tools.

Build the skills you need to succeed

Whether you’re starting your career or you’re an experienced worker looking to improve your value, choosing several human resources skills to work on is an excellent way to stay competitive.

You can take courses, talk to a coach , or upskill on the job. No matter what path you choose, it’s worth it to become a better human resources professional and a better person.

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Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

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27 Human Resources (HR) Resume Examples for 2024

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Human Resources (HR)

Human Resources (HR)

Best for candidates with 3+ years of experience

With your job experience and a stunning resume layout, recruiters will be ready to give your application the official stamp of approval.

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  • Human Resources Resumes
  • HR Resumes by Experience
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Writing Your HR Resume

A company’s most valuable resource is its employees, but it takes a great human resources manager to find, manage, and help those employees succeed within an organization.

From hiring to onboarding to benefits, you know how to help colleagues succeed within a company. When it comes to being a successful human resources (HR) professional, you put people first. But although you can spot a great resume from a mile away,  building a resume  of your own is an entirely different beast.

Our HR resume examples and guide have helped HR professionals learn  how to write a resume  and make a cover letter to  land highly coveted jobs with companies like Facebook and Lyft.  Writing an amazing human resources resume has never been easier!

Human Resources (HR) Resume

or download as PDF

Human resources resume example with 7 years of experience

Why this resume works

  • If you have more than 10 years of experience, you can add a  resume summary  (also called a career summary) to list your HR experience and biggest achievements.
  • Space is limited on your resume, but don’t worry—you’ll have more room to discuss the context of your experience in your  human resources cover letter , so you don’t have to try and cram everything onto your resume.
  • Whenever possible, quantify the scale or impact of your work on your human resources resume. For example, how many employees did you help hire or onboard? What was the scale of the compensation plan you managed? How many disputes did you resolve? Numbers speak louder than words!

Human Resources (HR) Manager Resume

Human resources manager resume example with 6 years of experience

  • Start by listing your hard skills (the tools and technologies you know) and the areas of HR in which you’re an expert, such as Disability or FMLA.
  • Don’t make your skills section a laundry list; only include skills that you can readily demonstrate if asked. Honesty is key!
  • You can help the reader out by  formatting your resume  with your most recent experience first. That way hiring managers see your best roles right away, which will encourage them to keep reading.

Human Resources (HR) Intern Resume

Human resources intern resume example with 5 years of experience

  • Don’t be afraid to showcase your work and accomplishments! Use strong action words like “developed”, “spearheaded”, or “operated” to show hiring managers that you have what it takes to move into roles with more responsibility. 
  • In just two to four sentences, let hiring managers know what company you want to work for, the job title you’re seeking, and what specific skills you have that will be an asset to the company.
  • The key word here is  specific.  A vague resume objective won’t do you any favors!

Entry-Level Human Resources (HR) Resume

Entry-level human resources resume example

  • Have you started a club, held an internship, or had a part-time job? These can all be valuable on your  entry-level human resources resume !
  • You can also highlight your academic abilities by listing your GPA or any awards you won during college. You can even list relevant courses to really show off your skills!
  • Some employers prefer resumes in different formats, so check the  Human Resources job description  if you need to use a  Google Doc template  or a  Microsoft Word template  to format your entry-level human resources resume correctly.

Junior Human Resources (HR) Generalist Resume

human resources skills on resume

  • Woah, cowpoke! Hold off for a minute and use our  resume checker  to ensure your Jr. human resources generalist resume is formatted correctly and that you’re using all the gold-standard grammar and punctuation rules.
  • Leverage metrics about the number of employees at each company you’ve worked for, the percent increase in efficiency after implementing a new HR tool, the number of new hires you’ve added, or the increase in qualified applicants you’ve driven through recruitment strategies

Human Resources (HR) Assistant Resume

human resources skills on resume

  • Above all, be specific. A generic, vague objective only wastes valuable space. Instead, talk about your qualifications for the position at hand, then mention why you want this particular role with this specific company.
  • For example, did you help plan an event that brought in an extra $3K in revenue? Or maybe you collaborated with your HR team to develop new onboarding processes that decreased the cost-per-hire by 21%. Whatever you did, find a way to tell the employer why your efforts mattered on your  human resources assistant resume .

Senior HR Manager Resume

human resources skills on resume

  • Tell your story with the help of your past work experiences! Enrich your senior HR manager resume by depicting the growth in your career. Mention your early career and how you’ve managed to go from simply revisiting policies to finally improving employee satisfaction rate as a manager.

Senior Human Resources Analyst Resume

human resources skills on resume

  • A senior human resource analyst resume that gleams with moments you introduced new processes, designed more effective systems, developed better problem-solving strategies, or launched products shows that you’re innovative. And guess what, recruiters have a thing for such candidates.

Vice President of Human Resources Resume

human resources skills on resume

  • Now, suppose you’ve got a couple of degrees. Structuring the education section in your vice president of human resources resume is the way to go. For example, let your Master’s in Business Administration take the lead, followed by your Bachelor’s in the same field.

HRIS Analyst Resume

human resources skills on resume

  • As long as you list tools like Tableau, Oracle HCM Cloud, or even TSheets, you’ll be able to convince a would-be employer that you know the ins and outs of visualizing employee data that help an organization reduce its turnover rates.

HR Analyst Resume

human resources skills on resume

  • Make your HR analyst resume more eye-catching by choosing the “Standout” template and picking a yellow tone that is cool on the eyes. Back this visual appeal with a degree such as a Bachelor’s in Organizational Behavior and Human Resources that you’ve accomplished and show that you’re a professional in handling employee behavior and data.

HR Compliance Resume

human resources skills on resume

  • Use and highlight bullet points like “lowering instances of compliance violations by 17%” in your previous roles. These metrics will do the job of solidifying your interest and ability to ensure all workspace operations are compliant with state and federal laws.

Human Resources Recruiter Resume

human resources skills on resume

  • For example, you must show your unmatched competencies in skills and tools that track, assess, and help onboard new hires smoothly.

Human Resources Administrator Resume

human resources skills on resume

  • A great example you can use in your human resources administrator resume is underscoring your input in achieving a 42% increase in promotion rates for employees under your supervision.

Human Resources Associate Resume

human resources skills on resume

  • However, it’s not enough to state that you’re a team player; your human resources associate resume must also show your contribution in identifying, interviewing, and onboarding new hires.

Human Resources Executive Resume

human resources skills on resume

  • For instance, integrating Tableau’s HR data analytics dashboard to support decision-making would give recruiters a reason to pick your human resources executive resume ahead of others.

Human Resources (HR) Director Resume

human resources skills on resume

  • Use your work experience bullet points to showcase a variety of skills, like management, collaboration, data analysis, and mentorship. Think of each bullet point as a separate skill you want to showcase.
  • Using a  resume template  can help you easily change stylistic elements to suit your fancy, like colors, font types, and layouts. Be creative and go for it!

Human Resources (HR) Coordinator Resume

human resources skills on resume

  • Set a timer for six seconds. Now, read through your resume until the timer runs out. What stands out the most?
  • Hopefully, “numbers” was your top answer. Numbers are easier to scan, and they’re great at showing how you improved your workplace, so include them when you can!
  • Try to include rates like ROIs, time and cost per hour, the staff you oversee, reviews, error reductions, efficiency improvements, and employee retention time.
  • While you don’t have to use an outline, we would recommend it, especially if you haven’t  written a resume  in a while.

Human Resources (HR) Generalist Resume

Human resources generalist resume example with 20+ years of experience

  • Use small amounts of color (and different font types) to break up an otherwise-monotonous page of black text and draw attention to section headers.
  • However, if you personalize your summary by calling out the employer and the role by name, as well as listing your most relevant achievements, you should add it in to help make a great first impression!

Human Resources (HR) Representative Resume

Human resources representative resume example with 3+ years of experience

  • While that’s understandable when you make a  resume outline , your resume must be polished and customized to highlight past experience that is applicable to the new job you desire.
  • In general, we recommend including three to four work experience listings total so you can expand on each. Any more than four, and it starts to get pretty overwhelming!
  • This way, you can quickly review your resume against the job description to create a resume  for every job for which you apply!

Human Resources (HR) Data Analyst Resume

human resources skills on resume

  • Always double (and even triple)  check your resume  for any typos or grammatical errors before you turn it in. Even areas that you think are perfect, like your Contact Information, might have a missed “t” or an extra period.
  • We’d recommend having a friend or colleague read your resume, too, since they’re more likely to notice mistakes. 
  • Font : are you using two fonts, one for your body text and one for your headers?
  • Layout : is your resume easy to read? Do you have headers for each section? 
  • Style : does your resume convey your personality? If not, consider adding some color and different font types, provided your resume is still readable afterwards.

Human Resources (HR) Benefits Specialist Resume

human resources skills on resume

  • Numbers will encourage hiring managers to slow down and carefully read your text. Plus, they take less space then words and can demonstrate your capabilities faster. So, if you want to demonstrate your capabilities quickly, use numbers! 
  • For example, adding a  resume objective  usually isn’t the best option unless you’ve just changed careers or are starting out in the HR field.

Human Resources (HR) Business Partner Resume

Human resources business partner resume example with 10+ years of experience

  • That internship you had back when pagers and Razr phones were a thing? Probably not relevant—instead, pick three to four recent positions where you’ve showcased your leadership abilities. 
  • We’d recommend listing your experience in reverse-chronological order (aka putting your most recent work experience at the top) to increase the chances of making a good first impression right away.

Human Resources (HR) Recruitment Coordinator Resume

Human resources recruitment coordinator resume example with 2 years of experience

  • That’s right. Your resume doesn’t need to be boring to command respect. In fact, a bold color can demonstrate confidence and individuality, which can make you an even more desirable candidate. 
  • A note of caution: While more companies are valuing individuality and personality, there are times when muted colors (think deep navy, slate gray, or hunter green) may be more appropriate. This may be especially true if you’re applying to work in HR for a legal or investment firm.

Human Resources (HR) Specialist Resume

Human resources specialist resume example with 2+ years of experience

  • If yes, use our human resources specialist resume to add a dedicated section where you can add certs and improve your chances of being hired.

Chief Human Resources (HR) Officer ( CHRO ) Resume

human resources skills on resume

  • With a cluttered template, you run the risk of leaving an employer overwhelmed and unsure of where to look on your resume. Using a clean template, like our Elegant, Official, Standout, or Professional templates, will let a recruiter focus on what’s important and help you put your best foot forward.

VP HR Resume

VP HR resume example with 3+ years of experience

  • If you’re applying for a senior-level position, like Vice President of HR, you’ve probably got a ton of experience under your belt. Still, your resume should ideally fit into one page, so select your most substantial achievements at each role to mention under your work experience in your VP HR resume.

Related resume guides

  • Office Administrator
  • Talent Acquisition
  • Operations Manager

Job seeker stands between two plants and looks through binoculars, searching for job

You could be an employer’s dream candidate, but you won’t be hired if your resume isn’t readable or logical. So before your professional resignation letter hits your current employer’s desk, walk through our guide on the top resume formats, what to include in your contact header, and how to make your HR resume readable for employers and ATS.

human resources skills on resume

Top resume formats

The top three  resume formats  for 2024 are reverse-chronological, functional, and combination/hybrid. Each format showcases your aptitude for the job in different ways.

  • Reverse-chronological : This format stresses your career progression by putting your most recent job at the top. It’s easy to skim, but it can reveal gaps in employment or career changes.
  • Functional : Skills are the name of the game with this format, which highlights position-related and transferable skills alike. However, it can confuse ATS and recruiters since it’s not common.
  • Combination/hybrid : It’s the best of both worlds with an in-depth skills section and a work history section, but it can be hard to format and isn’t ATS-friendly.

We believe the reverse-chronological format, as shown below, is the best choice for a human resources resume because it’s easy for ATS and recruiters to read quickly and tells a consistent, steady of your career.

HR resume work experience

Include the right details in your contact header

Your contact header is where you list (surprise, surprise) your contact information. In this section, you’ll want to include the following:

  • Job title you’re seeking
  • Email address
  • Phone number
  • City/State (optional)
  • Professional links (optional but recommended)

Since your contact header is the first thing recruiters will read, you need to design it carefully. Place your contact header at the top of your resume, either centered or left-aligned, to make it easy to spot. If you’re struggling to fit everything, remove the optional elements or go down a font size.  Just make sure it’s no smaller than your resume body text . 

You should also adjust the color, font style, and layout. Giving your name a different font and a color block outline can showcase your personality and desired role. No matter what you do with your contact header, just ensure it’s easy to read and looks professionally appealing.

Our resume examples can offer inspiration if you’re struggling to format your contact header.

Make your HR resume readable for software and people

HR professionals know the hiring process is complex, so ATS can be a lifesaver when used well. That means that when you write your HR resume, keep ATS in mind to avoid getting the boot.

Our tips on formatting elements can help you format your resume to impress ATS and employers.

  • Margins : Avoid margins smaller than half-inch or larger than one inch to give your resume a professional and clean appearance.
  • Fonts : Sans-serif fonts are the best for ATS readability, but unusual fonts aren’t a good choice. Choose safe standards like Arial, Verdana, and Helvetica.
  • Font sizes : Overly large or small fonts are overwhelming and hard to read. Use 10 or 12-point font sizes to keep reading a cinch.
  • Header names : ATS systems aren’t programmed to recognize creative header names, so stick to industry standards like “work experience” and “skills.”
  • Skills:  Include skill keywords listed on the job description to ensure your resume passes ATS inspection.
  • Logical order : ATS and recruiters read resumes quickly, so organize your resume according to industry recommendations. Namely, put your contact header at the very top and put your work experience in the middle.
  • One page : Recruiters have limited time to read endless qualifications, so keep your resume to a single page. 
  • File type : Some ATS won’t recognize .dot, .txt, .jpg, or other file types that aren’t .docx. Submit your resume as a Word document and PDF to cover all your bases.

human resources skills on resume

Write a Winning HR Resume

Writing an effective resume  is an overwhelming process, but human resource professionals can get it done in no time by writing only a section at a time.

In the following sections, we’ll introduce:

  • Using an objective/summary effectively
  • Listing your HR experience
  • Choosing the appropriate skills
  • Writing the education section and adding optional elements
  • Tailoring your HR resume
  • Editing your resume for maximum impact

human resources skills on resume

Determine whether you should use an objective/summary

Many people will argue that a  resume objective  or summary is a waste of space that’s “me-centric.” Yet, a worthwhile objective or summary can showcase your qualifications and give a snapshot of  how  you can impact a business. 

Good objectives and summaries tell the recruiter why you should be hired in three sentences or less. They should highlight your skills while expressing how you’ll use your unique experience in the role for which you’re applying. 

Objectives are typically used when you’re changing careers or just starting out, and they focus on your strengths and transferable skills. Summaries are used for those who have been in their career field for some time, and they function as a snapshot of your long-standing career.

You may not need a summary or an objective, but if you do choose one, always tailor it to each job for which you apply. 

For example, generic objectives give nothing more than buzzwords like this:

  • Talented human resources professional seeking new opportunities. Skilled at hiring, management, and communication.

This doesn’t tell the recruiter anything about the candidate’s unique experience (or  anything  about the candidate at all). A good objective is specific and personable, like this example:

  • Compassionate and detail-driven HR professional with 3 years of experience. I want to use my interpersonal communication skills and conflict resolution abilities to increase employee satisfaction at CORE. My goal is always to foster relationships from the start of the onboarding process, resulting in a 15% decrease in ETR. 

Similar to the example above, notice how this savvy candidate tailors the career objective to the target business.

HR resume career objective

Summaries are excellent tools if you’re further along in your career. If you’re SHRM-SCP certified or have been in management for years, you should use a  summary for your resume . Summaries can be difficult, though, because you have to cram in years of experience, often resulting in something that looks like this:

  • Experienced HR professional who is organized and passionate about people. I am certified and ready to bring my 10+ years of communication, training, and administration skills to your company. 

It’s not bad per se, but it’s vague and not tailored to the company. The one below gives examples of the applicant’s skills and what they’ll provide for their employer:

  • Onboarding and employee training are my specialties as a PHR-certified manager with 10+ years of HR experience. I’m passionate about talent acquisition, coaching, interviewing, and compensation/benefits. I wish to use my skills to increase employee satisfaction and training effectiveness while decreasing time-to-hire and time-to-productivity at CORE.

Like the visual below, the above summary explains goals, specialties, and what the candidate can do for their future employer. When writing your objective or summary, make sure it’s detailed and concise to showcase your best qualities.

HR resume summary

List your HR work experience

HR professionals wear a lot of hats, so it can be tempting to cram in as many past jobs as you can to showcase your adaptability and skills. This results in a resume that’s overloaded without a clear focus.

Instead, list  two to four of your most relevant job experiences . Doing so provides a clear story of your career and gives you room to expand on the responsibilities and skills you obtained from each position. 

If you lack formal job experience, list internships, volunteer/leadership work, and projects related to your desired HR position.

human resources skills on resume

Write actionable bullet points

Bullet points are the bread and butter of your experience section, so your writing should be as specialized as possible in this area. Use active verbs and targeted language without resorting to personal pronouns to create the most impact. Consistency is key, so match your verb tenses and either use punctuation or avoid it altogether.

Excellent bullet points for an HR resume are distinct and concise. Use the following examples to help you craft amazing bullet points on your resume: 

  • Enforced compliance with federal, state, and company employment laws
  • Created individualized employee performance reviews in collaboration with management quarterly
  • Educated employees on company policies, procedures, and compensation during employee training
  • Established a standard set of onboarding processes, including interviewing, office setup, and software training

These bullet points showcase your specialized skills and highlight your accomplishments most effectively and efficiently. 

human resources skills on resume

Harness the power of numbers

Metrics are frequently missed in HR resumes, but they’re a huge asset. They’re definitive proof that you’ve done your job well. So, you should aim to include metrics on 50 percent of your job description bullet points.

When discussing your job responsibilities , try to include some of the following  HR metrics :

  • Improved time-to-hire
  • Increased employee retention
  • Increased employee satisfaction
  • Increased employee performance

Below are some sample job description bullet points using the above metric types. 

  • Established improved hiring processes, including quarterly job description updates, sourcing plans, and training/development opportunities for current staff, reducing the time to hire by 7 days
  • Provided individualized guidance through weekly one-on-one meetings with new staff members, resulting in 13% higher employee retention than in previous years
  • Distributed satisfaction surveys in meetings and incorporated feedback into procedures over 6 months, resulting in 50% higher satisfaction rates than the previous year
  • Encouraged employees in weekly meetings with special shout-outs and consistently pointed employees to HRIS records in case of concerns regarding payroll, benefits, or training, resulting in 15% higher employee performance than the previous quarter

human resources skills on resume

Choose your HR skills selectively

The skills section on an HR resume presents your attributes and qualifications in an easy way to read. Regardless of your experience, this section showcases why you’re the best candidate for the job because you possess the traits and knowledge the employer is seeking. 

This is why ATS prioritizes skill keywords to weed out candidates, so nailing this section is crucial. To ensure you stay on the recruiter’s list, choose skills that appear in the job description or those related to similar HR positions. 

Below are some good examples of hard and soft skills HR recruiters desire:

  • Microsoft Office Suite
  • Legal Compliance
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Performance Management
  • Compensation and Benefits
  • HRIS or HRMS
  • PHR Certification
  • Planning and Strategy

These  resume skills  show experience in multiple areas, like recruiting and payroll, while also listing some hard skills like ATS knowledge. 

human resources skills on resume

Include education, and decide on optional sections

As displayed in the visual below, you’ll need to include education, as most HR positions require a BA in Human Resources Management or associated degrees. Depending on your education level, years in the workforce, and any specializations and certifications, you may need to include different sections on your resume.

For example, if you have multiple certifications, it may not be wise to crowd them all in your objective/summary. Instead, list them in your skills section. 

HR resume education section

You may wonder if you should add a  hobbies and interests section to your resume , but most HR resumes shouldn’t include these. Interests and hobbies can be useful in tipping the scale in your favor, but most often, they don’t increase your chances significantly.

However, if the job description or ad mentions company culture or the importance of interests, you should include an interests and hobbies section. For example, if you apply for an entertainment company position, including your love of Harry Potter and Star Wars might be beneficial.

human resources skills on resume

Adjust your HR resume accordingly

Every job is different, so each resume you submit should also be unique. Human resources jobs will have things in common, so you don’t need to revamp your resume completely. Still, pay attention to the differences with each position. Tailor your  objective/summary ,  your skills , and  your work experience bullet points  to match the job description or ad for every job to which you’ve applied.

human resources skills on resume

Edit your HR resume for optimal impact

Although it’s tempting, don’t submit your resume right away! Even though it’s technically complete, there could be mistakes you’ve overlooked.

Walk away for a day or two and let others read it. Once you’ve refreshed your mind, come back and  check your resume  one last time for any errors. Then make the necessary changes until your HR resume is spotless.

human resources skills on resume

Nail the interview and get hired

The last step is to celebrate and prepare for your interview! You can use our  resume checker  to upload your resume and check it against our AI-powered tips or use our  free resume maker , which allows you to create resumes from scratch. Just remember, whenever you apply for a job, you’ll want to tailor your resume again. Good luck—we’re rooting for you!

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Jobscan > Resume Examples > Human Resources Resume Examples, Skills and Keywords

Human Resources Resume Examples, Skills and Keywords

In human resources, teamwork and people skills are essential. If you're looking to start your career or shift into a new HR role, you'll need to write an excellent resume. Here's how to target the three most popular HR positions through the right skills and keywords.

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Human resources resume samples

Human resource professionals are vital to keeping big and small companies running smoothly. HR departments handle staffing, conflict resolution, compensation, and many other administrative tasks involved with employment. Depending on the size of a company, an HR department may be a single HR generalist or a collection of specialists and recruiters.

To get a job in HR, you’ll need to create a resume that shows you’re up to the specific job requirements. HR professionals are often held to a higher resume standard than people in other fields. That’s because they’re responsible for vetting and hiring people themselves. You’ll need to use your resume to prove that you understand the field — and work well with people.

Tailor your resume to the position you want . If you’re applying for several types of HR positions, then you should create a specific resume for each. A recruiting resume and an HR generalist resume should focus on different skills and experience.

Below are three human resources resume examples for the three most popular HR jobs: recruiter , entry-level human resources , and HR generalist . You can use these samples to help you put together your own eye-catching resume .

Recruiter Resume Example

Recruiters are responsible for finding qualified candidates for open jobs. Recruiters may work as part of an HR department or for consulting firms to help many clients fill available roles. Either way, they use their judgment and knowledge of the field to bring in new, quality employees. Many recruiters come from other HR roles that involve more work within the hiring process. ‌ Recruiters need to have excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to multitask. Most recruiters have many roles they’re trying to fill at one time. Your recruiter resume should focus on your people skills and your past success in filling positions.

This recruiter resume example shows how to list your past HR accomplishments in a clear and concise manner.

Recruiter Resume Example

Entry-Level Human Resources Resume Example

Newly graduated human resources candidates often take entry-level positions to get hands-on experience. Entry-level HR roles help support larger departments. They usually handle routine administrative tasks and act as the first point of contact. ‌ Teams hiring entry-level human resources don’t expect you to have years of experience. Instead, they want your resume to show how your education has prepared you for the role.

This entry-level human resources resume example demonstrates how to use your education and volunteer experience to appeal to employers.

Entry-Level Human Resources Resume Example

HR Generalist Resume Example

Companies large and small hire HR generalists to handle the majority of human resources tasks. Generalists have a broad understanding of the field without focusing heavily on any one part. An excellent HR generalist may be the only human resources professional a small company needs. ‌ Generalists have a unique challenge with their resumes. Instead of showing how they can do one specific thing, they need to demonstrate the breadth of their knowledge. Generalist resumes should make use of the job history section to showcase a wide variety of skills. ‌ This human resources generalist resume example shows how to list your experience in HR without sounding generic.

HR Generalist Resume Example

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Human resources resume skills and keywords.

Human resources departments are responsible for hiring everyone a company needs. To make the job simpler, they use tools like applicant tracking systems (ATS) . These systems filter out unqualified candidates based on human resources resume keywords . If your resume doesn’t include the right human resources skills and keywords, your application won’t be seen by a person. Using the correct terms in your resume can help you make it through the filters and into an interview.

Top Human Resources Skills

  • Verbal and written communication
  • Multitasking
  • ‌Leadership
  • ‌Legal knowledge
  • HR software
  • Organization
  • Interviewing
  • Conflict resolution
  • Stress tolerance
  • ‌Compensation and benefits management
  • ‌Relationship management
  • Corporate law
  • Talent management
  • ‌Onboarding
  • Recruitment
  • ‌Negotiation
  • ‌Active listening
  • ‌Constructive criticism
  • Team building
  • Applicant tracking systems
  • Fair labor standards
  • Statutory compliance
  • Data analysis
  • Customer service
  • Microsoft Office

Human resources salaries depend on your experience and the size of the company. Typically, HR professionals with more knowledge or specialized skills make more than entry-level employees. If you’re in the HR field, you can expect salaries to increase as your resume expands. These median salaries give you an idea of what to expect.

Salary Expectations for Popular Human Resources Roles

Most HR positions require applicants to have a bachelor’s degree in human resources or psychology. There are enough concerns unique to HR that it can be challenging to transition into the field without experience or a relevant degree. A bachelor’s degree in HR will cover how hiring processes work, equal opportunity laws, and standard management policies.

Many HR professionals will get additional certifications after their degree. These certifications cover specific topics and help prepare you for new roles. They may focus on daily needs like relationship management or higher-level tasks like guiding the organization and setting goals.

Standard HR certifications include:

  • The Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) – Certified Professional certificate (SHRM-CP)
  • The SHRM-Senior Certified Professional certificate (SHRM-SCP)
  • ‌The Human Resources Certification Institute’s (HRCI) Professional in Human Resources certificate (PHR)

‌Adding these certificates to your resume shows employers that you’re serious about your job.

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Human Resource (HR) Resume - How-to Guide for 2024

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HR managers ensure a safe and thriving work environment for employees.

But before you can help the employees, you need to become one yourself.

This involves creating a job-winning HR resume.

But what does a good HR resume look like, anyway?

This is a question that can’t be left answered. 

But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

  • A job-winning human resources resume example
  • How to create a human resources resume that hiring managers love
  • Specific tips and tricks for the human resources job industry

Here’s a human resources resume example, built with our own resume builder .

HR resume example

It’s now time to adjust the above example and make it yours.

Check out these resume examples that also might interest you:

  • Business Development Manager Resume
  • Office Manager Resume
  • Operations Manager Resume
  • Program Manager Resume
  • Project Manager Resume

How to Format a Human Resources Resume

HR jobs are highly sought after.

As such, you need to do everything in your power to stand out.

But before we get to the juicy stuff, you first need to select the correct format.

A well-formatted resume allows the recruiter to instantly see what a great HR manager you are.

With “ reverse-chronological ” being the most common resume format, we recommend this format for HR managers. It shows the peak of your work experience first, and then works back through your history and skills.

HR reverse chronological format

You could also try the two following formats…

  • Functional Resume – This format focuses on your skills, which makes it the best format for HR that are highly skilled, but have little in the way of HR work experience. 
  • Combination Resume – This format mixes both “Functional” and “Reverse-Chronological” formats, which means it focuses on both your HR skills AND work experience. 
  • Keep your resume to one-page. This shows the hiring manager that you can keep information brief and precise. Feel free to check out our one-page resume templates .

Use a Human Resources Resume Template

If you’re an office HR manager, there’s a high chance that Word is used on a daily basis.

However, just because you experienced with Word, doesn’t mean it’s the best tool for creating an HR resume.

For an unbeatable result, you may want to use an HR resume template. Select any of the following professional templates and tailor it according to your needs !

What to Include in a Human Resources Resume

The main sections in an HR resume are:

  • Contact Information
  • Work Experience

For an HR resume that stands out from other applications, add these optional sections:

  • Awards & Certification
  • Volunteer Experience

Interests & Hobbies

We’re now going to talk about each of the above sections, and explain the best practices for writing them.

For an in-depth rundown on which sections to use, check out our guide on What to Put on a Resume .

How to Write Your Contact Information Section

As a HR professional, you should know that words should be chosen carefully. 

You should take the same level of caution when writing your contact section, as any mistake can render your whole application useless. 

For your contact information section , include…

  • Professional Title – This should align with the job description, which is “HR Manager”
  • Phone Number – Triple-check this. One small error can really mess up your chances
  • Email Address – Make sure to use a professional email address ([email protected]), and avoid that email you created back in 7th grade ([email protected])
  • Location – City & Country
  • (Optional) Relevant Social Media
  • Vanessa Mills - HR Manager. 101-358-6095. [email protected]
  • Vanessa Mills - HR Hero. 101-358-6095. [email protected]

How to Write an HR Resume Summary or Objective

Here’s a question:

What takes less than a minute?

Well, a recruiter reading through a typical HR resume. 

This means you have an incredibly short window to catch their attention.

But is this even possible?

Yep! Just use a resume summary or objective .

These are brief, sharp paragraphs that go on top of your resume.

resume summary for hr resume

Let’s now look at how the two sections differ:

A resume summary is a short summary of your professional experiences and achievements. It is the best option for individuals who have multiple years of paralegal experience.

  • Human Resources Manager with 5+ years of experience seeks to improve employee retention and overall efficiency at XYZ Office. Career highlights include handling all employee relations in a 75-employee finance firm, reducing recruitment lead time by 35%, and increasing employee retention by 17%.

On the other hand, the resume objective focuses on your professional goals and aspirations. It is ideal for entry-level HR candidates or individuals who want a change in their professional career. Although you’re talking about your goals, it is important to relate the objective to your future employer’s gain.

  • Motivated Human Resources specialist looking to become the new HR Manager at Law Firm X. Experience includes sitting in on interviews, drafting confidential documentation, and organizing employee events. Enthusiastic to manage the HR department, where my skills can be leveraged for improved employee retention and office efficiency.

So, which one is best for you? 

Well, a summary is suited for HR managers who have previously held the position, whereas an objective is suited for those who are hoping to become an HR manager for the first time (student, graduate, or switching careers).

How to Make Your HR Work Experience Stand Out

For recruiters, finding the best candidate is an odds game.

As such, they are constantly looking to increase their chance of success.

One of the easiest ways to do this is to hire someone with vast HR work experience. 

Sure, your qualifications and personal skills are super important, but your professional experience reigns supreme.

Follow this layout in your experience section:

  • Position name
  • Company Name
  • Responsibilities & Achievements

And it should look something like this:

Human Resources Manager 

03/2017 - 04/2021

  • Handled all HR issues in a 75-employee finance firm
  • Oversaw the recruitment process, which reduced lead time by 35%
  • Increased employee retention by 17% 
  • Developed new training programs for a motivated and confident office environment

To show why you’re the best person for the job, make sure to highlight your best achievements.

For example, instead of saying:

“Managed recruitment”

“Oversaw the recruitment process, which reduced lead time by 35%”

So, what’s the difference between these two statements?

So, the candidate managed recruitment… But what is so special about this? Will this make the resume stand out?  

Compare this to the second statement, where it shows the candidate reduced lead time by 35%. This statistic instantly shows the value of hiring the employee, which is something that will stick in the recruiter’s memory.

  • Use the job description to your advantage. You can see if there is anything in the job description that matches your work history. If so, definitely include it!

What if You Don’t Have Work Experience?

Maybe you’re a graduate who has never worked full-time before?

Or maybe you’re transitioning from a different industry?

Whatever the situation, there are options if you don’t have experience as a HR manager.

Typically, HR-hopefuls will need to show that they have some HR experience. But this doesn’t mean that you needed to work under the title of “HR Manager”.

For example, let’s say you worked as an office assistant…

You could talk about how you were responsible for keeping records accurate and up to date, which are vital HR skills.

From there, you can take up a temporary position as an HR assistant, where you gain even more on-the-job experience.

For the students read this, you’ll enjoy our guide on how to make a student resume!

Use Action Words to Make Your HR Resume POP!

Since the aim of the game is to make your resume stand out, we’d recommend using some of these power words :

  • Conceptualized
  • Spearheaded

How to List Your Education Correctly

The next section in any HR resume is the education section.

Now, there is no set path to becoming a professional HR manager, so just be honest and describe your educational path to date. 

  • Degree Type & Major
  • University Name
  • Years Studied
  • GPA, Honours, Courses, and other relevant achievements 

B.A. in Human Resources

Boston State University

2013 - 2016

  • Relevant Courses: Constitutional/Administrative Law, Criminal Law, Contract Law, Equity & Trusts, EU Law, Public Law, Land Law, Tort Law

Now, you may have a few more questions, here are the most frequently asked questions:

What if I have yet to finish studying?

  • Whether or not you’re still studying, you should list every year of education so far

Should I include my high school education?

  • Only if you don’t have any higher education. The hiring manager won’t care about your high school education if you have a law degree

What goes first, education or experience?

  • If you’re an HR manager, your work experience should come before your education

If you still have questions, you can check out our guide on how to list education on a resume .

Top 10 Skills for an HR Resume

You need a certain set of skills to be a great HR manager.

It’s these skills that the recruiter is scanning for as they read your resume. 

Here are some of the most important HR skills to list on your resume:

Hard Skills for an HR Professional:

  • Data analysis
  • Evaluations
  • HR Software (HRIS)

Soft Skills:

  • Emotional intelligence
  • Communication
  • Collaboration
  • Employee relations
  • Organization

Looking for a more comprehensive list? Here’s a mega-list of 100+ must-have skills .

Other Resume Sections You Can Include

By this point, you’re likely itching to get your resume out to the companies you want to work for.

After all, your resume is now the best it can be, right?!

Well, not really.

Remember, the #1 goal in the application process is to stand out.

And a resume that looks like a carbon copy of all the others is not going to do that.

If you’ve got your skills and experiences sorted, the following sections may be the deciding factor.

Awards & Certifications

Were you awarded for any projects during university?

Have you finished any HR-related courses on Coursera?

Whatever the recognition, you can improve your resume by including awards and certifications.

  • Recruiting, Hiring, and Onboarding Employees -  Coursera Certificate
  • Preparing to Manage HR - Coursera Certificate
  • Improve Your English Language Communication Skills - First Language School

Whether or not the human resources job requires you to speak a second language, the ability to do so is very impressive.

So, feel free to add a language section if you have space.

Order the languages by proficiency:

  • Intermediate

Now, you may be wondering, “why does the recruiter need to know about my passion for art?”

Well, because it shows your personal side.

And you’re more than an HR machine right?! 

As such, include some of your interests to become more relatable.

If you want some ideas of hobbies & interests to put on your resume, we have a guide for that!

Match Your Cover Letter with Your Resume

Oh dear…more writing.

But bear with us for a moment, as it’s for good reason.

Cover letters are still a vital part of the application process .

You can use this guide to write a dazzling HR resume, but failure to include a cover letter still gives your competition the edge.

Cover letters give a chance to talk to the recruiter with more depth and personality. 

Even better, it shows the company that you want THIS job , and you’re not just randomly sending resumes to every company in the local area.

Just like with the resume, the cover letter needs to be structured correctly. Here’s how to do that:

HR manager cover letter structure

And here’s what goes in each section:

Contact Details

Your personal contact information, including full name, profession, email, phone number, and location

Hiring Manager’s Contact Information

Full name, position, location, email

Opening Paragraph

Your introduction should be very strong. If you don’t manage to hook the hiring manager here, they’re not going to read the rest of your resume. So, mention:

  • The specific position you’re applying for
  • Your experience summary and top achievements

Once you’ve got the hiring manager hooked, you can go through the rest of your work history and personal background. Some of the points you can mention here are:

  • Why you want to work for this specific company
  • Anything you know about the company’s culture
  • What are your top skills and how are they relevant for the job
  • If you’ve worked in similar industries or positions

Closing Paragraph

This is where you:

  • Wrap up any points you missed in the body paragraph
  • Thank the hiring manager for their time
  • End with a call to action. Something like, “I’d love to further discuss how my experience as an X can help the company with Y”

Formal Salutations

To keep everything professional, use formal closing, such as “Best regards” or “Sincerely.”

Creating a cover letter is a craft. But don’t worry, you can call on our how to write a cover letter for guidance.

Key Takeaways

We’re assuming that you followed all of the advice in this guide, and are now about to receive an interview…or five. 

Before you go, let’s go over the main rules when creating a HR resume:

  • Select the correct format for an HR resume. Use a reverse-chronological format, and follow the best layout practices to keep everything clear and concise
  • Instantly grab the reader’s attention with a summary or objective 
  • Prioritize talking about your achievements, instead of your responsibilities
  • Match your resume with a HR cover letter that follows the best practises 

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Best HR Skills on a Resume And How to List Them

The job of a Human Resources professional isn’t easy – but it’s well compensated. As of March 2023, the average salary for a Human Resources Manager in the US stood at $115,441, with those working in the top niche industries making upwards of $200,000 annually. It is also one of the most promising careers of the future according to SHRM.

The unique and elaborate skill set needed for this role could be the reason why the demand for HR professionals is growing. Here are some of the most essential skills an HR professional must develop to get a high-paying job.

Best HR Skills on a Resume And How to List Them

Table of Contents

Best HR Skills on Resume. How to List Them

If you are looking to land a job in human resources, it’s important to highlight the skills that make you a strong candidate on your resume. Human resources is a critical function in any organization, and employers are looking for candidates who possess a range of abilities  that can help them manage employees and drive business success. 

In this article, we’ll explore the best HR competencies to list on your resume and provide tips on how to showcase them effectively. Whether you’re a seasoned HR professional or just starting out in the field, these tips can help you stand out from the competition and land your dream job.

What Are Human Resources Skills?

Human resources skills refer to the competencies and abilities required to effectively manage employees and support the goals of an organization. These can include recruitment and talent management , employee relations, compliance and legal knowledge, compensation and benefits, HRIS and data management, project management, communication and interpersonal skills, and leadership and strategic thinking. These abilities are critical for effectively managing employees and supporting the success of an organization.

Top Human Resources Skills for Your Resume

Technical/hard skills for an hr resume.

In today’s digital age, it’s becoming increasingly important for HR professionals to have technical abilities that can help them navigate HR technology and effectively manage data. Here are some of the top hard skills to include on an HR resume:

  • HR Information Systems (HRIS): HRIS are software platforms that help HR professionals manage employee data and automate HR processes. Experience with HRIS platforms such as Workday, SAP, or Oracle can be a valuable ability to include on your HR resume.
“Proficient in utilizing HRIS platforms such as Workday and SAP to manage employee data, run reports, and automate HR processes.”
“Adept in troubleshooting and resolving HRIS-related issues, as well as providing training and support to end-users.”
  • Data analytics: HR professionals are increasingly using data analytics to make informed decisions about recruitment, compensation, and employee development.
“Experienced in gathering and interpreting HR data related to employee performance, compensation, and benefits to identify trends and develop solutions to improve HR processes.”
“Proficient in creating data visualizations and dashboards to communicate HR metrics and trends to stakeholders.”
  • Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS): ATS are software platforms that help HR professionals manage the hiring process , from job postings to candidate selection. Experience with ATS platforms such as Jobvite, Taleo, or iCIMS can be especially valuable to employers.
“Proficient in setting up and maintaining ATS workflows, as well as generating reports and tracking recruitment metrics.”
“Skilled in developing and implementing effective ATS search strategies to identify top talent and maintain a strong talent pipeline.”
  • Social media management: Social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter are increasingly being used for recruitment and employer branding.
“Experienced in managing social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to support recruitment and employer branding efforts.”
“Capable of developing and curating social media content, including job descriptions, employee stories, and company news.”
  • Learning Management Systems (LMS): LMS platforms are used to manage employee training and development programs. Experience with LMS platforms such as Cornerstone, Skillsoft, or Udemy are good additions to a resume.
“Successfully managed the implementation and administration of a Learning Management System (LMS) to support employee training and development initiatives.”
“Designed and developed training courses using the LMS platform and managed employee enrollment and completion of courses.”
  • Digital communication: HR professionals are increasingly using digital communication tools such as email, chat, and video conferencing to communicate with employees and stakeholders. Experience with digital communication tools such as Microsoft Teams or Zoom can be a valuable skill to highlight on your HR resume.
“Proficient in using digital communication tools such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Skype to communicate with employees, managers, and other stakeholders in a remote work environment.”
“Strong ability to maintain professionalism and ensure effective communication in a digital environment.”

By highlighting these top technical skills on your HR resume, you can demonstrate to potential employers that you have the competencies and abilities required to effectively navigate HR technology and manage employee data.

Soft Skills for an HR Resume

While technical skills are important for HR professionals, it’s also essential to highlight your soft skills on your resume. Here are some of the top soft skills to include on an HR resume:

  • Communication: HR professionals need strong communication skills to effectively communicate with employees, stakeholders, and other members of the organization. This includes both written and verbal communication, as well as active listening.
“Successfully developed and maintained positive relationships with employees, managers, and stakeholders through effective communication.”
“Proficient in communicating complex HR policies and procedures to employees in a clear and concise manner.”
  • Emotional intelligence: HR professionals need to be empathetic and understand the emotions and needs of employees. This includes the ability to manage conflict, provide feedback, and support employees through difficult situations.
“Demonstrated strong emotional intelligence in providing empathetic support to employees during difficult situations.”
“Recognized employees’ emotional states and responded with appropriate actions and support.”
  • Leadership: HR professionals need to be strong leaders who can inspire and motivate employees , as well as influence stakeholders and drive change within the organization.
“Provided clear direction and guidance to team members and ensured that tasks and projects were completed on time and within budget.”
“Fostered a culture of collaboration and accountability, and encouraged team members to take ownership of their work.”
  • Problem-solving: HR professionals need to be able to analyze problems , develop solutions, and make informed decisions that support the goals of the organization.
“Worked collaboratively with cross-functional teams to identify areas for improvement and implement process improvements to streamline HR operations.”
“Maintained up-to-date knowledge of HR laws and regulations to ensure compliance and mitigate risk for the organization.”
  • Time management: HR professionals need to be able to manage their time effectively and prioritize tasks to ensure that projects are completed on time and deadlines are met.
“Successfully prioritized and managed multiple HR projects and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.”
“Used effective time-management strategies, including prioritization, delegation, and task scheduling, to optimize productivity and minimize waste.”
  • Adaptability: HR professionals need to be able to adapt to changing circumstances and be flexible in their approach to HR challenges.
“Quickly adjusted to new HR policies and procedures and effectively communicated changes to employees and stakeholders.”
“Successfully managed HR operations during periods of high volume and worked collaboratively with team members to ensure that HR services were delivered in a timely and effective manner.”
  • Collaboration: HR professionals need to be able to work collaboratively with other members of the organization, including employees, managers, and executives.
“Worked collaboratively with managers and employees to identify areas for improvement and develop effective solutions to HR challenges.”
“Fostered a culture of collaboration and teamwork, encouraging team members to share ideas and work together to achieve common goals.”

By highlighting these on your HR resume, you can demonstrate to potential employers that you have the competencies and abilities required to succeed in the field of HR. Employers are looking for HR professionals who are not only technically proficient but also possess strong communication, leadership, problem-solving, and collaboration skills.

Where to Include HR Skills on Your Resume

When writing a resume, it’s important to strategically place your HR skills in areas that are easily noticeable by recruiters and hiring managers. Here are some tips on where to include HR skills on a resume:

  • In the skills section: One of the best places to include HR skills is in a dedicated skills section. This section can be located at the top or bottom of the resume and should highlight the most relevant HR skills you possess.
  • In the summary statement: The summary statement at the top of your resume is the first thing that recruiters and hiring managers will read. Including a brief mention of your most important abilities in human resources in this section can help catch their attention and encourage them to read further.
  • In the job descriptions: When listing your previous job experience, make sure to include specific skills you utilized in each position. This not only demonstrates your expertise in HR but also shows how you’ve applied your capabilities in real-world situations.
  • In bullet points: When highlighting your previous job experience, use bullet points to list specific HR skills you used to accomplish your tasks. This not only makes them more visible but also makes your resume easier to scan.
  • In certifications and education: If you’ve obtained certifications or completed education courses related to HR, make sure to list them on your resume. This shows that you’ve taken the initiative to continue learning and improving your HR skills. Attaching your obtained HR field related certificates is especially important when you apply for some niche human resources positions, like martech recruiters , healthcare recruiters, internal communication specialist, etc.

Overall, including HR skills throughout your resume is important to catch the attention of recruiters and hiring managers. By strategically placing your HR skills in relevant sections, you can make your resume stand out from the crowd and increase your chances of landing an HR job.

Top HR Skills to Highlight for Different HR Roles?

Different HR roles require different sets of skills. Here are some of the top HR skills to highlight for different HR roles:

HR Generalist

HR Generalists are responsible for managing various aspects of the HR function, including recruitment , employee relations , compliance , and benefits . Some of the top HR skills to highlight for this role include recruitment and talent management , employee relations , compliance and legal knowledge , compensation and benefits , and project management .

HR Coordinator

HR Coordinators provide administrative support to the HR department, including scheduling interviews , maintaining employee records , and managing HR systems . Some of the top HR skills to highlight for this role include data management , HRIS , attention to detail , communication , and time management .

HR Managers are responsible for managing the HR department and developing HR strategies that support the overall goals of the organization. Some of the top HR skills to highlight for this role include leadership , strategic thinking , project management , communication , and emotional intelligence.

Training and Development Specialist

Training and Development Specialists are responsible for designing and delivering employee training and development programs. Some of the top HR skills to highlight for this role include instructional design , facilitation , communication , creativity , and data analysis .

Compensation and Benefits Manager

Compensation and Benefits Managers are responsible for designing and implementing compensation and benefits programs that attract and retain top talent. Some of the top HR skills to highlight for this role include compensation and benefits knowledge , data analysis , project management , communication , and legal compliance .

By highlighting these top HR skills for different HR roles, you can demonstrate to potential employers that you have the competencies and abilities required to succeed in specific areas of HR.

Tailoring your resume to highlight the most relevant HR skills for the role you’re applying for can increase your chances of landing an HR job that is the right fit for your skill set.

Best Practices for Adding Skills on an HR Resume

Here are some best practices for adding skills on an HR resume:

  • Customize skills to the job: Tailor the skills section of your resume to highlight the HR skills that are most relevant to the job you are applying for.
  • Use bullet points: Use bullet points to make your skills section easy to scan and read.
  • Prioritize skills: Prioritize your bullets based on their relevance to the job you are applying for. This will help recruiters see your most relevant information at a glance.
  • Use keywords: Use keywords related to HR skills and job requirements to make your resume more easily searchable by applicant tracking systems (ATS).
  • Be specific: Use specific examples and quantifiable results to illustrate your HR abilities and accomplishments. This will help demonstrate your value and experience in HR.
  • Keep it concise: Keep your skills section concise and focused. This will help avoid overwhelming the recruiter with too much information.
  • Keep it up-to-date: Update your HR skills section regularly to reflect new skills and accomplishments. This will help keep your resume fresh and relevant to potential employers.

What Are the Top 3 Skills an HR Professional Should Have?

The top three skills that an HR professional should have are the following:

  • strong communication skills,
  • excellent problem-solving abilities,
  • and a deep understanding of employment laws and regulations.

HR professionals must be able to communicate effectively with employees, managers, and other stakeholders, as well as handle conflicts and manage complex situations. They should also have the ability to analyze problems, develop solutions, and make informed decisions that support the goals of the organization.

Additionally, HR professionals need to stay up-to-date with employment laws and regulations to ensure compliance and minimize legal risk for the organization.

What Are Some Entry Level HR Skills?

Some entry-level HR skills include basic knowledge of HR functions such as recruitment , onboarding , and employee relations , as well as proficiency in Microsoft Office and other common software programs.

Entry-level HR professionals should also have strong communication and interpersonal skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work well in a team. Additionally, knowledge of basic employment laws and regulations, as well as an eagerness to learn and grow in the field, can be valuable entry-level HR skills.

How to Improve HR Skills?

To improve HR skills, one can consider various approaches such as attending professional development workshops , taking courses or obtaining certifications in HR-related topics , seeking mentorship or guidance from more experienced HR professionals, and staying up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in the field through industry publications and networking events. Additionally, gaining hands-on experience through internships or entry-level positions can be helpful in developing and refining HR skills.

Finally, having a growth mindset and being open to feedback and constructive criticism can also help HR professionals continually improve their skills.

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  • 18 HR Skills Every HR...

18 HR Skills Every HR Professional Needs [2024 Guide]

HR Skills Cover Image

1. Communication skills

2. administrative expertise.

human resources skills on resume

3. HR Management knowledge and expertise

4. hr strategy creation & execution, 5. managing priorities, 6. proactivity, 7. advising.

8. Coaching

9. recruitment and selection, 10. employee experience expertise, 11. command of technology, 12. being analytical and data-driven, 13. hr reporting skills, 14. commercial awareness, 15. cultural awareness and sensitivity, 16. wellbeing evangelism, 17. active listening, 18. teamwork, importance of hr skills.

  • Improved job satisfaction – Skilled HR practitioners are better equipped to solve complex problems and meet job expectations. This, in turn, helps make them more engaged and dedicated to their roles.
  • Boost in confidence – Developing HR skills helps HR professionals gain deeper knowledge and understanding of their roles. They can confidently make decisions and interact with other employees, fostering trust and respect.
  • Increased earning potential – By honing their HR skills, HR practitioners can increase their value in the job market. They are more likely to be considered for promotions or higher-paying roles due to their enhanced expertise and capabilities, which directly impacts their earning potential.
  • Building a fulfilling HR career – Creating impact and putting your strengths to work contributes to a sense of accomplishment. What’s more, advanced HR skills allow HR pros to take on more strategic roles, get recognized for their work, and make significant contributions that drive organizational success.
  • Employee engagement – Skilled HR professionals excel in effective communication, motivating, and engaging employees. This helps create a positive organizational culture and improve employee satisfaction and retention, which significantly impacts the business’s success.
  • Increased productivity – Competent HR employees can implement effective policies and processes that enhance employee productivity. For example, they can devise effective training programs, performance management processes, and incentive structures that motivate employees to perform better.
  • Strategic workforce planning – HR professionals can foresee future staffing needs, align HR strategy with business strategy, and manage talent effectively, contributing to the organization’s strategic goals.
  • Managing change – When HR practitioners can effectively communicate the need for change and create plans to manage resistance and ensure a smooth transition, they’re able to maintain organizational stability and performance in challenging times of change.
  • Cost savings – Skilled HR professionals can identify areas for cost savings, such as optimizing recruitment processes and reducing employee turnover and absenteeism . This can lead to significant savings for the organization, improving its financial health.
  • Higher team morale – Effective conflict management and fostering an inclusive work environment by applying key HR skills helps improve team morale and cohesion.
  • Organizational performance – Overall, organizations, where HR professionals are adequately equipped to build and manage an engaged, productive workforce overperform their competitors and are ready to adapt to the rapidly evolving business landscape.

Developing HR skills

  • Getting professional certifications – Online HR certification programs can help you expand your knowledge and skill set so that you can stay ahead of your peers and stand out when applying for jobs. You won’t just learn new skills, but you’ll also gain valuable credentials. Many of these HR courses can be completed at your own pace and fit in around existing study or a job. 
  • Networking and professional groups – Regularly attending industry HR events and joining HR groups (like AIHR community) online and across social media platforms can help you connect with peers, ask questions, share knowledge, and learn from collective experiences.
  • Mentoring and coaching – A seasoned HR professional can serve as a great mentor or coach that can offer guidance, advice and wisdom that can help you navigate your career, make difficult decisions, and help develop the most important HR skills. You could find a mentor within your organization or through a professional network. Many people are happy to share their knowledge and experience with younger professionals in the industry.
  • Continuous learning – Staying updated on best practices and policy changes and emerging trends, and building future HR skills are great examples of continuous learning that you should take note of. You can incorporate learning into your day-to-day work and regularly read blogs, industry publications, research papers, and HR newsletters. You can also join professional HR associations to expand on your knowledge of the HR domain.
  • On-the-job training – Look for opportunities to work on HR projects and assignments that stretch your skills and get you out of your comfort zone. Collaborate with experienced HR professionals within your organization, learn from their expertise, and actively participate in new and existing HR initiatives.

How To Improve Your HR Skills

Future HR skills

  • Change management and change consulting
  • Risk management
  • People analytics
  • Stakeholder management
  • Management of strategic deals and alliances
  • Integrating cultural differences
  • Ethics and data privacy
  • Critical and systems thinking
  • Negotiation skills
  • Inter-departmental collaboration
  • Resilience and being SAFE
  • Project management
  • Organizational design

Future HR Skills

Wrapping up

human resources skills on resume

Erik van Vulpen

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Here’s How to Write Your Own Resume as an HR Professional (Plus an Example!)

person sitting at desk in home office, typing on laptop

Human resources (HR) is a broad field, encompassing HR generalists as well as many sub-areas including recruiting (also known as talent acquisition), benefits administration, talent management, learning and development, and more. If you’re an HR professional, especially if you work in recruiting, you’ve probably reviewed hundreds or even thousands of resumes. But when it comes to creating a solid resume of your own, it can be just as hard as it would be for a hairdresser to cut their own hair. (And if you’re still looking for open positions to apply to, you can search for HR jobs right here on The Muse .)

Here are some tips to help you write an outstanding resume as an HR professional.

Tailor Your Resume to the Job: Keywords

As you may know if you already work in HR, tailoring your resume to the particular job you’re applying for can make it easier for the reader to see why you’re the right hire. So scrutinize each job description to find out what achievements, skills, and qualifications are most important—and tweak your resume accordingly.

You can highlight your most relevant achievements for each job by moving the bullet points that describe those achievements further up within each experience entry, highlighting key skills in a summary section, and repeating key terms in different sections of your resume (for instance, mentioning names of important software in a bullet point describing your work achievements and repeating them in your “Skills” section).

If you’re an experienced HR pro, you’re likely aware that many companies use an applicant tracking system (ATS) to keep track of resumes from job applicants. These systems allow a recruiter to quickly search resumes for keywords, which typically include acronyms, proper nouns, or phrases from the job description. Therefore, it’s always important to look for these key terms in every job posting and work them naturally into your resume.

You should always default to the keywords you find in a given job posting (and use the same phrasing and language that the company does). But here are some keywords for different types of jobs within HR to get you started; some of the most common terms are listed first, followed by acronyms referring to laws or regulations, key software, and certifications toward the end of each list.

HR Generalist Keywords

  • Recruiting, interviewing, hiring, job descriptions
  • Orientation
  • Personnel files
  • Policies, procedures
  • Open enrollment
  • Performance reviews
  • Confidentiality
  • Equal employment
  • Employee safety
  • Organizational charts
  • Exit interviews
  • Software: Microsoft Excel, PeopleSoft, human resource information systems (HRIS)
  • Certifications: PHR (Professional in Human Resources), SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resources), SHRM-CP ( Society for Human Resources Management Certified Professional), SHRM–SCP (Society for Human Resources Management Senior Certified Professional)

Recruiter Keywords

  • Candidates, pipeline, candidate experience
  • Sourcing (including tools such as LinkedIn, social media, Indeed.com)
  • Interviewing, selection, screening
  • Hiring managers
  • Strategic workforce planning
  • Job descriptions
  • End-to-end hiring process, full-cycle recruiting
  • Recruitment metrics (such as time-to-hire or similar)
  • Reference checks
  • Background checks
  • Offer letters
  • New hire packets
  • Wage/salary analysis
  • College and university relations
  • Closing candidates
  • Software: ATS, HRIS, Oracle

Benefits and Compensation Keywords

  • Leave, paid time off (PTO), vacation days, sick days, personal days, paid holidays
  • Benefits : total reward, health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), workers compensation, disability, tuition reimbursement
  • Voluntary deferred compensation/retirement plans, pension plans, 401(k)
  • Eligibility
  • Contract negotiations
  • Vendor negotiations
  • Procurement
  • Benchmarking
  • Benefit plan administration
  • Audits, reconciling, reports
  • Disability accommodations
  • Leave of absence (LOA)
  • Government departments:Department of Labor (DOL), CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)
  • Government programs and regulations: Medicare, Medicaid, COBRA, Family and Medical Leave Act ( FMLA ), American with Disabilities Act (ADA), Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), Pregnancy Discrimination Act, HIPAA, Affordable Care Act (ACA), Dependent Eligibility Verification Audit (DEVA)
  • Software: ADP, timekeeping systems, Workday Human Capital Management (HCM), HRIS

Employee and Labor Relations Keywords

  • Grievances, disputes, investigations
  • Disciplinary and termination meetings
  • Collective bargaining agreement (CBA)
  • Conflict resolution/management
  • Arbitration
  • Legal and regulatory compliance; Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), ADA, FMLA
  • Wage and hour laws
  • Climate surveys

Training and Development/Organizational Development Keywords

  • Development and implementation
  • Subject matter expert (SME)
  • Content, curriculum, e-learning
  • Performance improvement/performance management
  • Instructional design
  • ADDIE model (analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation)
  • Adult learning theory
  • Facilitation guides, course material, training aids, job aids
  • Competencies
  • Organizational development
  • Cultural change
  • Software: Microsoft PowerPoint, Learning Management Systems (LMS), knowledge management systems, Oracle, Articulate Suite (Storyline, Rise, Review), Camtasia, SharePoint, Adobe Creative Cloud
  • Certifications: Associate Professional in Talent Development Credential (APTD), Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP)

Make Your Resume Shine: Achievements

The bullet points describing your past experiences have the most potential to show prospective employers who you are as a professional. Framing your bullet points as achievements is essential for a strong resume. Include metrics or examples that illustrate how you contributed to your organization, prevented risk, improved efficiency, or took initiative to solve a problem. Whenever possible, you should quantify your accomplishments, or measure them using numbers, percentages, or dollar amounts. 

In HR it can be hard to quantify your success, but as you think about your achievements look for opportunities to attach metrics to what you’ve done. One way to think about your achievements could be: What did you do that prevented a problem? Another is: What would go wrong if you did a bad job? How can you measure that what you did was better than what was done before or what was done on average?

Once you’ve answered those questions, put it all together. A common formula for a strong bullet point is to start with a strong action verb , then add a description of your work or process, and then end with the outcome or achievement, adding numbers whenever possible so readers can see the scale of your accomplishments.

Here are some ways to frame HR-related achievements as bullet points in the experience section of your resume:

HR Generalist Achievements

  • Ensured compliance with a broad range of regulations, including ADA, FMLA, and EEOC, reducing risk and liability for an organization with 15,000 staff in three countries.

Recruiter Achievements

  • Reduced time-to-hire by 15% through consistent follow-up with hiring managers in 14 offices, expanded utilization of ATS, and timely outreach to candidates.
  • Improved candidate experience, increasing percent satisfied from 50% to 66% through courteous, efficient, and thoughtful communication with candidate pool, resulting in 10% increase in referrals of high-quality applicants by current staff.

Benefits and Compensation Achievements

  • Saved 15% of company’s benefits costs in the first year by conducting scrupulous benchmarking research and highly effective contract negotiations with five vendors.
  • Accurately audited time and leave tracking for an organization with 500+ staff, ensuring compliance with company policies and FMLA regulations.

Employee and Labor Relations Achievements

  • Effectively mediated highly complex employee conflicts, resulting in improved performance and a positive organizational culture as demonstrated through a 25% increase in positive responses to organization-wide climate surveys.
  • Negotiated contracts with three different unions, avoiding a highly challenging potential labor dispute and coming to a mutually beneficial contract agreement.

Training and Development/Organizational Development A chievements

  • Designed and implemented new leadership curriculum, training 50% of key organizational leaders in 6 weeks and resulting in improved morale and staff retention in units led by managers who participated in training.

Look the Part: Resume Layout and Design

Many resume layout and design tips apply just as much for HR resumes as for candidate resumes in any field. So you’re likely familiar with some or all of the below, but if you’d like a refresher or you’re just entering the workforce, these tips can ensure your resume looks the part.

HR Resume Format and Sections

In addition to writing powerful achievement-focused bullet points and using the right keywords, you might wonder about where to place content within your resume and what sections to include.

Most job applicants should use a reverse chronological resume, which lists your work experiences, academic degrees, and other qualifications in order from most recent to furthest back in time. This type of resume is the most common version used in most industries (including HR) and is helpful for documenting your career growth and progression. If you’re changing careers or returning to paid employment after a career break, you may want to consider a combination , or hybrid, resume format (which helps emphasize your skills in addition to your work experience and dates of employment).

Whether you choose a chronological or hybrid resume, the sections typically included in an HR resume are:

  • Header and contact information : your name and contact information, which includes crucial information such as your phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile URL
  • Experience : including work, internship, and sometimes high-level volunteer experience, can be broken up into different sections such as “Relevant Experience” and “Other Experience”
  • Education : typically including college and advanced degrees
  • Skills : including computer software , technical skills , and languages you speak

There are also optional sections that may show you’re the right candidate for a given job such as:

  • Summary : a quick, high-level, easy-to-scan overview of your top achievements and keywords, generally used if you have extensive work experience or are a career changer
  • Certifications : including PHR, SPHR, or SHRM certification among others (if you’ve earned them, you can also add these letters after your name in the header for stronger emphasis)
  • Ongoing training : including short, on-the-job trainings, online courses that are not part of a degree program, or other professional development that doesn’t fit under education

Resume Design and Formatting

A resume should be easy to read, which means the document itself needs to be well formatted and limited to one or two pages . Many jobs in HR require attention to detail, so it’s especially important for an HR resume to use consistent formatting and design. For instance, be sure that:

  • Your bullet points are consistent in size, style, and indentation
  • Your fonts and formatting are consistent—if job titles are going to be in bold and italics, make sure that all of your job titles are in bold and italics
  • Your design is clean and readable—font size should be no smaller than 10 and keep at least a small amount of white space between sections and entries
  • Your name and contact info are centered correctly on the page, if you choose to center them

It’s also important that your resume is easily scannable by an ATS, which can have trouble with columns, overly fancy designs, text boxes, or graphics. So keep it simple and clean and only use formatting elements like bold, underline, italics, and color to emphasize different parts of the text.

Check and Double-Check Your Resume

Once you’ve designed an easy-to-read, keyword-rich, achievement-focused resume, it’s time to edit and proofread the document. Don’t rely on a spellchecker alone. Read the document from the top to the bottom, then read it backward from bottom to top. Ask a friend to read it; bring it to a career coach; show it to people in your network and ask for their unvarnished feedback.

Make sure to quadruple check items which are the most crucial—your phone number and email address—and be sure you check your voicemail and email (and spam folder) constantly when you are actively job seeking.

Put It All Together: Resume Example

Below is an example of an HR generalist resume. This resume is designed for a mid-career HR generalist or HR business partner and highlights key skills relevant to those kinds of roles.

Download example human resources resume

With the right achievement-focused bullet points, keywords, design, and structure, your HR resume can be a powerful tool in landing you more job interviews. As you progress in your HR career, feel free to come back to this list of tips as a benchmark to help keep your resume fresh and tailored to your target positions. And best of luck advancing in your HR career!

human resources skills on resume

18 Essential HR Skills to Include in Your Resume

Ensure these 18 hr skills are on your resume as you progress from hr professional....

human resources skills on resume

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human resources skills on resume

The human resources landscape offers incredible career opportunities. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the HR field is expected to grow 10% by 2030 .

As an early career HR specialist intent on becoming an industry leader, you're probably on the lookout for your next HR career opportunity . In this article, we discuss the soft skills, technical competencies, and critical HR skills a prospective employer will look for in your resume, LinkedIn profile, and in an interview. We also list stand-out skills to put you ahead of the pack when it comes to career growth as a human resources professional.

In This Article

Essential soft skills for hr professionals, communication skills.

Top-notch communication skills are undoubtedly a top HR generalist priority. Throughout a career in human resources, you will engage and converse with tons of people. You will conduct interviews, deliver presentations and participate in conflict resolution, all of which require that you’re able to communicate and listen like a pro.

Here are the communication skills employers will look for in your resume:

  • Clear Written Communication: In most HR roles you will be expected to write memos and employee handbooks that have clear directives.
  • Conflict Management: An important component of HR and employee relations is leading difficult conversations and resolving employee conflicts fairly.
  • Active Listening: Active and critical listening skills will help you engage well with team members and achieve fast and effective resolutions.
  • Interpersonal skills: As an important contact point representing the organization, employees (and especially new hires) need to feel safe and welcome in your company. This is achieved by being both professional and approachable when dealing with people.

Meeting between an HR professional and an employee

Organizational Skills

As a human resource specialist, your job is to be a bridge between employees, executives, and department heads. Meeting every level’s hiring goals, priorities, and compliance requirements is a juggling act that can quickly become overwhelming if you’re not organized.

Here are the essential organizational skills you should have in your HR resume:

  • Excellent Time Management : HR professionals deal with many critical and time-sensitive tasks. These include managing payrolls, hiring, and performance reviews .
  • Proven Knowledge of Record Keeping : The HR team at an organization keeps a record of all personal details of all employees. You will be expected to retrieve and manage employee details with the utmost care. Mismanagement of confidential or sensitive information can result in legal trouble for the company.
  • Multitasking Abilities : An HR pro's duties are many and varied. You will have to conduct interviews, manage employee training, oversee company policies, handle complaints, and so forth. This means you have to be a fully hands-on person who can handle multiple priorities, and an unexpected curveball from time to time.

The ability to keep a straight face is one of the underrated soft skills needed for HR.

As an HR professional, you will often sit in on discussions about your co-workers concerning sensitive matters. Being privy to employee data and information on compensation, medical issues, mental health, conflict, performance, workplace injury, harassment, and disciplinary problems puts a big responsibility on you in terms of maintaining employees’ privacy. Employees and employers must be able to trust you with this sensitive information.

Additionally, the HR department will be informed in advance if a company plans to undergo significant staffing changes. Firm ethics regarding confidentiality is a critical point to add to your resume, preferably with a reference letter from a previous HR job to back it up.

High Emotional Intelligence

As an HR professional, your interpersonal skills and understanding of people will greatly affect your success. What drives a person, triggers them, scares them, demotivates them, and engages them is often hidden behind their words and actions. These insights come with high emotional intelligence and empathy.

Decision-Making Skills

Working in human resource management, you will have to make many decisions that have a significant impact on the company, for instance, during recruitment.

Effective decision-making skills are rooted in strategic thinking, analysis, intuition on valuable initiatives, and experience. Be sure to highlight data-driven decisiveness as one of your top human resources skills in a job interview.

Adaptability

As an HR leader, you want to show that you can modify old company policies, create new ones and help employees embrace change. This is only possible if you are not averse to process evolution yourself.

As part of your management skills, you want to show that you do not settle into a comfort zone. As an HR professional, you must keep refining policies that ensure a healthy and engaging work environment for all employees. Consequently, a form of adaptability that you’ll want to highlight is the willingness to learn new important HR skills during your tenure, depending on the organization’s strategic needs.

Objectivity and Critical Thinking

In hiring, conflict resolution, disciplinary action, and many other matters of HR, your ability to remain objective is essential. As a representative of the company, an HR professional cannot be biased, unfair, or discriminatory in any way.

When discussing past work experience, demonstrate that you take action based on clear evidence instead of assumptions and claims.

Technical HR Skills

A strong command of hr technology.

HR tech is one of the fastest-growing software landscapes. You do not want to be left behind in terms of the ability to navigate and leverage these tools.

Larger companies will typically have a Human Resource Information System (HRIS) and an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). They may have additional recruitment tools , onboarding tools, and performance management systems also, depending on the level and frequency of hiring. Although you may not have experience in using all these tools, familiarity with a few of the best HRIS and best ATS solutions on the market will be beneficial to list on your resume.

A person working with HR software

Financial Understanding

A good grasp of financial management is essential for two reasons:

  • Remuneration

All employee compensation goes through the human resource department. You’ll need adequate financial insight to determine market-appropriate salaries for various positions. You may also need to manage tax and 401K contributions relevant to the hire’s compliance requirements.

Training, outsourced recruiting, talent development, incentives, and company social activities need to come from HR’s budget. Be clear about how your financial skills have helped companies optimize spend. Specifically, point out any implementations you made that positively affected cost per hire and time to fill. These are HR metrics that have a direct effect on the company’s bottom line.

Pro-tip: For a thorough understanding of how new implementations in the HR department relates to Dollar value, we recommend signing up for our free online course on Calculating and Proving the ROI of using HR Tech .

Training and Development

As an HR specialist, you are the custodian of your organization’s collective skills. Show prospective employers how you intend to hone their company’s abilities by organizing and promoting your training and development program.

If you’ve overseen the growth of junior employees to supervisor or management level, definitely showcase this in your resume and interview.

Critical HR Skills

Onboarding skills.

Employee onboarding refers to introducing newly hired professionals to the company. The onboarding experience you offer is of critical importance to employee retention. 20% of new staff leave their role in the first 45 days due to a lack of proper onboarding.

If your onboarding knowledge can lower turnover rates, it will be a significant asset to the company.

Administrative Skills

As an HR professional, you’ll be expected to manage payrolls, leave calendars, attendance records, job applications, and other administrative duties to a high level of efficiency.

The administrative skills you need consist of traditional record keeping, and proficiency with the company’s HR software .

Strategic Thinking

Strategic HR management plays a key role in how the company’s long-term goals are set and achieved.

Show your understanding of how the company makes money and retains valuable talent, and how your insight will lead to improvement in these areas.

To learn how HR can operate as a strategic function, we recommend reading our Guide on Strategic HRM .

Leadership Skills

Leadership skills are important, even if you are not yet an HR manager.

You use the same leadership mindset to show that you can improve the workplace culture and mentor junior employees to become the leaders of tomorrow. In your interview, demonstrate that you know how to coach employees and cultivate high-value expertise from within a company’s existing talent pool.

Data Analytics

Being analytically minded is one of the most critical abilities for an HR specialist to possess, especially if you focus on people operations.

How well you analyze and interpret workforce data will determine how you manage your hiring budget and staffing needs.

Human resources use data analysis to:

  • Evaluate employee engagement
  • Monitor organizational performance
  • Predict hiring needs and patterns
  • Measure and act on employee retention levels
  • Document the company’s hiring trends

Your HR tech stack will play a large part in how much data you have to work with. However, how you analyze, interpret and act on the data at hand is what will determine valuable results.

Show prospective employers your knowledge of using data analysis software in your HR career, as well as examples of how your interpretation of this data led to measured improvements.

Pro-tip: Use our PeopleOps Job Board to find your next career opportunity.

A young professional working with HR data and analytics

Stand-out HR Skills to Set You Apart from the Pack

Event management and promotion.

In life, events management is a career in itself. In the corporate world, this responsibility often falls on HR professionals. In your resume, show previous experience in planning company retreats, welcome and farewell events, year-end parties, staff appreciation days, workshops, and the like.

Show how you communicated the objectives of the event, created a buzz amongst employees, budgeted, and achieved value from your efforts.

Team Building Skills

Besides arranging a team-building event outside the office, you can boost workplace morale by hosting events and workshops in-house.

Arranging and facilitating events like trivia quizzes, trust-building workshops, and company sports games are stand-out experiences to put on your CV. Point out how your ability to arrange these in-house events improved cohesion, and what this required in terms of budget.

Research and Continued Learning

HR is an ever-evolving field. HR professionals who become leaders continuously research new technology, practices, and techniques to maintain their skills.

In an interview, talk about the latest trends and findings in HR, as well as expert resources you follow to show that you care about new developments in your chosen field.

Knowing Your Worth

Possessing the skills covered in this article will help you excel as an HR professional, but your skill set will also be a catalyst for propelling your company to the next level.

In your quest to become a leader in the field of HR, always remember and respect the critical part you play in the organization lucky enough to employ you.

Josiah Makori has over eight years of experience as a writer, of which three years include technical reviews for cutting-edge HR technologies. Josiah holds a degree in Information Systems and Technology from USIU. He gets his joy in life out of music.

Featured in: CoinGecko

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Must Have HR Skills to Put on Your Resume in 2024

Here are the top ways to show your Human Resources skills on your resume. Find out relevant Human Resources keywords and phrases and build your resume today.

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In This Guide:

Top human resources skills for your resume, most popular core human resources skills for your resume in 2022, how to list human resources skills on resume, where to include human resources skills on your resume, related resume examples with human resources resume skills, key takeaways.

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Human Resource professionals are one of the most in-demand and fastest-growing careers in today’s modern world. They need a multitude of different hard and soft skills to do their work well. The past few years have redefined the human resource management industry in more ways than one. From a more flexible work environment to the rise of new jobs, responsibilities, and different approaches to doing their work.

The human resource professionals have to adopt new skills to reflect the changing industry, transitioning from focusing on individual employee well-being to a more holistic approach for healthy organizations. Businesses are increasingly focusing on developing power skills, aka social, emotional, and advanced cognitive skills.

We created this guide with the most in-demand human resources skills for 2022, with explanations and examples that today’s HR professionals must consider emphasizing on their resume if they apply for a new job.

In this article, you’ll learn:

  • Most popular human resources hard skills for your resume in 2022 with examples
  • Top soft skills for Human Resources professionals
  • How to list your skills on a resume
  • How to match your skills on a resume
  • Resume examples with Human resource skills

Pursuing an HR career is rewarding and challenging. HR professionals oversee the business of managing people in an organization, which includes functions such as compensation, benefits, training and development, staffing, and strategic planning.

To perform their duties, they need to have a set of hard skills. We’re here to help you prepare and better understand what employers are seeking in human resources professionals.

We prepared a list with examples of the top hard skills employers are seeking in HR candidates.

HR-Specific skills

Some skills are specific to Human resources professionals. We list some key competencies for human resource professionals that you should list on your resume.

Employee retention

Employee retention is a high priority for leading HR organizations today. The core of HR is finding talented employees and keeping them around. Applying effective employee retention strategies reduces overall turnover and keeps high performers on board, that’s why employers highly value HR experts who can apply retention strategies.

Here is an example how to demonstrate your human resource retention abilities:

Achieved 78% job retention of program participants during the first contract year

Read more about how to show strong people skills on your resume .

Recruitment

Recruitment is one of the most important tasks that an HR professional should perform. Creating a successful recruitment strategy to ensure your organization is attracting and hiring the right candidates is the key to a successful business.

Showcase achievements like implementing recruitment campaigns, identifying talent, hiring new employees, screening job applications, and operating internal recruitment processes. See an example:

Recruited Research Analysts: Evaluated resumes/applications for applicants from top schools and reviewed over 1000 resumes (15+ schools) to fill a total with 45 Research Analyst Consulting positions for 4 U.S. sites

Read more how to emphasize strategic thinking skills on your resume .

Event networking

Understanding where your ideal candidates are and tracking them down is a big part of candidate identification. Networking includes skills like industry knowledge; interpersonal skills and active listening.

Present a successful example of your networking skill, like this:

Instituted college recruitment and college job fair participation program. Successfully recruited 10 recent university graduates from two job fairs

Read more about how to emphasize persuasion skills on your resume.

Employee Relations Management (ERM)

Employee relationship management refers to managing the relation between the various employees in an organization. A big component of ERM is effective organizational communication. One of the function of ERM is to build strong employee-company relationships.

Demonstrate your employee relation management on your resume:

**Strengthened relationships with functional departments, making HR a strategic partner in process development, staffing, and employee relations. **

Read more about how to emphasize relationship management skills on your resume .

Administrative skills

Administrative tasks are a major part of the HR job. These duties involve areas like employee leave, absence files, payroll, and other topics.

You should demonstrate on your resume skills like prioritizing and organizing; knowledge of working with specific software and good communication skills:

Processed biweekly, multi-state payroll for 170 employees, using ADP Pay Expert and ezLabor Time Manager

Read more about how to present your administrative skills on a resume.

Onboarding skills

Onboarding is the process by which new employees acquire the skills, knowledge and behaviors to become effective contributors to an organization.

Demonstrate on your resume your experience of communicating company and position details to new hires, basic knowledge of labor legislation, solid communication skills and work ethic skills

**Developed, launched and administered new onboarding program for 100 temporary employees and 25 full time employees **

Learn more about how to showcase your strong work ethic skills .

Interviewing skills

The candidate interview is a vital component of the hiring process. As an HR professional, you should have the knowledge to make the most of employment interviews and obtain the information you need.

These skills include knowledge of different methods of interviewing, creating interview questions, and good communication and listening skills.

Screened resumes, scheduled and conducted over 25 job interviews in the first 3 months on the job.

Checkout our HR resume Writing Tips & Examples .

Talent management

Talent management involves a constant process of attracting highly qualified employees, continuing to increasing their knowledge and skills through training, inspiring them to improve their performance, and promoting a positive work environment.

This includes knowledge and experience in employee training tools, track and measure performance, leadership and management skills.

Provided deep talent management expertise, through leadership and strategic insights during the talent review sessions and discussions, improving the ratio of "ready now" successors by 10%.

Learn more about how to emphasize people management skills on your resume .

HR reporting skills

HR reporting is the process of tracking key metrics about the workforce, often through human resources information systems. Today, demand for HR reporting skills is increasing.

Demonstrate on your resume abilities and experience in effectively reporting on key metrics.

Managed HRIS and compiled 4 different weekly reports from database and present them to the management team.

Also read how to showcase your reporting skills on resume .

HR professionals apply coaching skills to develop a partnership between managers and employees. Coaching, defined as an ongoing approach to managing people: creates a genuinely motivating climate for performance.

Demonstrate your coaching approach with examples in training and development situations, or in onboarding, re-integration, conflict resolution, and assisting frontline managers with people issues.

Created and implemented a team-based system for engaging and involving 10,000 employees in three major airplane programs site-wide; integrated lean manufacturing with innovative employee engagement strategies.

Learn more about how to list training skills on your resume.

Employee experience expertise

Employee experience expertise is the new skillset that employers are looking for in HR job applicants. HR professionals with employee experience expertise are able to use human-centric design thinking to design humanistic workplaces and focus on the employee as the center of the process.

Demonstrate your employee experience expertise by providing an example like this:

Prepared a wellness activities proposal and facilitated Lunch and Learn sessions, drop-in counseling appointments and activities in partnership with inside and outside vendors.

Perhaps you will be interested to read about how to demonstrate innovation skills on your resume .

Technical skills

Technology is in every work field, and this applies to HR professionals. Nowadays, Human resources departments are increasingly reliant on a range of technologies. Here, we enlist the top technical skills to include in your human resources resume.

Recruiting software

Because of the numerous resumes that HR teams received, it is common to use Applicant Tracking Systems to track down candidates and match their skills and information with the job description and shortlist the suitable candidates for further processing according to the job requirements.

Demonstrate your experience working with those kinds of recruiting software:

Developed and conducted effective recruitment strategies to find qualified candidates from entry-level to management-level positions by using recruitment software, which reduced the time for screening candidates' resumes by 60%.

Read also how to create an eye-catching HR Manager resume .

cloud technology

HR professionals must be efficient and active with Google Drive Dropbox, Backblaze, Carbonite, and any other cloud platform for data backups.

Demonstrate your cloud technology knowledge by giving a simple example of how you apply it in your work:

Created all new hire employee templates and data entered pay schedules, hours worked, and vacation accruals for payroll in a cloud-based platform.

See more about database management skills on resume .

Digital Literacy

Digital Literacy for HR professionals means understanding the creation, consumption, management, manipulation, and interpretation of information across multiple platforms to achieve the business goals. It also includes skills like social intelligence, analytics, computer literacy, ethics and innovative mindset.

Here is an example how to demonstrate this skill on your resume:

Implement a new software platform that uses a good appraisal process and helped with continuous performance evaluation, talent management, succession planning, time tracking, workflows, and goal setting.

Also, checkout how to demonstrate Internet skills on your resume .

Microsoft office

The effective knowledge of the Microsoft tools and products is a must for an HR professional. This includes knowledge to use different Microsoft products like Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, products that are included in Microsoft Office 365 Business. This is the most widely-used tool for documenting, organizing information, delivering presentations and processing data.

Develop reports for strategic decisions using detailed analysis of 20,000+ active records. This requires creating and using complex Microsoft Excel functions, as well as the use of Cognos.

Also, learn more how to demonstrate MS Excel Skills on your resume .

Social media handling

Social Media Platforms are excellent for hiring, identifying potential candidates, promoting recruitment notifications, etc. Besides that, there is a need to create an engaging two-way dialogue between the company and the employees. Nowadays, HR professionals use social media to create this dialogue.

Demonstrate your social media handling by giving an example like this, on your resume:

Create a recruitment strategy for LinkedIn by posting engaging corporate information and job listings. Increased the new candidates from the social platform by 40%

Read more about how to put LinkedIn on your resume .

Business skills

Understanding business is one of the most valuable and versatile skillets that an HR professional can possess. Business skills are needed in just about every workplace and industry today.

The Business Skills for HR experts help them to understand both employees and organizational behavior, and further use that knowledge to reach the company’s goals.

Below, we walk you through some most desired business skills for HR professionals.

Laws and regulations

There is a strong demand for HR professionals who possess knowledge of HR laws and common legal issues in the workplace.

Demonstrate your working knowledge of current laws and how you apply them and help the companies you worked for to remain compliant and avoid unnecessary claims while also protecting the rights of valued employees.

Assists employees and management in the interpretation and communication of Human Resources policies, procedures, programs and the Employee Handbook and ensure that any employee concerns are addressed

Checkout some HR Generalist Resume examples .

One of the most important HR skills is being a credible and trustworthy advisor to different stakeholders.

You need to effectively advise employees, line managers, and senior managers on personnel issues. Strategic advice involves HR practices to align more with the business.

Demonstrate on your resume how you advise your stakeholders by continuously communicating and interacting in a way that builds trust and strengthens your reputation as a credible practitioner.

Proactively identifies potential issues, concerns, and opportunities, and works with managers to develop plans that address key issues.

Get some inspiration for your resume from business relationship manager’s resume.

Business management

Business management skills sum up several abilities that are important for HR Managers, such as industry knowledge, communication, problem-solving, and decision-making, which make an HR Manager a valuable and inspirational employee.

Review current business practices and recommended solutions for higher efficiencies. Such as evaluating succession plans, preparing for growth or reductions in force.

Checkout these HR Business partner resume examples.

Finance skills

Financial skills are vital for HR professionals pursuing a career in a career in payroll and benefits administration. In HR, there are a lot of tasks that need working financial skills like annual budgets, benefits, or payroll.

Give examples on your resume of your spreadsheets, or mention what financial software you’ve used in the past.

Coordinated and supported the implementation of Oracle R12 from Oracle 11i, within the payroll department.

Get more ideas of how to demonstrate your financial skill from this expert-driven finance resume example guide .

Top soft skills for human resources positions

Human resource professionals are responsible for managing all matters related to employees, who collectively represent one of the most valuable resources in any business or organization.

Their role in the company is vital. That’s why soft skills are important when it comes to working in HR.

From exceptional interpersonal to communication skill, we outline some key soft skills to include on your resume.

Organizational skills

For Human resource professionals, it is important to be highly organized. Some valuable skills that prove your organizational skills are time management and planning, strategic thinking and leadership.

Demonstrate your organizational skills by providing examples of how you manage tasks that need to be completed by different people and departments. Use the appropriate action verbs to emphasize results and outcomes.

Find more tips how to present your organizational skills on your resume .

Multitasking skills

HR roles have a variety of responsibilities, which can change from day-to-day. That’s why it is important to show on your resume that you can focus on more than one task at a time.

Give examples on your resume that you can be trusted to take on more than one thing at a time without feeling overwhelmed.

Read more about multitasking on resume.

Empathic skills

HR professionals are working with people and should be able to recognize emotions in others and understand other people's perspectives on a situation, so you can understand the reasons before making any judgment.

To express your empathic skills on your resume, you can give examples of how you provided support in a difficult situation and how you resolved it.

You may be interested to read how to show strong people skills on your resume .

Strategic-thinking skills

As an HR professional, one of your many responsibilities is to come up with successful plans of action by nature and bring new points of view to the table.

It is important in HR roles to think strategically to successfully grow and help lead the company.

Demonstrate your strategic thinking by providing an example of how your work contributes to the growth of the business and achieving success.

Learn more how to emphasize strategic thinking skills on your resume .

Having exceptional teamwork skills is foremost for HR professionals. Employers value people with teamwork skills because they’re more likely to be able to work well in teams.

Showcase your teamwork skills by including specific examples of the actions you took as a team and what the successful outcome was.

Find more about collaboration skills on resume .

Make sure the skills you list are relevant to the position

Understanding the requirements of the job listing and linking them to your work experience and skills is the first step to creating a relevant resume. Your resume must show how well you’re qualified for the job you're applying for.

Foremost, focus on your relevant skills and achievements. The more closely you can demonstrate your match to the position and show the employer how you would add value to the organization, the better your chances to stand out from other job applicants.

Provide concrete examples with numbers

Using numbers when you list your achievements in the experience section, you are showing to the hiring manager verifiable accomplishments.

By adding numbers, you are proving that you are a valuable employee and that your experience can make an impact on the organization.

Use numbers wherever you can quantify your work and achievements or percentages to demonstrate increases and growth.

Be specific

When you are writing your resume, keep it short and to the point.

Provide concrete examples of your experience that match the job description. Include only recent and relevant experience.

Emphasize your relevant qualifications for the job you are applying for.

In the header section of your resume

The header of your resume is the first place to state your professional experience regarding your current career objective. In the job title, describe as much as possible your career background.

The header is the place to add your name and contact information - phone number and links to both your e-mail address and LinkedIn profile.

Communicating your HR skills in the summary section

Your professional resume summary should demonstrate your qualifications for the job you are applying for in 3-5 sentences.

The goal of your resume summary is to demonstrate your relevant to the job listing experience and skills.

Showcasing your human resource resume skills in your experience bullet points

The experience section is the place on your resume where you draw an informative picture of your career and professional abilities.

List the companies you worked for, dates of employment, the positions you held, and brief descriptions of your achievements, enriched with keywords and enhanced with bulleted lists of quantifiable accomplishments.

  • • Implemented annual people plan, resulting in a yearly 10% renewal of the company's workforce
  • • Saved clients 30-50% over competitors by aligning staffing with the needs of diverse clients based on understanding each employee's technical skills and soft skills
  • • Assisted with employee and manager development through coaching and advising and implementing training sessions 3 times per month
  • • Manage all HR responsibilities for over 130 employees

How to match your skills to the job position

To best match your professional experience with the desired job, you extract any of the keywords describing skills, qualities or experiences which the employer has listed as required or preferred.

Try looking on the company's website or their LinkedIn profile to get the bigger picture of the company business and learn more about the industry they operate, in, so you can match your skills and experience similar to theirs.

Once you have assembled a detailed list of the qualifications, review each item on the list and try to think of how you might prove that you have the required experience and skills.

Make sure your resume contains the most important statements about the preferred qualifications for the job as possible. Emphasize the highest priority phrases at the beginning of your descriptions to get the most attention.

You can create an experience subsection and name it "Related Experience" in which you can list your previous work experience that is more qualifying than others.

To better understand how your Human Resources resume should look like, we prepare a list for you of key positions and industry:

  • Senior HR Manager
  • HR Assistant
  • HR Business Partner
  • HR Generalist
  • HR Project Manager
  • Chief of Staff Resume
  • Human Resources professionals have to demonstrate on their resumes a multitude of different hard and soft skills to reflect the changing industry.
  • Emphasize on your resume some key competencies for human resource professionals.
  • Mention your tech skills and specific knowledge of software for the HR industry.
  • The hiring mangers expect to see on your resume some business skills and knowledge about both employees and organizational behavior.
  • The right set of soft skills makes the HR professionals a vital part of any organization.
  • When you are writing your HR resume, add the key hard and soft skills that are listed in the job description.
  • Prepare your HR resume that is specifically tailored to the job description.

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Resume Worded   |  Resume Skills

Skill profile.

  • Human Resources (HR)

Improve your resume's success rate by using these Human Resources (HR) skills and keywords .

  • Hard Skills and Keywords for your Human Resources (HR) Resume
  • ATS Scan : Compare Your Resume To These Skills
  • Sample Resume Templates
  • How To Add Skills to Your Human Resources (HR) resume

Human Resources (HR) Resume Templates

  • Word Cloud for Human Resources (HR) Skills & Keywords

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Looking for keywords for a specific job search for your job title here., © 2024 resume worded. all rights reserved., human resources (hr) resume keywords and skills (hard skills).

Here are the keywords and skills that appear most frequently on recent Human Resources (HR) job postings. In other words, these are the most sought after skills by recruiters and hiring managers. So try to include them on your resume where possible. Go to the Sample Templates ↓ below to see how to include them on your resume. Remember that every job is different. Instead of including all these keywords on your resume, identify the keywords most relevant to the job you're applying to and include those. Use the free Targeted Resume tool to help with this.
  • Employee Relations
  • Employee Engagement
  • HR Policies
  • Talent Management
  • Performance Management
  •  Find out what your resume's missing
  • Personnel Management
  • Succession Planning
  • Workforce Planning
  • HR Consulting
  • Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS)
  • Change Management
  • Organizational Development
  • Labor Relations
  • HR Management
  • Strategic Human Resource Planning
  • Culture Change
  • Interviewing
  • New Hire Orientations
  • Benefits Administration
  • Compensation & Benefits
  • Training & Development
  • Technical Recruiting
  • Executive Search
  • Personnel Selection
  • Employer Branding
  • Internet Recruiting
  • Screening Resumes
  • Negotiation
  • Team Leadership
  • Business Strategy
  • Strategic Planning
  • Recruitment Advertising
  • Administration
  • Employment Contracts
  • Time Management
  • Employee Training
  • Microsoft Access
  • Customer Service
  • Staffing Services
  • Business Process Improvement
  • Temporary Placement
  • Benefits Negotiation
  • Contract Recruitment
  • Applicant Tracking Systems
  • Temporary Staffing
  • Global Talent Acquisition
  • IT Recruitment
  • LinkedIn Recruiter
  • Leadership Development
  • Performance Appraisal
  • Vendor Management

Resume Skills: HR Systems & Tools

  • Bullhorn ATS
  • ADP Workforce
  • Google Suite
  •  Match your resume to these skills

Resume Skills: HR Procedures & Legislation

  • Recruitment
  • Statutory Compliance
  • Compensation and Benefits
  • FMLA/ADA/EEO/WC

Resume Skills: Analysis & Reporting

  • People Metrics
  • HRIS Reporting
  • Productivity Analysis

Resume Skills: Languages

Resume skills: hrm software.

  • Zoho People

Resume Skills: Labour Laws and Compliance

Resume skills: performance management.

  • Setting KPIs
  • Performance Reviews
  • Employee Evaluation
  • Performance Improvement Plans
  • Employee Recognition

Resume Skills: Recruitment & Selection

  • Talent Assessment
  • Behavioral Interviewing
  • Passive Candidate Search
  • Job Descriptions
  • ATS Proficiency (Taleo, Greenhouse)
  Where on my resume do I add these buzzwords? Add keywords directly into your resume's work experiences , education or projects. Alternatively, you can also include a Skills section where you can list your technical skills in order of your proficiency. Only include these technical skills or keywords into your resume if you actually have experience with them.
   Does your resume contain all the right skills? Paste in your resume in the AI Resume Scan ↓ section below and get an instant score.

Compare Your Resume To These Human Resources (HR) Skills (ATS Scan)

Paste your resume below and our AI will identify which keywords are missing from your resume from the list above (and what you need to include). Including the right keywords will help you get past Applicant Tracking Systems (i.e. resume screeners) which may scan your resume for keywords to see if you're a match for the job.

Sample Human Resources (HR) Resume: How To Include These Skills

Add keywords directly into your resume's work experiences , education or skills section , like we've shown in the examples below. use the examples below as inspiration..

  Where on my resume do I add these buzzwords? Add keywords directly into your resume's work experiences , education or projects. Only include these technical skills or keywords into your resume if you actually have experience with them.

How do I add skills to a Human Resources (HR) resume?

Go through the Human Resources (HR) posting you're applying to, and identify hard skills the company is looking for. For example, skills like HR Policies, Employee Relations and Human Resources (HR) are possible skills. These are skills you should try to include on your resume.

human resources skills on resume

Add other common skills from your industry - such as Personnel Management, Recruiting and Performance Management - into your resume if they're relevant.

human resources skills on resume

Incorporate skills - like Coaching, Recruitment Advertising and IT Recruitment - into your work experience too. This shows hiring managers that you have practical experience with these tools, techniques and skills.

human resources skills on resume

In your Human Resources (HR) resume, you should highlight specific accomplishments that involve common day-to-day HR experience. These include things like screening candidates, operations or running hiring workshops.

human resources skills on resume

Try to add the exact job title, Human Resources (HR), somewhere into your resume to get past resume screeners. See the infographic for how to do this.

human resources skills on resume

Here are examples of proven resumes in related jobs and industries, approved by experienced hiring managers. Use them as inspiration when you're writing your own resume. You can even download and edit the resume template in Google Docs.

Resume Example Human Resources (HR) Manager

An effective Description of the templates...

Human Resources (HR) Manager Resume Sample

Download this resume template

Human resources manager jobs are usually senior roles that come with added responsibilities. As a human resources manager, you’ll likely oversee the interviewing and hiring of new employees, and you’ll also have a hand in planning and carrying out administrative functions at the company. A resume like this one will showcase your years of experience in human resources. You can use your bullet points to illustrate your stellar interpersonal, organizational, and management skills.

Tips on why this template works

   highlights extensive experience in the human resources field.

If you’re seeking a human resources manager job, your work history and accomplishments should be front and center on your resume, as shown in this example. When discussing your previous human resources roles, make sure to give examples of how you managed others, created new policies, devised strategies, and led new initiatives that positively impacted the companies you worked for.

Highlights extensive experience in the human resources field - Human Resources (HR) Manager Resume

   Shows leadership through promotions

To land a senior-level role, you need to show leadership and initiative. As a human resources manager, you’ll train, coach, mentor, and guide others, so you need to be a strong leader. Pointing out promotions at past jobs shows that you are a leader as well as an exemplary employee who is committed to their professional growth.

Shows leadership through promotions - Human Resources (HR) Manager Resume

Resume Example Entry Level Human Resources (HR)

Entry Level Human Resources (HR) Resume Sample

Entry-level human resources professionals can play important roles within a company, too. As human resources assistants or coordinators, they can start learning the ropes of an organization and do clerical duties to help support their department. To get one of these jobs, create a resume like this one to highlight your human resources-related education and internship history.

   Emphasis on HR-related education and internships

This resume starts out with the candidate’s education, and you can clearly see that he or she studied human resources management. If you have this type of degree, make sure to mention it prominently. Any internship experiences in human resources -- as well as achievements such as training and leading team building workshops -- can also help strengthen your job application.

Emphasis on HR-related education and internships - Entry Level Human Resources (HR) Resume

   Relevant school and volunteer projects, related to transferrable skills in HR

In addition to formal education and internships, this resume sample lists school and volunteer projects that relate to human resources. You can use community service and other projects you’ve done to demonstrate other relevant skills such as organization, coordination of activities, and leadership.

Relevant school and volunteer projects, related to transferrable skills in HR - Entry Level Human Resources (HR) Resume

Resume Example Human Resources (HR) Business Partner

Human Resources (HR) Business Partner Resume Sample

A human resources business partner functions as a consultant to a company’s senior management. These professionals provide insights and develop human resources strategies to benefit employees as well as the company itself. If you’re pursuing one of these roles, choose a resume like this one to show that you have previous experience in the field, strong analytical skills, and strategic decision-making abilities.

   Bullet points feature strong action verbs which stress HR skills

In this resume template, the bullet points begin with strong action verbs that highlight the candidate’s consultative and managerial skills. Using verbs such as “conducted”, “led”, “established” and “educated” helps show your proactivity and frame your achievements in a favorable light.

Bullet points feature strong action verbs which stress HR skills - Human Resources (HR) Business Partner Resume

   Uses specific HR-related metrics

Most of the accomplishments mentioned in this resume’s bullet points also include specific metrics (e.g. “saved the company nearly $200,000” or “cut training hours by 5 hours per session”). It’s essential to use specific examples like these to show how your actions and decisions achieved tangible results.

Uses specific HR-related metrics - Human Resources (HR) Business Partner Resume

Resume Example Human Resources (HR) Recruiter

Human Resources (HR) Recruiter Resume Sample

Where other human resources professionals oversee staff for the duration of their employment, recruiters focus exclusively on filling open jobs within the company. They may write job postings, review resumes, conduct interviews, and hire the most qualified candidates. When you’re applying for a recruiter position, your resume should demonstrate that you are comfortable and experienced with all aspects of the hiring process, as shown in this resume sample.

   Tailored to the specific recruitment job

This resume example highlights specific work experiences that are relevant to the job at hand. It’s great to point out any previous recruiting or hiring experience you have to show that you can handle duties like enhancing candidate screening, leading recruitment projects, and spearheading diversity initiatives.

Tailored to the specific recruitment job - Human Resources (HR) Recruiter Resume

   Effective use of skills section to stress core HR & recruiter skills

Being well-versed in software like ATS or LinkedIn Recruiter can make you even more marketable as a candidate since you may need to use these programs on the job. Make sure to use your skills section to list your hard skills in recruiting software.

Effective use of skills section to stress core HR & recruiter skills - Human Resources (HR) Recruiter Resume

Resume Example Senior HR Manager & HR Director (Human Resources Director)

Senior HR Manager & HR Director (Human Resources Director) Resume Sample

If you work in human resources for long enough, you might eventually reach the top of the ladder as a senior manager or director. When you become a human resources director, you’ll be in charge of the entire department, overseeing managers, specialists, assistants, and others. If you want the job, your resume needs to show plenty of experience in human resources as well as management and leadership roles.

   Accomplishments with measurable outcomes related to leadership and HR

Vague assertions about what you achieved at past jobs don’t tell a hiring manager very much. Wherever possible, provide specific numbers and figures to quantify your impact, especially if you managed large numbers of employees or implemented staffing initiatives that led to significant growth and change.

Accomplishments with measurable outcomes related to leadership and HR - Senior HR Manager & HR Director (Human Resources Director) Resume

   Action verbs demonstrate leadership

Beginning your achievements with verbs like “partnered”, “coached”, or “managed” leaves a strong impression on recruiters, and it also accentuates your skills as a manager and leader of people. These are essential for Senior and Director roles.

Action verbs demonstrate leadership - Senior HR Manager & HR Director (Human Resources Director) Resume

Resume Example Human Resources (HR) Administrator

Human Resources (HR) Administrator Resume Sample

A human resources administrator role can be a stepping stone to a management or director position. Administrators help with tasks like maintaining personnel files, assisting with hiring, preparing documents, and updating databases. To become an administrator, choose a resume similar to this one to showcase your administrative abilities and analytical skills. You should also be able to show that you work well with people and that you have been a leader to others.

   Demonstrates professional growth via promotions

Although human resources administrator roles typically aren’t as senior as management jobs, it’s still beneficial to mention past positions where you were promoted or given more responsibilities. Promotions highlight your proactivity and show that you are capable of being a leader.

Demonstrates professional growth via promotions - Human Resources (HR) Administrator Resume

   Relevant skills and certifications to HR and recruitment

This resume lists technical skills that are specific to human resources as well as clerical work. It’s helpful to also list any certifications or other credentials you have in human resources so you can be even more competitive for the job.

Relevant skills and certifications to HR and recruitment - Human Resources (HR) Administrator Resume

Word Cloud for Human Resources (HR) Skills & Keywords

The following word cloud highlights the most popular keywords that appear on Human Resources (HR) job descriptions. The bigger the word, the more frequently it shows up on employer's job postings. If you have experience with these keywords, include them on your resume.

Top Human Resources (HR) Skills and Keywords to Include On Your Resume

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Upload your resume and we'll spot the issues in it before an actual human resources (hr) recruiter sees it. for free., what skills should you add to a human resources (hr) resume.

Some popular Human Resources (HR) hard skills are Human Resources (HR), Employee Relations, Employee Engagement, HR Policies, Recruiting, Talent Management, Performance Management and Personnel Management. Depending on the job you apply to, skills like IT Recruitment, Recruitment Advertising, Coaching, Global Talent Acquisition and Consulting can also be good to include on your resume.

How do resume skills compare between a Staffing Specialist and a Talent Acquisition Specialist?

Popular skills we often see on resumes for Staffing Specialist positions include:

In comparison, skills we see on Talent Acquisition Specialist resumes include:

What are good resume skills to include for different Human Resources (HR) roles and job titles?

Depending on the specific role you apply to, you may need to emphasize different skill sets. Here are a few examples:

  • Talent Acquisition Specialist : Recruiting, Sourcing, Talent Management, Human Resources (HR) and Interviewing
  • Staffing Specialist : Staffing Services, Temporary Placement, Applicant Tracking Systems, Temporary Staffing and Technical Recruiting
  • Talent Management Specialist : Employee Engagement, Performance Management, Employee Relations, Succession Planning and Onboarding

Target your Resume to a Job Description

While the keywords above are a good indication of what skills you need on your resume, you should try to find additional keywords that are specific to the job. To do this, use the free Targeted Resume tool. It analyzes the job you are applying to and finds the most important keywords you need on your resume. It is personalized to your resume, and is the best way to ensure your resume will pass the automated resume filters. Start targeting your resume
Most resumes get auto-rejected because of small, simple errors. These errors are easy to miss but can be costly in your job search. If you want to make sure your resume is error-free, upload it to Score My Resume for a free resume review. You'll get a score so you know where your resume stands, as well as actionable feedback to improve it. Get a free resume review

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human resources skills on resume

Thank you for the checklist! I realized I was making so many mistakes on my resume that I've now fixed. I'm much more confident in my resume now.

human resources skills on resume

Top 12 Human Resources Skills to Put on Your Resume

In today's competitive job market, standing out as a Human Resources (HR) professional requires showcasing a unique blend of skills on your resume. Highlighting the top HR skills not only demonstrates your expertise and adaptability but also positions you as an ideal candidate for any organization seeking to enhance its workforce management and development.

Top 12 Human Resources Skills to Put on Your Resume

Human Resources Skills

  • SAP SuccessFactors
  • ADP Workforce
  • Kronos Workforce
  • LinkedIn Recruiter
  • Ceridian Dayforce
  • Zoho Recruit

Workday is a cloud-based software platform that provides human capital management (HCM), payroll, and financial management applications for organizations, streamlining HR processes and employee lifecycle management from recruitment to retirement.

Why It's Important

Workday is important for Human Resources because it offers a comprehensive, cloud-based software solution that integrates HR functions such as recruitment, payroll, performance management, and learning and development, streamlining operations and enhancing decision-making through data analytics and reporting.

How to Improve Workday Skills

Improving Workday for Human Resources involves several strategic steps focused on optimization, training, and integration. Here's a concise guide:

Streamline Processes : Simplify HR processes within Workday by utilizing its built-in automation tools. Focus on reducing manual data entry and repetitive tasks. Workday Process Automation.

Enhance Training : Invest in comprehensive training programs for HR staff to ensure they are fully proficient in using Workday's features. Workday offers various training options that can be tailored to your organization's needs. Workday Training.

Data Accuracy : Regularly audit and maintain the integrity of data within Workday to ensure accurate reporting and decision-making. This includes keeping employee records up to date and ensuring compliance with regulations. Workday Data Management.

Leverage Analytics : Utilize Workday’s advanced analytics and reporting tools to gain insights into workforce trends, productivity, and to inform strategic decision-making. Workday Analytics.

Integration : Integrate Workday with other business systems (like ERP or CRM) for a seamless flow of information across the organization. Workday offers various integration tools and services. Workday Integration.

Feedback Loop : Establish a feedback loop with end-users to continually gather insights on challenges faced and areas for improvement. This feedback can guide customization and enhancement efforts.

By focusing on these areas, HR departments can significantly improve their utilization of Workday, leading to more efficient operations and better support for the organization's workforce.

How to Display Workday Skills on Your Resume

How to Display Workday Skills on Your Resume

2. SAP SuccessFactors

SAP SuccessFactors is a cloud-based human resource management system (HRMS) designed to meet a wide range of HR needs, including employee experience management, core HR and payroll, talent management, and people analytics, to help organizations manage their workforce effectively and improve business performance.

SAP SuccessFactors is important for Human Resources because it streamlines HR processes, enhances employee engagement, and provides comprehensive insights for better decision-making, ultimately improving workforce performance and business outcomes.

How to Improve SAP SuccessFactors Skills

Improving SAP SuccessFactors for Human Resources involves enhancing user adoption, data integrity, and system integration. Here’s a concise guide to achieve this:

User Training and Support : Implement continuous learning and support programs. Utilize the SAP SuccessFactors Training and Adoption platform for updated materials and courses.

Data Quality Management : Regularly audit and clean data to ensure accuracy and reliability. SAP offers guidelines on data management which can be applied to maintain high-quality HR data.

Process Optimization : Review and optimize HR processes regularly. SAP SuccessFactors Process Optimization guides can help streamline operations for efficiency.

Integration with Other Systems : Ensure seamless integration with other business systems (e.g., ERP, CRM) for a unified workflow. Explore SAP's Integration Solutions for effective connectivity.

Leveraging Analytics and Reporting : Utilize SAP SuccessFactors’ analytics and reporting tools to make data-driven decisions. The SAP SuccessFactors Workforce Analytics provides insights into workforce performance and trends.

Regular System Updates : Stay updated with the latest SAP SuccessFactors releases to leverage new features and improvements. Follow the SAP SuccessFactors Community for updates and best practices.

Feedback Mechanism : Implement a feedback mechanism for users to report issues and suggest improvements. This feedback can guide targeted enhancements within the system.

By focusing on these areas, HR departments can significantly enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of their SAP SuccessFactors implementation.

How to Display SAP SuccessFactors Skills on Your Resume

How to Display SAP SuccessFactors Skills on Your Resume

3. ADP Workforce

ADP Workforce Now is an all-in-one, cloud-based human capital management (HCM) platform designed to manage and automate core HR processes, including payroll, benefits, talent acquisition, time and attendance, and HR analytics, helping organizations streamline their human resource operations.

ADP Workforce is important for Human Resources because it streamlines payroll, benefits, talent management, and compliance processes, enhancing efficiency and improving the overall employee experience.

How to Improve ADP Workforce Skills

Improving ADP Workforce for Human Resources involves leveraging its comprehensive suite of tools to streamline HR processes, enhance employee engagement, and make data-driven decisions. Here are concise strategies:

Automate HR Processes : Utilize ADP Workforce Now to automate repetitive tasks like payroll, time tracking, and benefits management. This reduces errors and frees up time for strategic planning. ADP Automation

Employee Self-Service : Encourage employees to use the self-service portal for updating personal information, accessing payslips, and requesting time off. This empowers employees and reduces administrative workload. ADP Self-Service

Training and Development : Utilize ADP's training modules to offer personalized learning paths for employees, promoting growth and retention. ADP Learning Management

Analytics and Reporting : Leverage ADP's analytics to gain insights into workforce trends, productivity, and compliance risks, enabling proactive decision-making. ADP Analytics

Integration with Other Software : Enhance efficiency by integrating ADP Workforce Now with other HR software used by your organization for a seamless workflow. ADP Marketplace

Regular Training for HR Staff : Ensure HR staff are regularly trained on new features and best practices within ADP Workforce to maximize the platform's benefits. ADP Training

By implementing these strategies, HR departments can significantly improve the functionality and efficiency of ADP Workforce in their organizations.

How to Display ADP Workforce Skills on Your Resume

How to Display ADP Workforce Skills on Your Resume

4. PeopleSoft

PeopleSoft is a comprehensive software suite developed by Oracle Corporation, designed to assist organizations in managing various aspects of their human resources functions, including payroll, benefits administration, hiring, and employee records management.

PeopleSoft is crucial for Human Resources because it provides a comprehensive suite of tools for managing employee data, payroll, benefits, performance, and recruitment processes efficiently and effectively, thereby enhancing HR operations and strategic decision-making.

How to Improve PeopleSoft Skills

Improving PeopleSoft for Human Resources involves enhancing user experience, streamlining processes, and leveraging new functionalities. Here are concise strategies:

Upgrade Regularly : Stay current with Oracle's updates to access the latest features and improvements. PeopleSoft Update Manager simplifies this process.

Utilize Fluid User Interface : Adopt the Fluid UI for a responsive, mobile-friendly experience across devices.

Implement Self-Service Options : Enable Employee and Manager Self-Service to reduce administrative tasks and empower users.

Leverage Analytics : Use PeopleSoft HR Analytics to gain insights into workforce data, aiding in strategic decision-making.

Automate Processes : Utilize PeopleSoft Workflow to automate HR processes, increasing efficiency and reducing errors.

Enhance Security : Regularly review and update security settings to protect sensitive data. PeopleSoft Security provides a comprehensive framework for this.

Train Users : Offer ongoing training and support to ensure users are leveraging PeopleSoft capabilities fully.

Customize Carefully : While customization can enhance functionality, it can complicate upgrades. Consider PeopleSoft's Selective Adoption Model to balance customization with upgradability.

By focusing on these areas, organizations can significantly enhance their PeopleSoft system's effectiveness for Human Resources needs.

How to Display PeopleSoft Skills on Your Resume

How to Display PeopleSoft Skills on Your Resume

5. BambooHR

BambooHR is a cloud-based human resources (HR) software designed for small and medium-sized businesses. It provides tools for managing employee data, tracking time off, running payroll, delivering performance appraisals, and recruiting staff, all aimed at streamlining HR processes.

BambooHR is important because it streamlines various HR processes such as hiring, onboarding, payroll management, and performance assessments, enabling HR departments to operate more efficiently and focus on strategic tasks.

How to Improve BambooHR Skills

To improve BambooHR for a Human Resources perspective, consider the following steps:

Integrate with Other Tools : Ensure BambooHR integrates seamlessly with other tools your HR team uses (e.g., payroll, performance management). This improves efficiency and data accuracy. Zapier offers various integration options.

Utilize the Mobile App : Encourage the use of BambooHR's mobile app among employees for easy access to HR services, enhancing employee engagement and self-service capabilities.

Customize Reports : Take advantage of BambooHR's customizable reporting features to generate insights specific to your organization's needs. This helps in making data-driven decisions. BambooHR Reporting.

Leverage the Performance Management Tool : Fully utilize the performance management tool to streamline reviews and feedback, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and growth.

Implement Training Through BambooHR : Use the system to onboard and continuously educate your employees, ensuring they are up-to-date with policies and practices. BambooHR Onboarding.

Feedback and Support : Regularly provide feedback to BambooHR about features or improvements needed based on your experience, and use their support resources to resolve any issues promptly.

Implementing these steps will enhance your HR operations, making them more efficient and effective.

How to Display BambooHR Skills on Your Resume

How to Display BambooHR Skills on Your Resume

UltiPro is a comprehensive cloud-based human resources (HR) management software that offers solutions for payroll, talent management, time tracking, employee benefits management, and HR service delivery.

UltiPro is important for Human Resources because it streamlines HR processes, centralizes employee information, simplifies payroll and benefits management, and enhances employee experience through self-service portals, thereby improving efficiency and reducing administrative burden on HR departments.

How to Improve UltiPro Skills

To enhance UltiPro for Human Resources purposes, consider the following strategies:

Implement Training : Offer comprehensive training for HR staff to maximize UltiPro's features. UltiPro's Learning Center can be a valuable resource.

Customize Dashboards : Tailor UltiPro dashboards to display key HR metrics for quick access and decision-making. Reference to UKG Pro (UltiPro) Dashboards for customization options.

Automate Processes : Utilize UltiPro's automation capabilities for tasks like onboarding, time tracking, and benefits management to increase efficiency. Explore UKG Pro (UltiPro) Automation for more details.

Integrate Systems : Connect UltiPro with other business systems (e.g., payroll, ERP) for seamless data flow and improved insights. Learn more about integration options at UKG Marketplace.

Leverage Analytics : Employ UltiPro's analytics tools to analyze workforce data and inform strategic HR decisions. The UKG Pro (UltiPro) Analytics page provides more information.

Seek User Feedback : Regularly gather feedback from HR staff and employees using UltiPro to identify areas for improvement.

Stay Updated : Keep up with UltiPro updates and new features by subscribing to UKG's Newsroom and implementing relevant updates promptly.

By focusing on these areas, HR departments can significantly improve their use of UltiPro, enhancing efficiency, data-driven decision-making, and overall employee satisfaction.

How to Display UltiPro Skills on Your Resume

How to Display UltiPro Skills on Your Resume

7. Kronos Workforce

Kronos Workforce is a suite of human resources management tools designed to help organizations with workforce scheduling, time and attendance tracking, labor analytics, and payroll management, facilitating efficient HR operations and workforce management.

Kronos Workforce is important for Human Resources because it streamlines workforce management processes, including scheduling, time tracking, attendance, and payroll, enhancing efficiency, compliance, and employee satisfaction.

How to Improve Kronos Workforce Skills

To improve Kronos Workforce in a Human Resources context, consider the following concise strategies:

  • Training: Ensure HR and employees undergo comprehensive Kronos training to fully leverage its features.
  • Customization: Tailor Kronos to meet your specific HR needs, optimizing workflows and processes.
  • Integration: Integrate Kronos with other HR systems for seamless data flow and efficiency. Kronos Integration guide can help.
  • Analytics: Utilize Kronos's analytics tools for data-driven decisions, improving workforce management.
  • Feedback: Regularly solicit feedback from users to identify areas for improvement and enhance user experience.

Implementing these strategies can significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of Kronos Workforce in your HR operations.

How to Display Kronos Workforce Skills on Your Resume

How to Display Kronos Workforce Skills on Your Resume

8. Oracle HCM

Oracle HCM (Human Capital Management) is a comprehensive cloud-based software suite designed to automate and manage an organization's HR processes, including talent management, payroll, benefits, and workforce management, to improve employee engagement and business outcomes.

Oracle HCM (Human Capital Management) is important for Human Resources because it provides a comprehensive suite of applications that streamline HR processes, enhance talent management, improve decision-making through analytics, and increase operational efficiency, enabling a better employee experience and driving organizational success.

How to Improve Oracle HCM Skills

Improving Oracle HCM (Human Capital Management) involves leveraging its full suite of tools and functionalities to enhance HR processes, data analytics, and employee experience. Here are concise strategies:

Utilize Oracle HCM Cloud Training : Ensure HR staff are fully trained on Oracle HCM's capabilities. Oracle University offers comprehensive training.

Implement Mobile Solutions : Enhance accessibility and engagement by utilizing Oracle HCM's mobile features. Encourage the use of the Oracle HCM Cloud Mobile app for efficiency.

Automate Processes : Leverage Oracle HCM's automation tools to streamline HR operations, such as onboarding, payroll, and benefits administration. Details on automation can be found in Oracle's Process Automation guide.

Enhance Data Analytics : Utilize Oracle HCM's advanced analytics for strategic decision-making. Oracle provides insights on leveraging analytics within HCM .

Customize User Experience : Personalize the system to meet your organization's specific needs. Learn about customization through the Oracle HCM Cloud: Configuring and Extending Applications course.

Integrate with Other Systems : Ensure seamless data flow between Oracle HCM and other enterprise systems (e.g., ERP, CRM). Oracle offers guidance on integration solutions .

Stay Updated : Keep your Oracle HCM system up-to-date with the latest releases and patches to leverage new features and enhancements. Oracle's Software Updates page provides more information.

Seek User Feedback : Regularly gather feedback from users to identify areas for improvement and enhance user satisfaction.

By focusing on these areas, organizations can more effectively leverage Oracle HCM to meet their HR needs and improve overall performance.

How to Display Oracle HCM Skills on Your Resume

How to Display Oracle HCM Skills on Your Resume

9. LinkedIn Recruiter

LinkedIn Recruiter is a platform offered by LinkedIn that allows human resources professionals to find, connect with, and manage potential job candidates. This tool provides advanced search features, personalized communication options, and candidate tracking capabilities to streamline the recruitment process.

LinkedIn Recruiter is a powerful tool for Human Resources professionals, enabling targeted searches for candidates with specific skills, streamlining the recruitment process, and enhancing the quality of hires by accessing a vast network of professionals.

How to Improve LinkedIn Recruiter Skills

To enhance your LinkedIn Recruiter experience, focus on these concise strategies:

Optimize Your Profile : Ensure your LinkedIn profile is complete and professional, showcasing your role as a recruiter. Highlight your expertise in human resources and any niches you specialize in.

Utilize Advanced Search Features : Master LinkedIn Recruiter's advanced search capabilities to find candidates who meet your specific criteria. Use keywords, location, experience level, and other filters. LinkedIn's search guide can help refine your techniques.

Engage with InMail : Craft personalized InMails that stand out. Mention specifics about the candidate's background to show genuine interest. Tips for sending InMails can boost your response rates.

Leverage LinkedIn Groups : Join and participate in LinkedIn Groups related to your industry. It's a way to network with potential candidates and gain insights into industry trends. LinkedIn Groups provide a platform for engagement.

Stay Active and Engage : Regularly share industry-related content, updates about your company, and job openings. Engaging with your network's posts can also increase your visibility.

Use LinkedIn Analytics : Analyze the performance of your job postings and InMails through LinkedIn's analytics tools. This data can help you adjust your strategy for better results. LinkedIn Analytics offers insights into your recruiting activities.

Continuous Learning : Stay updated with LinkedIn's new features and best practices by following their official blog and participating in LinkedIn Learning courses tailored for recruiters.

Adopting these strategies can significantly enhance your recruiting efficiency and effectiveness on LinkedIn.

How to Display LinkedIn Recruiter Skills on Your Resume

How to Display LinkedIn Recruiter Skills on Your Resume

Taleo is a cloud-based talent management software suite designed for human resources departments, focusing on talent acquisition, performance management, learning and development, and compensation management.

Taleo is important for Human Resources because it streamlines the recruitment process, enhances candidate experience, and improves talent acquisition efficiency by automating job postings, applicant tracking, and candidate management.

How to Improve Taleo Skills

Improving Taleo for Human Resources can be achieved by focusing on customization, integration, training, and engagement strategies. Here's a concise guide:

Customization : Tailor Taleo to your specific HR needs by customizing workflows, forms, and communication templates to streamline your recruitment process.

Integration : Enhance efficiency by integrating Taleo with other HR systems (like HRIS, onboarding tools, and payroll) for seamless data flow and management. Oracle's Integration Guide provides insights.

Training : Invest in comprehensive training for your HR team on Taleo’s features and updates. Utilize Oracle University for official training courses.

Engagement : Improve candidate engagement by using Taleo's communication tools to keep candidates informed and engaged throughout the recruitment process.

By focusing on these areas, HR can optimize the use of Taleo, making the recruitment process more efficient and effective.

How to Display Taleo Skills on Your Resume

How to Display Taleo Skills on Your Resume

11. Ceridian Dayforce

Ceridian Dayforce is a comprehensive cloud-based platform that provides human resources, payroll, benefits, workforce management, and talent management functionalities to help organizations manage their workforce efficiently.

Ceridian Dayforce is important for Human Resources because it streamlines HR processes by integrating payroll, benefits, workforce management, and talent management in a single platform, enhancing efficiency and providing real-time data insights to support strategic decision-making.

How to Improve Ceridian Dayforce Skills

To improve Ceridian Dayforce for Human Resources, consider the following short and concise strategies:

Training and Certifications: Invest in comprehensive training programs for HR staff to ensure they can fully utilize all features. Ceridian offers Dayforce Education resources that include webinars and certification courses.

Integration: Utilize Dayforce's ability to integrate with other systems. Ensure that all relevant HR systems (like recruitment, onboarding, and performance management tools) are seamlessly connected. Explore integration options on the Dayforce Marketplace .

Customization: Tailor Dayforce to meet your specific HR needs by customizing workflows, reports, and dashboards. This can improve efficiency and data management. Refer to the Customization Guide for steps and best practices.

Feedback System: Implement a feedback loop within your organization to regularly gather user experiences and improvement suggestions from employees. Use these insights to adjust and optimize your Dayforce setup.

Stay Updated: Regularly check for and implement software updates to leverage new features and improvements. Keep an eye on the Dayforce Release Notes for the latest updates.

Leverage Analytics: Use Dayforce's analytics and reporting tools to gain insights into workforce trends and make data-driven decisions. Explore Dayforce Advanced Analytics for more information.

Engage with the Community: Join the Dayforce community forums and user groups to share insights, ask questions, and learn best practices from other organizations. Visit the Dayforce Community to get started.

Implementing these strategies can significantly enhance the functionality and effectiveness of Ceridian Dayforce for your HR operations.

How to Display Ceridian Dayforce Skills on Your Resume

How to Display Ceridian Dayforce Skills on Your Resume

12. Zoho Recruit

Zoho Recruit is a cloud-based applicant tracking system designed for human resources departments and staffing agencies, providing tools for job posting, resume management, and interview scheduling to streamline the recruitment process.

Zoho Recruit is important for Human Resources because it streamlines the entire recruitment process, from sourcing candidates to hiring, helping HR professionals efficiently manage talent acquisition, reduce hiring time, and improve the quality of hires.

How to Improve Zoho Recruit Skills

Improving Zoho Recruit for Human Resources involves leveraging its customization, automation, and integration capabilities to streamline recruitment processes. Here is a concise guide:

Customize for Your Process : Tailor Zoho Recruit to fit your unique hiring workflow. Utilize custom fields and statuses to match your organization's recruitment stages. Customization Guide .

Automate Repetitive Tasks : Use Zoho Recruit's Blueprint to automate tasks such as email notifications, task assignments, and status updates. This ensures efficiency and consistency. Automation with Blueprint .

Integrate with Other Tools : Connect Zoho Recruit with other HR tools you use for a seamless workflow. Use Zoho's marketplace or APIs for integrations, such as email, calendar, or HRIS systems. Integration Options .

Leverage Analytics : Utilize Zoho Recruit's analytics to make data-driven decisions. Customize reports to track metrics important to your hiring process. Analytics and Reports .

Enhance Candidate Experience : Streamline the candidate experience by creating a simple application process, timely communications, and feedback loops. Use Zoho Recruit's candidate portal for better engagement. Candidate Management .

Ongoing Training and Support : Encourage your team to participate in Zoho Recruit training and stay updated with new features. Utilize Zoho's support and community forums for tips and best practices. Zoho Recruit Training .

Implementing these steps will significantly enhance your recruitment process, making it more efficient and effective.

How to Display Zoho Recruit Skills on Your Resume

How to Display Zoho Recruit Skills on Your Resume

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14 Crucial HR Skills, Competencies & Qualifications

By: Angela Robinson | Updated: November 30, 2022

You found our list of top HR skills & competencies .

HR skills are capabilities that help human resource professionals carry out key responsibilities. Examples include interpersonal skills, recruiting, and effective communication. These elements are also known as “human resources skills” and “skills for HR.”

These abilities can include executive skills . Reading HR books , HR blogs , recruiting books and change management books can help professionals develop these skills. You can also attend HR conferences .

hr-skills

This list includes:

  • skills required for hr
  • human resources qualifications and skills
  • hr competencies
  • hr manager skills
  • hr skills for resumes
  • hr operations skills
  • hr technical skills
  • hr key skills

Here is everything you need to know.

List of HR skills & competencies

From emotional intelligence to conflict resolution, here is a list of key competencies for human resource professionals.

1. Interpersonal skills

Interpersonal skills are the most important HR soft skills. After all, the first part of human resources is “human.” The bulk of a human resource officer’s job is interacting with employees. Often, HR staff are the first company representatives potential employees meet during the hiring process, and making a positive impression is important. The department serves as a voice for the organization and an employee advocate . These individuals greatly influence the company culture, and can help employees feel safe and welcome within the organization.

Human resources should be professional, yet approachable. These individuals should be able to chat with coworkers about non-work topics while not prying too far into colleagues’ personal lives. HR professionals should show genuine interest and concern for colleagues and build rapport. Interacting with staff is a major part of the job, so HR employees should possess strong social skills.

2. Emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence, or the ability to accurately identify and respond to emotions, is one of the most valuable HR competencies. Exercising a high EQ enables HR professionals to better understand and bond with employees. Recognizing and acknowledging feelings and experiences often earns HR staff the trust and cooperation of colleagues.

Not to mention, workers are often hesitant to admit their true feelings, or may not even be self-aware enough to recognize them. An emotionally-savvy HR professional can pinpoint the emotional drivers behind behaviors and get to the root of the issue quickly. Also, emotional intelligence makes professionals more mindful of their own reactions and feelings, and helps them respond to situations more level-headedly.

HR teammates can use online personality tests to get a baseline reading of their emotional intelligence.

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3. Confidentiality

Maintaining confidentiality is one of the most important HR skills. The human resources department is privy to sensitive information like employees’ personal records and details, performance evaluations, and payroll information. Employees sometimes confide personal issues such as medical problems, family disputes, or unstable living situations. Plus, HR is often the first department to know about major organizational changes.

Most conversations that occur in the HR department are private and should stay private. Guarding secrets builds trust and confidence, enabling human resource officers to continue serving their organizations effectively.

4. Active listening

The HR department are the ears of the organization. Human resources hears employees’ questions, and concerns. These team members solicit feedback from staff through employee engagement surveys . When personal or professional problems arise, teammates seek HR’s council.

There are two main reasons human resource staff should employ active listening. First, HR often needs to document conversations, and paying close attention helps them write detailed reports. Second, the practice makes employees feel heard and valued. Workers will respect HR more if they feel that human resource officers care about their problems.

Being fully present in the conversation can also help human resource staff pick up on nonverbal cues. By reading between the lines of a conversation, HR pros can more quickly diagnose and treat problems.

5. Event organizing

Since HR professionals tend to be in charge of employee engagement campaigns , event organizing skills come in handy. Human resources plans company programming such as:

  • Holiday parties
  • Lunch and learns
  • Health fairs
  • Team building activities and outings
  • Company retreats
  • Staff appreciation days
  • Recruitment fairs

HR should know how to organize vendors and materials, design a schedule, build buzz and solicit signups, and run the show. Proactive event planners also gather feedback from staff post-event and use the information to improve the process.

You can use event management software to assist you.

6. Recruiting

Recruiting is a specific skill set, not just a job. HR professionals know how to write compelling job postings, attract and screen qualified candidates, conduct interviews, and make hiring decisions. Good recruiters collaborate with the hiring department to create solid hiring criteria. These individuals build pools of promising applicants by leveraging social media, company events, and referral networks. HR professionals know how to use tools like applicant tracking systems and understand hiring best practices. These individuals have honed timing down to a perfect science. The best HR managers know how to pace the interview process and when to extend an offer. Talented recruiters know how to evaluate candidates on multiple levels such as technical prowess, attitude, and culture fit.

You can use applicant tracking systems to assist the process.

7. Conflict resolution

One of human resource’s main functions is to resolve company disputes. The department often mediates arguments between teammates. HR’s responsibility is to give employees a safe space to work through issues and to help staff find workable fixes. The human resources crew should know how to de-escalate tension, encourage active listening, steer the conversation towards solutions, and negotiate compromise. HR fosters dialogue and gives each party ample time to explain their case. Effective mediators stay alert for underlying causes of disagreement and explore those points as they arise.

Here is a list of conflict resolution activities to try, and here is a list of books on conflict resolution skills .

8. Communication

Communication skills are one of the HR core competencies. Human resources speaks to every member of the organization. These individuals take part in the interview process and welcome employees during orientation. HR professionals send mass emails about health insurance enrolment, cultural events, and wellness initiatives. These team members answer questions and mediate conflicts. Human resources also gives presentations and workshops. Having good conversational, public speaking, and written communication skills is key. HR professionals should know how to communicate professionally with empathy and warmth.

9. Objectivity and critical thinking

Workplace conflicts cause strong emotions, especially when threats to livelihoods are present. The involved parties usually feel justified in their actions, and both will claim that they are right. As humans, we are all subject to assumptions, biases, and feelings. In fairness to all employees and the organization, human resource professionals must overcome these urges. It is important not to jump to conclusions, and to make judgments based on evidence rather than claims. Human resources should present a neutral front and avoid projecting any hints of favoritism.

Objectivity and critical thinking are one of the most important HR supervisor skills. Directors must often make tough decisions, such as disciplining employees or creating company wide policies. The HR officer’s duty is to remain calm, think clearly, and approach the problem from a solution-oriented standpoint. This team member’s decisions happen on a macro level, and they must consider multiple perspectives and factors and imagine long-reaching consequences.

10. Analytical capabilities

When thinking of careers that crunch numbers and study data, human resources probably ranks low on most folks’ lists. Actually, HR has many analytical components. The ability to collect and analyze data is one of the most important resource management skills. HR needs to anticipate hiring needs, monitor employee attribution, and develop employee retention strategies. HR managers need to strike a balance between staffing needs and budgets. Also, human resources should be able to measure employee engagement and optimize organizational performance. All of these tasks require the ability to gather and interpret information.

There are many metrics HR staff can use to measure the health of their organization and the results of their efforts. However, these tools are only useful if HR has the know-how to read and react to the data.

11. Research and continued learning

The human resources industry involves various laws and best practices. These regulations and standards change as corporate culture and society evolve. HR staff who want to remain at the top of their field must have research skills and the desire to keep learning. Human resource professionals of all levels should keep updated on industry trends and shifting regulations. As leaders, it is especially important for human resource managers and officers to stay informed. Keeping current with industry knowledge helps HR professionals manage compliance and better serve their organizations.

12. Team building skills

Human resource folks are connectors. These individuals foster workplace friendships by planning fun socials and bring different departments together by hosting company wide events. The human resource department is responsible for company culture and unity. To achieve these goals, HR professionals must have great team building skills. HR has the task of transforming employees into teammates. When planning events, HR encourages interaction and teamwork. These team members know how to navigate conflicts and create accepting and empowering environments.

While department and project managers oversee individual teams, HR has the role of making the entire company feel like teammates. Not to mention, HR often coaches managers in the art of team building. Supervisors might be knowledgeable in their areas, but new to team management. HR are experts that can teach leaders the skills needed to form and guide strong teams.

For more information, check out our guide to team building skills and this one with tips for team building .

13. Administrative skills

HR is an administrative-heavy job. The HR department is responsible for collecting and storing vital employee information such as contact information, social security numbers, banking information, health insurance information, payroll data, and performance reviews. Not to mention, there are many compliance requirements departments must meet. Human resource management requires good organizational and filing skills and data entry and management skills. Precise records prevent delays and discrepancies that inconvenience employees. Maintaining accurate systems helps the company function smoothly and avoid penalties or fines.

14. Technical skills

Technical skills are increasingly important for HR managers. You may need to use online communication platforms, or tools for tracking employee performance or engagement. The best way to learn technology is to actually use it.

Here is a list of common HR software tools .

Most HR jobs ask for a degree in a related field. However, a human resources degree is not the only requirement for performing the role effectively. Human resource professionals also need a special set of skills to excel in their roles. By honing these abilities, HR professionals can better serve organizations and employees. While these traits come naturally to some folks, skills are buildable and there is room for continual improvement.

Next, see our similar list of executive assistant skills .

We also have a list of human resource outsourcing companies and this list of the best professional employer organizations .

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FAQ: HR skills & competencies

Here are answers to common questions about HR skills and competencies.

What are HR skills and competencies?

HR skills and competencies are capabilities that enable human resources professionals to complete their duties effectively. Examples of HR abilities include active listening, event organizing, objectivity, and team building skills.

What are the top HR competencies?

The top HR competencies include interpersonal skills, conflict resolution, communication, and administrative skills.

What are the HR skills of the future?

HR automation and software are becoming more commonplace, and technical skills are in high demand. At the same time, while HR is more digital, empathy is still important. Among calls for better diversity and inclusion at work, the ability to consider and reconcile differing perspectives will be a valuable commodity in the HR field in coming years.

How can I improve my human resources skills?

On-the-job experience is the surest way of developing human resources skills. As you navigate day-to-day responsibilities, you will grow more confident and adept. Other means of improving HR areas include taking courses, reading books and articles, using HR tools and software, and practicing conversational skills with coworkers, family, and friends.

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Author: Angela Robinson

Marketing Coordinator at teambuilding.com. Angela has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and worked as a community manager with Yelp to plan events for businesses.

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Angela has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and worked as a community manager with Yelp to plan events for businesses.

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Must-Have Human Resources Skills: Progress from Entry-Level to Senior Roles in HR

To work in HR, you need to develop strong human resources qualifications that will help you craft a winning resume and break into the industry. They’ll also lead you to exciting accomplishments in the field. Also, you can use human resources resume example for crafting your perfect resume.In this article, we’ll discuss must-have human resources skills and explore ways to develop and showcase them.

Once you apply for a job

A good pro cv writer will be familiar with the conventions of resume writing in your field and will be able to highlight your accomplishments in a way that is tailored to your specific industry.

What Is Human Resources?

Human resources (HR) is a department that deals with employee-related matters such as hiring, training, and managing people. It plays a crucial role in helping companies to succeed in an ever-changing business environment. 

What does human resources do? HR adds value to an organization in various ways, including:

  • Organize staffing and recruiting;
  • Offer training and L&D opportunities;
  • Process compensation and benefits issues;
  • Improve performance and motivation;
  • Support organizational culture;
  • Organize the onboarding process.

Human Resources Technical Skills

HR professionals need a strong skill set. Here are some basic human resources technical skills: 

  • Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) navigation;
  • Ability to interpret hiring, performance, and payroll data;
  • Use of applicant tracking system (ATS) and ATS bots for hiring;
  • HRM knowledge;
  • Basic computer skills like database management, communication tools, digital services, presentation software, etc.;
  • Skills to perform administrative duties;
  • Records management;
  • Basic data analytics skills to interpret metrics such as engagement and performance.

human resources skills on resume

Human Resources Non-Technical Skills

Having technical skills is important, but skills for human resources that are the most sought-after by any employer are non-technical or soft skills. To be successful in performing an HR role, you need to develop:

  • Communication skills including effective verbal and non-verbal communication, active listening, empathy, public speaking, etc.;
  • Adaptability to change;
  • Continual learning and development;
  • Company leadership;
  • Cultural awareness;
  • Time management;
  • Conflict management;
  • Decision-making;
  • Talent management and HR planning.

Top Human Resources Skills for Workplace Success

Every HR professional in recruiting firms needs to know how to optimize their work and make it efficient. They grow skills to manage information, engage people, and automate routine tasks to make them less time-consuming. The top skills for human resources are associated with the use of: 

  • HRIS solution;
  • Automated payroll;
  • HR workflow automation;
  • Digital analytics;
  • Talent acquisition with ATS;
  • Automated interview scheduling for recruiters.

Besides, soft skills continue to lead the human resources skills list.

High Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is one of the essential skills needed for human resources. It allows you to build stronger relationships with people as you can empathize and identify their emotions as well as manage what you feel. 

Creating a supportive and comfortable workplace is the primary responsibility of HR. Emotional intelligence plays an important role in it. It allows HR managers to develop social awareness, understand the needs and concerns of employees, spot problem areas, and develop appropriate solutions.

Fast Decision-Making

Decision-making enables meaningful changes within an organization and improves its work. The ability to make fast and informed decisions helps to connect with employees and improve organizational culture. That is why it is among the skills required for human resources.

Decision-making should be based on the values of an organization and be objective. You can’t allow bias or stereotypes to influence it. Although decision-making is a leadership skill, it’s important to engage all team members in the process to address their issues and concerns.

Communication Skills

Another example of skills of human resources is communication. It’s key to the successful work of a company. Strong communication skills allow human resources to communicate the policy of the organization clearly and transparently and make sure that everyone observes it. 

Effective communication, both verbal and non-verbal, is important in all situations, including relationships among co-workers and work with clients. It helps prevent or respond to conflicts, enhances collaboration, promotes active listening, and strengthens integrity within the organization.

Conflict-Solving Skills

Conflicts are a natural part of life. No matter the prevention strategies, they’re unavoidable in the workplace. Therefore, conflict resolution is on the list of the key human resource skills. 

A problem can occur between individual employees, groups, or leaders of a company. The role of human resources is to find an appropriate solution and address conflicts on time. This way, the outcome of the conflict may even strengthen interpersonal relationships among employees and improve teamwork.

Attention!  As a pro recruiter your Linkedin account has to perform your skills professionally. With the help of professional Linkedin resume service on Skillhub. It's easy, smart and intelligent to address your writing job to a professional Linkedin writer!

Organizational Skills

Organizational skills are a must-have if you want to get a role in human resources. They entail administrative, productivity, analysis, management, planning, and delegation human resources qualifications and skills. 

Organizational skills allow completing tasks, controlling processes, and leading an organization to its goals. They help you to perform your duties and responsibilities with higher efficiency as you become better at planning and delegating tasks. To develop organizational skills, learn to manage your time, set realistic goals, and stay focused in a fast-paced environment.

How to Improve Human Resources Skills

The best way to grow your skills is to get a job in the field. Considering human resources requirements and responsibilities, getting your dream job might seem challenging. However, everything is possible with a professional resume. 

Most organizations use an ATS, a software that streamlines the hiring process for a client. Therefore, to stand out from thousands of other applications, you need an ATS-friendly resume. SkillHub writers can write it for you following your instructions! 

Don't forget about a cover letter! 77% of recruiters said they would give preference to a job candidate who sent a cover letter. Do it yourself (click professional cover letter examples on Skillhub) or skill up your resume with the help of our best cover letter writing service over there.  

Follow Influencers in the Field

To track the latest trends in HR, read thought leaders on Twitter:

  • Aliza Licht (@AlizaLicht) gives tips on how to get a job in HR and take control of your career development. 
  • Trish McFarlane (@trishmcfarlane) is an author and entrepreneur who supports women in HR. 
  • Matt Alder (@mattalder) shares insights on the HR methods that are useful for recruiters. 

You can also learn from HR blogs:

  • Read The Undercover Recruiter to answer: what do human resources managers do?
  • Get the research findings and technology insights for HR professionals on TLNT .
  • Learn all about human resources job requirements on HRZone .

How to Showcase Your Skills

Employers get thousands of applications weekly. The only way for you to stand out is to write a strong resume and highlight your human resources qualification. Here is how:

  • Assess the needs of your potential employer and customize the skills section of your resume accordingly.
  • Showcase your human resources education.
  • Your resume will be scanned by an applicant tracking system, so make sure it’s ATS-friendly.
  • Make your resume optimized for the ATS bots.
  • Match your skills to the human resources job requirements.

Human Resources Skills in a Resume Skills Section

A human resources skill set is an essential part of your resume. It shows your potential employer that you are a qualified candidate. Consider the job-specific abilities you excel in and add them to your resume, but make sure they relate to the position you’re applying for. Here are some of the useful human resource skills:

  • Active listening
  • Administration
  • Applicant tracking system
  • Collaboration
  • Communication skills
  • Employee engagement
  • HR software
  • Interviewing
  • Leadership 
  • Organizational skills

Human Resources Skills to Include in a Resume Work Experience Section

If you have experience working as a hiring manager, L&D manager, HR analytics specialist, or tried other careers in HR, don’t forget to include the specific skills you’ve learned in the work experience section of your human resources skills resume. For example:

  • Developed HR strategies and initiatives.
  • Addressed demands of concerns of employees.
  • Gained leadership abilities.
  • Guided handling sensitive issues.
  • Managed the process of talent acquisition.
  • Analyzed trends in HR.

To be successful in the HR industry, you need to develop and refine a specific skill set. Good communication, organization, and decision-making skills will help you find and hire talented people, engage them, and improve productivity. These are crucial human resources skills for resume. 

An ATS-friendly resume will help you to get more interviews and land your dream job. Let our resume writers get it done for you! SkillHub professionals will highlight relevant human resources skills and match your qualifications and experiences to what the employer is looking for.

Don't forget a professional resume can lead to a better job career! Hire affordable resume writing services and get it done with ease and no hassle. Save time and get more interviews! 24/7 Live Help! With resume writers the best jobs come looking for you.

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11 Skills to Have on your Human Resources Resume

  • Published February 29, 2016
  • Last Updated February 16, 2023

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human resources skills on resume

When looking for a job in human resources, it is imperative to build your resume for success. These jobs are often highly competitive, which means it is up to you to create a resume that gets you the edge over the other applicants.  A resume is a great place to list soft skills that are high demand.  Highlight your skills that closely align with the job description.  If you want to land a job in human resources, here are some essential human resources resume skills to include.

1. Public Speaking

If you want to get a job, you should be able to prove that you are a good public speaker. While not every HR professional will make speeches to the whole company, every worker is expected to have clear communication skills. After all, HR professionals often has to convey information between employees and management. This often must be done clearly and with sensitivity, which means that it is imperative to have strong verbal communication skills. If you intend on moving up in the HR department, you may be required to give actual speeches someday regarding company policy. Therefore, it is a versatile skill to include.

2. Listening

It is not just about talking. In human resources, you will also be expected to listen. In most cases, HR professionals serve as an intermediary between the company and its employees. While you must be able to speak clearly to both sides, you also have to be able to listen. You have to hear what you are being told, and you have to know how to respond effectively in the moment. Good comprehension skills are also important so you can read between the lines of what you are being told. Moreover, if you can listen with an empathetic ear, you will be thoroughly poised to succeed.

3. Discretion

Companies want discretion from all employees, but an HR manager often handles confidential personnel matters. You have to be able to handle difficult issues with the utmost discretion. This includes:

  • insurance issues
  • terminations

These are the issues that can make or break a work environment, and it is your job in human resources to manage them with care. Companies want to hire employees who understand their legal and ethical obligations to the company and its employees, which is why discretion is a great skill to add to your resume.

4. Negotiation

One of the most valuable human resources skills is the ability to be fair and unbiased with employees.  Since you will be an intermediary in human resources, you should make sure to highlight your negotiation and conflict resolution abilities on your resume. It is naive to think that companies and their employees will always be on the same page, which is often why a human resources representative must come in. You need to be able to help each side reach a fair and reasonable agreement with as few hurt feelings as possible. This is a tall order in the modern workplace so any applicant with these conflict management skills is sure to get ahead.

5. Flexibility

Modern business is all about change . Human resources are at the heart of managing change within a company. As a human resources employee, you will have to deal with new hires, firing people and organizational shifts. Not only do you need to handle all of that for yourself, but you have to help the rest of the company deal with it as well. That is why being open to change is such a great asset on your resume. Businesses want to invest in employees who can evolve with the changing needs of the company over time.

6. Organization

Organizational skills are important HR skills to list on a resume .  HR professionals follow systematic processes for functions that include:

  • hiring new staff
  • conducting employee performance appraisals
  • training staff

An HR manager must ensure that they complete these functions per company policies and procedures.  They also need to ensure they are following applicable laws.  HR professionals are also responsible for completing documentation on each employee.  This documentation needs to be entered and stored in an organized manner.

7. Employee Relations

Employee relations are the efforts a company makes to cultivate a positive workplace for their employees.  Human resource management professionals help develop a strong workplace culture.  When there is mutual trust between employees and an organization, a strong corporate foundation is built.  Employees who feel valued and respected are more productive and loyal to their company.  It is essential that human resources professionals have the skills needed to build and sustain positive employee relations.

8. Strategic Thinking Skills

HR managers need to be strategic.  Businesses need their HR team to provide them with strategic advice, aligning HR practices with the values of their business.  HR leaders with strategic thinking skills see the role of their department as part of a bigger picture.  This perspective helps build interdepartmental relationships that drive the mission of the organization.

9. Technical Skills

Technology has transformed the way human resource departments:

  • engage in talent acquisition efforts
  • store employee information
  • complete benefits administration tasks
  • analyze employee performance

Businesses need to hire tech savvy human resources management professionals who know how to use a variety of software packages to achieve different goals.  Software packages like Human Resources Information System (HRIS) or Applicant Tracking System (ATS) simplify HR processes and functions while improving efficiency.  Along with technology skills, professionals need to have strong HR reporting skills to understand the data and use the information they collect to tell a story.

10. Financial Skills

HR and Finance have a close working relationship within an organization.  While HR focuses on human capital, finance professionals are concerned with monetary capital.  Both are working toward the common goal of performance and profitability.  An HR professional who understands the principles of finance has a better perspective of workforce planning.  Pursing an HR career with knowledge of finance can help strengthen your resume and stand out from the competition.

11.  Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills are also known as people skills.  There are a couple different types including:

  • verbal and nonverbal communication

People with strong interpersonal skills are valued by an organization for their ability to communicate effectively and their positive attitude.  Often, HR is the first point of contact a new employee might have with an organization.  An HR manager with strong interpersonal skills can help attract top talent and enhance camaraderie within the organization.

These HR resume skills may not guarantee you the job, but they can help distinguish your human resources resume from the rest.

See also:  Top 50 Best Online Human Resources MBA Programs

human resources skills on resume

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Who can apply

Only those candidates can apply who:

1. are available for full time (in-office) internship

2. can start the internship between 16th Sep'24 and 21st Oct'24

3. are available for duration of 3 months

4. have relevant skills and interests

* Women wanting to start/restart their career can also apply.

Number of openings

About softsensor.ai.

human resources skills on resume

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  1. 27 Human Resources (HR) Resume Examples for 2024

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  2. 10+ Top Human Resources Resume Skills in 2021

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  3. Human Resources Manager Resume in 2024

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  4. 13+ Human Resources Resume Examples [with Guidance]

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  6. Human Resources Professional Resume Example With Content Sample

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  5. Human Resources Résumé/CV Upgrade (Client Example)

  6. DB2 Interview Questions Part

COMMENTS

  1. 11 Top Human Resources Skills for a Resume (Plus Sample)

    Human resources is a field that requires leadership and management training necessary to develop the skills that employers are seeking. HR professionals who have a broader knowledge of relevant areas and more practical skills create more opportunities in the corporate world. Related: Best Skills To Include on a Resume Examples of human ...

  2. 15 Human Resources Skills for Your Resume

    Here are 15 essential human resources resume skills to list on your resume or CV: 1. Communication skills. Interpersonal communication is necessary for any worker, but even more so for human resources professionals. You interact with employees and managers daily, often when tensions are high.

  3. 27 Human Resources (HR) Resume Examples for 2024

    Why this resume works. Human resources is a wide-ranging profession, so be specific about your HR experience. If you have more than 10 years of experience, you can add a resume summary (also called a career summary) to list your HR experience and biggest achievements.; Space is limited on your resume, but don't worry—you'll have more room to discuss the context of your experience in your ...

  4. 54+ HR Skills Employers Want to See on Your Resume

    Recruitment. Compliance. Interpersonal Skills. Employee Relations. Administrative Skills. Target the right HR skills on your resume. More skills-related resources for HR professionals. In recent years, job-seekers and hiring managers alike are facing challenges amid an increasingly competitive job market. Experts attribute these challenges ...

  5. HR Skills for Your Resume [50+ Examples]

    On the surface, they seem purely technical and data-driven, but in reality, they are just as important as soft skills in ensuring the smooth operation of HR functions. Here are some HR hard skills to add to your resume: Recruitment and selection. Employee onboarding. Performance management. Compensation and benefits.

  6. The Top 10 Technical HR Skills to Include on a Resume

    Related: How to Write a Human Resources Resume Objective 10 technical skills for human resources There is a wide variety of technical skills that HR professionals should have. Some are more role-specific, while others span across roles. Experience in these skills can make you a more competitive job candidate or employee. Review these 10 human ...

  7. 8 Human Resources (HR) Resume Examples & Template for 2024

    Company/Organization Name, City, State. Month 20XX-Month 20XX. List relevant accomplishments from your previous role as an HR professional. Assuming you're no longer working in this HR role, use past tense verbs to describe your work. Include 3-6 bullet points for each HR role, both your current one and previous ones.

  8. Human Resources Resume Examples, Skills and Keywords

    A recruiting resume and an HR generalist resume should focus on different skills and experience. Below are three human resources resume examples for the three most popular HR jobs: recruiter, entry-level human resources, and HR generalist. You can use these samples to help you put together your own eye-catching resume.

  9. 13 Top HR Skills for Your Resume [2024]

    Read more: How to Decide Which Skills Should Go On Your Resume. Human Resources Skills Examples. Human Resources (HR) professionals are pivotal in shaping organizational culture, managing employee relations, and driving strategic initiatives. A diverse HR skill set is essential for HR professionals to effectively address the complex challenges ...

  10. Human Resource (HR) Resume

    Before you go, let's go over the main rules when creating a HR resume: Select the correct format for an HR resume. Use a reverse-chronological format, and follow the best layout practices to keep everything clear and concise. Instantly grab the reader's attention with a summary or objective.

  11. HR Skills on a Resume

    Top Human Resources Skills for Your Resume Technical/Hard Skills for an HR Resume. In today's digital age, it's becoming increasingly important for HR professionals to have technical abilities that can help them navigate HR technology and effectively manage data. Here are some of the top hard skills to include on an HR resume:

  12. 18 HR Skills Every HR Professional Needs [2024 Guide]

    Additionally, Human Resources skills training should be a continuous part of your career development. 7. Advising. One of the key HR skills is being a credible and trustworthy advisor to different stakeholders. You need to be able to effectively advise employees, line managers, and senior managers on personnel issues.

  13. How to Write an HR Resume (Plus an Example!)

    Below is an example of an HR generalist resume. This resume is designed for a mid-career HR generalist or HR business partner and highlights key skills relevant to those kinds of roles. Download example human resources resume. With the right achievement-focused bullet points, keywords, design, and structure, your HR resume can be a powerful ...

  14. 18 Essential HR Skills to Include in Your Resume

    The human resources landscape offers incredible career opportunities. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the HR field is expected to grow 10% by 2030.. As an early career HR specialist intent on becoming an industry leader, you're probably on the lookout for your next HR career opportunity.In this article, we discuss the soft skills, technical competencies, and critical ...

  15. Top Human Resources Skills for Resume in 2024

    advising. One of the most important HR skills is being a credible and trustworthy advisor to different stakeholders. You need to effectively advise employees, line managers, and senior managers on personnel issues. Strategic advice involves HR practices to align more with the business.

  16. Resume Skills for Human Resources Specialist (+ Templates)

    Go through the Human Resources Specialist posting you're applying to, and identify hard skills the company is looking for. For example, skills like Employee Relations, Human Resources (HR) and Onboarding are possible skills. These are skills you should try to include on your resume. Expand. 2.

  17. Human Resources (HR) Resume Keywords and Skills (Hard Skills)

    Highlight specific HR skills and experience. In your Human Resources (HR) resume, you should highlight specific accomplishments that involve common day-to-day HR experience. These include things like screening candidates, operations or running hiring workshops. Expand. 5.

  18. Top 12 Human Resources Skills to Put on Your Resume

    How to Display UltiPro Skills on Your Resume. 7. Kronos Workforce. Kronos Workforce is a suite of human resources management tools designed to help organizations with workforce scheduling, time and attendance tracking, labor analytics, and payroll management, facilitating efficient HR operations and workforce management.

  19. 14 Crucial HR Skills, Competencies & Qualifications

    From emotional intelligence to conflict resolution, here is a list of key competencies for human resource professionals. 1. Interpersonal skills. Interpersonal skills are the most important HR soft skills. After all, the first part of human resources is "human.". The bulk of a human resource officer's job is interacting with employees.

  20. Top Human Resources Skills for a Successful HR Professional

    Human Resources Skills to Include in a Resume Work Experience Section. If you have experience working as a hiring manager, L&D manager, HR analytics specialist, or tried other careers in HR, don't forget to include the specific skills you've learned in the work experience section of your human resources skills resume. For example:

  21. 11 Skills to Have on your Human Resources Resume

    It is essential that human resources professionals have the skills needed to build and sustain positive employee relations. 8. Strategic Thinking Skills. HR managers need to be strategic. Businesses need their HR team to provide them with strategic advice, aligning HR practices with the values of their business.

  22. Human Resources Professional Must-Have Resume Skills and Keywords

    Look to the Resume Checklist below to investigate how Human Resources Experience, Recruiting, and Employee Relations Management match up to employer job descriptions. Compliance, OnBoarding Management, and HR Management represent a very decent share of skills found on resumes for Human Resources Professional with 28.96% of the total.

  23. Human Resources (HR) Internship in Jaipur at Softsensor.ai

    Softsensor Ai is seeking a Human Resources Recruiting Intern. The intern will support the HR team in sourcing, screening, and processing candidates for both technical and non-technical positions. Responsibilities: Assist in recruitment process, from sourcing to onboarding. Review resumes and identify required skills for job profiles. Facilitate communication with candidates and schedule ...