Tips for Writing an Impactful HR Resume

A well-written resume highlights your skills, helps hiring managers envision how you could contribute to organizational success, and leaves a lasting impression. Expressing the strengths and elements that make you a good candidate in your resume can help your potential employer determine whether you're the best fit for the HR department. 

Use this guide to write an HR resume, as well as essential resume sections and tips on overcoming applicant tracking screening (ATS). 

Read more: What Is Human Resources and HR Management?

Careers and job titles for an HR resume

Human resources is a division of work that assists companies in adapting to the ever-evolving business climate. Positions often span many responsibilities, such as:

• Training

• Handling worker compensation

• Maintaining a healthy work environment

• Recruiting employees

When creating an HR resume, it is important to consider the careers and job titles you might want to apply for. 

What are some common entry-level HR roles?

Common entry-level jobs for this field include HR assistant, HR representative, and HR administrator. These positions focus on assisting managers and directors manage business objectives and serve as learning experiences for the vast and diverse subdivisions of the HR department. 

Read more: HR Entry-Level Jobs Guide: Roles, Salaries, and Strategies to Get Hired

How to write an HR resume 

While no exact formula ensures a perfect HR resume, following a few strategic guidelines and tips can help you stand out from other employees. Attention to detail and clarity are essential for a good HR resume. Accurately representing yourself and your abilities requires being as clear and precise as possible.

Additionally, it’s helpful to use bullet points and always mention your experience and skills relevant to the role. The following list explores a few essential sections to include in your resume. 

Read more: How to Make a Resume: Resume Writing Guide

Contact section

It’s critical to have your personal contact information in your resume. Employers want to be able to reach you regarding a job position or opening. These details include your full name, location, phone number, and email address. The contact section of your resume is also an excellent place to put professional websites or social media profiles such as LinkedIn. 

Summary statement or objective

A summary statement briefly describes who you are and why you might be a good candidate. It highlights your outstanding qualifications and introduces the remainder of your resume. When including a summary statement in your resume, it’s vital to give a brief professional background and detail your experience specifically related to your career objectives. 

A career objective lets your potential employer know more about your professional goals, which can help hiring managers decide if you’re a good fit for the job. When pursuing a career in HR, it may help to include details about the company you’re applying to. For example, if you enjoy building strong relationships with your employees, you could mention the company’s collaborative culture or status as a small to medium-sized enterprise.

HR resume skills

This section is an excellent spot to showcase your specialized training and proficiencies. The HR resume skills section should include keywords like popular computer software and programs standard in the workplace. Keywords are specific words that describe your expertise and values and should align with the particular job you are applying for. Other essential HR keywords include work culture-related skills promoting your passion for HR objectives.

Read more: Resume Keywords: How to Find the Right Words to Beat the ATS

Work experience 

Presenting your professional or volunteer experience offers an opportunity to show hiring managers the difference you can make. Be sure to list relevant experience, accomplishments, and achievements that made an impact in these roles. For example, suppose you instituted a reskilling program in your previous or current job. You might note that you conducted a skills analysis and implemented a company-wide professional learning and development program that narrowed the existing skills gap by 75 percent. 

If you are new to the field and need to build your work experience, this is a good place to add any HR-related internships. It's essential to relate your experience to HR tasks and duties, such as organizational experience, interviewing, and relationship-building experience. 

Education and certification 

When considering applicants for an HR position, Many companies expect to see a human resources bachelor’s degree in human resources or a similar area of study, such as finance, analytics, or communications.

Certifications are essential to add to an HR resume because they show dedication and professionalism to hiring managers, especially when these certifications showcase HR-related capabilities.  Consider certifications such as:

• Associate Professional in Human Resources credential from the Human Resource Standards Institute

• SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) designation from the Society for Human Resource Management

Understand keywords and applicant tracking systems 

Having relevant keywords in your resume is essential because many companies use applicant tracking systems or resume scanning tools to filter through applicant resumes with specific qualifications.

Read more: 150 Resume Action Words to Impress Employers

Tips for selecting impactful keywords 

When selecting impactful keywords, viewing job postings that interest you can be helpful. Many job listings include keywords in their description to showcase what they are looking for. Focus on skills that serve the HR world, keywords may include:

• Employee orientation

• Employee retention

• Team building

• Benefits administration

• Professional development 

By focusing on keywords that relate to the management and development of a company, you can attempt to rank yourself higher than other applicants. 

HR resumes examples and resources

Many HR resume examples and resources are available to assist you with the structure and content of your HR resume. Many informative articles on Coursera can help you understand the world of HR and create a dynamic, professional HR resume. Check out the following list as a starting point:

• What Is Human Resources (HR)? Description, Duties, and Jobs 

• How to Make a Resume: Resume Writing Guide

• 16 Resume Tips for Your Job Search

• How to Write a Resume With No Experience: 5 Tips

• How to List Education on a Resume

Bonus tips

In addition to incorporating keywords and suitable sections when creating an HR resume, it is also beneficial to prioritize visual appeal when applying for an HR job. Creating an organized and visually pleasing resume will help attract the attention of employers. It can also assist in drawing attention to certain essential elements of your resume, such as keywords and relevant experience. Being concise and direct will also help build a strong resume. Companies look at a multitude of resumes when filling a job position, so it is vital to be clear and straightforward when listing your accomplishments and qualifications. 

Read more: 10 HR Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

Next steps with Coursera

If you're looking to enhance your HR resume, consider the University of Minnesota’s Preparing to Manage Human Resources course for a foundation in HR management and strategy. Or take the University of California, Irvine’s Human Resources Analytics course to gain proficiency in HR-related data analysis. Understanding the qualifications and experience necessary to succeed in HR will allow you to create an engaging and impactful HR resume.