Proven HR Manager Resume Examples and Writing Tips
How to Write an HR Manager Resume That Gets Interviews
As an HR professional, you probably have an eye for resumes and a clear understanding of what makes a good one. Yet, it makes it even more challenging to create a strong resume for yourself. You might find it difficult to look back on your own career history objectively or fall into the trap of perfectionism and keep rewriting that resume over and over again.
So, how to write an HR manager resume that sells you in seconds? To impress the HR department, you need to quickly showcase that you're a good fit for the job description, quantify achievements, and add keywords for ATS. In this article, we've gathered effective HR resume writing tips to get you shortlisted. Plus, you will find employer-friendly human resources manager resume examples with a clearly defined resume headline, summary, and business value for your inspiration.
3 Best HR Manager Resume Examples and Samples for 2025
Take a look at our handpicked HR manager resume examples to get the idea of how to structure and format your own to impress hiring managers.
Human Resources Manager | HR Generalist Resume Example
Image source: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/67/fd/29/67fd290cd693074862325e4f997aefe3.png
Why does this resume work?
As you see, this sample HR manager resume has a strong headline that shows the areas of expertise of this HR manager. Their summary extensively lists the breadth of experience in managing diverse staff across multiple locations. The work experience section is rich in accomplishments organized by functions (i.e. saving $25,000 annually and shifting worker compensation experience ratings from 70% to 90%).
Entry-level HR Manager Resume Example
Image source: https://resumeworded.com/assets/images/resume-guides/entry-level-human-resources2.png
Why does this resume work?
This sample resume HR manager is great for a candidate with little experience. It is professionally formatted in two columns and showcases the candidate's professional experience.
It features experience in main HR functions, including implementing employee training and development, recruiting and onboarding candidates, and increasing employee satisfaction with measurable results. This resume also features HR skills and competencies with keywords for applicant tracking systems.
Image source: https://cdn.enhancv.com/predefined-examples/ZbQ945mJmOSIwToQURWWGMB5NkqJigi1T5QmShWi/image.png
Why does this resume work?
This Senior Human Resources specialist resume example starts with a focused summary outlining experience with key HR operations and an achievement in increasing employee morale by 50%. It also puts strengths and successes above the fold in a separate section. In the Experience section, candidate showcases skills in developing HR strategies, business administration, meeting business objectives, and boosting productivity by 20%. Such a bold resume packed with achievements will surely catch the attention of hiring managers!
Now that you've reviewed successful human resources manager resume examples, let's have a look at how you can write an interview-winning resume yourself.
Choose the Effective Resume Format and Templates for HR Professionals
For an HR professional or a Human Resources generalist resume, use reverse chronological resume format. Such resume layout presents all your jobs and degrees in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent ones. It gives a detailed picture of your jobs and projects to hiring managers, emphasizing your contribution in each role. Moreover, this format is also good for ATS.
Here's an HR resume format guide:
- Start the resume with your name and contact info.
- Include a career summary outlining most relevant HR skills and achievements.
- Present your work experience with detailed job descriptions in a reverse chronological order.
- Add your education and list degrees starting with the most recent one.
- Include skills, competencies, projects, and additional section if necessary.
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Add a headline that frames your expertise
Nearly every job-seeker knows that objectives are out of date, and it's better to use a summary instead. Yet, little applicants use a headline. Adding a headline is efficient because it communicates your specialization and biggest strengths in a second. Your header can consist of the target job title, followed by 1-2 areas of specialization, for example:
Human Resources Generalist ~ Payroll & Benefits ~ Employee Retention & Development
You can use the following summary to expand further on these areas of expertise and mention your biggest accomplishments, if applicable.
Use a summary of qualification to pique the employer's interest
Summary is seen as a written form of an elevator pitch. So, be sure to concentrate all facts that can persuade them to make a hiring decision in your favor. Experts recommend that you use 3-4 bulleted statements to list your areas of expertise, practical proof of your skills, industry certifications or awards.
Using figures is not necessary. But if you'd like to brag the fact that you've reached the employee retention rate of 90% in one year, why not?
Example:
Dynamic HR Manager with 3+ years of experience contributing to organizational success through effective HR practices. Proven track record in streamlining onboarding processes and reducing time-to-hire by 25%. Passionate about creating a positive and supportive work environment and implementing HR initiatives resulting in decreased turnover and improved employee relations. Seeking to leverage my skills to make an impact on a dynamic and growing organization.
List Professional Experience in Detail
In the Experience section, be sure to present your skills in talent acquisition, performance management, driving employee satisfaction, and other HR operations. Here are some recommendations to craft a persuasive Experience section:
- Write 5-7 bullets per role and keep your bullets focused.
- Start each bullet with a powerful action verb, such as Implemented, Achieved, Reduced, Directed, and so on. Read here for more powerful words for resume.
- Describe your experience using numbers, examples, and context to give a better picture of your skills.
- Mention achievements and success, for example, improving employee productivity, implementing successful HR initiatives, streamlining recruitment and onboarding processes, or effective workforce planning.
- Tailor your responsibilities to each job description to keep your resume ATS-friendly.
Another little-known tactic that additionally highlight your competencies is giving the context about your previous employers. Don't just write a company name and location. Mention the company size, number of employees and directs, annual revenue and the industry. You may also brag the company's accomplishments, i.e. “XYZ company, a #1 manufacturing company in New York State”.
Being a compensation and benefits specialist in a staffing firm, small business or a corporation may imply a whole different set of responsibilities. Thus, by showing that your experience was gained in the similar company, you further show fit for a target role.
Human Resources Management resume experience example:
HR Generalist
ABC Company, Austin, TX June 2022 – Present
A rapidly developing tech company with 50+ employees.
- Managed recruitment and onboarding for entry- and mid-level position, using improved sourcing strategies to reduce time-to-fill by 25%.
- Implemented training programs resulting in improving employee engagement and retention by 10%.
- Provided employee relations support, resolving conflicts and performance issues and reducing formal complaints to Human Resources department by 15%.
- Worked with HR team to align HR initiatives in diversity with business goals, leading to an increase in representation of underrepresented groups.
- Performed data analysis and maintained accurate HR reports and employee records to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations.
List Your Education Strategically
For a Human Resources Management professional, education isn't the decisive factor. Yet, listing a degree can position you as an educated and more knowledgeable candidate. If you've recently graduated, be detailed about your education. List your GPA, academic achievements, and relevant coursework.
If you have no experience, list volunteer projects and unpaid work to show hiring managers that you're motivated and eager to work.
If you graduated over 5 years ago, only keep the school name, graduation year, and degree.
Example:
Kansas State University
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) 2021
Key Skills and Keywords for an HR Manager Resume
Resume experts recommend that you create a Skills section and list your relevant qualifications there. According to McKinsey, 41% of hiring managers read your list of skills on a resume first. Moreover, listing skills makes your resume ATS-friendly and helps it get seen by a human recruiter.
It's important to show your familiarity with software specific to HR management, such as HRMS, HRIS, and other software specific to your function.
HR Manager skills for resume
Hard Skills
- Employee relations
- Onboarding
- Training programs
- Employee development
- Talent acquisition
- Employee benefits administration
- HR Metrics and analytics
- Employment laws & regulations
- Talent management strategies
- Employee engagement
- Performance management
- Project management
- Budgeting & compensation
- Google Workspace
- MS Office Suite
- Remote collaboration tools
Soft Skills
- Organizational skills
- Time management
- Team leadership
- Problem-solving
- Critical thinking
- Conflict resolution
- Strategic planning
- Emotional intelligence
- Active listening
- Adaptability
These skills are useful for any Human Resources resume, from entry-level to HR Director position. Make sure to customize skills based on your responsibilities and professional goals.
ATS Tips for HR Resumes
Most companies use ATS software to scan resumes. Before human hiring managers see your application, it is checked by a system, and if looks irrelevant and lacks keywords, the software tosses it. According to stats, 75% of all resumes are rejected by ATS systems.
Here are the key tips to get your resume through the filters and get it seen by hiring managers:
- Add relevant keywords from the job description. Mimic the overall language of the job posting and describe your experience in the same words and phrases.
- Send your resume file as a DOCX or PDF file. They open correctly on most devices, so formatting won't be destroyed.
- Use an ATS-friendly template. Avoid complex formatting, such as tables, images, and graphs, which can confuse the ATS. You can find ATS-friendly Google Docs templates here.
- Opt for an ATS-friendly font, such as Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. Keep it large enough for readability.
- Use standard section headings in your Human Resources resume, such as "Summary," "Experience," "Skills," and "Education", as the ATS needs to easily categorize information in your resume.
- Include location information. If you're looking for a job in your area, add city and state as some ATS systems reject non-local applications.
- Proofread carefully. ATS won't recognize misspelled words, so take the time to proofread the document and correct mistakes.
How to Showcase Your Achievements
Resumes with metrics bring more interviews than the ones with job duties only. Hiring managers look for measurable results of work in your document in the first place, as the duties of HR managers are pretty much the same. The only thing that can distinguish you is the specific accomplishments and results of work. Moreover, applicants showing measurable results are seen as more competent and can negotiate a higher salary.
If you don't think you've achieved much in your career, simply think of any situation when you solved a problem, improved the organizational culture, retained the top-performers while staying in budget, etc. Then, think of which of these results can be shown through figures, and add figures or percentages when it's possible.
If you're aiming for a senior HR manager position, consider creating a separate section for your accomplishments. Showcase your ability to implement HR strategies, drive employee satisfaction, and save company money early on the resume. However, you can list achievements in your Experience section next to job duties. Try your best to add at least 2 achievements per role.
HR Manager accomplishments examples:
- Developed an employee engagement strategy with HR department resulting in a 18% decrease in turnover in one year.
- Managed the implementation of a new HRIS system in 4 months, ensuring a smooth transition for employees and improving data accuracy.
- Implemented an applicant tracking system (ATS) and used new sourcing strategies, reducing time-to-fill by 20%.
- Increased employee satisfaction by 25% by implementing a new performance management system that emphasized employee professional development.
- Re-negotiated rates with benefits providers, resulting in an 8% decrease in benefits costs.
- Created and implemented leadership training programs, resulting in a stronger leadership pipeline and a 25% increase in internal promotions.
Include Training & Certifications
Hiring managers appreciate additional training and education on resumes, be it a popular industry certification or training in HR software. Ongoing training and development shows that you are proactive and keep your skills current, which employers value.
Here's how to list training programs and certifications:
- Create a separate Training or Certifications section. If you don't have many training courses, include them in your Education section.
- List the course name, organization, and year. If the certification has an expiration date, mention that too.
- Only include training relevant to the Human Resources industry.
5 Best Certifications for Human Resources Professionals
- Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Certification
- Certified HR Manager (CHRM)
- Strategic HR Leadership (SHRL)
- Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP)
- Talent Management Practitioner
Keep in Mind the Resume Writing Basics
As you write result-oriented statements and list impressive skills, don't forget the essential rules of effective resume writing.
- Keep your resume to 1-2 pages, depending on how many years of experience you have. Students and professionals with less than 5 years of experience can use a one-page document, whereas experienced workers and managers can add the second page.
- Use short sentences and leave plenty of space between different section, thus making the document reader-friendly.
- Format strategically to highlight the most important points of your resume and guide the recruiter's eye. Keep your formatting consistent with clearly outlined headings and company names/job titles in bold font.
- Keep irrelevant jobs out. Resume is a marketing tool, not a record of all jobs you ever had. So, skip your college part-time jobs and irrelevant side gigs to keep your application focused.
- Always attach a cover letter. About 60% of employers expect them. Moreover, a good cover letter is your chance to showcase extra motivation and connection with the company.
- Rely on the job posting heavily as you choose what experience to highlight and which skills to list. The more your resume is similar to what the job listing asks for, the higher are your odds to pass the ATS smoothly.
What to Include in an HR Manager Resume (Checklist)
Are you ready to impress hiring managers with your resume? First, make sure you've included all the essential details and formatted the document properly. Here's a detailed breakdown of what should a HR manager resume include:
- Your full name and contact info (phone, email, and location).
- Career summary (3-4 sentences).
- Skills section (10-20 skills or more if needed).
- Professional experience in reverse chronological order.
- Measurable achievements (2+ accomplishments per role).
- Education information.
- Licenses and professional certifications.
- Training programs and courses.
- Volunteering and unpaid work (essential if no experience)
- Keywords from the job description.
- An ATS-friendly template.
Resume Help for HR Professionals: Templates, Writing & Critique
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FAQ
What are the top skills to include in an HR manager resume?
Top HR manager skills include employee relations, performance management, talent acquisition, HR software (like Workday or BambooHR), and organizational development.
How do I write a resume summary for an HR manager position?
A strong HR manager resume summary highlights your years of experience, key achievements, leadership capabilities, and expertise in areas like compliance, recruiting, or benefits administration.
How should I format my HR manager resume for ATS?
Use a clean chronological or hybrid format with standard headings, avoid tables or graphics, and include keywords such as HR policies, employee engagement, and succession planning.
What is the best resume template for HR professionals?
The best resume templates for HR professionals are ATS-friendly, modern in layout, and emphasize professional experience, certifications, and HR-specific competencies.
How can I tailor my HR resume for a career change?
Focus on transferable skills like communication, conflict resolution, and strategic thinking. Highlight relevant HR training or volunteer experience to demonstrate capability.