11 Human Resources Generalist Resume Examples for 2024

As a human resources generalist, your resume needs to show your ability to handle various HR tasks. The article provides solid resume examples to follow, along with strategic advice. You will learn how to highlight your skills, experience, and achievements to impress hiring managers. Improve your chances of landing the job you want by using our proven tips and templates.

  Compiled and approved by Marie-Caroline Pereira
  Last updated on See history of changes

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At a Glance

Here's what we see in the best resumes for human resources generalists:

  • Show Numbers For Impact: Include metrics to show results. Examples: reduced hiring time by 20%, cut training costs by 15%, increased employee retention by 30%, improved compliance rates by 10%.

  • Show Skills From The Job Description: Include skills on your resume that you have and are mentioned on the job description. Some popular ones are HRIS, benefits administration, recruitment, employee relations, compliance. But don't include all of them, choose the ones you have and are mentioned in the JD.

  • Trends In HR Technology: Many resumes now mention tools like HRIS or ATS. These tools are becoming common in the field.

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Where to place education

Decide where to place your education on your resume based on your current career stage. If you are new to the workforce as a human resources generalist, show your education at the top. This helps you to demonstrate your recent learning and its relevance to the job.

For those with experience in human resource roles, list your education after your work history. Here, focus on any human resources certifications or continued training you've completed. They can provide you with an edge and should be presented clearly. Remember, you should display the most convincing information first to catch the hiring manager's attention.

Showcase HR-specific skills

Highlight skills that are specific to human resources, like knowledge of labor laws and employee relations. These are important and show you are ready to handle key tasks in the role.

Experience with HR software is also valuable. Mention any platforms like Workday or ADP you are familiar with. This shows you can manage essential HR systems effectively.

Ideal length for your resume

As a hiring manager, it's important you make a strong first impression. The resumes that stand out are often one page, especially if you're earlier in your human resources career with less than a decade of relevant experience. Your ability to summarize your skills and experiences on a single page shows you understand the key achievements that matter.

For those with more experience, going up to two pages is acceptable. In this case, you should place your most impactful contributions, such as significant projects or leadership roles, on the first page. This strategy ensures these highlights catch the hiring manager’s eye quickly.

Remember, readability is key. Avoid trying to fit too much onto one page with small fonts or slim margins. It’s better to be succinct and use the space well than to overcrowd and diminish your resume’s readability. Prioritize your jobs as an HR generalist, placing emphasis on pivotal tasks like employee relations and compliance that display your breadth of experience.

Highlight relevant experience

Emphasize any experience that directly ties to human resources, like recruiting, onboarding processes, or conflict resolution.

If you have managed employee benefits or training programs, make sure to detail these. Practical experience in these areas is often sought after by employers.

Beating the resume screeners

When you apply for jobs as a human resources generalist, your resume might first be reviewed by a computer program called an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). To pass this test, you need to make your resume easy to scan and match the job description.

Here are some tips to help you:

  • Use standard job-related keywords like 'employee relations' and 'benefits administration' to show your relevant experience.
  • Include clear headings such as 'work experience' and 'education' to organize your resume.

Make sure your job titles and the skills you list are a good match for the job you want. This will help the ATS see you as a strong candidate for the role of human resources generalist.

Customize your bullet points

It's important for you to show how you've contributed at past jobs. Make your resume fit the human resources role by listing specific tasks you've handled. This helps us see if your skills match what we need. Aim to make each point connect directly to typical human resources duties.

  • Use bullet points to highlight tasks like employee relations and performance management.
  • Show your experience with HR software, such as HRIS systems or applicant tracking systems.
  • If you are moving into HR from a different job, list specific tasks that are similar. For example, if you managed schedules or resolved staff issues, say so.

Key skills for HR resumes

As you prepare your resume, focus on the skills that show your capability in HR. Make sure these skills are included in a dedicated section and woven throughout your work experience to help pass the Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that many companies use.

  • Employee relations
  • HR policies
  • Recruitment
  • Onboarding
  • Performance management
  • Compliance
  • Benefits administration
  • Payroll processing
  • HRIS software
  • Data analysis

Choose skills that match your experience and the job you want. For example, if you have strong experience in benefits administration, highlight it. If you are applying to a tech company, show your proficiency in HRIS software like Workday or SAP SuccessFactors.

Place your skills in the resume's skills section and also mention them in your job descriptions. This helps show how you've used these skills in practice. Remember, you don't need to list every skill, just those that are most relevant and that you are good at. This tailored approach will make your resume stronger.

Showcase leadership growth

When you apply for a human resources role, showing you've grown into leadership positions can set you apart. Think about your work history. Did you ever lead a project, train new staff, or get a new title? These are good signs of leadership.

  • Managed a team of junior HR associates, improving team efficiency by 20%
  • Promoted to senior HR coordinator after successfully leading a company-wide diversity training program

Even without a formal title change, you can still show leadership. Did you take charge in a tough situation or help your team get better? Include these points on your resume. They give a clear picture of your leadership skills.

  • Acted as interim HR lead during department transition, maintaining staff morale and engagement
  • Oversaw peer-training initiatives to enhance team competency and performance

Show leadership and growth

When you're applying for human resources roles, showing your growth in past positions can make your resume stand out. You want to show that you've taken on more responsibility over time and have grown in your ability to lead others.

Here are some ways you might illustrate this:

  • Highlight any titles you've held that show a step up, such as 'senior' or 'lead' in front of the usual job title.
  • Include any projects where you took the lead, especially if they involved coordinating with other departments or training new team members.

Think about the ways you have helped improve things at your past jobs. Maybe you've helped to streamline a hiring process, or you've led a team in a workplace initiative. Details like these show you're not just doing your job, but you're doing it with the mindset of someone who is looking to make things better.

  • Implemented a new onboarding process that reduced employee turnover by 15%.
  • Managed a team of HR assistants, developing their skills and promoting two to higher positions within a year.

Quantify your HR achievements

When you show your impact with numbers, it helps hiring managers understand the value you can bring to their team. Think about how you have improved processes or achieved results in your past human resources roles, and then put those achievements into numbers.

Here are some examples to guide you:

  • Reduced employee turnover by 15% through improved engagement strategies
  • Increased training attendance by 25% by implementing interactive sessions
  • Streamlined the recruitment process, cutting down hiring time from 30 days to 20 days
  • Developed a performance review system that increased employee productivity by 10%
  • Managed a benefits program that led to a 20% cost savings for the company
  • Implemented HR software that saved 5 hours a week in administrative tasks
  • Increased employee satisfaction scores by 30% with new wellness programs
  • Developed training materials leading to a 40% decrease in compliance issues

As you prepare your resume, think about the specific ways you have helped your company. Maybe you improved employee retention, or you trained new hires more effectively. Always try to estimate the impact you had with numbers, such as how much time you saved or how much you decreased costs. Remember, even if you are unsure about the exact figures, an estimated percentage can still show your impact clearly.

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