As an HR generalist, preparing a resume that effectively showcases your diverse range of skills and experiences can be a daunting task. Our comprehensive guide is designed to help you navigate this challenge, providing clear examples and strategic advice to help you create a resume that stands out to potential employers.
- Sample industry-leading professional resumes for inspiration and HR generalist resume-writing know-how.
- Focus recruiters' attention on what matters most - your unique experience, achievements, and skills.
- Write various resume sections to ensure you meet at least 95% of all job requirements.
- Balance your HR generalist technical expertise with personality to stand out amongst candidates.
If the HR generalist resume isn't the right one for you, take a look at other related guides we have:
- HR Analyst Resume Example
- HR Resume Example
- HR Business Partner Resume Example
- Staffing Manager Resume Example
- District Manager Resume Example
- Recruiter Resume Example
- Assistant Operations Manager Resume Example
- Contract Analyst Resume Example
- Continuous Improvement Manager Resume Example
- HR Program Manager Resume Example
Enhancing your HR generalist resume: format and layout tips
"Less is more" - this principle is key for your HR generalist resume design. It emphasizes the importance of focusing on why you're the ideal candidate. Simultaneously, it's crucial to select a resume design that is both clear and simple, ensuring your qualifications are easily readable.
Four popular formatting rules (and an additional tip) are here to optimize your HR generalist resume:
- Listing experience in reverse chronological order - start with your most recent job experiences. This layout helps recruiters see your career progression and emphasizes your most relevant roles.
- Including contact details in the header - make sure your contact information is easily accessible at the top of your resume. In the header, you might also include a professional photo.
- Aligning your expertise with the job requirements - this involves adding essential sections such as experience, skills, and education that match the job you're applying for.
- Curating your expertise on a single page - if your experience spans over a decade, a two-page resume is also acceptable.
Bonus tip: Ensure your HR generalist resume is in PDF format when submitting. This format maintains the integrity of images, icons, and layout, making your resume easier to share.
Finally, concerning your resume format and the Applicant Tracker System (ATS):
- Use simple yet modern fonts like Rubik, Lato, Montserrat, etc.
- All serif and sans-serif fonts are friendly to ATS systems. Avoid script fonts that look like handwriting, however.
- Fonts such as Ariel and Times New Roman are suitable, though commonly used.
- Both single and double-column resumes can perform well with the ATS.
Keep in mind market-specific formats – for example, a Canadian resume might follow a different structure.
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Showcase any ongoing or recent educational efforts to stay updated in your field.
Ensure your HR generalist resume stands out with these mandatory sections:
- Header - the section recruiters look to find your contact details, portfolio, and potentially, your current role
- Summary or objective - where your achievements could meet your career goals
- Experience - showcasing you have the technical (and personal) know-how for the role
- Skills - further highlighting capabilities that matter most to the HR generalist advert and your application
- Certifications/Education - staying up-to-date with industry trends
What recruiters want to see on your resume:
- Proven experience with HR functions such as recruitment, onboarding, employee relations, performance management, and termination processes.
- Familiarity with HR laws and regulations, including FMLA, ADA, EEO, and labor laws.
- Ability to administer and analyze HR metrics for informed decision-making and strategic planning.
- Strong interpersonal and conflict resolution skills, with the ability to handle sensitive and confidential information.
- Experience with HRIS (Human Resources Information Systems) and proficiency in MS Office Suite.
Writing your HR generalist resume experience
Within the body of your HR generalist resume is perhaps one of the most important sections - the resume experience one. Here are five quick tips on how to curate your HR generalist professional experience:
- Include your expertise that aligns to the job requirements;
- Always ensure that you qualify your achievements by including a skill, what you did, and the results your responsibility led to;
- When writing each experience bullet, ensure you're using active language;
- If you can include a personal skill you've grown, thanks to your experience, this would help you stand out;
- Be specific about your professional experience - it's not enough that you can "communicate", but rather what's your communication track record?
Wondering how other professionals in the industry are presenting their job-winning HR generalist resumes? Check out how these HR generalist professionals put some of our best practices into action:
- Spearheaded a company-wide policy overhaul which increased compliance with labor laws by 35% and enhanced workforce understanding of HR protocols.
- Implemented a robust employee performance review system that improved staff retention by 25% while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and feedback.
- Executed a successful recruitment campaign that filled 50+ positions with high-quality candidates within a 6-month period, significantly reducing time-to-hire.
- Managed benefits administration for over 800 employees, negotiating with vendors to reduce costs by 20% while maintaining employee satisfaction.
- Led a diversity initiative that increased minority representation in the workforce by 15%, creating a more inclusive and equitable workplace culture.
- Developed and facilitated training on employment law and best practices that reduced legal risks and saved the company $100K+ in potential fines.
- Designed and executed an employee engagement survey that revealed key areas for improvement, ultimately boosting overall employee satisfaction by 30%.
- Played a pivotal role in the launch of a new HR information system, ensuring seamless transition for 500+ employees and gaining praise for project management skills.
- Directed the internship program, increasing conversion to full-time staff by 40%, enriching the talent pipeline.
- Automated several HR processes using HRIS technologies, reducing manual entry tasks by 60% and enabling the HR team to focus on strategic initiatives.
- Collaborated in the development of a compensation structure that aligned with market standards, helping to attract and retain top talent in a competitive industry.
- Coordinated the response to COVID-19, implementing work-from-home procedures and health guidelines that kept employees safe and maintained productivity.
- Launched a wellness program that decreased employee health-related absences by 18%, contributing to enhanced productivity and employee well-being.
- Handled all workplace investigations, resolving 95% of issues internally and mitigating risk of external litigation.
- Revitalized the company's performance management process by integrating a 360-degree feedback mechanism that led to more balanced reviews and employee development.
- Developed a strategic recruitment plan that targeted passive candidates, increasing talent pool quality and filling hard-to-fill roles 20% faster.
- Launched an employee recognition program that improved morale and increased recognition mentions by 50% within one year.
- Facilitated change management during a major corporate restructuring, resulting in a smoother transition and a 10% increase in employee satisfaction scores.
- Overhauled the onboarding process, reducing new employee ramp-up time by 30% and boosting early-stage employee engagement.
- Conducted a wage and hour compliance audit across multiple states, ensuring the company stayed ahead of regulatory changes and avoided penalties.
- Implemented an HR analytics dashboard that provided real-time data on key HR metrics, empowering leadership with insights to make informed decisions.
- Led the transition to a new benefits administration platform, providing a more user-friendly experience for employees and reducing processing errors by 22%.
- Played a key role in negotiating a new employee labor agreement, fostering a collaborative relationship with the union and enhancing operational efficiency.
- Established a company-wide mentorship program that paired junior employees with senior leaders, improving professional development and internal networking opportunities.
Quantifying impact on your resume
- Analyze your past HR initiatives to quantify the percentage improvement in employee retention rates.
- Illustrate your ability to reduce recruitment costs by specifying the percentage decrease achieved over a given period.
- Demonstrate efficiency by detailing the reduction in time-to-hire for new employees through your streamlined processes, using specific percentages.
- Highlight your budget management skills by showcasing the exact amount of money saved through negotiation of benefits and compensation packages.
- Specify the number of training sessions or workshops you have conducted and the subsequent increase in team productivity or performance metrics.
- Cite the volume of employee relations cases you’ve handled and how your intervention led to a reduction in workplace conflicts.
- Exhibit the scale of your HR project management skills by including the number of cross-functional teams you have collaborated with.
- Prove your expertise in compliance by listing the number of audits successfully passed or the percentage reduction in compliance incidents under your watch.
Action verbs for your HR generalist resume
Writing your HR generalist experience section without any real-world experience
Professionals, lacking experience, here's how to kick-start your HR generalist career:
- Substitute experience with relevant knowledge and skills, vital for the HR generalist role
- Highlight any relevant certifications and education - to showcase that you have the relevant technical training for the job
- Definitely include a professional portfolio of your work so far that could include university projects or ones you've done in your free time
- Have a big focus on your transferable skills to answer what further value you'd bring about as a candidate for the HR generalist job
- Include an objective to highlight how you see your professional growth, as part of the company
Recommended reads:
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Highlight any significant extracurricular activities that demonstrate valuable skills or leadership.
The right balance between hard skills and soft skills for your HR generalist resume
Wondering what the perfect HR generalist resume looks like? The candidate's profile meets job requirements by balancing both hard skills and soft skills across their resume.
- Hard skills are all the technologies you're apt at using . Prove you have the right technical background by listing key industry hardware/software in your HR generalist resume skills section and noteworthy certifications.
- Soft skills are both your personal, mindset, communication, analytical, and problem-solving talents . Use your HR generalist resume achievements section to show how you've used a particular soft skill to reach a tangible outcome.
When writing about your unique skill set, always make sure to refer back to the job advert to see what are the key requirements. This ensures you've tailored your resume so that it matches closer to what the ideal candidate profile is.
Top skills for your HR generalist resume:
HRIS Software (e.g., Workday, BambooHR)
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
Payroll Systems
Employee Onboarding Tools
Performance Management Software
Learning Management Systems (LMS)
Compensation Analysis Tools
Time and Attendance Systems
Microsoft Office Suite
Data Analysis Tools (e.g., Excel, Google Analytics)
Communication Skills
Problem-Solving
Interpersonal Skills
Conflict Resolution
Time Management
Adaptability
Empathy
Teamwork
Attention to Detail
Organizational Skills
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List your educational qualifications and certifications in reverse chronological order.
What are the best certificates to add to your HR generalist resume + how to curate your education section
The education and certification resume sections are the underdogs of your HR generalist resume.
They showcase to recruiters that you've invested plenty of time to gain valuable and specific know-how, vital for growth.
As far as the resume education section is concerned:
- Detail only advanced education, specifying the institution and timeframe.
- Indicate your forthcoming graduation date if you're in the midst of your studies.
- Consider omitting degrees that don't align with the job's requirements.
- Offer a description of your academic journey if it underscores your notable achievements.
When curating your degrees and certificates on your HR generalist resume:
- Select only accreditation that matters to the role
- Niche knowledge that could help you stand out as a candidate (as is within the past few years), should be listed towards the top of your resume
- Include any pertinent data for credibility (e.g. institute name, graduation dates, etc.)
- Irrelevant degrees and certifications shouldn't make it on your resume. Those include your high school diploma and any specializations that have nothing to do with the technical or soft skills that are required for the job
As a final note, if you feel tempted to exclude your education or certification from your resume, don't.
These two sections could help you have a better competitive edge over other candidates - hinting that your professional journey in the industry may be for a longer period of time.
Recruiters find all of these HR generalist credentials impressive:
The top 5 certifications for your HR generalist resume:
- Professional in Human Resources (PHR) - HR Certification Institute (HRCI)
- Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) - HR Certification Institute (HRCI)
- SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) - Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
- SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) - Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
- Associate Professional in Human Resources (aPHR) - HR Certification Institute (HRCI)
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If the certificate you've obtained is especially vital for the industry or company, include it as part of your name within the resume headline.
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HR generalist resume summaries or objectives: real-world samples for best industry practices
Grasp recruiters' attention from the get-go of your application with a professional HR generalist resume summary or objective.
It's wise to select the:
- Resume objective , if you don't happen to have much experience alignment and would like to more prominently feature your dreams and personality.
- Resume summary , if you'd like to have a more standard approach to your application and feature up to five career highlights to help you stand out.
Writing your resume summary or objective should be tailored to each role you apply for.
Think about what would impress the recruiters and go from there.
But, if you need further help with this introductory section, check out some real-world samples in the next part of this guide:
Resume summaries for a HR generalist job
- Accomplished HR generalist with over 5 years of comprehensive experience in talent acquisition, employee relations, and benefits administration, including a track record of successfully redesigning the onboarding process to improve new hire retention by 25% at a leading tech firm.
- Dynamic professional with a decade of experience in project management and communication, now seeking to leverage transferable skills in a human resources setting, aiming to enhance HR operations through strategic planning and employee engagement initiatives learned from running large-scale projects in the construction industry.
- Seasoned finance manager with 8+ years of budgeting and strategic analysis expertise, eager to apply analytical and problem-solving skills to the human resources field to optimize workforce management and contribute to effective HR policy development in a fast-paced retail environment.
- Enthusiastic individual with a passion for workplace culture and employee development, driven to embark on a career in human resources by implementing a highly praised peer mentoring program during my 2 years as a team leader in the hospitality sector.
- Eager to jumpstart my career in human resources by applying a fresh perspective and undeterred dedication to fostering a positive and productive work environment, underpinned by a strong educational background in psychology and volunteer experience organizing community job fairs.
- Self-motivated recent graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a commitment to learning the intricacies of HR practices; poised to contribute to talent management and employee engagement strategies with a keen interest in developing innovative solutions for workforce planning.
Other HR generalist resume sections to support your expertise and skills
Recruiters are always on the lookout for that HR generalist candidate who brings about even more value to the role.
This can be either via their personality or additional accreditations they have across the industry.
Add to your resume any of the four sections that fit your profile:
- Projects for your most impressive, cutting-edge work;
- Awards or recognitions that matter the most;
- Publications further building up your professional portfolio and accreditations;
- Hobbies and interests to feature the literature you read, how you spend your time outside of work, and other personality traits you deem may help you stand out .
Key takeaways
- Ensure your HR generalist resume uses a simple, easy-to-read format that reflects upon your experience and aligns with the role;
- Be specific within the top one-third of your resume (header and summary or objective) to pinpoint what makes you the ideal candidate for the HR generalist role;
- Curate information that is tailored to the job by detailing skills, achievements, and actual outcomes of your efforts;
- List your certifications and technical capabilities to demonstrate your aptitude with specific software and technologies;
- The sections you decide on including on your HR generalist should pinpoint your professional expertise and personality.
