HR Manager Resume Sample, Job Description & Writing Guide for 2024

There's much more to human resources than a hiring process and talent acquisition.

Human resources managers have a broad range of responsibilities. These include workforce planning, employee relations, workers compensation, and compliance with labor laws and company policies. Consequently, most organizations have a hierarchy of human resource management, ranging from entry level to human resource director.

Wherever you fit into the structure, your HR manager resume must reflect your previous experience and highlight your future potential. While this sounds straightforward, it's easy to overlook things that can cost you career opportunities.

This expert human resource management resumes writing guide has tips on how to craft your best resume for HR manager roles. It includes an HR manger sample resume as well, with expert hints along the way.

Using our resume builder is up to you. However, it's a fact that professionally designed templates always result in more interviews. Our resume templates are at the leading edge of HR tech, like applicant tracking systems. They're also updated regularly by our specialist resume writers to keep inline current with hiring trends. With that in mind, can you afford not to make your HR management resume on our CVMaker resume builder?

Let's get going.

HR manager resume writing guide: Where to start?

Whether you're job hunting or a LinkedIn recruiter looking for passive candidates contacted you, you must have a resume plan.

Since the digitization of the recruitment process and HR tech, haphazard or rambling resumes don't get through the initial screening. Parsers in applicant tracking systems remove resumes that don't meet predefined criteria before anyone sees them. Even if it gets through, recruiters won't waste time searching for key skills and experience in a hard-to-read resume.

Getting directly to the point: your resume for human resource manager roles must be no more than one to two pages long. That's not much space to include your work history, education, personal details, etc., particularly if you've got extensive experience.

The way to go is to focus only on the job requirements when writing a resume for each job application. Computerization has streamlined the hiring process. Parsing software identifies resume keywords to distinguish the most qualified resumes early in the application process. If your human resources resume doesn't meet the job post benchmarks, it will be eliminated.

The secret to moving from applicant to desirable candidate participating in the interview process is only including the job requirements in your resume. In other words, list only your relevant experience and regard the rest as immaterial.

Getting on the interview shortlist requires a targeted or job-specific HR manager resume with the exact keywords in the job ad. In addition, you include your personal details and, possibly, additional info that enhances your application. Nothing else, no matter how extensive your experience is. You'll have more than enough time to elaborate during interviews.

Human resources is diverse and complicated, and as you progress in your career, your skills and experience will grow. After a few years, it becomes pretty difficult to remember everything, meaning you could easily omit critical info from a targeted resume.

Beat that happening and save time when you apply for jobs by compiling a master HR resume.

Expert hint

The more detailed your master resume for human resource manager vacancies, the more time you save for job applications. It’s easy to overlook previous work experience; a master resume is an excellent reminder.  

Master HR manager resumes

When you're keen to get a job application submitted, taking the time to write a master resume can seem like a waste. The thing is, you only have one opportunity to apply for a job. You can't reapply with an edited HR resume if your application gets rejected. That would be an instant red flag to any hiring manager.

Applying timeously and applying hastily can each deliver a very different outcome. Make sure you don't regret spending a little more time before hitting the send key. A comprehensive master HR resume ensures no crucial information is omitted when writing targeted resumes focused on specific vacancies.

Unlike a targeted resume, a master resume details all your education and jobs. It includes study dates, education/training institution names, degree/course names, subjects and qualifications, certifications, tenure dates, employer names, and job descriptions. Any accomplishments or awards get included under the relevant study or work section.

A master resume for human resource managers' career history details your work history as you progressed from entry level to now. Start with your first HR job, whether volunteer experience, internship, or permanent. Include every position with employer details, tenure dates, and notable achievements. Make it comprehensive because this will be your source for reference for every targeted resume.

Take your time writing your master; ultimately, you'll reap the benefits of time-saving and quickly matching relevant skills and experience to resume keywords.

Save your master to an easily accessible folder with all supporting documents. You can use it to keep your LinkedIn profile and other business socials current. It's no secret that a hiring manager will go straight to potential candidates' online presence if they make the interview shortlist.

Job-specific resume for human resource manager

Now that your master resume is done, it's time to kick off the job application process.

Successful HR Manager job applications rely on self-knowledge and honesty. After thoroughly reading a job post, you know whether you're a good fit. Targeted resumes and resume keywords mean that your professional experience must align with the job post. Otherwise, your resume gets rejected by parsers in the initial screening stage.

Once you're confident you can do the job, it's time to research and analyze so that you can plan your perfect resume. Begin with the potential employers’ website and business socials. Next, see what articles you can find in business publications. Finally, research the human resources department.

This way, you learn about their products or services, trading conditions, number of branches, employee headcount, company culture, and core values. You can even get insight into their employee satisfaction ratings from employer review sites. Ultimately, you want to work for an organization that reflects your own values, goals, and ambitions.

Move on to the job requirements to see what they need and how you can meet these needs. Compare the job description with your master resume, extracting matching criteria. Begin writing your job-specific resume, adapting words in your master to mirror keywords in the post.

Remember, a job-specific resume only includes requirements listed in the job post. Give them what they want and nothing else. A job-specific or targeted resume gets you through parsers in ATS and job portals and onto the applicant shortlist.

Select a professional resume format and write your targeted resume for HR manager positions in reverse-chronological order, which works best. Also, put your job responsibilities in the same order as the post hierarchy, and use the same job title.

Lastly, limit your job-specific resume to one to two pages. There's no space for irrelevance. You can impress the hiring team with all your talents when you're in the interview chair.

Expert hint

Whether you’re writing a human resource director or beginner HR resume, viewing your job-specific resume as to a potential employer’s problem rather than a job application will make your application more targeted and focused.

HR manager sample resumes

Download This Resume Example

Create your professional resume now

Jace opted for our green Edinburgh resume template after going through a download resume example. Sandi chose our Cambridge resume template framed in red. Always review a sample resume for human resources manager and human resource management resume examples if you’re unsure of the best format. An HR manager sample resume can guide you to a winning formula for content and design.

What to include in a resume for an HR manager? Writing tips and examples

Specific sections of HR manager resumes are obligatory, and the job post dictates the rest. Mandatory sections are:

• Contact information
• Education
• Personal details
• Resume Header
• Resume objective
• Skills
• Work experience

The remaining sections depend on the job requirements and may include:

• Additional languages
• Articles and publications
• Courses and certifications
• Notable achievements
• Professional membership
• References

One thing that's a requirement in some countries and not in others is a professional resume photograph. In some countries, such as France, Spain, and Germany, a resume without a photo is unlikely to be considered. Conversely, a resume with an image will be disregarded in the UK and USA. It’s the same on every continent; some countries expect a resume picture, and others legislate against it. Be sure you get it right by doing a quick online search to see what your prospective employer wants.

It's best only to include sections that align with the job ad. However, some things can enhance your application, even though they're not a requirement. Examples include foreign language skills, courses and certifications related to the job or industry, and relevant professional memberships. Before adding them, though, consider how they add value to your application. You don't want anything taken away from your suitability and the value you bring.

How to write a resume summary on an HR manager resume

Introduce your professional experiences in a brief HR manager resume summary that sums up your resume. Also known as a resume objective, it serves as a teaser of what’s in your targeted resume. That considered, it must be engaging and compelling to stimulate interest and get the hiring manager to continue reading.

In around 80 to 100 words, give readers a heads-up on your education, relevant work experience, skills, and achievements. It’s usually best to write it after you’ve written your tailored, job-specific resume. Keep it relevant to the vacancy, list specifics, and use statistics where necessary for impact. Ensure it contains vital keywords, is consistent with your resume, and arouses curiosity. The idea is to draw the reader in.

Situated at the top of your resume, it’s your first and only opportunity to make a good impression. Carefully consider your choice of words, write persuasively, use active language, express confidence, and aim to fuel the reader’s curiosity. Quantifying things and using stats lets you say more, and it’s more engaging.

Example career objective for HR manager resumes

Beginner HR resume objective

Eager entry-level human resources generalist keen to join a busy human resources (HR) team to learn and contribute to team success. Recent Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification from the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) and 3 years of experience in HR. Previous experience in HR administrative tasks includes background checks, hire paperwork, compensation issues, drawing up offers, and the onboarding process. Skilled in hire orientations, employee benefits, and compensation structures. Immediately available and open to all industries.

Human resources manager resume summary

Committed, proficient human resources management professional with 10+ years of experience in senior management. Recently concluded consulting as human resources (HR) business partner for international concern focusing on business strategies, organizational development, and organizational effectiveness related to talent management. Introduced integrated workforce planning schedules at branch level allowing the transfer of skilled employees in peak production or short-skill areas. Reduced the hire of temporary workers by 75%, improved branch productivity by 80%, and bettered employee satisfaction to 99%. Branch profits increased by 37%, increasing employee compensation by implementing various employee reward programs.

Senior-level HR generalist resume summary

Enthusiastic human resources specialist with a strong background in talent management and acquisition. Over 15 years of experience in HR, including 8 years of manager experience. Discussing business objectives with department managers to streamline workforce and succession planning. Calculating benefit packages, conducting exit interviews, and conducting employee satisfaction surveys. Managing employee orientation programs, annual performance reviews, employee performance improvement, and performance management. Overseeing internal and external employee training programs from a human resources (HR) perspective. Handling employee relations issues, like unauthorized leaves of absences, in conjunction with senior management. Chairing disciplinary meetings of severe offenses, such as sexual harassment.

Expert hint

Resume objectives are the first thing readers see when they download resume. Active language in your resume objective is like positive body language in an interview. Writing in an upbeat, confident tone makes readers want to know more about you.

Skills to list on an HR manager resume

The skills section is an essential section on all human resource manager resumes. It’s also one of the places where you can win over applicant tracking systems with your soft skills and technical skills.

Becoming a successful HR manager is a process of acquiring a vast array of skills over time to do the job well. Technical skills are probably the easiest to obtain since they come from education and training. On the other hand, soft skills can take plenty of practice, coaching, and self-study if they’re not innate.

Typical human resources (HR) key skills include:

Technical skills

• Analytical skills
• Communication skills
• Compensation structures
• Management skills
• Problem-solving skills

Soft skills

• Active listening
• Communication skills
• Emotional intelligence
• Interpersonal skills
• Leadership skills

Remember to quote the relevant skills verbatim from the job post when writing any skills into your resume for HR manager jobs. Skills are always critical keywords loaded to ATS.

How to write work experience on a human resource manager resume

Human Resources (HR) experience is broad, with many skill and experience areas. Human resources generalists work across a range of HR functions. In contrast, a human resources specialist chooses a specific HR area to specialize in.

Large organizations and multinationals have large HR departments led by an HR director with a diverse team of human resources generalists, specialists, and recruiters. Medium concerns usually have an HR manager supported by a smaller team, and startups might choose to outsource their HR function or hire an experienced all-rounder.

Again, irrespective of your work experience, you only want to include those required in the job advertisement. Together with skills, work experience is where parsers spend the most time. Nevertheless, despite wanting to echo the job requirements, your HR manager or generalist resume must still be authentic and convincing. Never copy/paste; always rewrite the details from your master resume.

Write your job-specific resume honestly, confidently, and enthusiastically, listing job responsibilities in the same order as the job description HR manager sample. Ensure your work experience is reader-friendly, typed in a black business font on a white background, and spaced well. Fit each core function into a single bullet point using engaging, active language. Make your resume easy to follow, comment on, and share, as it will likely get reviewed by a hiring team.

New graduates with little or no HR work experience seeking entry level roles may find a reverse chronological format resume unsuitable. Use your education and transferrable skills to compensate for the lack of work history. Your future employer won’t expect to see much work experience and will gladly accept volunteer experience and related education.

Write your matching and transferrable skills gained in part-time gigs, temporary jobs, job shadowing, and at college in a skills-based resume.

Work experience for human resources manager resume samples

Employee benefits human resources specialist example

• Compiling employee benefit programs in alignment with organizational objectives.
• Drafting employee benefit packages for newly created positions.
• Resolving benefits-related employee relations issues.
• Ensuring employee benefit packages comply with company policies.
• Ensuring remuneration and benefits comply with local and international fiscal policies.

Sample human resources manager resume work experience

• Managing a team of 5 human resources generalists.
• Ensuring steps within the hiring process, such as background checks and administrative tasks, are conducted on potential candidates.
• Overseeing offer letters, hire orientations, exit interviews, absence issues, and workers compensation issues.  
• Consulting with business partners on employee development, employee retention, performance management, and performance improvement.
• Maintaining human resource policy, employee handbooks, employee training, and employee reward programs.

Expert hint

Only include the work experience mentioned in the post, no matter how much additional experience you might have. The experience the prospective employer is looking for will get you past ATS and into interviews where you can expand on your targeted HR manager resume.

How to list language skills on a human resources management resume

Speaking a foreign language or two can be very useful if you’re a professional in human resources, especially if you’re in an international concern. Communicating with business partners in their language doesn't only make things easier; it builds confidence and trust. For instance, a human resource director who can speak to human resources generalists in global branches in their local dialect wins respect right away.

If you can speak a second or even more languages, list them on your resume, even if it isn't in the job posting. Your additional language skills don't need to be perfect. Even basic conversational abilities can improve human resources (HR) business partner relationships. Add a language section in your resume for HR manager vacancies and rate each language according to your level of proficiency.

Key takeaways on writing human resource manager resumes

That’s it - we’re done with all crucial points covered.

The human resources manager resume examples supplied are tools to help you write perfect job-specific resumes.

Let's recap the most critical points to make you the successful HR manager you want to be.

• Create a detailed master resume beforehand.
• Read job posts thoroughly before applying.
• Research the company and management upfront.
• Match the job criteria to your master resume.
• Compile a job-specific resume targeting the role.
• Limit your resume to no more than two pages.
• Select a suitable resume format to showcase your talents.
• Proofread and double-check your resume before submitting it.
• Save your final HR manager resume pdf in an easily accessible folder.
• For unbeatable professionalism, use a resume builder.

Next steps?

Find unique templates for HR manager resumes

Your resume is the first impression potential employers will get of you. Presentation matters as much as content in the first few seconds you have to make a significant impact.

No professional in human resources has the time to edit and manipulate free online templates to get the desired result. They also can’t risk a shoddy presentation and risk getting overlooked. Look at professional HR manager or generalist resume samples and see how difficult it is to duplicate their design from scratch.

CVMaker resume templates are easy to use, modern, and ATS-friendly. Visit our resume templates library to select one from our vast range. Each template has color options for you to choose from. And you can change templates and colors with a single click while making your resume or on completion.

Make a statement with an expert resume, flawless in layout, style, and content, with CVMaker's resume builder.

Resume writing service

Often, no matter how hard we try, the right words just don’t come. Getting another pair of eyes and exceptional expertise can make a world of difference.

Consult one of our expert resume writers to gain a new perspective on your HR career. No more than a click away, they aim to ensure your career success.

Find our Resume Writing Service here.

FAQs

How to become a human resources manager

Human resources is a separate organizational function that oversees staffing matters and all related processes. Reaching management level requires a bachelor's degree and several years of experience. HR certifications from places like the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) also add credibility to your resume.

A professional in human resources mostly starts their career in an entry level role, usually doing admin tasks. They then move to human resources generalists roles before landing junior management positions.

Can you be a human resources manager with a psychology degree?

A degree in psychology, together with short HR courses like those offered by the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI), is ideal for HR management. People management plays a major role in HR, and knowledge of lesser-known issues in business, like body language, can be essential.

Professional memberships to bodies such as the Society for Human Resource Management will help psychology graduates bring their HR knowledge up to standard.

Does a human resources manager need a degree?

Generally, job entry requirements for human resources is a bachelor’s degree in HR, psychology, and sometimes marketing. You can, however, start in a human resources department in a junior position and study part-time until you achieve the minimum required education level. That way, you gain valuable experience and earn an income while studying.

Which human resource certificate is best?

There are plenty of good human resources (HR) certificates available, including the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) and the Society for Human Resource Management. Today, many renowned institutions offer quality online courses with recognized qualifications. In-depth courses cover everything HR-related, from admin tasks to unapproved absence issues and issues like workers compensation, annual performance reviews, and employee reward programs.

How human resources contribute to an organization’s success

One of the many ways human resources play an essential role is in strategic organizational planning since employees are core to a company’s success. From general workers to staff with previous experience and management skills, having the correct people in the right positions is vital. HR also deals with compensation issues which are critical for budgeting.

What is a human resources (HR) business partner?

A human resources (HR) business partner, or HRBP, is a professional in human resources who can do everything from talent acquisition and management to employee benefits, employee relations, compensation issues, and statutory compliance. They’re also involved in business strategies, organizational objectives, and designing talent initiatives to support business success.

Where can I find a great sample human resource manager resume?

As an enthusiastic human resources specialist, you want to present your best. As much as content matters, if it’s poorly presented in a difficult-to-read resume, it’s unlikely the content will get read. Seeing how it must be done always makes resume writing simpler. Download resume like this excellent human resource manager resume example.