Human Resources Manager Resume

Use the slider below to view our stunning before and after transformation of this human resources manager resume.

Notice the testimonials from the HR manager’s former boss? They are included “above the fold” right in the body of the example HR manager’s resume summary.

A strategically placed testimonial can be extremely powerful on a resume. Instead of placing them in the resume summary, you could also include them within the chronological context in the body of the resume.

The “snapshot” box for each position is another technique that we frequently use to call out the bottom-line impact a person produced at each company. As these boxes are shapes drawn in Microsoft Word and placed behind the text, applicant tracking systems (ATS) are able to parse the text. Using a “text box” in Word can cause a problem in ATS as the ATS will “see” the text box as a graphic and skip it.  Of course, technology is continually advancing. Unless you have up-to-date knowledge of ATS compatibility requirements for resumes, it is best to seek resume help from an expert and have your resume professionally designed and written.

Keywords are also essential to ensure your resume performs well in an ATS. Note the bolded keyword or keyphrase at the beginning of each bulleted achievement. This provides an extra opportunity to include ATS-friendly keywords in your resume while also making it much easier to read.

The summary section of this example human resources manager resume isn’t just “fluff” and soft skills. Bolded, bulleted statements call attention to real, concrete achievements and credentials that are likely to appeal to the target of this resume.

People are often surprised to hear that HR professionals often work with professional resume writers. But, if you consider that they, perhaps more than anyone else, know the value of a compelling resume, it isn’t that surprising. We work with many HR professionals at Distinctive Career Services. Schedule a free resume writing consultation to learn more about our services and how they might benefit you.

The second human resources resume shown here, also for an HR manager, showcases the importance of including results in a resume–ideally quantified results. It is absolutely essential that you include accomplishments, but you provide additional context, meaning, and credibility to your accomplishments when you include numbers that illustrate the results and value you have provided.

This human resources resume was written using a somewhat unique format. The accomplishments and results are called out in a table format (it is important to note that the way these tables are structured is ATS-friendly). And the end result is a really powerful resume in which the eye is drawn to the key points.

Of particular note, a result that will be especially persuasive and compelling in an HR resume is showcased in the summary section, using a shaded callout box: “Repeatedly delivered value to employers in excess of 10X salary…”. This is an especially compelling statistic for an employer seeking strong ROI.

Including statistics in this way helps “prove” your ability to add value that exceeds the investment that an employer makes in hiring you. This is an essential point that you must understand: employers don’t just hire employees “because.” They hire employees because they have a problem they want solved, a challenge they want to overcome, or a goal they want to achieve. Most frequently, employers want to know how you can help them make money or save money.

Writing your human resources resume to show how you add value that will directly impact the bottom line will ensure you stand out and pique the interest of potential employers.

An added bonus of placing so much emphasis on your value add: you gain a competitive advantage and strengthen your desirability to employers and many times this results in a salary offering higher than you would otherwise have received.