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As a key person within the Human Resources (HR) Department, an HR generalist handles the day-to-day operational management and covers a wide range of responsibilities including recruitment procedure, employee orientation, training and development, regulatory compliance and reporting, and etc.
Because of the high expertise and job requirements, it is imperative to build a well-designed and professionally-tailored HR generalist resume if you aim to apply for this position.
People seem to be mistaken between a HR generalist CV (Curriculum Vitae) and a HR generalist resume as they are both professional documents required for the job application. In fact, these two terms are not quite the same.
HR generalist CV
HR generalist resume
Learn more about how to distinguish a CV from a resume to make sure your HR generalist resume is proper for the job application.
A resume is subject to four major types of formats , namely: chronological, functional, hybrid, and targeted.
Accordingly, an impressive human resources generalist resume should have a coherent and well-structured layout. Before adopting a template, first determine which HR generalist resume format would be the best choice for your desired positions.
Before starting with your resume, you can try to search resume templates & examples on the Internet. This way, you can find a lot of useful tips and avoid critical mistakes.
Human Resources holds many different positions with each covering specific HR-related functions. Thus, your HR generalist resume should fully show your strengths and skill set that are specifically required for the HR generalist role, not an HR assistant, recruitment coordinator or personnel manager one .
Besides a CV / resume, a human resources generalist cover letter is also required by the recruiter and hiring managers as they wish to hear more from applicants.
By introducing briefly about yourself, expressing how much you want to be a part of the team and how you are a great fit for the job, you can leave a favorable impression which might lead you to the next round.
Learn more about creating a well-written cover letter to have your own collection of HR generalist cover letter examples.
Proofreading is a very important step towards crafting a good resume, whether it is an HR generalist resume with 3 years experience, an HR generalist resume with 5 years experience or even a senior HR generalist resume.
⚠️ Make sure your document is error-free otherwise you may miss out the career opportunity.
First and foremost, an HR generalist resume should include information that allows hiring managers to reach you. Thus, keep it in mind to provide up-to-date and sufficient details.
You should include these:
You should not include these:
As mentioned earlier, the resume headline and title can demonstrate your professional level in this field. Having a lean and well-branded resume headline that shows your achievements can help you stand out from other candidates.
🔍 How can a professional title present your seniority level? (HR generalist resume headline examples)
At the beginning of your resume, it is necessary for you to bring up an impressive HR generalist summary statement together with the most remarkable achievements you have gained, ideally within two sentences.
Examples of an HR generalist professional summary:
While writing your HR generalist resume objective, it is important to illustrate your professional and devotion to the organization instead of personal goals, for examples:
Structuring your skill section wisely will not only show the hiring manager that you are a perfect match for the vacancy but also distinguish you from the competition. Below are several ways to showcase your HR general skills on resume:
Work experience is regarded as the key part of a resume where recruiters will spend most of their time reviewing and exploring. You should not only list your employment history in a well-structured order but also mention some of your HR generalist achievements.
HR generalist achievements resume example:
Ashley Marie | Mesa, AZ | Inteplast Group
2015 – 2019
Director – US & International Human Resources
The educational background section on an HR generalist resume may affect the hiring executives' decision as this is viewed as a measure to evaluate the candidates' attributes. However, it should be noted that you need to avoid filling this part with all of the academic details otherwise your resume will become lengthy and tedious.
Here is the way you can present your educational background in your HR generalist resume:
To further promote yourself in your human resources generalist resume, you can also include some information about your personal projects, awards or certifications that support your qualifications upon the job description.
Best HR certification for career advancement:
Despite being greatly emphasized by recruiters as well as hiring managers, this tip tends to be neglected by many job applicants.
Instead of sending a generic resume, you should craft a unique resume for the position that you are targeting, for instance, an HR generalist resume with 3 years experience should be different from a senior HR generalist resume. This way, you can distinguish yourself from other potential applicants by demonstrating your competitive advantages and professionalism.
Recent research has revealed that recruiters spend an average of 7 seconds scanning a resume. Therefore, it is very important to utilize keywords from the job description. These phrases could be applicable skills or job responsibilities.
🗒 Note : Keep in mind to organize them by bullet points to make your HR generalist resume well-structured, lean and professional.
Every number can tell a story. Indeed, elaborating on your employment history through numbers and metrics can speak louder than a high GPA. Show hiring managers what contributions you have made, not just what tasks you have been assigned.
Examples:
Unless you are applying for creative jobs such as a graphic designer, content writer or social media specialist, you'd better choose an ATS-friendly format/layout for your HR generalist resume. A simple and basic HR generalist resume format allows big companies that adopt an ATS to review your resume more efficiently.
💡 Tips: Upon completing the writing, don’t forget to save it as a PDF with a proper name file.
Polish your resume with powerful and compelling action verbs instead of common words and phrases that recruiters have read over and over.
Assuming you have a variety of job experiences before, your HR generalist resume should only focus on what’s relevant to the HR Generalist position.
List of HR-related skills to put on an HR generalist resume:
Online resume builders like Cake, provide service in building a professional HR generalist resume.
The purpose of a cover letter (also known as a job application letter) is to further demonstrate your qualification to convince the recruiter that you would be a good fit for the company.
HR generalist cover letter should be one-page in length with the following information:
625-984-0045
linkedin.com/in/samstephen
Driven HR generalist with 6+ years of experience, possessing great expertise in staff coaching, training, development and engagement. Looking to invigorate the corporate culture at Masus Corporation.
Ivee Group, Houston, TX
HR Generalist
Mar 2016 - Jun 2020
VNG Ltd., Mesa, AZ
Staffing & Recruitment Associate
Feb 2012 – Dec 2015
2008 – 2012, Bachelor's Degree in HRM
San Diego State University
Soft skills
Hard skills
--- Originally written by May Luong ---
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