HR Manager Resume Examples & Writing Tips for 2025

As an HR manager, you wear many different hats. One day, you’re dealing with conflict resolution in the workplace. The next day, you’re onboarding new staff members and making sure you follow all the regulatory processes to a tee.

You know what it means to juggle wide-ranging responsibilities, from admin support and staff supervision to budget and facilities management. But how can you showcase your endless talents on your HR resume?

It’s all about getting the balance right. Not only do you want to emphasize your skills, but you also need to show you have the character for the job. Since HR is all about working with people, you’ll need to have oodles of interpersonal skills, too.

Feeling overwhelmed? You're not alone.

In this guide, we’ll go through essential steps to write an HR manager resume that stands out and helps you land your next big opportunity. Let’s get started.

How to use this HR manager resume guide

Ready to dive in? We’ve designed this guide to help you craft a unique HR resume that highlights your unique skills and career goals. For a more streamlined experience, consider using our resume builder to achieve a polished, professional finish.

Read our expert-backed advice below:

What to focus on when writing your HR manager resume

Think of your resume as a book. Your HR manager application tells the story of your leadership and career so far. It needs to show how you’ve built strong teams, resolved pesky workplace challenges, and truly shaped the company culture.

Before you start writing, you’ll want to pick some central focuses. We recommend highlighting the accounting systems and software you can use, key achievements such as cost-saving initiatives, and relevant certifications and advanced degrees.

Let’s take a look at the main angles you want to take here:

Specific accounting systems and software

HR managers don’t do everything by pen and paper. You need to use a selection of all-singing, all-dancing systems and software. Name-check these on your HR manager resume.

Let’s take a look at some of the tools you may already use:

• QuickBooks Payroll
• Workday
• Sage HR & Payroll
• Rippling

Don’t assume the recruiter knows you’re fluent in these systems. It’s important to spell everything out for them—and make it clear. That way, there’s no room for confusion.

Key HR-centric achievements

What impact have you made on the business? Throwing in some key achievements on your resume is always the way to go. When adding these accomplishments, always think about the bottom line. What outcome did your efforts have and—importantly—can you quantify that?

Relevant certificates and advanced degrees

We’ll cover what exactly to put in your education section later. However, for now, it’s worth noting that boasting the right certification can set you apart from the crowd.

If you’ve taken the time to develop yourself and your skills, shout about it on your resume. Be clear about the courses you’ve taken and the professional certificates you hold as a result.

Easy-to-read layout and design

Getting the content of your HR manager resume right is one thing. But you shouldn’t ignore the power of your resume layout. You need to make sure your resume is easy to read.

Of course, there are a few ways you can do this. We recommend making use of white space, including bullet points where possible, and using a clear, skimmable design.

Now that you know what to focus on, let’s move on to how to choose the resume format:

How to choose the right resume format

Choosing the best resume format matters more than you might think.

There are three main choices when you’re deciding on the layout:

• Reverse-chronological format: a linear timeline of your career
• Functional format: a skills-based resume layout
• Combination format: a mixture of the two above formats

If your career path is straightforward, use a reverse-chronological resume—list your most recent achievements first and work backward. This is the format recruiters expect to see.

Of course, if you’ve switched careers recently or taken a sabbatical, this approach may not suit you. In that case, you can opt for either the functional (skill-based) or the combination format.

You should be confident in how to format your resume now. Let’s move on to the header first.

What to include in your resume header

Resume headers share your basic details with the recruiter. Think of this section like a business card—delivering your name, contact details, and any links you want to share.

Let’s take a look at what you need:

• Your name: Start with your first and last name.
• Job title: Include the job title that matches the posting, i.e. “HR manager”.
• Contact details: Next, list your professional email and phone number.
• Location: Write down your location, e.g. your city and state.
• Extra links: Link to your LinkedIn page, for example.

Here’s an example of how that would look:

How to write a resume summary

The first step toward success is introducing yourself to the recruiter. You can do that in your resume summary. This short paragraph sits neatly at the top of the page. It’s your chance to make your case to the reader and emphasize why you’re the right fit for the role.

Your words need to pack a real punch. Use powerful resume action words in this section to hook the reader’s attention. Examples include presented, led, organized, and managed.

If you have a case of writer’s block, don’t panic. It happens to the best of us.

Here are some things you should display in your HR manager summary:

• Your years of experience and the industry you work in.
• Your HR niche, e.g. talent acquisition.
• Tangible metrics relating to your achievements.
• Any special awards or training you have.

Always look back at the job announcement first and find examples of what the recruiter is looking for here. It’s savvy to align your summary with their demands.

Not only does the above summary put metrics front and center, it also adds specific details. Sharing the training and awards the candidate has is a quick way to grab some attention.

How to write a quantifiable resume experience section

Next up, it’s time to put some work experience on your resume. Recruiters will expect you to have a proven track record of success—don’t let them down. Once again, you use the reverse-chronological order when listing the positions you’ve previously held.

When it comes to how far back to go on your resume, avoid going back more than 10-15 years. Any experience you have that predates this time frame isn't relevant. What’s more, you could open yourself up to other problems, such as accidental age discrimination.

Include the basics: the company name, location, your role, and your dates of employment. Below that, you can use bullet points to highlight your accomplishments in the role.

Here’s an example:

Pinpointing systems and software while adding tangible statistics is the way to go. The above work experience section tells a compelling career story.

HR manager resume work experience samples

When crafting the perfect work experience section, you need to play to your professional strengths. What's it that makes you unique? By positioning yourself as a leader in that area, you can pique the reader’s interest.

Let’s take a look at three approaches:

People management focused

HR is all about people—but you know that already. If your superpower is that you’re great with staff, tell the recruiter all about it. Weave this through your work experience section.

Optimization focused

Productivity isn't a trend—it’s an essential part of any workplace. If you have what it takes to boost staff productivity, now’s the time to share your secrets.

Staff retention focused

Replacing employees is expensive—costing them about 21% of their annual salary. If you're great at staff retention, that's a big advantage. Highlight this skill in your work experience section.

Listing your skills on your resume

Do you know what skills to put on a resume? You likely have an entire roster of talents you’re dying to scream about. However, you need to use a targeted strategy,

Start by looking at the job posting. What key skills has the recruiter listed in the core criteria? If you happen to have any of these “essentials,” they deserve a place on your resume.

Your resume should highlight both hard and soft skills in the core competencies section. This means including technical skills relevant to the job, along with soft skills like communication and interpersonal abilities.

Let’s take a look at an example:

Best hard skills to feature on your HR manager resume

Hard skills are essential to any HR management position. It’s not just about getting on with staff. You’re going to need the technical know-how to excel in this position.

Include everything from the software you use to the specialist systems that guide your work. Consider any talents you’ve learned via on-the-job training or courses.

Here’s a quick example:

Best soft skills to feature on your HR manager resume

That’s not to say you should overlook soft skills. These are the talents that drove you to become the expert HR manager you are today. Examples include your time management, communication, and interpersonal abilities.

Check out our example below:

Education on resume

Now that you’ve covered the rest, let’s chat about the education on your resume. Use the reverse-chronological format when listing your certificates and training.

There are two core types of education to cover:

Formal education

While HR managers don’t need to have college degrees, if you do have one, add it here. You may also want to include your high school qualifications, too.

Here are some details you can provide:

• Any academic honors (Cum Laude, Dean’s list, etc.)
• Relevant coursework
• Your GPA (if it's 3.5 or above)

Training and certificates

Showing off professional certifications on your resume is always a bonus. Having these shows you’re dedicated to your career path and willing to invest time in learning new things.

Examples include the Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) certificate and the Talent Acquisition Specialist (TAS) certificate. Don’t forget to specify the date you received each award.

Let’s take a look at an example education section:

Extra sections to include in your HR manager resume

We’ve covered the main resume sections. But is your application missing something? Now’s the time to provide some additional information to bolster your chances.

Language section

Do you speak French, Japanese, or German? Whatever other language you know, list it in your language section. You should also include your proficiency level.

Hobbies and interests section

Having hobbies on your resume can be a real advantage. This helps the recruiter see you as more than just another candidate. Share interests that fit the HR role—especially those that highlight your people skills.

Volunteer work section

If you lack work experience, you can include some volunteer work on your resume. Create a section in the same style as your work experience section. Only detail positions that are relevant to the role of HR manager.

Conclusion

Your next HR role is just around the corner. It all starts with a well-thought-out HR manager resume. Use this guide to create yours now. Get started by using our drag-and-drop resume builder tool to make the process easier than ever.