What certifications should an HR manager have?

SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP (Society for Human Resource Management) and PHR/SPHR (HR Certification Institute) are the two most recognized credential paths.

What metrics should an HR manager put on a resume?

Time-to-hire, offer acceptance rate, employee retention rate, cost-per-hire, eNPS (employee Net Promoter Score), and training completion rates.

What HRIS systems should I know as an HR manager?

Workday dominates enterprise; BambooHR is common in SMBs; ADP Workforce Now for payroll-heavy environments; Greenhouse and Lever for recruiting-focused roles.

How do I transition from HR generalist to HR manager?

Quantify your generalist achievements, pursue SHRM-CP certification, seek projects with budget or people management responsibility, and tailor your resume to the leadership elements of each posting.

Should I include DEI work on my HR resume?

Yes — DEI programs, ERG management, and diversity hiring initiatives are increasingly valued and often specifically sought in HR leadership postings.

Business

HR Manager Resume Writing Guide

HR manager resumes must communicate both the human-centric side of the role (employee relations, culture, DEI) and the operational effectiveness that leadership expects (talent acquisition metrics, retention rates, HRIS management). This template structures both dimensions clearly for ATS and hiring executives.

View example sections

Who should use this template

HR managers and HR business partners at any industry
Talent acquisition managers and recruiting leads
HR generalists ready to step into a management role

Key skills for your human resources manager resume

Include these keywords in your skills section to match what recruiters and ATS systems look for in human resources resume template applications.

Talent acquisition & full-cycle recruitingEmployee relations & conflict resolutionHRIS (Workday, BambooHR, ADP)Performance managementCompensation & benefits administrationOnboarding & offboardingDEI initiativesEmployment law & complianceLearning & developmentSHRM-CP / PHR / SPHR

Resume example sections

Structure your resume with these sections in order for the best results with recruiters and ATS software.

1Professional Summary
2Core HR Competencies
3Work Experience
4HRIS & Tools
5Education
6Certifications

Professional Summary Example

SHRM-CP certified HR manager with 7 years leading full-cycle talent acquisition and HR operations for technology companies with 200–1,000 employees. Reduced time-to-hire by 30% and improved 90-day retention by 18% through structured onboarding redesign.

Work Experience Bullet Examples

Reduced average time-to-hire from 45 to 30 days by implementing structured interview process and ATS workflows in Greenhouse.
Designed onboarding program for 200-person company, improving 90-day retention rate by 18%.
Managed annual performance review cycle for 300+ employees, coordinating calibration sessions across 5 departments.

ATS optimization tips

Include HRIS names: "Workday", "BambooHR", "ADP Workforce Now", "Greenhouse", "Lever".

List SHRM or HRCI certifications prominently: "SHRM-CP", "PHR", "SPHR".

Save as a plain .docx or PDF (not a scanned image) so text is machine-readable.

Mirror keywords from the job description verbatim — spelling counts.

Common resume mistakes to avoid

Listing HR activities without quantifying the scale: headcount managed, hire volume, turnover rates.

Not including employment law knowledge areas relevant to target jurisdictions.

Including a photo, date of birth, or other personal details not relevant in the US/UK.

Ignoring the job description keywords and writing a generic resume.

Ready to build your business resume?

Use this free ATS-friendly human resources resume template as your foundation and fill in each section with your own achievements.

View template sections ATS Resume Guide

Frequently asked questions — human resources resume template

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