7 Simple Resume Writing Tips: Getting Hired in HR

Getting hired in human resources is a tricky process.

When you get in this team, you’re going to evaluate candidates based on the application documents. But at this point, you’re sending the kind of application documents that you want to evaluate. You have lots to prove and it won’t be easy.

This resume has to be absolutely impressive. Most of all, it should be memorable, so it will stick with the hiring manager for a long time after they are done going through your application.

How do you do it?

We’ll give you seven easy tips that will help you write the perfect resume for a job in HR.

Craft the Perfect Headline

The headline is one of the first things that get the reader’s attention.

We’re not talking about your name and contact information, which you normally position at the top of the page. We’re talking about the headline statement. It tells who you are and what career goals you want to achieve, in a single sentence.

Through this sentence, the hiring manager will immediately recognize you as a promising candidate… if it’s good enough.

Think of it this way: a hiring manager asks you “what makes you perfect for this job?” You have one sentence to answer that question. That’s your resume headline.

HR Professional with Five Years of Experience in Corporate Recruiting

Now that’s the kind of statement that would instantly get a manager’s attention. Of course; what you say has to be 100% true.

Format It Well

Get yourself in the shoes of a hiring manager. You plan to be part of a company’s HR team, so this shouldn’t be hard for you.

Do you think this hiring manager has time to go through a chunk of text and extract the relevant details? No. They want a simple, but well-organized format.

For a position in human resources, the reverse-chronological format may be the best. Use big headings that separate the sections of the resume. Use lots of white space, so you’ll make the resume readable. If you can turn this resume into a nice infographic without messing up its clarity, do it. By all means, do it! The right dose of creativity always gets a hiring manager’s attention.

Share Tangible Results

When you apply for a job of this level, you clearly need to share details about where you’ve worked. But this doesn’t mean you’ll just list your previous positions and write the job descriptions. No. You’ll provide specific details about the number of employees these organizations had, and the talent you managed to attract there.

Be strategic. The size of the organizations you worked at indicates the responsibilities you had. Use numbers and facts that the hiring team can easily verify.

Use Important Keywords

Maybe you’re not sending this resume to an open job ad. Maybe you’re sending it just because you want the team of this organization to consider you. Maybe there’s a job ad, but you won’t get the position and you’d still like to be active in the company’s database.

Be active in the company’s database - that’s a goal you’ll achieve if you use proper keywords in the resume. These keywords include the specific job requirements, competencies, skills, and credentials that are relevant to the position you want.

So when the recruiter searches the database using a particular keyword, they can find your resume and contact you.

What Makes You Better than Other Candidates?

This is an important question that the resume has to answer.

Everyone applying for a position in HR has great skills and qualifications. The hiring team has to choose between several good candidates. Clearly, they want the best one. What makes you better than all other candidates?

You may answer this question in the cover letter, which gives you space to talk about your passion and culture fit. The resume, however, should show educational and professional credentials that separate you from the crowd. List the professional networks you’re part of. List all leadership positions you’ve had and share actual results. If you’ve been featured in any publications, throw in the link.

Don’t Forget the Certifications

A HR resume has to include a section about your certifications. The rest of the resume will inform the team about your skills and job history, but they still want to know what certificates you have.

You may include the certifications in the headline statement. But you still need to add a dedicated “Certifications” section. It’s best to put it at the top of the resume, since it’s the most relevant information that the hiring team needs.

If you don’t have any qualifications and this particular job description didn’t list such a requirement, don’t bother. Still, it’s important to keep in mind that you can make more money as a certified HR professional.

Clean It Up

The resume must be 100% free of grammar errors, flowery adjectives, and unneeded details. It’s crucially important to make it clean and readable. Remember: the hiring manager has only few minutes to look at it before they decide if you deserve a chance. If they see a grammar error, you’re doomed.

This is the best recommendation anyone could give you: if you lack proofreading and editing skills, hire someone to help with the resume. Here’s a list of services that provide editing assistance for an affordable price:

You could also use software, such as Grammarly or Ginger, but remember: software cannot replace an actual editor.

You Can Do This!

As an HR professional, you know what a great resume is. You, of all people, can definitely write an attention-grabbing resume. You just need to believe in yourself a bit more. Now that you have simple tips to get you started, it’s time to move forward.