HR Generalist Resume Examples & Skills

You’ve survived the remote work revolution, boomer jokes, and the great resignation. You’ve grown immune to the corporate buzzwords. Even quiet quitting doesn’t scare you.

But how do you explain that with your resume?

You don’t have to switch to rage-applying mode to find the one company that values you. Just use our tips to write a powerful HR generalist resume and make your job search process smooth and easy.

In this guide:

• An HR generalist resume sample better than most.
• Detailed instructions explaining how to write a resume for human resources generalist.
• Tips to craft a great HR generalist resume summary and resume objective.
• How to list the key HR generalist skills on a resume.

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Need resume examples for other administrative jobs? Check here:

• Administrative Assistant Resume Example
• Business Administration Resume Example
• HR Coordinator Resume Example
• HR Director Resume Example
• HR Manager Resume Sample
• Human Resources Resume Example
• Office Manager Resume Example
• Personal Assistant Resume
• Resume Sample for a Recruiter
• Payroll Manager Resume

You can also check our collection of over 250 resume examples for various professions.

HR Generalist Resume Sample

An HR generalist is responsible for a wide range of duties in the human resources department, including leading recruitment, interviewing candidates, creating onboarding plans, and training newly hired employees. An HR generalist resume must highlight both professional expertise and people skills.

See how to write a resume for human resources generalist the right way:

1. Choose the Best Resume Format

Imagine the perfect resume. What does it look like? Is it so polished it’s glimmering?

The good news is, you don’t need to print your HR generalist resume on glow-in-the-dark paper. There are easier ways to ensure it shines.

Here’s what you need to do:

HR Generalist Resume Format

• Use the reverse-chronological resume style to show your most recent accomplishments.
• Make the margins of your resume 1 inch wide.
• Select a classic, easy-to-read resume font such as Times New Roman, Georgia, or Calibri.
• Arrange the information with headings, subheadings, paragraphs, and bulleted lists.
• Put your contact information in the resume header at the top of the page.
• Keep the length of your resume limited to 1 page.
• Save the resume in a PDF or Doc format after you’re done.

You can also speed up the process using an online resume builder. These innovative online applications will handle a lot of the work for you, as they feature modern resume templates and expert tips to help you with writing.

2. Write a Catchy HR Generalist Resume Profile

Want to start a resume with a bang? Advertise your qualifications with a resume profile. Try a resume summary if you’re an experienced candidate or a resume objective if you want an entry-level job.

Here’s the job-winning formula for an HR generalist resume profile:

1. Start with a good personality trait, such as “meticulous” or “dependable.”
2. Follow up with your job title—HR generalist.
3. Add years of experience.
4. Say what you can do to help the company succeed.
5. Mention an accomplishment from the past.

 The examples below can inspire you:

Sample HR Generalist Resume: Summary

Goal-oriented HR generalist with 4+ years of experience. Eager to streamline recruitment and improve employee and manager relations at Canyon Runway Ltd. Improved employee retention by 14% through continuous improvement based on exit interview data.

I am an ambitious, goal-driven HR generalist. I’ve worked in HR for 5 years, and I’m experienced in recruitment processes, employee training, and employment law.

The first example can wow the hiring manager, but the second one—not so much. See the differences between them? The first one not only mentions the applicant’s experience but also proves their worth with a relevant achievement.

Sample HR Generalist Resume Objective

Personable student of Human Resource Management seeking an entry-level HR generalist position. Keen to use my interpersonal and communication skills to provide HR support to employees at Caramel Apple Services. Demonstrated administrative abilities while volunteering at the student career center at Mt. Sinai College in 2022.

Third-year HR Management student hoping to gain experience in the corporate world. Worked part-time as a restaurant server from 2020 to 2022.

Even if you don’t have relevant work experience, show you know what the job entails. In a resume objective, mention what you can do for the company using your skills and knowledge.

3. Describe Your Work Experience and Skills on an HR Generalist Resume

Trying to name all the responsibilities of a human resources generalist can take hours. But the truth is, you don’t need to do that on a resume. Describing your work experience isn’t about listing all your duties. It’s about showing the right achievements that prove you’re the best candidate for the job.

How to make a strong work experience section on a human resources generalist resume:

• Start with the most recent job first.
• Mention your job title along with the company name and location.
• Specify the work period using months and years.
• List out 3–4 key responsibilities using bullet points.
• Describe one major professional achievement per job.
• Use resume action words to highlight your worth.

Take a look at the examples below:

HR Generalist Resume Sample: Job Description

HR Generalist

Lithium Star, Salt Lake City, UT

January 2021–present

Key responsibilities:

• Led recruitment processes that resulted in hiring 40+ new employees in 2021–2023.
• Supported employees in various HR-related topics, including benefits, payroll, compensation, and internal policies.
• Collaborated with other HR team members and department heads to plan training and development activities for new and existing employees.
• Served as a mediator between employees and management to help resolve issues and conflicts on a regular basis.

Key achievements:

• Initiated the exit interview process to gather and analyze data for continuous improvement, which led to a 14% increase in employee retention.

HR Representative

Maple Mountain Hotel, Provo, Utah

July 2018–December 2020

Key responsibilities:

• Collaborated with HR managers to organize recruitment processes, screen potential candidates, and schedule interviews.
• Conducted over 100 hours of management training on various topics, including interviewing techniques, hiring processes, contract termination, employee development plans, performance reviews, and employee safety.
• Ensured the accuracy of all employee records, including personal information, timesheets, recorder hours, and employment benefits.

Key achievements:

• Co-created the Work From Home policy to effectively respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and resume business operations in April 2020.

What makes this sample HR generalist resume job description impressive is that it uses factual information—numbers and percentages—to emphasize the candidate’s accomplishments.

HR Generalist at White Paper Business Solutions, NYC

2020–2022

• Responsible for keeping employee records up to date.
• Helped to organize recruitment processes.
• Tried to keep all employees motivated using a variety of team-building activities.

Oh, no… The example above uses the cursed phrase “responsible for.” It also uses weak words such as “helped” and “tried”. They make the candidate sound like they’re not good at their job.

Your resume needs a list of skills, too. But… What are HR generalist skills? It combines professional knowledge and abilities related to employment law, administrative work, payroll, and recruitment processes with people skills. The competency framework from UC Berkeley names 9 key skills of an HR generalist: inclusiveness, stewardship, problem-solving, strategic planning, communication, quality improvement, leadership, teamwork, and service focus. It’s no wonder that many job advertisements expect them from candidates.

Select a few hard and soft skills from this list:

HR Generalist Resume Skills

• HRIS software (Paycor, monday.com, Workday)
• Applicant Tracking Systems
• Administrative skills
• Employee benefits
• Performance management
• Recruitment strategies
• Employment law
• Interviewing
• Payroll
• Giving and receiving feedback
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Active listening skills
• Attention to detail
• Verbal and written communication
• Interpersonal skills
• Time management
• Conflict resolution skills
• Computer skills

To make your skill section, choose 4–6 professional skills, 2–3 soft skills, and technical skills related to specific software you use for work. Make sure the result mirrors the job requirements listed in the job ad.

HR Generalist Resume: Sample Skills

• HRIS software (Paycor, monday.com, Workday)
• Administrative skills
• Performance management
• Recruitment
• Verbal and written communication
• Interpersonal skills
• Time management
• Conflict resolution skills

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4. Show That Your Education Matters

The entry requirements for HR jobs differ between companies. For some, just a high school education is enough, while for others a bachelor’s degree is essential. This means that your resume needs a high-quality education section to work for your benefit.

Create the education section on a human resources generalist resume this way:

• Start with the highest degree or qualification you’ve got
• Add the school or institution name and location
• Mention the years of study
• List the GPA if it’s above 3.7
• Describe academic accomplishments, honors, scholarships, extracurricular activities, or relevant coursework.

The last step mentioned above can be skipped if you’ve got professional experience as an HR generalist. However, for entry-level positions, such information can prove valuable. Your academic experience can make up for your lack of work experience.

Human Resources Generalist Resume Sample: Education Section

B.S. in Human Resource Management

Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah

September 2014–June 2018

GPA: 3.91

Extracurricular activities:

• Elected president of the Society for Human Resource Management in the years 2016–2018.

Bachelor’s in HR Management, Bethany College

2021

GPA: 3.2

Member of the volleyball club

The first example does it well: there’s a great GPA, all information is served with enough detail, and there’s a description of a relevant achievement. The second example is less than impressive.

5. Include Extra Sections on Your HR Generalist Resume

It is time to put the finishing touches on your resume. How? By handpicking a few additional resume sections. Use them to convince the recruiter that you’re a worthy candidate.

Choose from:

• Associations and memberships
• Certifications and licenses
• Conferences
• Language skills
• Personal interests
• Personal projects
• Publications
• Volunteer work

See the examples below:

Languages

• Spanish—Advanced
• Italian—Intermediate

Volunteer Work

White Roses Fund, Ogden, UT

May 2019–present

• Initiated a tutoring program catering to 30+ children and teens at risk of failing school.
• Helped organize fundraising events to raise money for disadvantaged children in Utah.
• Collaborated with social workers to train youth volunteers and prepare them for community activities.

Personal Interests

• Learning mindfulness techniques and exploring how mindful practices can improve the workplace.

Languages: Spanish (beginner)

Interests: Soccer, travel

The additional resume sections serve as space to provide information that’s relevant to the job you want. The first example shows how to do it well—language skills can be useful at work, the volunteer experience highlights important skills, and hobbies are connected to the candidate’s profession.

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Key Points

Now you know how to write a strong HR generalist resume. Here’s a reminder of the main points from this guide:

1. Use the resume format that works best for you.
2. Create a resume introduction, such as a professional summary or a career objective.
3. List your relevant work experience together with your achievements and professional skills.
4. Provide an overview of your educational background.
5. Pick a few extra sections for your resume to show additional qualities.
6. Don’t forget to include a cover letter that highlights your interest in the position

Are any steps of the writing process unclear to you? Do you have any tips for other candidates writing an HR generalist resume? Let me know in the comments below!