Human Resources Generalist Resume examples & templates
Copyable Human Resources Generalist Resume examples
Ever wonder who keeps a company's workforce running smoothly behind the scenes? Human Resources Generalists are the unsung heroes balancing employee needs with organizational goals. They're the professionals who handle everything from recruiting top talent and coordinating benefits to mediating workplace conflicts and ensuring compliance with labor laws—often all before lunch! The role has evolved dramatically in recent years, shifting from purely administrative functions to becoming strategic partners in organizational success. In fact, HR Generalists who develop expertise in people analytics earn about 31% more than their counterparts who stick to traditional HR functions, according to a 2023 PayScale report.
As remote and hybrid work models become permanent fixtures in many organizations, HR Generalists are now navigating entirely new territory. They're developing virtual onboarding experiences, reimagining company culture in digital spaces, and creating equitable policies for distributed teams. The most successful HR pros are those who can blend their people skills with data literacy and change management capabilities. For those considering this career path, there's never been a more exciting time to shape how companies attract, develop, and retain the talent that drives business forward.
Junior Human Resources Generalist Resume Example
MORGAN TRAN
Chicago, IL | (312) 555-8976 | morgan.tran@email.com | linkedin.com/in/morgantran
Detail-oriented HR Generalist with experience in recruiting, onboarding, and benefits administration. Skilled in HRIS platforms and employee relations. Completed HR certification while working part-time in HR assistant role. Looking to grow my career with an organization where I can contribute to building positive workplace culture.
EXPERIENCE
HR Generalist – Midwest Solutions Group, Chicago, IL (January 2023 – Present)
- Manage full-cycle recruitment for entry to mid-level positions, reducing time-to-fill by 6 days
- Coordinate onboarding for 5-7 new hires monthly, creating welcome packages and orientation schedules
- Process bi-weekly payroll for 78 employees using ADP Workforce Now
- Assist with annual benefits enrollment and answer employee questions about company benefit plans
- Update employee handbook with new policies, creating clear summaries for all-staff emails
HR Assistant (Part-time) – Sunrise Healthcare, Chicago, IL (May 2022 – December 2022)
- Screened resumes and scheduled interviews for nursing and administrative positions
- Maintained personnel files and entered new hire information into HRIS database
- Helped organize quarterly staff appreciation events for 120+ employees
- Drafted job descriptions based on department manager input and posted to job boards
Administrative Intern – Harmon & Associates, Chicago, IL (September 2021 – April 2022)
- Provided general office support while gaining exposure to HR functions
- Assisted with scanning and organizing personnel documents for digital conversion
- Helped coordinate company holiday party and summer picnic
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Business Administration, Human Resources Management
DePaul University, Chicago, IL – May 2022
SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP)
Society for Human Resource Management – March 2023
SKILLS
- HRIS Systems: Workday, ADP Workforce Now
- Full-cycle recruitment
- New hire onboarding
- Benefits administration
- Employee relations
- HR compliance
- Microsoft Office Suite (advanced Excel skills)
- Applicant tracking systems (Greenhouse, Indeed)
- Basic payroll processing
- Employment law knowledge
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Chicago Human Resources Association (CHRA), Member since 2022
Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Member since 2022
Mid-level Human Resources Generalist Resume Example
Melissa Torres
mtorres.hr@gmail.com | (714) 555-8921 | Irvine, CA 92618
linkedin.com/in/melissatorres-hr
Detail-oriented HR Generalist with 5+ years of experience supporting employee lifecycle processes and implementing HR initiatives. Skilled in benefits administration, employee relations, and recruitment strategies that have reduced turnover by 17%. Known for creating practical solutions to complex workplace challenges while balancing company needs with employee satisfaction.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
HR Generalist | Pacifica Healthcare Solutions | Irvine, CA | April 2021 – Present
- Manage full-cycle recruitment for 3 departments (35+ positions annually), reducing time-to-fill by 9 days through improved candidate screening processes
- Coordinate benefits administration for 120+ employees, achieving 94% on-time enrollment and reducing benefit-related inquiries by 22%
- Partner with department managers to resolve employee relations issues, maintaining 93% satisfaction rating in internal HR surveys
- Led transition to new HRIS platform (Workday), training 15 department administrators and creating documentation that cut implementation time by 3 weeks
- Conduct bi-weekly new hire orientations and develop onboarding materials that increased new hire satisfaction scores from 81% to 89%
HR Coordinator | Westview Manufacturing | Costa Mesa, CA | June 2019 – March 2021
- Supported recruitment efforts by screening resumes, scheduling interviews, and conducting initial phone screenings for 20-25 positions quarterly
- Maintained personnel files and HRIS data for 200+ employees, ensuring 99.5% accuracy during quarterly audits
- Processed payroll bi-weekly using ADP Workforce Now for hourly employees with 100% accuracy
- Assisted with annual performance review process, tracking completion rates and following up with managers to ensure 94% completion rate (up from 78%)
HR Assistant | Meridian Staffing Services | Anaheim, CA | August 2018 – May 2019
- Supported 2 HR Generalists with administrative tasks including document management, scheduling, and responding to basic employee inquiries
- Coordinated job postings across 6 different platforms and maintained applicant tracking spreadsheets
- Helped organize quarterly team-building events for staff of 50+, staying 7% under budget while increasing attendance by 15%
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, HR Concentration
California State University, Fullerton | Graduated: May 2018
GPA: 3.7/4.0 | Dean’s List: 6 semesters
CERTIFICATIONS
SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) | Obtained June 2020
Workday HCM Implementation Fundamentals | Completed March 2022
SKILLS
- Full-cycle Recruitment & Onboarding
- Employee Relations & Conflict Resolution
- Benefits Administration
- HRIS Management (Workday, ADP)
- Performance Management
- CA Employment Law Compliance
- Policy Development & Implementation
- Training & Development
- Microsoft Office Suite (Advanced Excel)
- Compensation & Salary Benchmarking
Senior / Experienced Human Resources Generalist Resume Example
RACHEL THOMPSON
Denver, CO • (720) 555-4287 • rthompson.hr@email.com • linkedin.com/in/rachelthompson-hr
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Versatile HR Generalist with 9+ years of experience managing full-scope HR functions across diverse industries. Known for revamping onboarding processes that improved retention rates by 27% and implementing targeted wellness initiatives that decreased absenteeism. Combines strong employee relations skills with technical expertise in HRIS systems and a knack for translating complex policies into practical guidelines.
EXPERIENCE
Senior HR Generalist | Crescent Healthcare Systems | Denver, CO | March 2020 – Present
- Lead all HR functions for a 350-employee regional healthcare provider across 6 facilities
- Redesigned performance management system resulting in 93% completion rate (up from 64%)
- Spearheaded DEI initiative that increased diverse hiring by 31% and improved engagement scores
- Managed annual compensation review process for clinical and administrative staff, maintaining competitive positioning at 58th percentile of market rates
- Created crisis management protocols during COVID-19 that kept essential operations running while protecting staff safety
- Partnered with IT to implement Workday HRIS, reducing manual processing time by 14 hours weekly
HR Generalist | Apex Manufacturing | Boulder, CO | June 2017 – February 2020
- Managed full-cycle recruitment for production and engineering roles, filling 48 positions annually with average time-to-hire of 24 days
- Conducted bi-weekly new hire orientation for groups of 5-15 employees
- Investigated and resolved employee relations issues, maintaining detailed documentation for legal compliance
- Reduced workers’ compensation claims by 22% through safety training program development
- Revised employee handbook and policy documentation to align with changing regulations
HR Coordinator | Westfield Retail Group | Denver, CO | January 2015 – May 2017
- Supported recruitment and onboarding for 200+ retail positions across 12 locations
- Administered benefits enrollment and answered employee questions about coverage options
- Maintained personnel files and ensured compliance with recordkeeping requirements
- Created monthly HR metrics reports tracking turnover, time-to-fill, and cost-per-hire
- Assisted with planning and execution of quarterly team-building events (the scavenger hunt was always my favorite!)
EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS
Bachelor of Science, Business Administration – University of Colorado, Boulder (2014)
SHRM-CP Certification – Society for Human Resource Management (2018, renewed 2021)
PHR Certification – HR Certification Institute (2019)
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Workplace Investigations Training, EEOC (2021)
Advanced FMLA & ADA Compliance Workshop (2020)
Inclusive Hiring Practices Certification (2019)
TECHNICAL SKILLS
- HRIS: Workday, ADP Workforce Now, BambooHR
- Applicant Tracking: Greenhouse, iCIMS, Lever
- Benefits Administration: Zenefits, Gusto
- Microsoft Office Suite & Google Workspace
- Data Analysis: Tableau (basic), Excel (advanced)
CORE COMPETENCIES
- Employee Relations & Conflict Resolution
- Performance Management
- Policy Development & Implementation
- Compensation & Benefits Administration
- Employment Law Compliance (FLSA, FMLA, ADA)
- Talent Acquisition & Retention
- DEI Program Development
How to Write a Human Resources Generalist Resume
Introduction
Landing that perfect HR Generalist job starts with a resume that showcases your people skills, compliance knowledge, and problem-solving abilities. I've reviewed thousands of HR resumes over my career, and the difference between those that get interviews and those that don't often comes down to specificity and relevance. Your resume isn't just a history of your jobs—it's a marketing document that positions you as the solution to an employer's HR needs.
Resume Structure and Format
Keep your resume clean and scannable. HR folks (of all people!) know how quickly resumes get reviewed.
- Stick to 1-2 pages (one page for junior roles, two pages max for 5+ years experience)
- Use consistent formatting with plenty of white space
- Choose a clean, professional font like Calibri or Arial in 10-12pt size
- Include clear section headers that stand out
- Save as a PDF unless the job posting specifically requests a different format
Always name your file professionally! "FirstName_LastName_Resume.pdf" makes it much easier for recruiters to find your document after downloading it. You'd be surprised how many resumes get lost in the shuffle with names like "resume_final_v3.pdf".
Profile/Summary Section
Start with a punchy 3-4 line summary that highlights your HR experience, specialties, and biggest strengths. This is your "elevator pitch" and often determines whether someone reads the rest of your resume.
Example: "HR Generalist with 4+ years supporting manufacturing environments (350+ employees). Specialized in benefits administration, HRIS management, and employee relations. Reduced turnover by 17% through implementing structured onboarding program and stay interviews."
Professional Experience
This is where you'll spend most of your resume real estate. For each role:
- Start with company name, your title, and dates (month/year)
- Add a brief 1-line description of the company if it's not well-known
- List 4-6 accomplishment-focused bullets per position
- Begin each bullet with a strong action verb (implemented, reduced, managed)
- Include numbers whenever possible (managed onboarding for 15+ new hires monthly)
Weak: "Responsible for benefits administration"
Strong: "Managed open enrollment process for 275 employees, resolving 93% of questions without escalation and ensuring 100% on-time completion"
Education and Certifications
List your degree(s), school, and graduation year. For HR positions, certifications can really set you apart:
- PHR/SPHR or SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP
- Payroll certifications (CPP)
- HRIS certifications (Workday, ADP, etc.)
- Benefits Administration certifications
If you're pursuing a certification, include it with "(In Progress - Expected Completion: Month Year)"
Keywords and ATS Tips
Most companies use ATS software to screen resumes before human eyes see them. Match your resume to each job description by including relevant keywords:
- HRIS platforms you've used (Workday, ADP, UKG/Kronos, etc.)
- Specific HR functions (employee relations, benefits, compensation)
- Compliance knowledge (FMLA, ADA, FLSA, state-specific regulations)
- Industry-specific experience (healthcare HR, manufacturing HR)
Industry-specific Terms
Show you speak the language by naturally incorporating HR terminology:
- HRIS/HRMS systems
- Employee relations
- Performance management
- Talent acquisition
- Compliance regulations
- Total rewards
- Workforce planning
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Being too vague (saying "handled HR functions" instead of specific responsibilities)
- Focusing only on duties rather than achievements
- Neglecting to quantify your impact
- Using outdated terminology (personnel department, human capital)
- Including obvious skills like "Microsoft Office" unless specifically requested
Before/After Example
Before: "Responsible for onboarding new hires and explaining benefits."
After: "Redesigned onboarding program for 200-person sales organization, creating department-specific training modules that reduced time-to-productivity from 45 to 32 days. Conducted 14 benefits education sessions annually with 97% positive feedback scores."
The difference? The second version shows measurable impact and gives the hiring manager a clear picture of both your skills and results. As an HR pro, you know it's all about showing your value!
Related Resume Examples
Soft skills for your Human Resources Generalist resume
- Conflict resolution and mediation – handling disputes between employees while staying neutral and finding fair solutions
- Cross-departmental communication – translating HR policies into practical language for different teams
- Active listening skills with the ability to read between the lines (especially during exit interviews!)
- Discretion when handling sensitive personnel information and tough conversations
- Adaptability to rapidly changing priorities – shifting gears between recruitment, employee relations, and compliance tasks
- Emotional intelligence to navigate complex workplace dynamics and varying personalities
Hard skills for your Human Resources Generalist resume
- HRIS Administration (Workday, ADP, BambooHR)
- Compensation Analysis & Benefits Administration
- COBRA & FMLA Compliance Management
- Employee Relations Case Documentation
- Applicant Tracking Systems (Greenhouse, Lever)
- PeopleSoft Reporting & Data Extraction
- Microsoft Excel (Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP, Macros)
- Performance Management Systems
- SHRM-CP Certification