How to Write an HR Project Manager Resume

Are you wondering how to draw your future employer’s attention with your HR project manager resume? Read our post to find out what to include in your resume to impress the readers.

Without a professional resume, it gets hard for applicants to shine. In today’s competitive industry, about 40% of recruiters spend less than a minute reviewing a resume. So, it is important to have a nice and strong resume that captures your relevant skills and experience. To help you stand out to hiring managers and communicate your skills and work experience through your resume, we are going to teach you how to write an HR project manager resume.

But, before creating a resume, there are a couple of things you need to do:

• Always tailor your resume to the job you are applying for
• Note down your major accomplishments for previous jobs, details about former employers, job titles, and duties, technical, hard, and soft skills, and so on
• Find dedicated time to write your resume
• After getting it all down, proofread your resume

Now, let’s start with our step-by-step guide on how to write a perfect human resources manager resume.

What is the Best Format for an HR Project Manager Resume?

Selecting the right resume style is all about making different sections of your resume and putting everything in proper order. Following are the three formats that are popular in the resume writing industry:

1. Reverse Chronological
2. Functional
3. Combination (Hybrid)

All these types have proved popular with recruiting managers over the years. People use every resume type for a different purpose. So, when choosing which type of resume to use, you must consider your current employment conditions. Here are the three formats described in detail:

Reverse-Chronological

The reverse chronological format is the most traditional and recognizable format for resumes. Most hiring managers and recruiters prefer this format as it demands less guesswork than other formats. It provides a structured design that enables applicants to highlight both their work history and experience in chronological order, starting with the most recent job held. This format also presents your skills in context, making it easier for hiring managers to see your career growth and development.

In essence, it gives a tour through the applicant’s employment history that starts in the present and works backward into the past. It is the right choice if you want to show career progression in the HR field, have no gaps in the job history or wish to remain in the same or related industry. However, if you have many prominent gaps in your work history, you want to switch careers, or your job experience varies a lot, you may want to consider any other resume format.

Functional

While the reverse chronological format starts with the mention of your work history, the functional resume template instead begins with the skills you have. This format puts your skills at different points, along with certain achievements that further showcase your strengths and suitability for the job. Yes, your previous jobs do get a mention, but in the abbreviated form, that includes basic details. Following this, you include another section listing your educational accomplishments in reverse chronological order.

It is well-suited if you have large employment gaps, little job experience, or often make career changes. However, those who want to showcase their career achievement should go for any other format. Some hiring managers also dislike this format as it takes skills out of context. Also, you should refrain from using this format if you lack the right kind of skills for the job you are seeking, as it shows the limited qualifications right away.

Combination (Hybrid)

Also called a combination or combined resume format, it is a hybrid of the reverse-chronological and functional resume formats. The hybrid format has grown in popularity to an extent where many job seekers are unaware that they are using one. It combines the best elements of the other two resume formats into something practical yet customizable. This format lets you highlight skills and accomplishments at the top while using a chronological format to show details of your career trajectory.

If you have an impressive skillset and mixed education and work experience background, then it is an ideal choice. The hybrid resume format is also for you if you are an expert in the given field, changing your career path, or have a relevant skillset. But if you want to break into this industry with no experience, the hybrid format is not an effective format. It is also less effective if you lack the needed skills and want to showcase educational achievements and experience.

What to Include in Your HR Project Manager Resume?

Following is the list of sections you should include in your HR project manager resume:

HR Project Manager Professional Header

No matter how much time you spend writing a resume, if the main elements have no proper and prominent form, your odds of drawing attention are low. To increase your chances, it is crucial to add a professional resume header. While its purpose is basic, the header has the power of grabbing recruiters’ attention and making them want to know about you in detail.

You can think of the header as a business card at the top of your resume. The amount of personal information differs depending on the job and the applicant. This section has your name, location, contact number, email address, and resume summary and objective. Some optional information that you may also add to the resume header includes profile links, professional titles, and an image.

HR Project Manager Professional Work Experience

In this section, we cover work experience examples for different HR positions:

Junior HR Project Manager

Junior HR project managers have limited work experience, so they are responsible for directing and monitoring the work of staff under their supervision. They work under the leadership of experienced project managers and oversee multiple projects and the allocation of financial and human resources within the organization. Following are some important job responsibilities that junior HR project managers add to their resume:

• Formed company-wide communication strategy for different performance management activities
• Directed the writing, editing, and distribution of all project management-related communications
• Provided related information for and support on suitable project reporting
• Worked with the project team to create manager and associate-focused training materials and e-learning courses
• Aligned with different competence centers within human resources and other functions and join all project-related meetings
• Managed corporate performance management process – both internal and external

Senior HR Project Manager

Senior HR project managers are those with over ten years of work experience in overseeing the recruitment process, developing company policies, and setting goals for the HR team. They look after talent acquisition, objectives determination, policy development, and other crucial HR processes within a company. Also, their duty is to help promote and establish a better work environment for the staff. Below are some key duties that you can list on your senior HR project manager resume:

• Obtained, cataloged, and maintained a range of project documentation, including requirement gathering, project risks identification and mitigation, and so on
• Tracked compliance with process management and project management standards, procedures, and policies
• Facilitated identification of internal and external stakeholders, change needs, and communication and ensured suitable stakeholder engagement for organization levels throughout the project lifecycle
• Led execution and completion of the comprehensive project plan through coordinating resources and budget
• Monitored project scope and cost against the plan and budget to implement corrective/preventative actions

HR Project & Change Manager

Boasting many years of experience, a human resources change manager plays an important part in ensuring projects (change initiatives) meet the business objectives on time and budget by increasing employee adoption and use. They focus on changes to business operations, systems, job roles, and organizational structures. Here are the key job responsibilities you can add to your HR project & change manager resume:

• Played an active part in the development of training essential for HR-related processes
• Facilitated meetings between internal and external resources to find solutions to issues that would stop the development work from moving forward
• Offered support and training of agile processes and applications to those in need for
• Executed complex programs, which consist of multiple projects
• Improved strategic planning and execution of large-scale human resources implementations
• Integrated and handled the program timeline by identifying every project’s internal and external interdependency

HR Project Manager, VP

Working as a VP of HR project management, you have set, enforced, and evaluated human resources policies, procedures, and best practices. Their years of experience enable them to develop and drive organizational effectiveness. Also, these HR professionals are capable of determining and directing staffing goals and strategies to support profitable business processes. Here are some of the most important job duties that you can list in your HR project manager, VP resume:

• Researched human resources problems, developed unique solutions, and drafted project proposals and policies
• Made policies and procedures that support business in sustainable ways
• Reported progress against project milestones to keep initiatives on schedule
• Formed and managed a regular project reporting mechanism for the HR team and related business leaders
• Partnered with the expanded business to lead, direct and ensure successful completion of HR projects, including managing changes to project scope, ensuring project plans are updated, and so on
• Analyzed recruiting workflow and designed new HR operations to optimize end-to-end procedures
• Ensured on-time communication and information flow among leadership and business stakeholders
• Worked with the HR business partners and the project team to manage the scope of the project by assessing requirement changes, checking and impacting budget and time
• Experienced handling large-scale HR projects and facilitating change initiatives, including experience in project tracking and issue management
• Generated high-level updates for multiple levels of management reporting based on project plan tracking processes

HR Project Manager Professional Skills

When you list your skills on the resume, always try to remain honest about your level of ability. List down the skills and qualities aligning with the requirements of the HR project manager job. Present the key skills in your resume. Here is the list of typical human resources project manager skills:

• Powerful stakeholder management capability and excellent networking and oral and written communication skills
• Analytical and technical skills to use data for creating HR strategies that support and improve business results
• Advanced knowledge of change management principles
• Proven strong project management skills and ability to manage large and complex projects within a specified time limit and budget
• Self-driven with attention to detail and developed organizational skills
• Strong interpersonal skills with proven ability to influence at all levels in an organization

HR Project Manager Professional Education

It is important to give priority to the education section on your human resources project manager resume. On the whole, it is the briefest section of the resume. Hiring managers or recruiters just need some basic education information from the applicant. Make sure your education fits the job requirements you are applying for. Including qualifications that are most relevant for the position helps you stand out among other applicants. 

Recent graduates, for example, will have extra details to add, and the education section will have a prominent position since it is the maximum of their experience. But if you are professional and have some solid positions to share, add your education after your human resources project management experience. If you have a doctorate or a Master’s degree in the same sphere, just list your advanced degree. Besides, the Master’s degree appears, followed by Bachelor’s and Associate’s degrees.

When listing your education on the human resources project manager resume, add the following details:

• Name of the obtained degree
• Name and location of your institute
• Major/minor
• Year of graduation

Optional subsections for your education section include:

• GPA
• Any relevant academic recognition or other achievements obtained during your education

Other tips to include in your education section are:

• If you are a recent graduate, try to place your education above your experience section.
• If you graduated over 15 years ago, skip your graduation date to avoid age discrimination.
• If you have more work experience, your education section should be shorter.
• Always list your education in reverse chronological order, with your most recent degrees first.

Note that little details at the end of the resume make a significant difference. Leave a lasting impression with your education.

Listing HR Project Manager Certifications

In any industry, your resume will face fierce competition. To stand out from the competition, you should have credible and respected professional certifications on your resume – the more, the better. Certification is an additional training performed for the detailed knowledge of that field. Including any certifications related to human resources project management in your resume shows that you are a continuous learner and keep yourself educated on top trends in the field to deliver the most modern approaches possible.

To obtain certifications, many professionals must pay a fee, meet certain requirements, and pass some exams or assessments. Because they are difficult and time-consuming many a time, certified individuals are regarded as more qualified for competitive jobs and have an improved reputation in their market. Having any project management certification proves that you have a certain level of professional experience or are an expert in a particular skill.

Here are a few most well-known human resources project management certifications that help you stand out from your competing candidates:

• HR Management Certification by HR University
• Project Management Guide for Human Resources (HR) by Udemy
• Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) by HR Certification Institute

Listing HR Project Manager Achievements

Remember that your skills, education, and certifications matter if they have led to great results for former employers. You may have performed similar job duties to other human resources project managers, but if you have achieved something, you will get precedence over them. This happens when you provide a metric, like a solid percentage or a number, for each achievement.

Hiring managers and recruiters are more into your objectives, accomplishments, and final outcomes of your work in the resume. So, while using actual numbers, justify your achievements to show the impact of your work. Following are some good examples:

Trained 14 regions, managers, and employees on new systems.

Managed annual benefits open enrollment and coordinated benefits and wellness fair, which increased employee participation by 35% through communication initiatives.

Reduced the time to hire by 50% and increased new hire satisfaction scores by 100% by revising the requisition, recruiting, and hiring process.

Increased employee participation in the corporate performance assessment cycle from 74% to 95%.

Listing Interests

While it is important for all resumes to have sections like education and professional experience, including optional information about your hobbies/interests is also useful. For entry-level HR project managers, adding interests can help the recruiters connect with them on a personal level. However, if you have years of professional experience, try to leave this section since it is going to make no significant difference in your job prospects.

Listing Languages

Communication is important for any job, and based on the position, you may need to communicate with your co-workers, managers, customers, or internal and external audiences. Many a time, hiring managers look for language skills as they show your ability to communicate with different types of people.

If you are applying for a position in the US or any other English-speaking country, you will write your resume in English, which will show your comprehension of the English language. Having good hard and soft skills in English help you convince the recruiters. And if you know any other language, there is no harm in listing that particular language also. Just add other languages in which you have intermediate, advanced, or native comprehension abilities.

HR Project Manager Resume Example

Using your resume, guide the hiring manager to the conclusion that you are the ideal candidate for the HR project manager position. Following is an example of a good resume that I found online. Similar to this HR project manager resume, keep your resume to just one page and tailor it by picking relevant duties from the examples available online. Instead of wasting space by adding irrelevant information, just include your skills and other relevant experience in the form of bullet points. This will assist you to position yourself in the best way to win a job.

HR Project Management Job Application Experience

It is possible that you may have applied to HR project management jobs many a time before but got no response from any recruiter. Remember, no matter how many degrees or certifications you have, if your resume has a bad structure, you may find it difficult to outsmart your competition and will get your resume rejected once and for all. And if you use a shotgun method, there are chances of you getting turned down by many recruiting managers.

Now, what is wrong with this approach? Applying to hundreds of HR project management jobs with the same resume always leads to rejection. To win a job, you must change your plan. Start looking at the company’s job positions and tailor your cover letter and resume for each one. Now, the results will differ – some recruiters will still reject, while a few of them will interview you or even offer a job. This approach will help you win an HR project management job and make you more confident and attractive for future jobs.

Where to Apply with Your HR Project Manager Resume?

You must know that your human resources project manager resume is a powerful marketing tool that can help you secure high-paying HR project management jobs. To apply for HR project manager positions, you can visit the following job boards and marketplaces:

• LinkedIn – Launched in 2003, LinkedIn is a popular American business and employment-oriented online platform that connects experts worldwide to make them more successful and productive. It lets people create profiles for organizations seeking to recruit, generate leads, and expand and market their businesses.
  
• Indeed – Indeed is another American job board where millions of job seekers search for jobs, post resumes, and research companies. It is the top employment website worldwide, with millions of job postings available.
• Glassdoor – Founded in 2007, Glassdoor is among the fastest-growing recruiting websites having millions of jobs, salary information, company reviews, and interview questions for job seekers. It is headquartered in San Francisco, California, and has additional offices in Chicago, London, Dublin, and São Paulo.
• Upwork – Upwork, formed as Elance-oDesk, is an American freelancing platform that connects businesses with independent professionals and firms around the world. It is the globe’s biggest talent marketplace that helps professionals find projects and get paid.
• Fiverr – Like Upwork, Fiverr is another talent marketplace offering digital services for both sellers and buyers. Millions of individuals and firms use this platform to find freelancers with a skillset suiting their needs.

HR Project Manager Resume Do’s and Don’ts

Among the many good things about resumes is that they are quite universal. Of course, while the content will differ from one applicant to another, there are some golden rules that will always apply. Here are a few of them:

Do’s

Below are some tips to follow while writing your human resources project manager resume:

Make Your Resume Easy to Scan

To make your resume easy to scan, there are a few things you can do, like left-aligning the text, using standard font size and type, and adding bullets instead of paragraphs to the list. Also, use section headings to break up your resume into defined sections, such as work experience, education, and technical skills. You should also use bold and all-caps and include some white space on the page. This will make your resume appealing and easier to read.

Update Your Resume for Every Position

If you have many jobs, you will have different job descriptions and roles. A good rule of thumb is to make changes to your resume according to the job you want. Applicants, who customize their cover letters and resumes based on the job roles, get a lot of attention from hiring managers.

Call Attention to Quantifiable Achievements

Try to highlight relevant accomplishments that tell how you can bring value to an organization. Instead of adding just descriptions of job responsibilities, use numbers to demonstrate your achievements.

Check Your Resume

Proofreading your resume is important since just one spelling or grammatical mistake can cause rejection, no matter what your ability level is. Make sure your resume is free from all types of errors. Avoid using confusing words, and make sure that your tense is consistent throughout the resume. Better yet, ask someone else to look it over for you, as they may catch errors that you have missed.

Don’ts

Some don’ts for your human resources project manager resume are as follows:

Avoid Including Old Experience

Those with many years of work experience in project management should avoid adding that to their resume, as it makes no significant impression on the potential employer. Even there are many recruiters who show no special interest in what you have done in the past few years. All that matters is what you did a little while ago. So, avoid adding old experiences that are irrelevant to the job you are applying for. Just focus on your current experience and skills.

Refrain from Adding Personal Details

Try to avoid providing very personal or confidential details in your resume as neither it would be useful to the hiring manager to assess your skills, nor it will be a good thing to share such information with anybody. Interviewers also recommend applicants refrain from mentioning quite personal details in their resumes to avoid any kind of discrimination in the recruitment process.

Final Words

Your human resources project manager resume is a demonstration of your professionalism. You just get one chance to make a lasting impression and convince the hiring manager to schedule an interview with you. So, stay relevant, tailor your resume to each job opportunity, use the right ATS-friendly keywords, and proofread your resume before you apply. Following this post, now it is your time to create a professional HR project manager resume.

Josh Fechter

Josh Fechter is the founder of HR.University. He's a certified HR professional and has managed global teams across 5 different continents including their benefits and payroll. You can connect with him on LinkedIn here.