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HR generalist resume example

A mid-level HR generalist’s resume with five years of experience, now the HR lead at a manufacturing site. Generalists are hired to handle anything that walks through the door, so the bullets cover employee relations, leave, turnover and compliance, each with a number.

HR generalist resume example, page 1 of 1Valeria MontañezHR GeneralistSUMMARYBilingual HR generalist with five years in manufacturing and healthcareHR, now the HR lead on site for a 450-person plastics plant running threeshifts. I handle employee relations, leave and compliance so supervisorscan run production, and I have cut first-year turnover by a third.SHRM-CP.EXPERIENCEHR GeneralistJan 2023 – PresentAlamo Precision Plastics · San Antonio, TX•Investigate and close 50 to 60 employee relations cases a year, fromattendance disputes to harassment complaints, with no agency chargeupheld since 2023.•Cut first-year turnover of production associates from 48% to 31% witha 30-60-90 day check-in program and a fix to the shift-bid process.•Administer about 70 FMLA, ADA and workers’ compensation leaves ayear in Paycom, with every return-to-work date tracked.•Rewrote the employee handbook in English and Spanish with outsidecounsel, adding Texas-specific policies and a new attendance pointsystem.•Run open enrollment for 450 employees and 30 benefits sessions onall three shifts; participation in the medical plan rose from 71% to 79%.HR CoordinatorJul 2021 – Dec 2022Mission Trails Medical Center · San Antonio, TX•Onboarded 35 to 50 clinical and support staff a month, includinglicense verification and health screenings.•Kept the I-9 and license expiry tracker for 1,300 employees, with nolapses found in a Joint Commission survey.EDUCATIONB.B.A. in Management, Human Resources2017 – 2021The University of Texas at San Antonio · San Antonio, TXCONTACTvaleria.montanez@example.com(210) 555-0168San Antonio, TXlinkedin.com/in/valeriamontanez-hrSKILLSEmployee relationsWorkplace investigationsFMLA and ADAWorkers’ compensationPaycomBenefits administrationHandbook and policy writingOnboardingTurnover analysisEEO-1 reportingSupervisor coachingExcelCERTIFICATIONSSHRM Certified Professional(SHRM-CP)SHRM · 2023LANGUAGESSpanishNativeEnglishNative
HR generalistUse this example

What recruiters look for

  • Breadth with depth: employee relations, leave, benefits, onboarding, policy and compliance, with real volumes for each.
  • Investigation judgment: cases handled and how they ended. “No charges upheld” or “no litigation” is a strong outcome.
  • A people metric you moved: turnover, absenteeism, engagement, time to fill. Generalists who fix a problem stand out from those who keep the lights on.
  • Compliance knowledge: FMLA, ADA, FLSA, state laws, EEO-1, OSHA recordkeeping where it applies.
  • Trust from supervisors and employees: coaching, training and being on the floor on every shift.

Writing the summary

Say where you do HR (industry, headcount, one site or many), your years of experience and the problem you are best at solving. Add your certification. If you are bilingual and the workforce is too, say so in the first line.

The summary in this example

Bilingual HR generalist with five years in manufacturing and healthcare HR, now the HR lead on site for a 450-person plastics plant running three shifts. I handle employee relations, leave and compliance so supervisors can run production, and I have cut first-year turnover by a third. SHRM-CP.

Office-based HR generalist at a growing company

HR generalist with four years at a 250-person software and services company that doubled in size while I was there. I own onboarding, leave, the HRIS and policy, and I built our first manager training program. SHRM-CP.

HR generalist moving into an HR business partner role

Senior HR generalist with seven years across retail and distribution, now advising three operations directors on workforce planning, performance and restructuring for 900 employees. Ready to move into an HR business partner role.

Bullet points that work

Strong lines for this role, beyond the ones in the example. Borrow the shape and put in your own numbers.

  • Reduced unscheduled absences by 22% in a year by rolling out a clear attendance policy and training 30 supervisors to apply it the same way.
  • Conducted 25 workplace investigations a year, closing each in under 15 business days with written findings.
  • Moved 300 employee files into the new HRIS ahead of go-live and trained 40 managers on self-service.
  • Cut new-hire paperwork time from 3 hours to 45 minutes with electronic onboarding.
  • Ran the annual EEO-1 and affirmative action data collection for 2 locations with no corrections requested.
  • Coached 15 supervisors through their first performance improvement plans; 9 of the employees improved and stayed.
  • Organized the plant’s first engagement survey, with a 74% response rate, and led action plans on the top 3 issues.
  • Partnered with safety to bring the OSHA recordable incident rate down from 4.1 to 2.6 through return-to-work and light-duty programs.
  • Handled HR for a 60-person layoff with WARN Act review by counsel, severance agreements and outplacement, with no claims filed.

Skills to list

Hard skills

  • Employee relations and investigations
  • Leave administration (FMLA, ADA, state leave laws)
  • An HRIS (Workday, UKG, Paycom, ADP, BambooHR)
  • Benefits administration and open enrollment
  • Policy and handbook writing
  • Federal and state employment law basics
  • HR metrics: turnover, absenteeism, time to fill
  • Onboarding and offboarding

Soft skills

  • Neutral, fair judgment
  • Difficult conversations
  • Coaching supervisors
  • Approachability on the floor
  • Keeping confidences

Certifications and licenses worth listing

  • SHRM-CP: the most commonly requested HR certification in US job ads for generalists.
  • PHR from HRCI: equally respected, with a stronger focus on US employment law and HR operations.
  • State-specific credentials such as the PHRca: worth it if you work in California, where employment law differs most.

Length and format

One page for up to about seven years in HR, two pages after that. Lead with your generalist role in full, then earlier HR or admin roles with two or three bullets. A languages section is worth the space when you work with a bilingual workforce.

Common mistakes

  • A list of every HR function you have touched with no volumes. Give cases, leaves, hires and employees supported.
  • Describing investigations in detail. Say how many and how they ended; never the facts of a case.
  • Only maintenance work. Add at least one problem you solved with a before-and-after number.
  • Leaving out the industry. Manufacturing, healthcare and tech HR have different rhythms, and hiring managers look for a match.
  • Using legal language you cannot explain in an interview, such as “ensured full ADA compliance”.

Questions and answers

What should an HR generalist put in a resume summary?

Your years in HR, the industry and headcount you support, the areas you are strongest in, and your certification. One concrete result helps more than a list of functions.

How do I write about employee relations without breaking confidentiality?

Use volumes and outcomes: number of cases or investigations a year, average time to close, and results such as “no agency charges upheld”. Never describe a case.

Is SHRM-CP or PHR better for a generalist?

Either is fine. SHRM-CP shows up more often in US job ads; the PHR is well regarded for compliance-heavy roles. Pick the one your target employers mention.

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