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Create CVAn ATS friendly HR Generalist CV is designed to pass Applicant Tracking Systems while clearly demonstrating expertise across core human resources functions such as employee relations, HR operations, recruitment coordination, compliance, benefits administration, and performance management. Many organizations use ATS platforms to filter resumes before a human recruiter ever reviews them. If a CV is not structured correctly or lacks relevant HR keywords, it may never reach the hiring manager.
HR Generalists are evaluated differently from specialists. Employers expect them to show broad HR knowledge across multiple HR disciplines, including recruiting support, onboarding, HRIS management, labor law compliance, employee engagement initiatives, and performance review processes. An ATS-optimized HR Generalist CV must therefore balance keyword relevance, structured formatting, and real HR operational impact.
This guide explains how to build an ATS optimized HR Generalist CV template, what recruiters expect from HR candidates, which keywords improve resume ranking, and how to structure a CV that performs well in both automated resume screening systems and human recruiter evaluation.
Most mid-sized and enterprise companies use ATS platforms such as Workday, Greenhouse, Taleo, SmartRecruiters, and Lever to manage hiring pipelines. These systems automatically analyze resumes to determine which candidates most closely match a job description.
When an HR Generalist CV is submitted, the ATS performs several automated steps:
Resume parsing – extracting work history, job titles, education, and skills
Keyword matching – identifying HR-related competencies aligned with the job description
Candidate scoring – ranking applicants based on relevance to the HR role
If your resume lacks common HR terminology or contains formatting errors that prevent parsing, the system may assign a low relevance score, even if your experience is strong.
ATS algorithms commonly search for HR-related terminology including:
A clean structure ensures ATS systems can extract information correctly and helps recruiters quickly evaluate your HR experience.
Your resume header should contain essential professional details in plain text.
Example:
Name
City, Country
Phone Number
Professional Email Address
LinkedIn Profile
Avoid placing contact details inside tables, icons, or graphics, as many ATS systems cannot properly read them.
The professional summary introduces your HR expertise in 3–4 sentences and should contain core HR keywords.
Example Summary:
HR Generalist with 6+ years of experience supporting human resources operations across recruitment coordination, employee relations, benefits administration, and HR compliance. Experienced in managing HRIS systems, coordinating onboarding processes, supporting performance management cycles, and maintaining HR documentation aligned with labor regulations. Proven ability to improve employee engagement initiatives and streamline HR administrative processes.
A strong summary should communicate:
years of HR experience
The work experience section should show your impact across multiple HR functions, not just administrative tasks.
HR Generalist
Company Name — Location
Month Year – Present
Managed full-cycle onboarding processes for new hires, improving onboarding efficiency and employee integration across multiple departments.
Supported recruitment coordination by scheduling interviews, managing applicant tracking system records, and assisting hiring managers during candidate evaluation.
Administered employee relations processes including conflict resolution support and HR policy interpretation.
Maintained HRIS records ensuring accurate employee data and compliance with internal HR documentation requirements.
Coordinated performance review cycles and supported leadership teams with performance management documentation.
human resources operations
employee relations
recruitment coordination
onboarding processes
HRIS systems
performance management
employee engagement
HR compliance
benefits administration
training coordination
labor law compliance
HR reporting
workforce planning
Including these keywords naturally throughout your CV improves your ATS ranking and ensures recruiters can quickly identify your HR expertise.
breadth of HR functions
HR systems familiarity
organizational impact
Avoid vague phrases such as “motivated HR professional” or “results-driven team player.”
The skills section improves ATS keyword recognition and highlights your HR competencies.
Example HR Generalist skills:
Human Resources Operations
Employee Relations
Recruitment Coordination
HRIS Management
Benefits Administration
Onboarding and Offboarding Processes
HR Compliance and Labor Regulations
Performance Management Support
Employee Engagement Programs
Training Coordination
HR Policy Administration
Workforce Planning
HR Data Reporting
Conflict Resolution
HR Documentation Management
This section acts as a keyword cluster that increases ATS visibility.
This structure works well because it highlights:
HR operational responsibilities
HR system usage
compliance awareness
employee engagement and HR process support
Recruiters want to see practical HR involvement, not just administrative assistance.
Most HR Generalist roles prefer candidates with a degree in HR, business administration, or a related field.
Example:
Bachelor of Human Resource Management
University Name — City
Year
You may also include HR certifications such as:
SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP)
PHR (Professional in Human Resources)
CIPD certifications
HR certifications signal deeper HR expertise and improve ATS keyword matching.
Many candidates overlook sections that demonstrate HR operational depth.
HR roles rely heavily on HR technology platforms.
Example tools:
Workday HRIS
BambooHR
ADP Workforce Now
SAP SuccessFactors
Greenhouse ATS
Lever ATS
Microsoft Excel (HR reporting)
Recruiters often filter candidates by HR system familiarity, making this section highly valuable.
Recruiters prefer HR Generalists who contribute to improving HR processes.
Example achievements:
Implemented digital onboarding workflows reducing administrative processing time.
Coordinated employee engagement initiatives increasing participation in company programs.
Introduced standardized HR documentation processes improving compliance tracking.
These examples show strategic HR contribution rather than purely administrative work.
HR Generalists are evaluated differently than HR specialists because they support multiple HR functions simultaneously.
Recruiters typically assess:
employee relations handling
HR policy knowledge
recruitment support capability
HRIS system management
HR compliance awareness
communication with leadership and employees
A strong CV should demonstrate how the candidate supports both employees and HR leadership teams.
Instead of listing responsibilities, show HR operational outcomes.
Examples:
improving onboarding experience
supporting performance review processes
coordinating recruitment pipelines
implementing employee engagement programs
improving HR documentation accuracy
These signals demonstrate real HR value within the organization.
Many HR professionals unintentionally create resumes that perform poorly in ATS screening.
Creative layouts may look attractive but often cause ATS parsing errors.
Avoid:
multi-column resume layouts
text boxes
graphics or icons
skill charts or visual bars
Use a simple single-column resume format.
If the resume lacks relevant HR language, ATS systems may not recognize your experience as HR-related.
Important HR terms often include:
employee relations
HR operations
benefits administration
HR compliance
onboarding coordination
HRIS systems
Including these keywords naturally improves ATS ranking.
HR responsibilities vary slightly across industries such as technology, healthcare, manufacturing, and corporate services.
Tailoring your CV improves keyword alignment.
Important keywords may include:
talent acquisition support
HR analytics
HRIS platforms
employee engagement programs
Key terms may include:
labor relations
workforce scheduling
HR compliance
workplace safety policies
Industry alignment increases ATS match scores and improves recruiter relevance.
Building a strong HR resume requires strategic alignment with the job description.
Identify recurring HR terms such as:
employee relations
HRIS platforms
compliance management
recruitment coordination
These keywords should appear throughout your CV.
Use terminology similar to the job description.
Example alignment:
Job description: “Employee engagement initiatives”
Resume bullet:
“Coordinated employee engagement initiatives improving participation across internal HR programs.”
Metrics strengthen HR credibility.
Examples:
“Supported recruitment processes for 80+ annual hires.”
“Reduced onboarding documentation delays by 20%.”
“Managed HRIS records for 300+ employees.”
Recommended section order:
Header
Professional Summary
Core Skills
Work Experience
Education
HR Systems
Certifications
This structure helps both ATS systems and recruiters navigate your resume.
Keyword diversity improves semantic relevance.
human resources administration
HR policy implementation
HR compliance
employee documentation management
interview coordination
candidate screening
hiring pipeline management
ATS management
conflict resolution
employee support
workplace investigations
HR policy interpretation
HR analytics
HR reporting dashboards
workforce metrics
HR data analysis
These keyword clusters strengthen ATS keyword coverage.
Formatting affects whether ATS systems can correctly interpret your CV.
Most HR Generalist resumes perform best at one to two pages depending on experience level.
Recommended fonts include:
Arial
Calibri
Helvetica
Times New Roman
These fonts improve parsing accuracy.
Each bullet point should contain:
an action verb
HR responsibility
measurable outcome (if possible)
Example:
“Coordinated onboarding processes for new employees ensuring HR compliance and smooth employee integration.”
Below is a simplified example combining best practices.
Name
City | Phone | Email | LinkedIn
Professional Summary
HR Generalist with experience supporting HR operations including employee relations, recruitment coordination, and benefits administration. Skilled in HRIS systems, onboarding processes, and HR compliance documentation.
Core Skills
Employee Relations
HR Compliance
HRIS Systems
Recruitment Coordination
Onboarding Processes
Benefits Administration
HR Reporting
Professional Experience
HR Generalist
Company Name
Coordinated recruitment scheduling and maintained ATS candidate records.
Managed onboarding processes ensuring HR documentation compliance.
Supported employee relations processes and HR policy interpretation.
Education
Bachelor of Human Resource Management
HR Systems
Workday
BambooHR
ADP Workforce Now
Microsoft Excel
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