Stunning HR director CV examples for this year

Learn how to catch a hiring manager's attention by writing an HR Director CV that showcases your HR competencies and talent management skills.

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Table of Contents

  1. Why should you use HR director CV examples?
  2. What to highlight in an HR director CV
  3. Structure of an HR director CV
  4. Do’s and don’ts for an HR director CV
  5. FAQ: HR director CVs

Why should you use HR director CV examples?

The human resources director is an important role in any organisation. The HR director is a senior management team member and leads the entire human resources department. This human resources professional makes executive-level decisions regarding human resources policies and strategies that impact all employees in a company. Also, this senior role will have many years of experience working in human resources. To land a position in HR, your professional CV must showcase your skills and abilities.

In this article, you will learn how you can write an HR director CV that fully expresses your experience and skill set.

What to highlight in an HR director CV

To become an HR director, you need specific skills and experience that prove you are the best candidate to fulfil the role’s duties. Paying attention to the job description will help you have a thorough understanding of the hiring manager’s expectations but you will likely need to highlight the following: 

  • Years of experience as human resources manager or in HR
  • Relevant skills that make you eligible to be a human resources director
  • Certifications and education background

Structure of an HR director CV

Since you are applying for a director position, it is assumed that you have a lot of experience in human resources. In this case, you will most likely use the chronological CV format. This professional CV format allows you to highlight your work history. Next, you need to add your information to the following CV sections:

Header

Your header section will give the recruiter all the contact information they need to get in touch with you regarding job interviews. Add your name, phone number and email address to the top of your CV. Also include your professional social media links, such as your LinkedIn profile. If you use a CV template from CVHelp, this information is very easy to add to your CV.

Professional summary

A professional summary is the best way to give a potential employer a quick overview of your professional profile. Your summary statement should consist of 2-3 sentences highlighting your most relevant and recent accomplishments as a human resources professional. Looking for inspiration? Don’t miss our CV Summary Examples page and check this example: 

“Accomplished human resources manager with five years of experience in the HR department at Company Name. Main duties include performance management and training programmes to encourage employee engagement.”

Skills

You should refer to the job description to see the specific skills and experience for each position you apply for. The following bullet points are skills to consider adding to your CV:

  • Manage HR initiatives
  • Form strong employee relations
  • Implement HRIS systems
  • Onboarding new hires and staffing duties
  • Proficient in using applicant tracking systems (ATS) to facilitate the recruitment process
  • Understanding of company culture and employment law
  • Understanding the importance of employee performance, employee retention and employee satisfaction
  • Leadership development 
  • Strategic planning
  • Interpersonal and soft skills, such as conflict resolution
  • Project management
  • Talent acquisition
  • Familiar with HR generalist and payroll processes
  • Carrying out performance reviews to oversee professional development 
  • Supervising a safe work environment

Work experience

When detailing your work history, list your previous jobs in reverse-chronological order to ensure the hiring manager can find your most relevant experience quickly. For each job, use bullet points to describe your responsibilities and accomplishments, and include the company name and dates of employment. 

Education

To land an HR director role, you will need a bachelor’s degree in human resources, management or business administration. Also, you may hold the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) certification. In your education section, include the college you attended and the name of the issuing authority for any certifications you hold.

Do’s and don’ts for an HR director CV

Do:

  • Use a CV template to ensure that you follow a professional structure and format.
  • Use action words to create an impact. Words such as “facilitated” and “motivated” are more effective. 
  • Use bullet points to keep your CV neat and easy to read. 

Don’t:

  • Write long paragraphs that will take the hiring manager a long time to read. 
  • Over exaggerate any accomplishments you have or lie about your skills. 
  • Write a CV over two pages in length, as no hiring manager will have time to go through a long CV.

FAQ: HR director CVs

Q: Do I need to include a cover letter for an HR director application?

Including a cover letter for an HR Director application is a good choice, as you will likely have a lot of experience and skills to present. Using a cover letter will help you to fully explain and put these points across. In addition, you can use a cover letter template to help you write your own letter.

Q: How can I write an HR director CV without much experience?

An HR director usually requires years of experience. If you have limited experience, you can choose a functional CV format that focuses on your skill set instead of your experience to help overcome this.

Q: How do I change my HR director CV to apply to different jobs?

Each HR director job you apply for should include a different CV with slightly different details that fit the job description. You can look for the keywords and skills desired by each hiring manager by paying attention to the job posting and adding these details to your CV.

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