How To Write an Entry-Level Human Resource Administrator Resume
Having a strong resume can help improve your odds of getting called for an interview for an entry-level human resources (HR) administrator. You may not have a lot of experience yet, but highlighting your key skills and qualifications – such as understanding workplace regulations, onboarding procedures, and benefits program administration – can strengthen your resume significantly. Read our list of strategies and our resume examples to help you craft your entry-level HR administrator resume.
- Entry-Level
- Mid-Career
- Senior-Level
1. Summarize your entry-level human resource administrator qualifications in a dynamic profile
Creating a compelling profile at the top of your resume can help you shine as an entry-level HR administrator candidate. Your main goal is to grab the reader’s attention and highlight some strengths that demonstrate your ability to add value to an organization.
For example, you might mention that you have provided valuable assistance to employees and leaders in a past job or internship. Or note you took ownership of a training program or part of an onboarding process.
Profile Example #1
HR Administrator with a strong service mindset and recent work experience at two midsize companies. Equally effective working independently or on a team. Committed to ongoing professional development and HR education.
Profile Example #2
Personable HR Administrator with recent work experience at two nonprofits. Confident in engaging with and supporting all leadership levels. Skilled communicator who builds positive, productive relationships with diverse employee groups. Committed to professional integrity and excellence in all endeavors.
2. Add a compelling section featuring your entry-level human resource administrator experience
When working on the experience section of your entry-level HR administrator resume, be strategic about including accomplishments rather than listing past job duties. Companies want to know the value you can bring, so share your contributions and examples of how you excelled or were recognized for stellar work.
For example, if you helped establish a new process for job postings or received a high-performance score for efficiency, mention those strong accolades.
Professional Experience Example #1
HR Administrator, MHZ Inc., Philadelphia, PA | October 2021 to Present
- Contribute to HR discussions focused on addressing broad employee relations issues and resolving individual conflicts among staff and managers
- Provide helpful information and support to new hires during orientation and onboarding sessions
- Facilitate annual open enrollment to help ensure staff fully understand and take advantage of available benefits
Professional Experience Example #2
HR Administrator, SFE Association, Boston, MA | October 2021 to Present
- Facilitate payroll disbursement, helping ensure timely and accurate payments to employees
- Assist recruiting operations by updating job descriptions, posting new job openings, screening initial round of applicants, and flagging and organizing resumes for further review
- Praised for high accuracy and efficiency maintaining (both paper and digital) records of all personnel changes and performance reviews
3. Include education and certifications relevant to entry-level human resource administrators
If you have completed HR-focused coursework or achieved industry certifications, that will indicate that you have a solid foundation in HR functions. As an entry-level HR administrator job seeker, if your professional experience is limited, you can add in some relevant academic projects you’ve done as well.
Education
Template
- [Degree Name]
- [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Year]
- [Select Coursework or Projects]
Example
- Bachelor’s Degree – Business Administration
- University of California, Berkeley, CA | 2020
4. List your entry-level human resource administrator-related skills and proficiencies
A key part of a resume is a list of your relevant professional skills. This allows hiring managers to quickly gauge if you can handle the role they want to fill. It’s also important to make sure that your resume passes any screening done by an applicant tracking system (ATS). These platforms look for keywords in your resume that match the job posting. Consider adding some of the keywords below, which are often found in entry-level HR administrator job postings:
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Benefits administration | Conflict mediation and resolution |
| Cross-functional collaboration | Data entry and analysis |
| Filing system organization | Internal customer service |
| Leadership support | Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) |
| New hire orientation and onboarding | Payroll disbursement and coordination |
| Personnel recruiting | Policy implementation |
| Process improvement | Regulatory compliance |
| Reporting and documentation | Task prioritization |
| Time management | Training materials development |
5. Supplement with academic or volunteer activities if needed
If you’re going for your first job in HR, you may be wondering what to put on your resume. Fortunately, many of the skills needed to succeed in HR – collaborating with others, managing multiple tasks, and understanding policies – you may have learned through other experiences. Whether it was a summer job as a camp counselor or on the executive board of a college organization, you can include non-work sections if it will help round out your resume.
How To Pick the Best Entry-Level Human Resource Administrator Resume Template
Choosing a resume template depends on your personal style, but in general, a clean, professional layout will serve you well. Keep the focus on the content of your resume rather than fancy fonts or colorful designs.
Entry-Level Human Resource Administrator Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
- Example #1
- Example #2
- Example #3
Hideo Araki
123 Bridge Street, Boston, MA 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]
Profile
Personable HR Administrator with recent work experience at two nonprofits. Confident in engaging with and supporting all leadership levels. Skilled communicator who builds positive, productive relationships with diverse employee groups. Committed to professional integrity and excellence in all endeavors.
Professional Experience
HR Administrator, SFE Association, Boston, MA | October 2021 to Present
- Facilitate payroll disbursement, helping ensure timely and accurate payments to employees
- Assist recruiting operations by updating job descriptions, posting new job openings, screening initial round of applicants, and flagging and organizing resumes for further review
- Praised for high accuracy and efficiency maintaining (both paper and digital) records of all personnel changes and performance reviews
HR Intern, SCI Services, Boston, MA | August 2020 to September 2021
- Maintained high attention to detail implementing various HR policies and protocols
- Gained strong experience in standard Excel functions as well as advanced Word and PowerPoint formatting
Education
Associate Degree – Psychology
Bunker Hill Community College, Boston, MA | 2020
Key Skills
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Leadership Support
- Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)
- Payroll Disbursement & Coordination
- Personnel Recruiting
- Policy Implementation
- Process Improvement
- Reporting & Documentation
Frequently Asked Questions: Entry-Level Human Resource Administrator Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for entry-level human resource administrator resumes?-
When writing the experience section of a resume, it can be hard to come up with the right action verbs to describe your work. To help you, we put together a list of strong action verbs often associated with HR administrator roles.
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Address | Analyze |
| Build | Collaborate |
| Document | Engage |
| Facilitate | Gather |
| Improve | Maintain |
| Mediate | Onboard |
| Organize | Prepare |
| Provide | Recruit |
| Report | Resolve |
| Support | Update |
How do you align your resume with an entry-level human resource administrator job posting?-
According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, jobs for HR specialists are expected to grow 6% between 2022 and 2032, which is faster than average for most occupations. Even with many job openings available, a strong resume can help ensure you are considered for high-quality opportunities. One of the best ways to stand out from the talent competition is to tailor your resume for each job posting.
For instance, do you have experience in the company’s industry? Or did you complete an internship project similar to one of the company’s HR initiatives? If so, consider mentioning that experience in your resume Profile or Key Skills sections. This extra step will make your resume much more relevant to the job and more likely attract the hiring manager’s notice.
What is the best entry-level human resource administrator resume format?-
Most HR professionals should use the combination (or hybrid) format. True to its name, this format combines two important features of other resume formats: the chronological format’s experience section, and the functional format’s profile section. (The resume examples on this page all use combination format.)
By fusing these two features, a combination resume offers the best of both worlds. The experience section lets you outline your recent work history – essential information for most employers. At the same time, the profile section lets you display your career highlights at the top, regardless of whether they’re from that work history or another part of your background. As a result, you can present yourself clearly and strategically. With this format, you give hiring managers the best view of your experience and relevant strengths, so they can make an informed decision to call you for an interview.
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Instead of just submitting a resume on its own, write a corresponding cover letter. This gives you the opportunity to emphasize further what makes you a strong candidate for the role. Check our human resources (HR) cover letter example to guide you. Or, you can look over related cover letter examples for recruiters or administrative assistants.
