You sit on one side of the desk when applying for a position in Human Resources (HR) thinking that your position might reverse if you land up to this job. Being an HR professional makes you responsible for a number important things that you are responsible for. Hiring and firing of employees, maintain employee welfare and handling a large sensitive information for the company.
The employer when looking at a resume for an HR professional has certain expectations that your resume needs to fulfill for you.
Here are skills that every professional need to have on their resume when applying for an HR job.
#1 Organization
Organizing skills are important. As an HR, you need to document a lot of things and have an orderly approach. Personal management and time management are a few key skills required to excel in the field of HR. You are supposed to deal with people’s career and if a hiring manager requires you to get something drafted instantly, you cannot give them any excuse, how busy you might be.
#2 Multitasking
You might have to deal with employees’ personal issues and at the same time arrange an interview and a training session. And, there can be no excuse. With this engagement and having a number of tasks on plate critical to someone or the other, multitasking is a key skill for any HR professional. In a business, priorities and needs change time to time and you need to be skilled to handle that all at once.
#3 Negotiation
Every organization has different functions and every function has its own responsibilities. While a business development team is responsible for generating revenue for the company, almost every other department is the support and revenue spending functionalities.
As an HR, you have the responsibility of hiring and firing. While hiring an employee, you need to ensure that you have strong negotiation skills so that you are beneficial to the company.
#4 Handling ‘Grey’ Area
A company goes through a lot of ups and down. There can be cases of harassment, discrimination, complaints and exits. You have to be patient and mature enough to deal with the grey. You need to be able to act as the best for the company and the employee using best available information.
#5 Communication Skills
Communication skills are a must have for every role today. HR professionals need to communicate with management, potential employees, and current employees and with external consultants to get the right resource. Also, HR is the spokesperson between management and employees and need to understand the importance of communicating everything to the point.
HR should have skills that are convincing, believable and caring.
#6 Being Ethical and Discrete
You need to handle a lot of information. As you need to work with top management, you become the keeper of a lot of confidential information. You also need to monitor a set of employees and ensure that company policies are followed and are in place. It is not an easy responsibility. You might have to be tough at times while at others you need to be discrete.
Quote instances on your resume where you have handled situations like these and the employer would definitely shortlist you for an interview.
#7 Maintaining Balance
The HR needs to maintain the delicate balance between top management and employees. You need to address the needs of both and skillfully lever the situations. At times you need to take decisions that protect an employee and at other times you shall protect the organization. You need to prioritize things even if your decisions as an HR disturb people at times.
#8 Problem Solving
There are going to be problems everywhere. If you have an experience in an HR role, you know that there are problems. You cannot expect everyone to get along with everyone and hence the clashes. To deliver high productivity, the organization needs people to work together courteously. As an HR you need to find ways and ensure everything is running at peace.
Problem solving and conflict management are two important skills that would help you deal with a situation like this. Show problem solving skills in your resume to stay at an edge.
#9 Strategic Ability
You can’t multitask and handle complicated situations if you do not have strategy making abilities. It requires you to have strategies that would ease managers problems and at the same time work towards company’s productivity.
Most companies expect the HR to manage the constant state of flux. HR needs to help everyone and manage the constant need of change.
How to Highlight the HR Skills in an Interview
Once your resume has done the work for you and you now need to prepare for an interview, you should know when and where you should highlight the relevant skills talked about. When preparing for an interview, list down situations where you have used a relevant skill and talk about it in an interview. That would let the employer know that you have the capabilities to be at a position.
The Bottom Line
Now you know the essentials skills required to apply for the post of an HR. Equip yourself with the right sources and resources so that you can easily get through and reach the desired position.
