HR Business Partner Resume Example & Writing Guide

HR business partners are the driving force behind any company. It’s your job to identify and implement people strategies that push the business in the right direction. It’s no small feat. 

Without your analytical prowess and keen decision-making skills, the company may fail to meet its goals. With great power comes great responsibility. If you’re up to the challenge, the first step is convincing a discerning hiring manager that you have what it takes. So, how can you do just that and ensure that you land that all-important interview?

The answer lies in creating an informative and well-written HR business partner resume. 

However, as you will learn in this guide, there is a right way and a wrong way to write your resume. Make no mistake, this vital document is a marketing material. Nail this part of your application package and you will be off to a flying start. So, how do you get started here?

Resume guide for a HR business partner resume

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This resume guide and HR business partner resume example covers: 

• How to write a HR business partner resume
• Choosing the perfect format for your resume
• Advice on adding your contact details
• The power of a well-written summary
• Showcasing your work experience
• How to add in your education
• Tips for perfecting your resume layout and design

How to write a HR business partner resume

Before you can start writing your HR business partner resume, you need a plan. Let’s take a look at the sections that you should include in your resume: 

• The resume header
• The resume summary (aka profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The resume skills section
• The education section

We’ve already mentioned that your resume is a marketing material. The product you are selling is you. For that reason, you should first figure out what your unique selling proposition  is (USP). That is the quality that makes you different from every other candidate. Highlight this strong attribute at the start (i.e. in the resume summary) and weave it throughout.

Using the same, standard resume for every application won’t cut it. Hiring managers can spot a carbon-copied application in a matter of seconds.

As the HR business partner, you will be expected to understand the company, its values, and its long-term goals in depth. While you don’t need to know all of the above before you land the role, having a decent grasp of the business’ identity is a must. Do some research into the company. You can follow them on LinkedIn, Google them, and read through their website. 

Use the information that you find to adjust your HR business partner resume accordingly. For example, if the business is focused on driving innovation in the tech space, you should include details that speak to this mission. You might make reference to the tech-based startup you worked for or highlight the skills you have pertaining to software and programs. 

Let’s take a look at some of the best expert-backed advice for writing your next resume: 

• Don’t simply talk about your tasks and duties. Hiring managers care less about them than they do your career accomplishments. Focus your attention on these instead.
• Avoid using generic words when you can be more specific. Your HR business partner resume is your opportunity to show the hiring manager the exact skills you possess.
• If in doubt, use the STAR technique. That means starting out with the Situation and Task and then following that with the Action and the ultimate Result of that.

Choosing the right resume format for an HR business partner

Now that you know how to pitch your HR business partner resume, let’s talk about the format. Without this structure, you risk your application completely missing the mark. 

As a general rule, your resume should follow a reverse chronological order. In simple terms, that means that you start with your most recent accolades and move back in time as you go down the page. If you’ve had a somewhat linear career, this approach works the best. 

Of course—as with any good rule—you will run into exceptions. For instance, if you have worked in a selection of different roles and acquired a wide range of skills. Should that be the case, you may want to consider a functional format instead. This approach highlights your skills and expertise while prioritizing them over your work experience, of lack thereof. 

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Include your contact information

The first and, frankly, easiest part of your resume to tackle is your header. This section includes the basic information that the hiring manager needs to know. Think of it like your business card—it spells out the details the reader needs to get in touch. 

The number one priority here is to make it legible. There’s no room for fancy fonts, minute sizes, or any other “creative” flourishes that detract from the point. Choose a simple font style and make sure that it is easy to read. Here’s what you should include: 

• Full name & title. Include your first name, last name, and role title.
• Professional email address. Add your professional email address next.
• Phone number. List a phone number where you can be reached every day.
• Location. You don’t need to include your whole address here. Instead, simply include your city and state. Also, add 'Willing to Relocate' if that’s the case.
• LinkedIn. So long as your LinkedIn profile is up to date, you can link it here.

Don’t include:

• Date of birth: The hiring manager shouldn’t know how old you are as this may lead to age discrimination.
• Personal details: That includes your passport number, social security, etc.

Make use of a summary

Now that you’ve dealt with the red tape, it’s time to turn your attention to your summary. As an HR business partner, the hiring manager will expect you to have your head screwed on. You will need to understand the business in-depth and have the expertise—and the courage—to make decisions that will have real impact. But, how do you summarize that?

You only have 2-3 sentences to play with here. You need to make them count. Don’t make the mistake of phoning it in and writing something generic. Instead, grab the hiring manager’s attention by highlighting exactly what it is that you bring to the table. At this point, it’s helpful to reflect on your USP and use it as the lead when writing your summary. 

The first line of this section needs to be engaging. Go in there with your most impressive attribute and then add some evidence to back it up. That means using statistics and numbers to bring your point to life. The more specific you are when it comes to writing this section, the more likely the hiring manager is to remember you later down the line. 

To give your summary more impact, try weaving some choice action verbs throughout. These words show that you are in control of your career path. Rather than portraying you as a passive employee to whom things happen, these verbs put you in charge of the narrative. 

Need some more inspiration? Check out our adaptable HR business partner resume examples summary below:

Outline your HR business partner experience 

Your resume summary helps you to hook the reader’s attention. But now, you need to follow up with your work experience section. If you’ve had a long, illustrious career, you don’t need to include every position you’ve ever held. In fact, doing so could be to your detriment. 

Go back roughly 10-15 years or around 3-4 job roles. It's more important to show off your recent positions than a role that you held 20 years ago, which is irrelevant. 

For each position, start off by including your title, the company name, the location, and your dates of employment. That’s the bare bones—the basic information that the hiring manager needs. But this section doesn’t start and finish there.  

Below that, you can start to flesh things out with detailed information about the job itself. Space is limited in this section. You simply cannot afford to write great, lengthy sentences. Avoid the urge to write too much. 

To help you cut your word count down, get rid of any openers such as “I,” “I had,” “I did,” or “I was”. These words don’t add anything to your application. The hiring manager already knows that you are writing in the first person so you can ditch these terms altogether. 

Focus on the achievements that you gained during each role. This approach shows the hiring manager what value you brought to the role, and what you can bring to this one. By outlining your experiences in detail, you give the reader a taste of what they can expect. 

Whenever you make a claim in this section, be sure to quantify it. Adding results-based points to this section lets the hiring manager know that you are a real go-getter. Rather than simply explaining the process to them, you show them the impact your actions had. 

How to write an HR business partner resume with no experience

New to this specific role? Most HR business partners transition to this esteemed position after working in the industry for a matter of years. However, you might feel that your lack of experience in the role puts you at an immediate disadvantage. That is not the case. 

When you are writing your resume, highlight the transferable skills that you have under your belt. These are the talents that you picked up in previous positions that will effortlessly transfer to this role. Examples include your communication, negotiation, organization, and interpersonal skills. All of the above will help you ace the role of HR business partner. 

Should you have undertaken any additional training, speak about it here. Those late-night business courses or online training schemes are certain to impress the hiring manager. 

Include the relevant key skills that make you a great HR business partner

You don’t have to be a genius to know that it takes a diverse skill-set to work as an HR business partner. Not only do you have to be a “people person”, but you also need a nose for business. You must have what it takes to make tough decisions when put on the line.

Walking that line can be tough. When you’re working on your HR business partner resume, show that you are a well-rounded candidate. You can do that by including a selection of hard and soft skills. Hiring managers are always on the lookout for applicants that have both.

Hard skills pertain directly to the position and are often technical. These may include data analytics, strategy implementation, and report creation, to name but a few. These are the tools that you use on a daily basis when you work as an HR business partner. 

However, you should never underestimate the power of soft skills in enhancing your resume. When you work directly with people, these are essential. They may include communication, interpersonal skills, and conflict resolution. Let the hiring manager know that you’re a pro.

Don’t confine your skills to one section. While they fit in your skills section, you should also reference them throughout the rest of your application. Whenever you do so, add some color to them by including them as part of an anecdote or detailing how you use them. 

Let’s take a quick look at some of the ways you might talk about the skills that you have elsewhere in your HR business partner resume: 

• Explore your leadership skills by detailing how you mentored a new starter, managed a team, or pioneered an initiative.
• Showcase your communication skills by sharing how you liaised between departments to keep every staff member in the loop.
• Detail your penchant for data analytics by talking about utilizing the results of employee engagement surveys when creating new business strategies.

Detail your education & relevant HR business partner certifications

The education section of your HR business partner resume needs to wow the hiring manager. You should use the reverse chronological order approach when listing your qualifications. Start off with your degree or high school education (if you didn’t go to college).

Aside from your formal education, chances are you have some additional training. When reaching for a top tier role, you should have invested in your own learning and development. Here are some of the qualifications that you may want to include in this section: 

• Internships. There are many routes into this line of work, including internships and apprenticeships. If that’s where you started out, talk about it in this section.
• Training and certificates. Whether you’ve taken a day course, done on-the-job training, or completed an online certificate, shout about it in this section.
• Professional development. If you are a member of a board or any relevant association, you can also list this title as part of your education section.

You don’t need to go into a load of detail in your education section. List the qualifications, the institute, and the date you completed each one. It’s smart to keep things simple. Ultimately, this section needs to be scannable. 

Pick the right resume layout and design for a HR business partner resume

Do you know how long hiring managers spend looking at each resume? The answer is just seven seconds. That means that you don’t have a wealth of time to make a first impression. 

When it comes to choosing the right design for your HR business partner resume, you need to be selective. This is a high-up role and the hiring manager will expect your resume to fit the bill. Start out by choosing one—or perhaps two complimentary—professional fonts. You need to ensure that the information on your resume is easy to read and appealing. 

The design of your resume needs to be attractive without breaking into the realm of being gimmicky. It can be hard to find the balance between the two. Avoid including any pictures or graphics. You’re not applying for a design role and these will detract from the content.

The aim is to create a sleek and professional resume that catches the reader’s attention. If you lack high-level design skills, don’t panic. Use one of our tried and tested resume templates to do the job. Simply choose a style that best suits your application, add your professional details into the template, and then download it in your chosen file format. 

HR business partner text-only resume example

HR business partner job market and outlook

Whether you’re a seasoned professional or you’re starting out, the future is bright if you’re an HR business partner. Yes, this is a sector that is primed for growth in the coming years.

Key takeaways for building a HR business partner resume

Now is the perfect time to get into the high-growth world of HR. However, you need to create a stellar resume before you get your foot in the door. Focus on your USP in your resume summary. You can use this section to grab the attention of the hiring manager fast. 

If you’re not sure how to design the application from scratch, use a template! With our online resume builder, you can whip up a stellar document in minutes. That way, you can focus on including the most valuable content.