Skills
Human Resources Manager Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in human resources managers, and how to build and show them.
What skills do human resources managers need?
Human Resources Managers need technical skills such as employment law, employee relations, and recruiting, plus people skills like confidentiality and empathy. They also use tools such as HRIS systems and Applicant tracking systems.
Technical (hard) skills
- Employment law
- Employee relations
- Recruiting
- Performance management
- Policy writing
- HR analytics
People (soft) skills
- Confidentiality
- Empathy
- Judgment
- Communication
Tools, equipment and technology
- HRIS systems
- Applicant tracking systems
- Performance software
- Survey tools
- Payroll systems
- Microsoft 365
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how human resources managers put their skills to work:
- How to investigate a workplace complaint
- How to coach a manager through a performance conversation
- How to cut first-year turnover
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “Employment law” and “Employee relations.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “confidentiality,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our human resources manager glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Human Resources Manager training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.