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Human resources generalist skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read
Quoted experts
Dr. Vinh Nguyen Ph.D.,
J. Adam Shoemaker Ph.D.
Human resources generalist example skills

Some of the most important hard skills a human resources generalist can include on their resume are performance management skills, performing background checks, and maintaining HRIS systems. It's important that human resources generalists have these skills because they are some of the most prevalent tasks listed in human resources generalist job descriptions.


When it comes to soft skills, human resources generalists should demonstrate customer service skills above all else. Human resources generalists need to communicate often with both internal and external stakeholders, so communication skills are crucial as well.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical human resources generalist skills. We ranked the top skills for human resources generalists based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 9.0% of human resources generalist resumes contained hris as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a human resources generalist needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 human resources generalist skills for your resume and career

1. HRIS

Here's how human resources generalists use hris:
  • Maintained HRIS database information and worked closely with accounting department for payroll purposes.
  • Leveraged HRIS system knowledge to prepare confidential material for budgets and Company Reorganizations.

2. Performance Management

Here's how human resources generalists use performance management:
  • Communicate routinely with all levels of organization regarding policies, procedures, performance management, including employee evaluations, and benefits.
  • Administered Performance Management Program, implementing enhanced tools, measurements and guidelines; trained and coached managers for consistency and compliance.

3. Customer Service

Customer service is the process of offering assistance to all the current and potential customers -- answering questions, fixing problems, and providing excellent service. The main goal of customer service is to build a strong relationship with the customers so that they keep coming back for more business.

Here's how human resources generalists use customer service:
  • Identified and corrected weaknesses in occupational safety program I also conducted Customer feedback and met and overcame any customer service issues.
  • Restructured the section to focus on customer service, budgeting, performance management, policy development and federal compliance regulations.

4. Exit Interviews

Exit interviews are meetings conducted by management representatives with employees who are separating from the company. These interviews act as a measurement scale to assess the individual's overall experience with the organization. Having a standardized procedure of exit interviews helps the company to manage risks effectively. It can increase employee retention, engagement and helps to decide what decisions are fruitful and what aren't inside the organization.

Here's how human resources generalists use exit interviews:
  • Reconcile monthly insurance invoices, conducted exit interviews and new hire orientations, and analyzed information to make solid business decisions.
  • Conducted exit interviews, identified trends and risks and proactively informed personnel and senior business management and provided recommended solutions.

5. Payroll Processing

Here's how human resources generalists use payroll processing:
  • Execute payroll processing, ensuring accurate and timely completion of payroll related activities in accordance with statutory requirements and company policy.
  • Established payroll processing practices with accounting principles for efficiency and accuracy resulting in fewer errors and more accurate reporting of wages.

6. Excellent Interpersonal

Here's how human resources generalists use excellent interpersonal:
  • Served as an HR Generalist for six years, exhibiting excellent interpersonal skills in dealing with employees at all levels.
  • Maintain reputation as first choice of directors and managers for presenting and facilitating, particularly for topics requiring excellent interpersonal skills.

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7. Employee Engagement

Here's how human resources generalists use employee engagement:
  • Consult annual employee engagement survey results to identify areas of improvement and develop robust action plans to facilitate positive change.
  • Developed, implemented and managed enterprise-wide employee engagement and recognition program for financial services organization with over 2600 employees nationwide.

8. FMLA

Here's how human resources generalists use fmla:
  • Processed claims regarding short-term disability, long-term disability, Workers Compensation, FMLA and unemployment.
  • Mentored coordinator in reducing intermittent FMLA usage through management and implementing second opinions.

9. Background Checks

Here's how human resources generalists use background checks:
  • Initiated personnel actions such as recruiting, interviewing, verifying employment history including reference and background checks.
  • Managed and facilitated on-boarding process including drug testing, submitting background checks and document management.

10. Workers Compensation

Here's how human resources generalists use workers compensation:
  • Provided informational and statistical data to all Authority departments on request for, e.g., retirement application and Workers Compensation purposes.
  • Worked closely with the insurance company for Workers Compensation and Disability and sick/injured employee to facilitate their timely return to work.

11. Open Enrollment

Open enrollment means a duration that comes every year that a person can sign up for health insurance or change the plan that a person has, for instance, if a person needs to deregister. The activity always features in a few weeks or months within a year. It allows workers to alter their benefit plans, including vision, dental, health insurance, life insurance, and disability.

Here's how human resources generalists use open enrollment:
  • Designed and administered benefits survey that identified associate issues with benefits in order to form a successful strategy for open enrollment.
  • Assist with organizing a positive benefit open enrollment, organized meetings and interfaced with vendors and representatives from the insurance companies.

12. Human Resources Policies

Here's how human resources generalists use human resources policies:
  • Directed the administration of Human Resources policies, procedures and programs including employee relations, organizational development, recruiting and employment.
  • Provided guidance and interpretation of Human Resources policies and procedures to all levels of management and non-management employees domestically and internationally.

13. Excellent Organizational

Here's how human resources generalists use excellent organizational:
  • Exercise excellent organizational and time management skills.
  • Selected to draft process manual as a result of exhibiting excellent organizational skills.

14. OSHA

Here's how human resources generalists use osha:
  • Collaborated with the Quality Assurance Manager to develop job classifications to determine risk of exposure according to OSHA safety regulations.
  • Performed periodic facility audits and inspections to ensure that safety and operating procedures are being followed within OSHA regulations

15. Benefits Administration

Here's how human resources generalists use benefits administration:
  • Performed benefits administration to include claims resolution, change reporting, approving invoices for payment and communication benefits information to employees.
  • Perform benefits administration to include change reporting, approving new enrollments and employee updates and communicating benefits information to employees.
top-skills

What skills help Human Resources Generalists find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on human resources generalist resumes?

Dr. Vinh Nguyen Ph.D.Dr. Vinh Nguyen Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Professor of Business Administration, Coe College

The most important skills for new graduates, particularly for HRM majors, are adaptability and problem solving. The ability to continuously learn and change is critical during this crisis and with on-going technological advancements. A willingness to face any problems and to find creative solutions is also highly desirable in this changing world. Thus, people who are highly aware and possess a growth mindset will stand out in the labor market.

What soft skills should all human resources generalists possess?

J. Adam Shoemaker Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Management & Human Resources, Saint Leo University

FYI, soft skills are a lot more difficult to train than hard skills. This is part of the reason that there is so much demand for soft skills - for the most part, they need to be innate to the candidate.
Here again, communication comes up - and here, it is important to recognize that communication is much more than just telling people. A good communicator is a great listener. He knows when to speak his mind and when to wait and see what happens. She knows how to collaborate effectively with people and how to take action when needed.

What hard/technical skills are most important for human resources generalists?

J. Adam Shoemaker Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Management & Human Resources, Saint Leo University

Even though these skills are much more trainable, it helps if HR professionals are familiar with HR information systems.
There are too many to name them all here (sorry, no free advertising)! It would be difficult for a candidate to be familiar with every platform a company might use for their HRIS, but it is good to know that they generally work in the same ways.
If the company asks if you have experience with a particular platform that you have never heard of, always be truthful but still be ready to ask intelligent questions about it: "I'm not too familiar with that platform, but I'd be curious to know about your employees' experiences with it. How long have you been using it, and how robust is the self-service interface?"

What human resources generalist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Dr. Michael Pasquale Ph.D.Dr. Michael Pasquale Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Professor of Linguistics, Humanities Division Chair, Cornerstone University

Graduates should continue to develop expertise and fluency in their language learning and development. They should focus on developing language fluency in the career areas they are pursuing. For example, they should read extensively and listen to podcasts in their target language to understand the field and how to use the language fluently and effectively in those contexts.

What type of skills will young human resources generalists need?

Dwaine Turner Ph.D.Dwaine Turner Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Assistant Professor, East Central University

Graduates will need to be multiculturally competent, have great interpersonal skills, and Telehealth exposure. Upcoming graduates will be faced with providing services to a diverse population that will be very challenging, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The graduates will have to implore the usage of their interpersonal skill set to strengthen the therapeutic alliance between counselor and client relationship. Also, the new trend in the profession is virtual sessions, which can be awkward at times but very necessary with the current landscape of society. The graduate will have to be more creative when creating an environment that is therapeutic in a virtual meeting room to allow the client to emote/divulge sensitive information.

What technical skills for a human resources generalist stand out to employers?

Adam Smith Ph.D.Adam Smith Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Bicentennial Professor, Associate Professor of Management, Enactus Sam Walton Fellow, Indiana University Kokomo

That varies by industry, employer, level, and position. Also, it depends on their approach to hiring and training. It is important that students research employers and industries that interest them. But overall, it may be skills such as decision-making, problem-solving, critical thinking, time management, and collaboration that remain vital. Going forward, effective communication, tech savviness, a positive view of change (as opportunity), and an openness to continuous learning may set people apart in organizations.
Do you want to know more?
Read more about what experts have to say about human resources generalist

List of human resources generalist skills to add to your resume

Human resources generalist skills

The most important skills for a human resources generalist resume and required skills for a human resources generalist to have include:

  • HRIS
  • Performance Management
  • Customer Service
  • Exit Interviews
  • Payroll Processing
  • Excellent Interpersonal
  • Employee Engagement
  • FMLA
  • Background Checks
  • Workers Compensation
  • Open Enrollment
  • Human Resources Policies
  • Excellent Organizational
  • OSHA
  • Benefits Administration
  • Employment Law
  • Labor Relations
  • I-9
  • Life Insurance
  • Unemployment Claims
  • Disciplinary Actions
  • Data Entry
  • Employee Development
  • Federal Laws
  • Corrective Action
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Disciplinary Procedures
  • ADP
  • Succession Planning
  • Performance Reviews
  • Training Programs
  • EEO-1
  • Reference Checks
  • FLSA
  • Cobra
  • Hr Administration
  • Kronos
  • Open Positions
  • State Regulations
  • PTO
  • Personnel Policies
  • Applicant Tracking Systems
  • Shared Services
  • Recruitment Process
  • E-Verify
  • Legal Compliance
  • Recruitment Efforts
  • HIPAA
  • Leave Management

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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