It is undeniable that the overall HR department has now shuffled from its basic functionalities like recruitment, talent management, time & attendance, etc.
There are five factors responsible for such changing HR dimensions - workforce diversity, economic and technological transformation, globalization, organizational restructuring, and changing work patterns.
Owing to these factors, today’s HR professionals must equip themselves with the right technical and soft skills to match the industry demands.
Thus, through this article, we will present you with some of the most in-demand HR skills, which will help you better position yourself in the industry and make your resume different from others.
Check out the list of leading human resource skills that will make your resume stand out.
1. HR software
HR professionals are expected to fit into a strategic role since HR is transforming into a technology-based profession.
Thus, most of the hiring companies look for professionals who are well versed in using the latest HR software and tools.
This enables HR executives to perform the primary function of the HR department successfully.
Having a sound knowledge of popular HR software also empowers the HR managers in making data-driven decisions, and accurately seizing solutions for issues like turnover rate and hiring costs.
Benefits
● Helps in redesigning and effectively streamlining HR processes
● Allows automating day-to-day HR administrative tasks
● Helps in finding answers to complex and strategic HR questions
● Offers opportunity to grow in the career
How to learn?
If you are planning to master the HR software skills, you can consider the following certification courses:
● Human Resources Information Program (HRIP) certification by the International Association of Human Resources Information Management (IHRIM)
● Getting to Grips with HR Software by Udemy
2. Talent acquisition/management software system
Along with the domain expertise of using HR software, HR professionals should also gain exposure to Applicant Tracking Software, also known as ATS.
The knowledge of using talent management software helps in incredibly performing human resource hiring and recruitment functions.
Further, those professionals who are also skilled in using AI-based talent management software adequately execute HR activities like reviewing and sorting candidates’ profiles, asking questions for digging out more information, etc.
Benefits
● Enhances your social media outreach skills
● Helps in increasing productivity by automating processes
● Adds value to your resume
How to learn?
The following certifications can help in mastering the skill:
● Human Resources Applicant Tracking System on Udemy
● Talent Acquisition | Certificate Program by AIHR
● Certified Talent Acquisition Specialist by MiddleEartHR
3. Learning and developmental skills
Also known as training and development, this skill must find a place in your resume as it is an essential skill that an organization seeks in their HR professional.
With particular emphasis on identifying skill gaps and bridging them off, many companies nowadays go for a dedicated learning and development team.
Thus, to fit in, HR must understand how to boost the employee’s morale by showcasing their L&D skills and using the right software to fast-track the growth of their employees.
Benefits
● Aids in increasing the overall productivity of the company
● Helps in employee retention
● Leads to all-embracing employee commitment towards their roles
How to learn?
The following courses will help you to gain the right exposure to the Learning & Development needs of your employees and perform a training needs analysis to facilitate learning at the workplace:
● Introduction to Learning and Development (HR) on Udemy
● Employee Training and Development- A Cornell Course
4. HR analytics
HR analytics is a full-fledged process used to optimize the performance of the overall workforce.
This skill merges the HR manager and data-based decision making, adding value to your resume manifold.
It helps in finding answers to some of the crucial organizational questions like overall hiring time, the pattern of extensive employee turnover, L&D investment, and ROI calculation, etc.
Even though most of the companies’ HR departments are submerged with tons of data, what it lacks is the skilled employees who know how to turn it into meaningful interpretations.
Thus, having the capabilities to successfully execute HR analytics as a process is what most hiring managers sought in HR professionals.
Benefits
● It makes you a better planner and improves your decision-making capabilities
● Helps in generating, managing, and reporting large volumes of data
● Open ups multiple growth opportunity and doors for other domains
How to learn?
To become a pro at analyzing HR-related data, one must learn and take the following popular courses:
● People Analytics by the University of Pennsylvania on Coursera
● HR Analyst Course by AIHR Academy
● Introduction to People Analytics by Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology on Coursera
5. Strategic-thinking and communication Skills
Along with the above mentioned technical skills, having an analytical mind, and good communication skills is essential for HR managers.
The role of HR heads demands time-to-time decision making.
Further, having excellent strategic thinking ability clubbed with effective communication is what the industry demands.
Having these skills on the resume can add value to your candidature.
That’s why, it is essential to have HR professionals who are critical thinkers, can make sustainable decisions, resolve employee’s queries, and motivate them to work better.
It further helps in successfully performing typical HR roles like application screening, recruiting, interviewing, etc.
Benefits
● Helps in weighing the pros and cons of a decision
● Aids in decision making
● Assists in quickly grasping and processing information
● Benefits at all organizational levels
How to learn?
The following communication courses and strategic thinking classes can help:
● Critical Thinking: Fundamentals of Good Reasoning by edX
● Critical Thinking - Reason and Fair Play in Communication by Maastricht School of Management Romania via Iversity
● Master your Decision-Making and Critical Thinking Skills! On Udemy
Wrapping up
Slowly and gradually, most companies plan to strengthen their HR department and plan to drive better employee performance by ensuring employee engagement.
Even the British Army uses VR for recruiting, and companies like EY are deploying AI and a cognitive chatbot named Goldie to enhance the HR user experience.
It won’t be wrong to say that trends like Wearable Tech monitoring employees’ health, growing demand for high-quality HR software, changing workstyles, moving beyond shifts, remote working, etc., will affect the existing functionalities of the HR department.
Thus, to fit in, it is imperative to groom according to the latest HR skills and gain the right HR certifications to outshine your resume.
Ankit Thakor is a strategic thinker and visionary who can see the big picture and focus on key issues to accomplish established goals. He is a SaaS Marketing Specialist at SoftwareWorld - Software Technology Review and Rating Platform.
