Recruiter Resume Example 2023 (All You Need to Know)

Rock-Solid Recruiter Resume Example

The above is a perfect recruiter resume example for several reasons. 

Here’s exactly what it does right: 

• Chronological format. As you may know, this is the most popular format among recruiters worldwide, and thus, the best format choice for you.
• Relevant contact information. The above resume includes all the essential details, including full name, email address, and a LinkedIn profile URL.
• Attention-grabbing resume summary. In 3 sentences, the recruiter resume example above highlights the candidate’s years of expertise lists their main strengths, and quantifies their achievements.
• Accomplishments over responsibilities. Whenever relevant, the applicant lists their achievements instead of their responsibilities. This allows the candidate to stand out from the rest of the candidates applying for the same role.
• Information in bullet points. The recruiter resume example lists all information in bullet points, making the resume much easier to skim through.
• Short and to-the-point education section. As a seasoned professional with LOTS of relevant work experience, this applicant above has kept their education section short. 
• In-demand recruiter skills. The recruiter resume examples above lists some of the industry’s most in-demand skills, such as CV screening, job post writing, or interviewing. 
• Added value with languages and achievements. The resume example mentions language proficiency (which can help get the candidate hired in an international company) and achievements (which help him stand out even more). 

Build Your Recruiter Resume Section-by-Section

Want your recruiter resume to be on the same level as the example we featured above?

In this section, we’ll teach you just how to make that happen! Starting with step #1:

#1. Choose the Right Recruiter Resume Format 

The best recruiter resume format is the chronological resume. 

This resume format is the most popular worldwide and familiar to recruiters in both small-to-medium businesses, as well as fortune 500 companies.

The other 2 resume formats (functional and combination), while useful in very specific cases, are not nearly as popular, and unlikely to carry the same impact as the chronological one.

Once you’ve picked the resume format type, the next step is to work on your resume layout. Here’s what that involves:

• Add section headers in H2 to identify and separate different sections on your resume. 
• Pick the right font size and style to make sure your recruiter's resume looks professional. Usually, the standard font size for resumes is 11-12 pts and 14-16 pts for section headings. 
• Allow plenty of white space around your resume margins to give your resume a clean look.
• Save your resume as a PDF file. Unless the company you’re applying for explicitly asks for a Word resume, PDF is significantly better, as it doesn’t mess up your formatting, is compatible with 99% of systems and devices, and looks more professional. 

Use Our Recruiter Resume Templates

Formatting a resume with text processors is a very painful process.

You end up spending hours tinkering with the layout alone. 

Picking the right font, arranging the sections the right way, playing around with the margins…

And then you make a slight change to the resume, and your layout spills over to page #2.

Want to skip all this effort and STILL manage to create a gorgeous resume? Use a professional resume template!

All you have to do is pick a resume template that you like best, fill in the contents, and you’re done, ready to land that recruiter job you’ve always wanted!

And here’s the best part - all of our resume templates were created in collaboration with some of the best recruiters in the world. Meaning, they’re compelling, easy to read, and ATS-friendly all at the same time.

Click here and pick your favorite template (it’s free!).

#2. List Your Contact Details

Once you’ve sorted out the formatting, it’s time to start filling in the content. 

The first thing on your recruiter resume should be your contact information, which includes: 

• Name and surname
• Professional title (if relevant)
• Phone number
• Email 
• Location (City and state)

Additionally, as a recruiter, it’s also essential to add a URL to your LinkedIn profile, as that's what you'll be using to reach out to potential candidates.

Here’s what this looks like on a resume:

#3. Write an Attention-Grabbing Resume Summary

The next section on your recruiter resume is the resume summary.

A resume summary is a short summary (2-3 sentences) of your career, and usually looks something like this:

If you want your resume summary to stand out, it’s important to format it just like the example above. Meaning, it should mention:

• Your role and years of experience.
• Your top achievements.
• Your most relevant skills related to recruitment.

#4. Describe Your Professional Experience 

As a recruiter, you already know how important the work experience section of a resume is. 

Well, that’s exactly why you want to make an impression on the recruiter that will be evaluating you. 

Now, as far as formatting goes, the work experience section of a recruiter resume should contain the following: 

• Professional title, so that your work experience shines through right from the start.
• Company name and potentially a short description, especially if your previous employer isn’t as well-known.
• Dates employed in the mm/yyyy format.
• Achievements and responsibilities, which are the essence of each work history entry. When possible, add achievements over responsibilities, as they help you stand out from other recruiters.

Now when it comes to getting the most out of your recruiter experience, here’s what you should do: 

• Start with your current/most recent position and continue backward.
• List more achievements/tasks in bullets under your current position (4-5) and less (1-2) under your older jobs.
• Make your achievements as quantifiable as possible (e.g. “sourced and hired over 10 senior software engineers in a competitive market”, as opposed to “screened and hired candidates”).
• Use active voice and action verbs when describing your accomplishments and tasks (e.g. scanned, assessed, recruited, conducted, etc).

Not too bad, right? Now let’s put this into practice by looking at a concrete recruiter resume work section: 

How to Write a Recruiter Work Section With No Experience

Don’t have much work experience? Worry not - you can still create a compelling recruiter resume if you keep in mind our tips below.

Instead of focusing on work experience, you should focus your recruiter resume more on other types of experiences. Basically, all you need to do is gather all your past non-recruitment jobs and activities, and list them under “recruitment experience.”

Did you organize recruitment days for your club in university? Or, maybe, you handled fund-raising and administration at your six-month internship. 

After all, being a recruiter is also about networking, selling, and promoting. So, think of all the times you did this and there you have your recruitment experience.

Here’s an example:

#5. Pay Attention to the Education Section

The education section is just as important when it comes to writing a recruiter resume. 

Follow these guidelines to make sure your education makes an impression:

• Start with your latest (and highest) degree first, followed by the university’s name and location, and the years attended. 
• If you have a second advanced degree, include it in your education section. 
• Don’t include your high school education in your recruiter resume if you have higher education. 

Here’s what this looks like on a resume:

#6. List Your Recruiter Skills 

According to statistics, there are over 227,827 recruiters employed in the US. 

That’s a considerable number of recruiters to be competing against. That’s why you need to put into play more than just your work and education sections. This is where the skills section comes in.  

Here’s the trick though. As a recruiter yourself, you know darn well that simply listing your skills or checking the job description for keywords that match the required skills won’t convince...

Here’s how to list your skills on your recruiter resume:

• Make a list of your industry-related soft skills (e.g. communication and interpersonal skills, decision-making, and collaboration) and hard skills (e.g. screening, recruiting, social media).  
• Read the job description of the position you’re applying for and check for the required skills. 
• If you possess those skills, make sure to include them in the resume.     

20 Recruiter Skills to Use on Your Resume 

Recruiter Soft Skills  

• Emotional Intelligence
• Communication Skills 
• Collaboration
• Active Listening
• Problem-solving
• Compassion
• Negotiation 
• Interpersonal skills
• Critical Thinking

Recruiter Hard Skills

• Prospecting
• LinkedIn Recruitment
• Monster Talent CRM
• CV Screening
• LinkedIn Outreach
• Cold Calling
• Social Media
• Language proficiency
• Interviewing 
• Email Automation 
• Job Post Writing

#7. Make Use of These Additional Sections

Now, to take your recruiter resume from great to perfect, you should include additional sections (e.g. publications, or conferences) into your resume. 

They can help you by: 

• Making you stand out from other applicants with similar qualifications. Although less likely, you may still happen to compete against someone with similar work experience, education history, and skills as you. In such a case, listing your most noteworthy publications or the conferences you’ve attended can really help your recruiter's resume stand out.  
• Giving your recruiter resume diversity. It goes without saying that the more engaged you are in the field, the more likely it is to be passionate about it. Your resume’s additional sections will more than testify to this. 

Here are the additional sections you can add to your recruiter resume, along with some examples:

• Publications, such as articles on scientific journals or renowned magazines, interviews, etc.
• Conferences, such as RecruitCon or TalentNetLive. 
• Accolades, or recognitions. Were you recognized for being the best junior recruiter at your company? Or, maybe, for hiring the most qualified candidates. No matter the case, make sure to include it in your resume. 
• Volunteer experience, especially if you’re an entry-level recruiter. It can show you have valuable recruitment skills that just aren’t on the payroll yet. 

And here’s a concrete example of how that would look like on your resume: 

#8. Attach a Cover Letter to Your Recruiter Resume 

Your cover letter is just as important as your resume when you’re applying for jobs. 

Here’s exactly why it’s important to have one:

• A cover letter for a recruiter position is just as important as for any other job. Think about it. As a recruiter, would you consider a resume that doesn’t come with a cover letter? 
• It allows you to provide additional relevant or interesting information that your resume doesn’t. 

However, your cover letter needs to be just as impeccable as your resume. Here are some tips on how to best write a cover letter: 

• Start your cover letter effectively by addressing the recruiter the right way and including an attention-grabbing introduction. 
• Use the body of your cover letter to describe your recruitment experience, skills, and qualifications more in detail than in your resume. 
• Include achievements that support your resume and prove your capabilities.
• End your cover letter with a strong closing statement and a call to action. 
• Go through our guides on cover letter tips and cover letter mistakes to make sure your cover letter is nothing short of perfect. 

Key Takeaways 

As a recruiter, you’re the first to understand how important a resume is to a successful application. 

And while you may have studied the industry in detail or have gained plenty of experience during the years you’ve worked as a recruiter, writing your resume doesn’t necessarily come as easy. 

Here are the points we covered on this article to help you write your recruiter resume: 

• Go for the chronological format if you’re a mid or high-level professional, as it’s the most popular format among recruiters. 
• Write an attention-grabbing resume summary or objective highlighting your strengths and quantifiable achievements or express your motivation for getting into recruiting. 
• Pay attention to your work experience section. List 5-6 achievements and responsibilities in bullet points for your current/most recent position and less bullet points as you go back in time. 
• If you are a recent graduate or entry-level professional, think about other experiences you have in recruiting and list them under “recruitment experience.” 
• Check the most in-demand recruiter skills in the market and for your position and make sure to list the ones you possess.