How do you measure your HR impact on your resume and in an interview?

Quantify your HR results on business impact - using "so that"; ie improved engagement from x to y "so that" productivity increased with 20% / quality increased with 5% / time reduced by 15% / cost reduced by 10%...

Quantity is important and numbers can be impressive but it is important to remember that experiences of people made those numbers. HR success is not contingent upon what YOU did but how others responded to it. Increasing engagement can be one focus, how much buy-in was generated, how many people participated in change initiatives, or concentrate on the number of people who contribute ideas. Those numbers should then be followed by qualitative experiences, which while subjective are no less important. People will remember you for who you were to them not how you counted them.

In the CV: Measurable results, relevant experience, technical skills, Certifications and training: If you have relevant certifications or training, mention them in a specific section of your resume. Relevant projects In the Interview, concrete examples, highlighting achievements, solving problems Collaboration, continuous development and adaptation to the company culture.

For example, suppose you're applying for a role in talent acquisition, and one of the employer's goals is to increase the diversity of candidates. You can mention how you implemented a new recruitment strategy that led to a 20% increase in the number of diverse candidates in the hiring pipeline. This can be quantified by the number or percentage of diverse candidates compared to the total number of candidates.

To effectively demonstrate your HR impact in your resume and during interviews, use the expanded STAR method, which includes Situation, Task, Action, Result, and Enablers (S.T.A.R.E.): Situation: Start by describing the context within which you were working. Task: Outline the specific tasks you were responsible for. Action: Detail the actions you took to address the tasks. Result: Emphasize the quantifiable outcomes of your actions, and ensure these are clearly highlighted in your resume. Enablers: Add an extra dimension by discussing the soft skills that enabled your success. This shows how you can replicate this success in a new role.

The idea of HR terminology as a way to demonstrate skill is okay. However, neither your language nor your resume should require a decoder. The world does not speak HR language and like all good resume advisors who tell you to avoid jargon for other jobs -- HR is not different. Further, the idea of HR is to increase accessibility for people and to serve as an embassador between the company and employees; you cannot do that if people cannot connect with you. Speak to be understood not just showcase how smart you are. That said, our results are people results. A good HR leader will not have examples of what THEY did but what the people who followed them and employees did.

HR leaders still have to be team players with the rest of the executive team. Focus on strategy is important and how well we align with it while connecting the employees with the company is a testament of skill. After all, the best HR leaders translate strategy into efforts that employees can link and connect with. Therefore, buy-in begins at the top and enters formal and informal work groups through the language employed by the leader(s).

In the realm of HR, it's not solely about narrating the impact you've generated; it's equally vital to substantiate these achievements with precise data. For instance, consider the implementation of a comprehensive and efficient onboarding program, which led to a noteworthy surge in New Joiner eNPS and a substantial reduction in early-stage attrition by x%. When your narrative is reinforced by factual data, it lends greater significance and value to the initiatives or actions that have been executed.

Using the STAR approach as a story telling method to share your impact. Situation Task Action and Result. The quantifiable RESULTs should be well captured in your cv/resume while the complete STAR approach should be used to tell your story during interviews. I go a step further by adding an “E” which are the ENABLERs ( showcase your soft skills in action). The Enablers ensure you achieve success and prove that you can replicate success in a new organization if given the same task. So yes, you can use the S.T.A.R.E. approach to your advantage.