While this doesn’t have to be a career bingo card, there are definitely a group of core experiences that add weight to an HR CV.

Whatever stage you are at in your HR career, there’s ways to bring value to these experiences. When you are next in a job interview, being able to pull these experiences, impact and – critically – the part you played in delivering the work, you’ll be positioning yourself as talent a new employer mustn’t overlook.

Want to download this as a handy PDF? Click here

1. Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning
Value Add: Ensures the business hires the right people, at the right time, with the right skills.

• Early: Support interview co-ordination and screening for volume recruitment campaigns.
• Mid: Lead the development of a quarterly hiring forecast with hiring managers.
• Senior Leader: Shape the organisation’s long-term talent acquisition strategy to meet future skills needs.

2. Onboarding & Induction Programmes
Value Add: Boosts early engagement, retention, and productivity.

• Early: Deliver induction sessions for new hires.
• Mid: Refresh onboarding materials based on new starter feedback.
• Senior Leader: Oversee the design of a scalable onboarding experience for hybrid/national/global teams.

3. Employee Relations (ER) Case Management
Value Add: Maintains legal compliance and preserves company culture during disputes.

• Early: Take meeting notes during disciplinary or grievance hearings.
• Mid: Independently manage low-risk ER cases from start to finish.
• Senior Leader: Set ER strategy and coach business leaders on proactive issue resolution.

4. HR Policy Development & Implementation
Value Add: Sets clear standards and reduces risk.

• Early: Research legal updates to inform policy reviews.
• Mid: Draft and consult on updates to key HR policies.
• Senior Leader: Approve and communicate policy changes aligned with strategic priorities.

5. Performance Management Systems
Value Add: Aligns individual performance with company goals.

• Early: Support performance review logistics and data tracking.
• Mid: Train managers on using performance management tools effectively.
• Senior Leader: Embed a culture of continuous feedback and performance across the organisation.

6. Learning & Development (L&D) Strategy
Value Add: Upskills employees and builds internal capability.

• Early: Organise L&D sessions and gather evaluation feedback.
• Mid: Create and deliver development programmes for emerging leaders.
• Senior Leader: Define strategic L&D priorities aligned with future workforce needs.

7. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives
Value Add: Attracts top talent and drives innovation.

• Early: Join or support an employee resource group (ERG).
• Mid: Lead initiatives to improve inclusive hiring practices.
• Senior Leader: Set and monitor DEI goals and sponsor organisation-wide initiatives.

8. Reward & Recognition Programme Design
Value Add: Motivates staff and improves retention.

• Early: Benchmark reward packages for new roles.
• Mid: Design and pilot a recognition scheme within a department.
• Senior Leader: Approve annual reward strategy and drive alignment with culture and budget.

9. HR Metrics & Data Analytics
Value Add: Drives evidence-based decisions.

• Early: Prepare monthly HR dashboards for review.
• Mid: Analyse trends in absence or attrition to inform interventions.
• Senior Leader: Use workforce analytics to guide strategic decision-making at board level.

10. Organisational Design & Change Management
Value Add: Aligns structure with strategy, enabling growth.

• Early: Assist with role mapping and updating org charts.
• Mid: Lead consultation processes during team restructures.
• Senior Leader: Shape org design principles to support long-term business transformation.

11. Succession Planning & Talent Pipelines
Value Add: Reduces leadership gaps and boosts continuity.

• Early: Maintain talent review data and development plans.
• Mid: Facilitate calibration discussions and succession mapping with senior managers.
• Senior Leader: Champion succession strategy and mentor high-potential talent.

12. Compensation & Benefits Benchmarking
Value Add: Keeps pay competitive and fair.

• Early: Conduct external salary benchmarking using tools like Willis Towers Watson or Korn Ferry.
• Mid: Analyse internal pay equity and present insights to HR leadership.
• Senior Leader: Set reward philosophy and lead annual pay review negotiations.

13. HRIS Implementation & Management
Value Add: Automates workflows and improves data accuracy.

• Early: Upload employee data and run reports from the HR system.
• Mid: Manage HRIS upgrades and train users across the business.
• Senior Leader: Sponsor digital HR transformation projects and evaluate ROI.

14. Internal Communications & Engagement
Value Add: Builds trust, alignment, and morale.

• Early: Draft content for HR newsletters or intranet updates.
• Mid: Launch engagement campaigns tied to company values or strategy.
• Senior Leader: Shape the tone and strategy for internal people communications.

15. TUPE & Redundancy Projects
Value Add: Manages legal and emotional complexity with minimal disruption.

• Early: Support documentation and logistics for consultation meetings.
• Mid: Lead employee consultation sessions and manage timelines.
• Senior Leader: Oversee people transition plans and stakeholder engagement for major change projects.

16. Employment Law Knowledge
Value Add: Protects the business from legal risk.

• Early: Complete ACAS and CIPD employment law training.
• Mid: Advise managers on managing risk within policy and legal frameworks.
• Senior Leader: Represent HR in tribunal preparation or complex legal cases.

17. Union Negotiations & Industrial Relations
Value Add: Supports business continuity through stakeholder management.

• Early: Observe union meetings and take minutes.
• Mid: Lead negotiations on working conditions and policy changes.
• Senior Leader: Build long-term union relationships and lead collective bargaining strategy.

18. Wellbeing Strategy & Mental Health Initiatives
Value Add: Improves productivity and reduces absence.

• Early: Organise wellness events or awareness weeks.
• Mid: Develop a wellbeing calendar and partner with mental health champions.
• Senior Leader: Embed wellbeing into the people strategy and influence board-level buy-in.

19. Coaching & Business Partnering Skills
Value Add: Equips leaders to manage teams effectively.

• Early: Shadow HRBPs and support with meeting preparation.
• Mid: Coach line managers through people challenges and facilitate solutions.
• Senior Leader: Serve as strategic advisor to the executive team on people issues.

20. HR Project Management
Value Add: Delivers strategic outcomes on time and on budget.

• Early: Support project documentation and meeting coordination.
• Mid: Lead the implementation of a people-related project, such as a new benefits platform.
• Senior Leader: Sponsor enterprise-wide HR transformation programmes and track outcomes.

Whether you are considering a change in your HR career, or need to add HR talent to your team, the Waddington Brown HR recruitment specialists can help. Get in touch on 01473 359159 or enquiries@waddingtonbrown.co.uk