3 Creative Ways 2025 HR Grads Can Stand Out in the Talent Market

New HR grads and emerging professionals seeking jobs find themselves in a world of evolving priorities and rapidly advancing technology. When it comes to staying afloat during a job search, anticipating change—rather than reacting to it—is paramount. 

According to a study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), employers expect to hire 7.3% more candidates from the class of 2025 than they did from the class of 2024. By adapting to industry trends—especially artificial intelligence (AI)—mastering key soft skills, and learning to showcase their unique qualities and perspectives, graduating students and early-career professionals can remain competitive amongst their peers and stay ahead of the curve as they begin their career in HR.

Contribute to the Conversation on AI

In 2024, workplaces in all industries rapidly began to adopt AI, using it to automate administrative tasks and supercharge productivity, particularly in the realm of talent acquisition. With employers everywhere experimenting with this new technology, there is no sign of the AI wave ceasing in the near future. Potential employees uninterested in adopting this technology at work must consider the possibility of being outpaced by other job candidates who have taken the time to develop skills in this area.  

“[AI] can solve a lot of problems for [HR] and take a lot of work off our plate. Learn to adapt to the technology and understand it,” said Nicole Belyna, SHRM-SCP, director of talent acquisition at SHRM. “Look at it through the lens of: ‘How can I use this to solve problems as an HR professional?’” 

Students on the cusp of graduating—or those who recently have—should take the initiative to learn different ways they can use AI in a professional setting, such as in writing and optimizing job descriptions, developing employee communications, and screening talent. Fortunately for emerging professionals, AI best practices in the HR industry are still being developed, meaning recruiters are unlikely to expect experience in this area from recent graduates. Rather, by demonstrating genuine curiosity regarding AI and offering ideas about potential applications, emerging professionals can showcase their vital role in advancing AI best practices to recruiters. 

Brush Up on Soft Skills  

HR requires employees to manage vital workplace functions and become champions of organizational culture. These responsibilities necessitate comprehensive knowledge and mastery of relevant technology. However, soft skills, such as communication and social media savvy, are a crucial part of a successful HR professional’s toolkit. 

Communication. HR professionals serve as the median between organizational stakeholders, and they represent a bridge between hiring managers and the pools of talent they wish to tap into. HR also plays a vital role in employee engagement. These responsibilities require excellent communication skills, and emerging HR professionals must demonstrate mastery of this soft skill to stand out. 

“A lot of HR work is managing other people’s expectations, and that requires a lot of communication,” Belyna said.

Fortunately, there is ample opportunity for emerging professionals to improve their communication skills on their own time, starting by adjusting their mindset. Other key points to keep in mind: 

• Quality communication requires active listening, the practice of offering undivided attention and understanding the needs of others. This is especially relevant when it comes to high-stakes conversations, such as those involving employee well-being or career pathing. To improve this skill, new HR professionals should get in the habit of reflecting on information, deferring judgement, and avoiding interrupting others as they go about interactions in their personal lives. They can use job interviews to demonstrate their active listening skills. By answering all parts of the questions asked of them and delivering detailed responses, emerging HR professionals can showcase their ability to communicate in a way that is necessary for success in the industry. 

• A strong communicator also approaches challenging discussions with a sense of curiosity. Emerging HR professionals can impress recruiters by discussing their previous experiences handling sensitive interactions, which will demonstrate their ability to uphold civility in the workplace and encourage positive culture. This practice goes hand in hand with active listening, allowing the professional to better understand a situation so they can act accordingly. Furthermore, by asking thoughtful questions during interviews, novice HR professionals can showcase their proficiency in approaching conversations with a desire to learn.

Social Media Savvy. Joining a new industry challenges professionals to enter the talent pool with less experience on their resumes than their more-established peers. Considering this, those entering the HR field should do whatever they can to capture recruiters’ attention and stand out among the rest—and having a stellar social media presence is an excellent way to do so. 

“Sometimes HR can be considered ‘back-of-house,’ but there’s a tremendous opportunity for the HR professional to define their brand, whether that’s on LinkedIn, Tik Tok, or a podcast,” said Belyna. “Emerging professionals can stand out by talking about what they know on these platforms.” 

In creating a stronger online presence, HR newcomers can begin broadcasting their thoughts on the workplace issues that matter most to them. How might they contribute to these considerations as a member of the workforce? By using social media as a means to share actionable HR thought leadership, emerging professionals can demonstrate their commitment to building tomorrow’s workplaces and gain valuable materials to supplement their applications. 

Marketing Ideas Effectively. The class of 2025 enters the job market with a new point of view on workplace issues, such as inclusion and diversity and work/life integration. Their experiences are different from those of their older peers, and this diversity of thought is a major strength in the workplace. 

“They can stand out among the rest by sharing their unique perspective on HR topics,” said Jim Link, SHRM-SCP, CHRO of SHRM. “A new generation entering the workplace establishes a fresh point of view built upon unique lived experiences, one that HR has never seen before.” 

HR newcomers can frame their perspectives as an asset during the application and interview processes by expressing their excitement to contribute to timely conversations in the world of HR. How might they advance their organization’s mission to promote employee health and well-being? In what ways could they advance principles of steward leadership among people managers? Hiring younger workers fosters diversity of thought and experience in the workplace, and up-and-coming professionals can highlight this strength by demonstrating their enthusiasm about bettering their prospective workplace.

Understand the Skills Gap

No matter the industry, understanding a profession’s current challenges is key to succeeding in a job search. Recruiters are struggling to cultivate pools of qualified talent, with job requirements changing rapidly. This phenomenon is referred to as the “skills-mismatch crisis,” and it is expected to be a major hurdle for talent acquisition employees in 2025. HR newcomers can stand out and demonstrate their value by being prepared to spearhead employee development programs in alignment with industry trends.

“The continued skill gap is widening as workplace needs rapidly evolve,” said Kirk Wyman, SHRM-SCP, former member of the SHRM Emerging Professionals Advisory Council. “Organizations are struggling to identify and anticipate future skill requirements, with HR professionals wading through large application pools of unfit talent. Consequently, the industry has shifted its focus to employee training.” 

With the industry repositioning in favor of cultivating robust employee development programs in response to the skills mismatch crisis, emerging professionals should be prepared to explain to recruiters how they intend to champion reskilling initiatives and provide employees with the resources they need to expand their toolkits. By learning to create personalized training initiatives, tailored to each employee and their interests, HR newcomers can demonstrate to hiring managers how they plan to respond to talent shortages by nurturing the workforce from within, in accordance with industry trends.