How to hire an HR director

An HR director plays a pivotal role in shaping your company’s workforce. They handle everything from talent strategies and employee relations to complying with labor laws. 

But let’s face it – finding someone to tackle this broad range of duties is challenging. Hire the wrong person, and your business could struggle with low morale, high turnover, and so many other problems. 

Don’t worry, though – we’re here to help. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to nail this hire – from pinpointing the essential skills an HR director should bring to the table to crafting a spot-on job description and assessing candidates effectively.

What is an HR director?

HR directors act as navigators, aligning your company’s people strategy with its overall business goals. They’re deeply involved in everything from attracting and recruiting new staff members to managing employee relations, running performance reviews, organizing training programs, promoting diversity, and more. 

Additionally, HR directors are responsible for leading other HR professionals in meeting the department’s overall objectives. 

But that’s not where their duties end. They also work with external parties, such as benefits providers and legal advisors, to make sure you’re ticking all your compliance boxes.

Ultimately, the HR director's role is to create a positive, productive, and supportive work environment so both your employees and your business can thrive. 

9 skills to look for when hiring an HR director

Make sure your chosen HR director has these hard and soft skills and traits before you make an offer. 

Make sure your chosen HR director has these hard and soft skills and traits before you make an offer. 

Hard skills

• Workforce planning: A great HR director is excellent at meeting your current staffing needs and can help predict and plan for future hiring, so the company always has the right people with the right skills. 

• Knowledge of employment law: A strong grasp of local labor laws helps an HR director keep your company out of legal hot water and make sure everyone is treated fairly.

• Proficiency in HR tools and technologies: HR directors must be tech-savvy with applicant tracking systems, HR information systems (HRIS), HR management systems (HRMS), and other tools so everything runs quickly and smoothly. 

• Advanced HR strategy: The best HR directors go beyond the basics with a deep understanding of HR practices. They’re well-versed in everything from hiring and firing to shaping HR policies and strategies that support your company’s goals. 

Soft skills

• Leadership and influence: HR directors need to be natural leaders that others take seriously and follow. They’re guides to not only the HR team but also employees across the company. 

• Communication: Clear written and verbal communication helps HR directors explain policies, relay important messages to the business, and resolve conflicts and misunderstandings.

• Problem-solving: Great HR directors are able to stay cool and find quick and effective solutions to even the most unexpected employee problems. 

• Adaptability: With employee priorities, labor laws, and other HR factors constantly changing, flexibility and resilience help an HR director tackle new challenges swiftly and easily.

• Empathy: The best HR directors are able to put themselves in others’ shoes and understand what employees are going through. They can handle internal conflict, address employees’ personal issues sensitively, and build a supportive workplace.

Tips for writing an HR director job description 

Follow these best practices to write a solid HR director job description.

1. Make it skills-based

When writing your job description, be sure to highlight the specific skills you need – for instance, leadership, adaptability, and tech proficiency. 

More importantly, prioritize these skills, which truly matter, over formal qualifications or specific career backgrounds. Otherwise, you might miss out on candidates who could have been a perfect fit but have taken a less traditional route to get to where they are. 

2. Don’t forget tech skills

HR isn’t just about people skills anymore. Point out that HR director candidates must master systems like HRIS, HRMS, ATS (applicant tracking systems) etc., to keep everything running smoothly. It would also be useful to list the specific software and tools you want them to be proficient in. 

Skipping this aspect of your job description might leave you with someone who’s great with people but lost in the digital part of the job, which could really slow things down.

3. Specify the collaborative nature of the gig

Unlike HR managers, who typically work on specific areas of HR, the HR director role spans various departments. Mention that you’re looking for a candidate who can work well with other teams – both within HR and the business – to ensure their strategies help everyone. 

Forget to do this, and you could end up with a poor team player who’ll disrupt your company’s smooth operations.

4. Use inclusive language for this role

HR director roles are often seen as women's work, so it’s important to avoid language that reinforces this stereotype. 

For instance, instead of saying, “We’re looking for someone nurturing who can foster a caring work environment,” try something more gender-neutral – e.g., “We’re looking for someone who can foster a supportive work environment.”

This helps attract a diverse range of applicants, ensuring you get the best talent, regardless of gender. 

Looking for ready templates for your job descriptions? Check out our library of skills-based job description templates for every role. 

Where to find an HR director for your business

Everyone posts their open roles on LinkedIn, Monster, and other popular job boards. But to increase your chances of landing a top-tier candidate, check out these creative sources brimming with talent waiting to be discovered.    

1. HR job boards 

Post your vacancy on HR-specific job boards such as HRJobs or the HR Careers page on the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) website. These platforms attract folks who are deeply experienced in HR and likely have the specialized skills you're seeking.

2. Skills-based job boards 

Use a specialized job board like TestGorilla’s to find ace candidates who are not only qualified for the job but can also prove it. 

How does it work? You post your open role to the job board. Interested candidates can apply and take the relevant online skills tests immediately. This way, you can instantly identify those who have what it takes for the HR director job. 

3. Engage with executive search firms

HR director is a leadership role, so partnering with executive search firms that specialize in such roles is a great idea. These firms have the networks and the experience to spot candidates who fit your company’s specific needs. 

4. Explore HR consulting firms 

Some HR directors work as consultants before moving back into in-house HR jobs. Attending networking sessions with HR consultants is a great way to spot skilled HR professionals looking for their next career move. 

5. Ask your employees

Create an employee referral program that empowers and rewards your existing team members to help in the search process. Your employees often know people from their networks or previous jobs who could be a perfect fit for the position. Plus, they’re more likely to recommend someone who’ll gel well with your company’s culture. Win-win-win. 

6. Look within your own HR department

Before you begin your search, look for potential candidates within your company. This could be someone who’s ready to step up from an HR manager position or even someone from the business who also possesses HR skills. 

This is an excellent way to hire cheaper, faster, and better. Plus, it’s a great way to develop and retain your talent. 

How to test your future HR director’s skills

Writing a crisp job description and posting it to the right places can help bring in a solid set of qualified applicants. But you must properly vet your candidates’ skills to make sure you choose one that fits your needs to a T. That’s where our talent assessments come in handy. 

With TestGorilla, you can choose up to five online tests from a library of hundreds of tests and create a custom assessment for your HR director role. 

The best part? Our tests measure much more than just skills. They highlight candidates’ attributes, attitudes, cognitive skills, and more – giving you a complete view of their suitability for the job. 

Consider using the below tests for your HR director position. 

• HR Fundamentals test: Use this test to find candidates with a strong grasp of core HR processes, business judgment, relationship management, and policy-making. 

• HR Management test: This assessment will help you take things to the next level by checking if candidates can run the strategic side of your HR function – for instance, recruitment, employee development, risk management, and more.  

• Computer Literacy (PC) test: This is an excellent test to make sure you hire someone who knows their way around a computer and can use basic tools to run HR operations. (Using an Apple device? Our Computer Literacy (Mac) test has you covered.)

• Leadership and People Management test: You can’t hire a good HR director without testing their ability to run a team, manage relationships, and influence people – and that’s exactly what this test looks at. 

• Communications (intermediate) test: This must-have test gives you an all-rounded view of your candidates’ ability to communicate. It covers everything from written and verbal skills to active listening and understanding non-verbal cues. 

• Problem Solving test: Use this assessment to learn more about how your candidates deal with unexpected issues, think on their feet, and come up with winning solutions to fix them promptly. 

• Enneagram test, DISC, and other personality assessments: These tests help you get to know the person behind the application. What are their strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, and behavioral attributes? Do they have the level of empathy and adaptability needed for the job?

• Culture-add test: Rank the values that matter most to your company and ask applicants to do the same with this test. This way, you can find someone who’s not only in tune with your culture but also adds to it. 

Top interview questions for an HR director

Once you’ve shortlisted top-scoring candidates, put them through virtual or in-person interviews to dig deeper into their skills and experiences. 

Here are a few interview questions to give you insights into your candidates’ skills and working styles.

• “Walk me through how you've previously implemented a new HR technology. What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?”

This question captures three essential aspects of the role: a candidate’s technical literacy, problem-solving skills, and ability to drive change in an organization. 

• “What has been your approach to improving employee retention?”

With this question, you can better understand a candidate’s ability to create and action strategies that keep turnover low and engagement high.

• “Describe a time when you had to handle a particularly delicate employee relations issue. What approach did you take?”

This question tells you how candidates handle sensitive situations like workplace trauma, make tough decisions, and build a safe and supportive environment for employees. 

• “How do you ensure diversity and inclusion within the workplace?”

This question assesses applicants’ approach to creating an inclusive work culture and environment, which is extremely important to everyone from employees and business leaders to investors. 

• “How do you stay updated with changes in employment law?”

Finding a candidate who knows current labor laws like the back of their hand is one thing. But this question helps you to see if candidates can stay on top of changing rules and regulations so you can rely on them to keep your company on the right side of the law.  

Need more inspiration? Explore our blog with 20 interview questions for HR directors. 

3 mistakes to avoid when hiring an HR director

When hiring an HR director, watch out for these common traps that can lead you to the wrong choice. 

1. Not checking how they've handled tough decisions

Just because HR directors need to be empathetic doesn’t mean they need to be soft or people-pleasing. HR directors often need to make tough calls, such as overseeing layoffs or handling sensitive legal issues. 

Find out how candidates have managed these situations in the past, and look for attributes that reassure you about their ability to steer your company through future hardships. 

2. Ignoring flexibility and adaptability

With economies fluctuating, employee priorities shifting, and Gen Z employees taking the world by storm, the best candidates need to stay flexible and adapt to evolving HR landscapes.

Hiring someone with a rigid mindset could result in a leader who can’t see your company through changing times and won’t resonate with team members.   

3. Overlooking cultural contributions

Yes, it’s important for all candidates to mesh well with their company’s culture. But good HR directors must not just fit but also create and carry your company’s culture, values, and working practices. If you don’t look for these attributes during the recruitment process, you could end up with someone who disrupts what you stand for and damages team morale. 

FAQs

Looking for more information on hiring HR directors? Check out our answers to some frequently asked questions. 

Is an HR director higher than an HR manager?

Yes, an HR director is in a higher position than an HR manager. An HR director oversees the entire HR department and strategy, while HR managers typically handle specific areas or tasks within the department.

When to hire a head of HR?

It's time to hire a head of HR when your company grows in terms of scale, team size, or even number of locations, making it harder to manage your employees. In these instances, you need a head of HR or HR director to run processes, keep you compliant, and improve staff satisfaction. 

What do HR directors get paid?

HR directors get paid various salaries. Amounts vary depending on the size of the team, the scope of the job, and location. But to give you a ballpark, according to Salary.com, the average salary for an HR director in the United States is $183,236.

Hire an HR director who fits like a glove with TestGorilla

HR directors are powerhouses that build your company’s culture, keep employees satisfied, and make sure you stay out of legal problems. They need to have excellent people skills, a strategic mind, and also be tech-savvy – a tough combination to land. 

Writing clear job descriptions and looking in the right places gets you one step closer to finding great candidates. But putting them through TestGorilla’s skills assessments, cognitive ability tests, and personality and culture tests is what truly gets you over the line when it comes to finding the perfect match. 

Ready to find an HR director who not only fits the job on paper but also excels in the realities of the role? Explore our library of 400+ tests, book a live demo, or create a free TestGorilla account today.