Human resource (HR) competencies for HR professionals have been implicated as an indicator of organisations’ pursuit of human resource management (HRM). Utilising Signalling Theory, this paper evaluates the literature on HR competencies and contrasts these with the signals given by organisations in the recruitment of HR professionals in New Zealand. Using Leximancer and frequency analysis, we contrast the academic literature with the signals that organisations recruiting HR professionals give in their job advertisements. Findings indicate that the literature has progressed to more strategic concerns and focused on the management of competencies by organisations. In contrast, signals by organisations appear to emphasise functional rather than strategic competencies. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.