Jul 18, 2024
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12 min read
Put your best foot forward with our tips, tricks, and hints.
Rated by 348 people
You’re a natural-born leader—a people person who knows how to inspire a team. You’ve climbed up the career ladder, and now you’re in the esteemed position of manager. With great power comes great responsibility, and don’t you know it.
Successful managers wear many hats. They're the organizers, working hard behind the scenes to keep things moving. They’re the motivators, offering support and guidance to their team members. And when times get tough, they're the disciplinarians, keeping staff on track and making sure they smash their targets.
When you’re looking for your next role, it can be hard to put all those skills and talents down on paper. You need to show you have what it takes, accurately describe your managerial style, and align with the company’s values. So, how can you get it right?
You’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll show you how to craft an interview-winning application in no time. We’ll be covering everything from what to include to how to tailor your resume to boost your odds. Let’s get started.
Key takeaways
Don’t waste this opportunity. We’ve created a guide that gives you the insider tips you need to succeed.
To make the most of it, follow our handy advice below:
Guide checklist
New to crafting a management resume? No worries. This guide will walk you through the key sections every strong management. It doesn’t matter whether you're aiming for a team lead role, department head position, or moving into upper management.
Results matter. What sets you apart as a manager? Showcase your ability to lead teams, deliver results, and drive change. Emphasize achievements like project outcomes, KPIs met, cost savings, or improvements you've led across departments.
Include core sections such as professional summary, leadership experience, key accomplishments, education, certifications, and relevant training. Use a clear, results-oriented format that hiring managers can scan quickly.
Recruiters often scan for keywords. Make sure yours has skills like strategic planning, team leadership, performance management, budgeting, and cross-functional collaboration.
This guide offers more than basic tips. Look out for our expert-backed pro tips and real-world examples that can help elevate your resume and demonstrate your readiness for leadership roles.
Different management roles value different traits—some prioritize operational efficiency, others creative problem-solving or stakeholder communication. Align your resume with the specific demands and values of each job you apply for.
Study the job description carefully, review company values, and explore profiles of successful managers in similar roles. This research will help you position your resume to speak directly to what employers are looking for.
Creating your resume is simple. Our easy-to-use resume builder helps you organize your sections by dragging and dropping them into place.
Drop your resume here or choose a file.
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Your management resume must tell the story of a persuasive and organized leader (that’s you!). Recruiters will expect you to be a strategic thinker, results-driven, and an excellent communicator. First impressions matter, so the angle you choose could be vital here.
Let’s take a look at some elements you can focus on:
PRO TIP
Put your most impressive attributes in the top-left section of your resume.
When people read things on a screen, their eyes follow an F-shaped pattern, according to research from the Nielsen Norman Group. That means that they start at the top-left of the page and then do a quick horizontal and vertical scan with their eyes.
What does that mean for your resume? Well, positioning your biggest achievements at the top means that recruiters are more likely to notice them.
Let’s break down each of the focuses in more detail:
Recruiters need to know you can get solid results. So, prove it to them. Don’t simply make big claims—back everything up with metrics (i.e. numbers and statistics).
Numbers speak louder than words. Adding some choice metrics to your work experience section can help you make a big impact on recruiters.
Let’s take a look at an example:
“Led a team to deliver projects 15% ahead of schedule on average, improving overall client satisfaction scores by 22%.”
How many people have you managed? There’s a gigantic difference between leading a team of three and leading a team of 300. Be specific about the role and your responsibilities.
Tell a story with your management resume!
Recruiters are looking for growth. Use your resume to tell a clear, progressive story of your career in management. Show how each role prepared you for the next by highlighting increased responsibilities, larger teams, or more complex challenges.
For instance, your first leadership role might have involved supervising a small team or overseeing a single project. Don’t downplay it. Instead, focus on what you learned and how it laid the foundation for future success. Then demonstrate how your next position marked a step up.
Great managers always have one eye on the bottom line, and you’re no different. Let the hiring manager know that you’re a pro when it comes to cost-saving initiatives. Do this through measurable stats and by talking about the process you use.
PRO TIP
Name-drop the tools you use.
Don’t presume the reader knows the tools you can use. It’s far better to spell it out for them.
Here’s some of the software you might mention:
If you’re the brains behind the operation, now's the time to shout about it. Detail any plans you’d led, how you executed them, and what the results were.
S T A R
Use the STAR technique when sharing how you delivered solid results.
Follow this simple formula to get it right:
Choose one of the focuses from above and make it the centerpiece of your resume. Also, keep your resume layout short and clear.
Now that you’re prepped on what angle to take, let’s talk about how you can choose the right format.
Don’t overlook the importance of your resume format. This is the structure of your document and determines where each section goes.
There are three main options:
Most managers will have had a linear career, slowly and surely climbing the ladder. If that describes your career history, go for the reverse-chronological format. Recruiters expect to see this structure, as it presents your work experience in a logical way.
On the other hand, if your career has been more sporadic and you’ve held many roles, you might find this format restrictive. In that case, use the functional format instead.
If you want your resume to stand out, there are some things you can do, including:
For most managers, one page should be long enough. However, if you’re an executive with loads of experience, you can use two pages.
Just ensure everything you share is valuable to the recruiter.
Save your resume as a PDF, not a Word document or any other file.
Ideally, your resume margins should be between 0.5 to 1 inch. Stick to this golden rule.
Your number one priority is readability. For that reason, we recommend the following resume fonts:
Now that you’re clued up on how to format your resume, we can move on to what you need to write.
Your resume header is essentially your business card. It contains the basic information a hiring manager needs when you’re applying for a job.
Here’s a rundown of what it consists of:
Take a look at our example for some inspiration:
Your resume summary is likely the first thing a hiring manager will read. Make it count. This is a short paragraph that covers your boldest achievements and attributes.
PRO TIP
Choose your words wisely. Peppering resume action words throughout this section is a savvy move. These draw the reader’s eye and set you apart from other, more generic candidates.
Check out our examples here:
Not sure where to start? Make a list of your top three achievements. These could be anything from a big-name brand you worked for or a massive cost-saving initiative you led. Weave these anecdotes into your resume summary to show what results you can offer employers.
Take a look at our example:
Featuring metrics and clear explanations of the candidate's skills, the above summary covers all bases. Use this as inspiration when you start writing your statement.
Having the right work experience on your resume is vital when you’re applying for managerial positions. Recruiters will want to see that you’ve learned the ropes.
How far back should a resume go?
If you have decades of experience, you might think you should share it all. However, we recommend going back no further than 10 to 15 years on your resume.
This helps you avoid any unconscious bias or age-based discrimination. Only include the most recent and, therefore, most relevant positions on your resume.
For each role, start with the basics. Include the company name, location, your job title, and the dates you were employed. Next, use bullet points to add your key accomplishments.
Here’s an example of how that may look:
This work experience section is clear about the size of teams the candidate has led and the results they’ve delivered. It paints a solid picture for the hiring manager.
The details you outline in your work experience section will depend on your professional strengths. What's it that makes you a smart and successful leader? Start there, and then craft a section that shares your attributes in a straightforward manner.
If you’re looking for some inspiration, take a look at the following examples:
Management roles are all about people. If your strength is motivating and moving staff members forward, you need this to come across plainly in your work experience section.
Are you the type of manager who always gets results? If you’re smashing targets left, right, and center, that should be the focus of this part of your resume.
Do you have a knack for checks and balances? If the answer is yes, make sure your work experience showcases this talent. Use metrics to be clear about the skills you have here.
Next up, you need the right skills on your resume. Most managers have an array of impressive talents. However, there’s power in knowing which to prioritize on your resume.
You don’t have space to waste. Avoid generic skills that don’t say much about you as a professional.
For example, saying that you’re “hard-working” is a waste of time. That’s a given. Instead, pinpoint key attributes that make you excel in the workplace.
One way to get started is to look back at the job advert. Look at the “must-haves” or core competencies in the job description. Be sure to list the ones you already have.
Check out our example that includes both hard and soft skills:
Hard skills tend to be technical or learned on the job. These may apply to management at large, or specifically to the sector you’re in, such as marketing or operations.
You can include the names of software and tools, or certain practices you follow. Make sure each skill strengthens your application by enhancing your management repertoire.
Take a quick look at our example:
It’s not all about hard skills, though—soft skills give your resume shape and show you’re a well-rounded candidate. List skills that reveal how you work well with people and systems.
Here are some soft skills you may include:
Once you’ve done all of the above, you’ll need to tackle the education resume section. This can include both your academic achievements and any professional development you've gone through.
Start with your college degree or degrees. Bonus points if your degree is in business management or the same field you work in.
Note: You may want to highlight academic honors such as Cum Laude or the Dean’s list.
Grade point average
When to include your GPA on your resume.
If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, list it on your resume in your education section. However, if your score is lower than that, it may be better to omit this information.
Have you completed any professional certifications? Displaying management-related training on your resume is a snappy way to get ahead.
For example, you might have:
Let’s take a look at a sample education section for a manager:
Do you have some space to spare on your management resume? Adding extra resume sections could be the very thing that gives you the edge over other applicants.
Here are three sections you may decide to slide onto the page:
Can you speak German, French, or Spanish? How about Japanese or Italian? Whatever your skills, adding a language section highlights that you have more to bring to the table.
Most candidates don’t think of putting hobbies on their resume, but it’s worth considering. Ensure your interests align with the management role and place you in the best light.
Adding volunteer work to your resume can help bolster your experience. Once again, ensure every position you include is relevant to the vacancy.
Your resume is your first impression. It should clearly communicate who you are, both through its design and the story it tells. Get it right from the start by using our drag-and-drop resume builder tool to create a clear design.
Why not get started now?
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