How To Write a Business Manager Resume
You must highlight your career accomplishments to build a compelling business manager resume. The key to crafting a strong resume is showing the value you bring to the organizations you work for. Draw attention to your leadership ability, the improvements you made to your work environment, or the monetary impact of your time on the job. This will maximize your chances of landing an interview.
Crafting a resume that can pass through automated scans and appeal to hiring managers is also important. Understanding the specific requirements of each job posting and matching them to your resume can help with this.
Below are some expert tips to help you craft a strong resume.
1. Write a dynamic profile summarizing your qualifications
When writing a resume profile as a business manager, highlight your most relevant experience, skills, and achievements. Begin your profile by giving your job title and years of related experience. For example, “Inventive business manager with over five years of experience in the manufacturing sector.”
Describe your strengths related to the job you are applying for and focus on any signature achievements in your previous management experience. Customize your profile to align with the job you are applying for. Use keywords from the job posting to make your profile more relevant to the hiring manager.
Keep your profile concise and to the point. Your goal is to grab the hiring manager’s attention and make them want to learn more about you.
Profile Example 1
Business Manager with 4+ years of experience in startups and small businesses. Service-oriented professional focused on providing top-quality support to internal and external stakeholders. Highly adaptable to new roles, duties, and industry conditions. Naturally curious and committed to gaining and applying new expertise.
Profile Example 2
Inventive Business Manager with 5+ years of experience in the manufacturing sector. Ready collaborator who builds productive partnerships across functional lines. Focused on finding new ways to enhance business efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Bilingual: Fluent in English and Spanish.
2. Add an accomplishment-driven professional experience section
You can boost your resume by going beyond standard duties to describe the result and impact of your efforts. How have you made your business or office run better? Did you trim costs? Streamline procedures? Devise a popular new training program? Brainstorm and list your results. Quantify with relevant data if you have the figures available.
The average resume reader doesn’t “read” it in the usual sense. Instead, they quickly scan the page, looking for impressive and relevant details to their hiring needs. Present your career highlights in a way that makes it easy for the reader to understand, even at a glance.
Professional Experience Example 1
Business Manager, VLK Incorporated, Minneapolis, MN | September 2019 to Present
[Innovative tech startup with 20+ employees and various outside contractors.]
- Coordinate and oversee varied office and business functions in a dynamic setting
- Redesigned and improved processes to expedite weekly and monthly reporting by more than 25%
- Co-developed a simplified, comprehensive filing system that allows assistants to manage incoming and outgoing messages more promptly
- Uncovered and eliminated various process inefficiencies, paring back administrative costs by more than 20%
Professional Experience Example 1
Business Manager, KWN Manufacturing, Inc., New York, NY | September 2017 to Present
- Coordinate and oversee varied office and business functions in a dynamic setting
- Introduced communication systems and protocols that enabled better partnership among departments
- Collaborated with HR on a 6-month initiative to recruit high-potential new staff members for four fast-growing departments
- Combined efforts helped drive three consecutive years of 30%+ revenue growth, or $400K+ improvement to company’s bottom line
3. Include your education and certifications
In addition to your education degrees, add any certifications related to your target job. Some of the most popular business management certifications include:
- Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP): The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) gives this to individuals who have demonstrated a high level of knowledge and expertise in business analysis.
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP): Offered by the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISC), this recognizes individuals with a high level of knowledge and expertise in information security.
- Certified Manager (CM): The Institute of Certified Professional Managers (ICPM) gives this to individuals who have displayed a high level of competence and professionalism in management.
- Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP): Offered by The Association for Supply Chain Management (APICS), this recognizes individuals with a high level of knowledge and expertise in supply chain management.
- Project Management Professional (PMP): The Project Management Institute (PMI) awards individuals who have demonstrated a high level of knowledge and experience in project management.
Please note this is not an exhaustive list of all the certifications available. If you have another certification that may be relevant to the job you’re applying for, be sure to include it. If you don’t have any certifications, look into the process. While not always necessary, it always looks good on a resume.
Below are templates and examples to help you format education and certification details. Note optional template areas appear in [brackets].
Education
Template:
Degree Name — [Major, Minor], School Name, [City, ST] | [Year]
[Select Coursework]
Example:
Bachelor of Science (BS) – Business, University of Syracuse, Syracuse, NY
Certification
Template:
Certification Name or Title, [Awarding Organization] | [Year]
[Description]
Example:
Project Management Professional (PMP), Project Management Institute
4. List pertinent key skills
Many employers rely on Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to identify qualified candidates during the hiring process. To ensure your document meets the necessary criteria of the ATS scan, incorporate specific keywords from the job posting into your resume.
Below is a list of keywords you may encounter in your job search:
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Business needs assessment | Coaching and mentoring |
| Cost elimination | Cost reduction |
| Cross-functional collaboration | Documentation |
| Efficiency gains | Process redesign |
| Productivity | Reporting |
| Revenue and profit growth | Staff training and development |
| Talent recruiting and staffing | Targeted resource allocation |
| Task prioritization | |
How To Pick the Best Business Manager Resume Template
The best resume template for you as a business manager depends on your background, the specific job you’re applying for, and your career goals. Consider your qualifications, certifications, and the employer’s needs when deciding which template best showcases your management skills and experience. Customize your resume for each job application regardless of your design to align with the specific job requirements and employer expectations.
Business Manager Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
Years of Experience
- #1
- #2
- #3
Skyler Thompson
123 W 15th Street, Minneapolis, MN 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]
Profile
Business Manager with 4+ years of experience in startups and small businesses. Service-oriented professional focused on providing top-quality support to internal and external stakeholders. Highly adaptable to new roles, duties, and industry conditions. Naturally curious and committed to gaining and applying new expertise.
Career Highlights
Business Manager, VLK Incorporated, Minneapolis, MN | September 2019 to Present
[Innovative tech startup with 20+ employees and various outside contractors.]
- Coordinate and oversee varied office and business functions in a dynamic setting
- Redesigned and improved processes to expedite weekly and monthly reporting by more than 25%
- Co-developed a simplified, comprehensive filing system that allows assistants to manage incoming and outgoing messages more promptly
- Uncovered and eliminated various process inefficiencies, paring back administrative costs by more than 20%
Office Manager, BZU Incorporated, Minneapolis, MN | July 2018 to August 2019
- Gained strong foundation in customer support and process automation
Education
Associate Degree – Business
Minneapolis Community & Technical College, Minneapolis, MN
Key Skills
- Coaching & Mentoring
- Cost Reduction & Elimination
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Process Redesign & Improvement
- Productivity & Efficiency Gains
- Reporting & Documentation
- Revenue & Profit Growth
- Staff Training & Development
- Talent Recruiting & Staffing
Mina Sayed
123 Bedford Avenue, New York, NY 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]
Profile
Inventive Business Manager with 5+ years of experience in the manufacturing sector. Ready collaborator who builds productive partnerships across functional lines. Focused on finding new ways to enhance business efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Bilingual: Fluent in English and Spanish.
Career Highlights
Business Manager, KWN Manufacturing, Inc., New York, NY | September 2017 to Present
- Coordinate and oversee varied office and business functions in a dynamic setting
- Introduced communication systems and protocols that enabled better partnership among departments
- Collaborated with HR on a 6-month initiative to recruit high-potential new staff members for four fast-growing departments
- Combined efforts helped drive three consecutive years of 30%+ revenue growth, or $400K+ improvement to company’s bottom line
Education
Bachelor of Science (BS) – Business
University of Syracuse, Syracuse, NY
Language
- Fluency in Spanish
Key Skills
- Coaching & Mentoring
- Cost Reduction & Elimination
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Process Redesign & Improvement
- Productivity & Efficiency Gains
- Reporting & Documentation
- Revenue & Profit Growth
- Staff Training & Development
- Talent Recruiting & Staffing
Sarah Johnson
123 Carpenter Street, Philadelphia, PA 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]
Profile
Business Manager with 7+ years of experience at large corporations. Skilled at training and motivating teams to drive gains in business profit and efficiency. Expertly balance and prioritize various tasks in a matrix environment. Adapt readily to new work challenges and industry conditions. Achievements include launching a popular talent development program that raised team performance by 35%.
Career Highlights
Business Manager, TXE Corporation, Philadelphia, PA | September 2017 to Present
- Strategically allocate talent and resources to optimize efficiency and cost-effectiveness
- Worked with senior business leaders on change initiatives to form a more collaborative and results-focused work culture
- Introduced staff training and development programs that helped elevate team performance by 35%
- Made weekly meetings more productive by creating a formal procedure for groups to determine and assign next steps on each incomplete project
General Manager, OYO Organization, Philadelphia, PA | July 2015 to August 2017
- Gained strong foundation in team leadership and strategic resource allocation
- Worked with HR on a new merit-based incentive and compensation program that raised staff retention by 20%
Education
Bachelor’s Degree – Business Administration
Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Key Skills
- Business Needs Assessment
- Coaching & Mentoring
- Cost Reduction & Elimination
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Process Redesign & Improvement
- Productivity & Efficiency Gains
- Reporting & Documentation
- Revenue & Profit Growth
- Staff Training & Development
- Talent Recruiting & Staffing
- Targeted Resource Allocation
- Task Prioritization
Frequently Asked Questions: Business Manager Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for business manager resumes?+
You may run short on action verbs during the resume-building process. In addition to managing business functions, you coordinate, develop, and improve them in many ways. The following action verbs will help you brainstorm resume points that capture your work’s true, dynamic nature.
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Assign | Coach |
| Collaborate | Coordinate |
| Delegate | Develop |
| Enhance | Execute |
| Grow | Hone |
| Implement | Improve |
| Launch | Mentor |
| Motivate | Redesign |
| Reduce | Revitalize |
| Streamline | Train |
How do you align your resume with a business manager job posting?+
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median income for business managers was $107,360 in May 2022. Overall employment in management occupations is projected to grow faster than average from 2022 to 2032. On average, about 1.1 million openings are projected each year in these vocations due to employment growth and the need to replace workers who leave the occupations permanently.
Aligning your resume with the needs of individual employers will go a long way in securing your next interview. The key to grabbing the hiring manager’s attention is to feature the most relevant aspects of your experience as close as possible to the top of your document. For instance, if the organization emphasizes its safety culture, include your knowledge of OSHA standards in your professional profile.
What is the best business manager resume format?+
Most business managers should use the combination (or hybrid) format. True to its name, this format combines two important features of other resume formats: the chronological format’s experience section, and the functional format’s profile section. (The resume examples on this page all use combination format.)
By fusing these two features, a combination resume offers the best of both worlds. The experience section lets you outline your recent work history – essential information for most employers. At the same time, the profile section lets you display your career highlights at the top, regardless if they’re from that work history or another part of your background. As a result, you can present yourself clearly and strategically. With this format you give hiring managers the best view of your experience and relevant strengths, so they can make an informed decision to call you for an interview.
Expert Advice: Include a cover letter with your resume
Once you’re done with your resume, write a concise cover letter. A cover letter is a great opportunity to speak directly to the hiring manager and make a case for why you’re the best candidate for the job. For more information and ideas, view our manager cover letter examples.
