How to Write a Management Resume
When you’re looking for a management job, you want an opportunity that aligns with your goals and lets you grow in your field. And your resume is a big part of finding that opportunity. This guide will help you write an excellent manager resume that shows you can keep organizations running smoothly toward their short- and long-term objectives.
- Entry-Level
- Mid-Career
- Senior-Level
1. Summarize your management qualifications in a dynamic profile
The profile section is where you can let employers know what kind of manager you are. This section describes your leadership style, relevant experience, and project highlights. Also, consider noting any advanced degrees or technical skills that set you apart. Whatever details you include, ensure each reflects your talent for driving positive change and managing seamless, successful operations.
Senior-Level Profile Example
Senior Sales Manager with 15+ years of advancement and experience. Drive steady revenue growth by training and coaching sales teams to provide top-caliber service experiences to customers.
Entry-Level Profile Example
Management Professional with 2+ years of experience. Adept at guiding teams through complex projects while fostering the talents of each employee. Well-versed in major scheduling and management software programs. Master of Science in Management.
2. Add a compelling section featuring your management experience
The experience section is the most important part of your management resume, but it can also be the hardest to write. You need to show you can train and inspire a team, streamline procedures, and help achieve short- and long-term company goals – all within a few bullets.
To keep your job descriptions brief, focus on achievements. Hiring managers want to know how you helped make organizations more efficient, collaborative, or cost-effective. So avoid writing long lists of your daily activities. Instead, describe the key challenges you addressed and the successful projects or initiatives you led. Try to give specific numbers on your team’s performance and tie them to the company’s overall revenue and profit growth during your tenure.
Senior-Level Professional Experience Example
Senior Sales Manager
KSCG, New York, NY | January 2016 – Present
- Train and motivate staff to engage prospective clients and secure challenging deals
- Took territory sales from $1.2M to $5M while driving a 30%+ profit gain
- Voted #1 manager by employees 5 out of 7 years
- Developed new training programs and sales incentives that helped improve staff retention by 50%
Entry-Level Professional Experience Example
Managerial Associate
Dallas Graphic Design, Dallas, TX | March 2021 – Present
- Assemble teams of graphic artists, copywriters, and other creative professionals based on the needs of each project
- Monitor and performance-manage direct reports to ensure consistent work quality
- Source, vet, and hire contractors for specialized tasks
- Set detailed project schedules and budgets
3. Include education and certifications relevant to management
Use the education and certifications sections to show you have strong knowledge of how to run an efficient business. Include any college degrees you’ve earned, and specify your major if it was in management or a related subject. If your degree was unrelated to management, consider calling out specific courses that may still overlap with your current career focus. Management certifications can help you stand out, so note if you’re a Six Sigma Black Belt, Certified ScrumMaster, or have a certificate in team leadership.
Certifications
Template
- [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
Example
- Certified Project Manager, HR Institute of America, 2021
Education
Template
- [Degree Name]
- [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] – [Graduation Year]
- [Coursework – optional]
Example
- Bachelor of HR Management
- Dallas University, Dallas, TX – 2019
4. List management-related skills and proficiencies
Every industry has management roles, and each company has its own idea of what a manager should do and what skills they should have. When creating your resume, it’s important to tailor it to each position with targeted keywords that focus on common skills expected at this level. We’ve provided a list of core management skills below to get you started, but don’t forget to add any that may be especially relevant to your industry.
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Budgeting & Cost Accounting | Business Data Analysis |
| Cost Reduction & Elimination | Creative Problem-Solving |
| Cross-Functional Collaboration | Customer Relationship Management (CRM) |
| Diversity & Inclusion | Efficiency Improvement |
| Google Workspace | Microsoft Office Suite |
| Operations Management | Policy & Procedure Development |
| Process Streamlining | Project & Program Management |
| Revenue & Profit Growth | Risk Management & Mitigation |
| Service Quality Improvement | Staff Training & Mentoring |
| Task Prioritization | Team Leadership & Motivation |
| Time Management | Work Planning & Scheduling |
| Workflow Development | |
How to Pick the Best Management Resume Template
If you have plenty of management experience, you may find it hard to organize your work history into a short document. A resume template can help by giving you a clear, concise framework that still lets you tailor your details to each application. For managers, the best templates are simple and straightforward – this isn’t the place to show off your graphic design skills. Choose a conservative resume design with easy-to-skim bullet points and distinct sections for your profile, experience, education, and key skills.
Management Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
- Entry-Level
- Mid-Career
- Senior-Level
Darcy Hall
(123) 456-7891 | [email protected] | Boise, ID 83707 | LinkedIn
Profile
Restaurant Manager with 7+ years’ experience streamlining operations for high-quality eateries. Passionate about elevating both the restaurant work culture and customers’ dining experience. Skilled at balancing urgent priorities in a fast-paced service environment.
Key Skills
- Customer Service & Satisfaction
- Food Safety & Sanitation
- Reporting & Documentation
- Social Media Marketing
- Task Prioritization
- Team Training & Motivation
Professional Experience
Assistant General Manager, Lucky Fins Downtown Boise, Boise, ID | January 2020 to Present
- Oversee and facilitate various business areas including cost reduction, digital marketing, personnel management, shift scheduling, and vendor relations
Highlights:
- Introduced training and manager-staff communication protocols that helped raise employee retention by 25% in 2 years
- Negotiated 10% lower kitchen gear costs with vendors
- Identified and recovered $15K in miscellaneous losses
- Launched digital promotions and photo contests that increased social media engagement by 50%
Dining Room Manager, Anthony’s Restaurants, Boise, ID | March 2016 to December 2019
- Hired, trained, and supervised 25+ service team members
- Coordinated menu planning and preparation
- Educated and coached staff on effective product up-selling and cross-selling
- Conducted thorough health and safety training
Highlights:
- Motivated team to consistently exceed monthly sales goal by more than 10%
- Decreased variable costs 10% by reducing inventory waste
- Led restaurant to consistently earn a score of 97%+ from the Central District Health Environmental Health Department
Education
Candidate: Associate of Applied Science – Culinary Arts, College of Southern Idaho, Boise, ID | expected 2024
Coursework on:
- Food Sanitation
- Human Relations
- Menu Management
- The Professional Kitchen I
Frequently Asked Questions: Management Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for management resumes?-
The following list can help you find the right mix of action verbs to describe your various duties and highlights as a manager.
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Accelerated | Achieved |
| Clarified | Collaborated |
| Coordinated | Created |
| Delegated | Developed |
| Directed | Enhanced |
| Evaluated | Executed |
| Expedited | Facilitated |
| Focused | Guided |
| Handled | Initiated |
| Implemented | Improved |
| Launched | Mentored |
| Motivated | Negotiated |
| Orchestrated | Planned |
| Prevented | Produced |
| Ranked | Resolved |
| Strategized | Streamlined |
| Won | |
How do you align your resume with a job posting?-
The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that management jobs will increase by about eight percent (or more than 880,000 new jobs) between 2021 and 2031. This growth rate is faster than the average for all US vocations.
You can get more management-level job interviews if you tailor your resume for each application. One great way to do this is by briefly describing the companies where you’ve worked in brackets right next to or below the company name. Company descriptions let you show any similarities between your past employers and the one who posted the job. For example, maybe you’ve worked for companies of a similar size or industry. Or maybe you’ve worked at organizations with a similar mission or leadership philosophy. By working these details into your descriptions, you can make your resume more relevant to each job opening.
What is the best management resume format?-
While chronological is a popular format for management resumes, you can better highlight your strengths using the combination format. This format combines a chronological resume's detailed work history and a functional resume's transferable skills section. With these two features on one document, you can give hiring managers a clear overview of your experience while focusing their attention on what makes you a great manager.
After you finish your resume, don’t forget to include a targeted cover letter in your application. The cover letter lets you show your written communication skills and gives more context on your top achievements. For example, if your resume states that you grew department revenue by 50 percent, consider writing a few sentences about how you were able to do this in your cover letter. If you’re unsure how to get started, these management cover letter examples can help.
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