How To Write a Product Manager Resume
Writing a great resume doesn’t have to be complicated but takes time and a solid understanding of how to tailor it to a job position. As a product manager, you already know how important it is to gather requirements and develop a strategy before you start, and you can use those skills as you craft your resume. Check out the tips, templates, and examples below for ideas on how to prepare a product manager resume that will help you get to the top of the pile.
1. Write a compelling profile summarizing your qualifications
Hiring managers often have to sort through dozens or even hundreds of applicants, so they’re usually only spending a few seconds per resume. This means you need to get, and keep, their attention immediately. The profile section is the perfect place to do this. Additionally, highlight one or two key achievements, such as leading the development and implementation of a new feature that increased customer satisfaction.
Senior-Level Profile Example
Driven product manager with over 20 years of experience in technological product development and expertise in successfully commercializing technology advances. Experience leading cross-functional teams of up to 20 members to bring innovative products to market while managing budgets of up to $3 million.
Entry-Level Profile Example
Dedicated associate product manager dedicated to building the Internet of Things. Experience developing campaigns to launch and promote products and working with diverse teams during all phases of product development. Able to work in fast-paced environments with responsibility for multiple products and deadlines.
2. Add a results-driven professional experience section
As a product manager, your job is all about making a product more functional for customers and other team members, and your resume should highlight your technical skills and ability to collaborate across multiple departments. When creating your bullet points, consider the valuable contributions you made to previous employers. For example, you may have utilized customer research and A/B testing to pinpoint areas for improvement, resulting in an elevated NPS score. Use metrics like percentages whenever possible to quantify your achievements and show potential employers what you can replicate in a new position.
Senior-Level Professional Experience Example
Product Manager
TauTech, San Jose, CA | April 2012-Present
- Collaborate cross-functionally with marketing, design, engineering, and sales teams to identify new product solutions and develop them for market
- Lead product development, strategy, and execution across four teams and launched five new products in three years, resulting in 25% revenue increase
- Use beta testing, data analytics, and user research to identify and implement opportunities for improvement, leading to 80% increase in customer satisfaction
- Develop detailed product roadmaps using Agile methodology
Entry-Level Professional Experience Example
Associate Product Manager
Delta Organization, Raleigh, NC | July 2018-Present
- Identify market needs and define products and programs to meet gaps, focusing on lifestyle improvements that can be created by adding the internet to household objects
- Establish plans to generate products from inception to consumer launch, including managing teams of up to five staff, timelines, and budgets
- Work with suppliers to deliver quality products that meet the company’s vision
- Review key analytics, including sales and customer satisfaction, to ensure products contribute to the company’s growth
3. Include relevant education and certifications
Product managers often have diverse educational backgrounds, so you may want to include some relevant classes or projects you completed if your degree isn’t in tech or business. Certifications can be extremely valuable as a project manager, so be sure to add these in if you’ve completed your Agile certification or have other relevant credentials, such as SQL database management or Scrum. It’s also fine to list these if you’re still in progress, as long as you note this clearly.
Certifications
Template:
- [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
Example:
- Agile Certified Product Manager and Product Owner, 2017
Education
Template:
- [Degree Name]
- [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] – [Graduation Month and Year]
Example:
- Master of Business Administration
- Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA – June 2018
4. List relevant key skills and proficiencies
If you have additional skills that you haven’t had a chance to use in previous positions, you may wonder where these can go in your resume. This is where the key skills list comes in. This list is usually done in a simple bulleted format and gives you a place to congregate all your qualifications that may not fit in your professional experience section. You may want to create two lists to separate your technical and soft skills. For example, you may have one list for things like Jira, SQL, and JavaScript and another for cross-department collaboration and communication with stakeholders.
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| A/B testing | Agile methodology |
| Analytics and metrics | Business model development |
| Cross-departmental collaboration | Market research |
| Presentation skills | Product lifecycle management |
| Product roadmapping | Requirement gathering |
| Risk management | Stakeholder management |
| Team leadership | User experience design |
| User testing | Wireframing and prototyping |
How To Pick the Best Product Manager Resume Template
You don’t have to create a resume from scratch. There are some excellent product manager resume templates to choose from. When you’re deciding which one to use, find a template that is clean and easy to read. Hiring managers go through these very quickly, and anything that is too busy, has difficult fonts, or has too much extra information may go directly into the no pile. Make sure it has room for all the basic sections and is able to be customized without messing up the formatting across the page.
Product Manager Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
Years of Experience
- Entry-level
- Mid-career
- Senior-level
Hiroto Nakamura
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
456 Jefferson Close, Raleigh, NC 34567
Profile
Dedicated associate product manager dedicated to building the Internet of Things. Experience developing campaigns to launch and promote products and working with diverse teams during all phases of product development. Able to work in fast-paced environments with responsibility for multiple products and deadlines.
Key Skills
- Expertise in the Internet of Things
- Digital marketing
- Leadership skills
- User science
- Consumer trends
Education
Bachelor of Business Administration
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, MI, September 2012 – June 2016
Master of Business Administration
Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, September 2016 – June 2018
Professional Experience
Associate Product Manager, Delta Organization, Raleigh, NC
July 2018 – Present
- Identify market needs and define products and program to meet gaps, focusing on lifestyle improvements that can be created through adding the internet to household objects
- Establish plans to generate products from inception to consumer launch, including managing teams of up to five staff, time lines and budgets
- Work with suppliers to deliver quality products that meet the company’s vision
- Review key analytics including sales and customer satisfaction to ensure products contribute to the company’s growth
Product Manager Intern, Gamma Corp, Pittsburgh, PA
January 2018 – June 2018
- Performed investigations for returns and prepared reports to present to upper management on product improvements
- Acted as Community Manager of the company’s Facebook page, interacting with customers, responding to complaints and increasing audience engagement by 43%
- Create and present sales presentations, training, and promotional materials to sales staff and customers
Liam Markson
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
789 Hamilton Boulevard, Minneapolis, MN 56789
Profile
Highly capable product manager with 8+ years’ experience in fast-paced tech environments. Dedicated to developing innovative, valuable and successful products that meet customers’ needs. Collaborative and analytical with good business sense and strong interpersonal abilities.
Professional Experience
Product Manager, Iota Health Industries, Minneapolis, MN
April 2015 – Present
- Visit hospitals and doctor’s offices to interview future customers and identify needs and desired features of products
- Lead cross-functional product development teams to create innovate biotech solutions that meet customer requirements
- Recommended and implemented new pricing policies that lead to increase of customer lifetime value of 18%
- Analyzed market data to forecast product performance to help make product development decisions
Assistant Product Manager, Omicron Development, New York, NY
July 2012 – March 2015
- Conduct market research and analysis to identify unmet needs
- Tracked customer feedback on product launches and presented reports to senior management on areas for improvement
- Helped the product manager develop strategic project guidelines, including product specifications, vision, time lines and budgets and communicated this information to members of the cross-functional team
Education
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
University of North Carolina – Kenan-Flagler, Chapel Hill, NC September 2006 – June 2010
Master’s of Business Administration
New York University – Stern School of Business, New York, NY, September 2010 – June 2012
Key Skills
- Technology product management
- Business and marketing strategy
- Leading teams
- Project management
Certifications
- Certified Product Manager, The Association of International Product Marketing & Management, 2018
Aliyah Davis
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
345 Burr Terrace, San Jose, CA 67890
Profile
Driven product manager with more than 20 years’ experience in technological product development and expertise in successfully commercializing technology advances. Experience leading cross-functional teams of up to 20 members to bring innovative products to market while managing budgets of up to $3 million.
Professional Experience
Product Manager, TauTech, San Jose, CA
April 2012 – Present
- Collaborate cross-functionally with marketing, design, engineering and sales teams to identify new product solutions and develop them for market
- Lead product development, strategy and execution across four teams and launched five new products in three years, resulting in 25% revenue increase
- Use beta testing, data analytics and user research to identify and implement opportunities for improvement, leading to 80% increase in customer satisfaction
- Develop detailed product roadmaps using Agile methodology
Product Manager, Sigma Technology Solutions, Austin, TX
July 2004 – March 2012
- Designed and implemented A/B testing across all products, leading to 22% increase in conversion rate
- Implemented waterfall methodology to launch new video games, resulting in 55% increase in efficiency and 95% success rate in meeting agreed upon timelines and budgets
- Led four cross-functional teams from product conception to launch
Education
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, September 2000 – June 2004
Master of Science in Technology Commercialization
University of Texas – Austin, Austin, TX, September 2010 – June 2011
Key Skills
- Product development
- Project management
- Market research
- Experience with Agile and Waterfall methodologies
- Leadership and team-building expertise
Certifications
- Agile Certified Product Manager and Product Owner, 2017
Frequently Asked Questions: Product Manager Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for product manager resumes?+
Great resumes require a lot of action verbs because each bullet in your professional experience section needs to start with one. It’s easy to fall back on the same standard choices like “led” or “provided,” but using powerful verbs that accurately capture your responsibilities and the larger impact they had can make the difference between getting an interview or a rejection email. If you’re feeling stuck, here are some potential ideas to get you started.
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Aligned | Built |
| Championed | Coached |
| Conducted | Defined |
| Executed | Facilitated |
| Generated | Influenced |
| Initiated | Innovated |
| Investigated | Monitored |
| Optimized | Presented |
| Recommended | Resolved |
| Reviewed | Streamlined |
How do you align your resume with a job description?+
The product manager role is a relatively new position. The Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn’t list it in its own category yet. However, management positions as a whole are predicted to grow at a faster-than-average rate, which means that product managers looking to make a career switch may have more options. When you find your dream job, increase your chances of getting hired by aligning your resume with the job description. Including keywords, phrases, and skills from the job posting shows the hiring manager that you paid attention to what the company is looking for and are a good fit.
What is the best product manager resume format?+
Which resume format to use is primarily a matter of personal preference as long as it highlights your skills and qualifications and is tailored to the job posting. However, product managers may find that the combination format is the easiest to use because it lets you list your skills and qualifications by category while still providing room to show a detailed job history. In a combination resume, you can choose to lead with either your skills or your professional experience, and we suggest going with whichever positions you as a stronger candidate.
Expert Advice: Include a cover letter with your resume
Including a cover letter with your resume is an important step in increasing your chances of getting a job offer. Your cover letter should explain why you’re a fit for the company as a whole and how you can help the team achieve its goals. Looking at an example of a product manager cover letter can help you get started.
