The resume for a manager or senior job has certain peculiarities concerning the rest of the resumes. The job as a manager requires extensive experience in positions from less to greater responsibility, and also knowledge of the business or industrial sector where the position is sought.
The main difficulty when it comes to creating a resume for a manager is that it may have been a long time without having to prepare one, and now you must update it and adapt it to the new needs of the labor market. Generally, the intention of a manager’s resume is always to give a professional and serious image, due to the high competition in managerial positions. Before writing the resume, it is advisable to gather all the information about working life and the necessary references. It is also necessary to consider the objective that is pursued with the resume and the jobs to which it is chosen since it is always advisable to adapt the resume to the company to which it is sent.
Once the questions before the development of the resume have been dealt with, it is time to write it and for this, it will be necessary to take certain considerations into account:
- The resume should not exceed two pages. It can be difficult to synthesize employment information, but it is necessary to prioritize the information, and therefore, leave other aspects of the resume for the personal interview.
- It is better not to include data that are very old or do not add value to the job being sought, and, therefore, highlight the most relevant information on the first page of the resume.
- It will be necessary to include achievements and even specific data, so the company you are applying to can compare with your needs and even with other candidates. The achievements can be detailed under the functions of each job.
- Include an executive summary at the beginning of your resume that describes the career path in 5-6 lines, mentioning the last position held. It should not resemble the cover letter as it is a document that presents other types of information.
Regarding the appearance of the resume, you can choose to differentiate yourself but without reloading the resume. A very interesting element is the bar graphs that can help you illustrate your knowledge and skills.
In the case of managers, currently, social profiles are very important, having a good professional presence on social networks is essential, therefore the Linkedin profile and how you prepare your resume on the platform are essential.
How to include achievements on a manager’s resume
We can talk about two types of achievements in the resume of a manager, qualitative achievements and quantitative achievements. In both cases, it is necessary to know how to include them well so that they are well specified in the resume.
Regarding qualitative achievements, that is, those in which the results achieved when performing the functions inherent to the position are specified, it is necessary to detail them without confusing them with the functions that have had to be fulfilled. These types of achievements serve the company to see what the candidate can contribute and what type of situations they have been able to face. They can be placed separately in their section, and separated according to the position held or the company. Let’s look at an example of achievements on the resume:
Achievement: Management of the certification project with the following characteristics […]. This project was an internal case of success due to its complexity and its achievement in record time. Together with the team, we managed to ensure that the company had as clients the main companies in the country.
Regarding quantitative achievements, their function in the resume is to impact the results and that the information provided is measurable. It is also advisable to include details of the companies in which you have previously worked. Let’s look at an example of quantitative achievement to include on your resume:
Opening of XX franchises in Dallas. In X year / s, the company had a turnover of more than $ XX million with an approximate profit of XX%.
Another piece of data related to quantitative achievements is volumes, generally related to employees or customers, although there may be different types. Generally the most common is to specify the number of employees who have been supervised or managed, the number of clients with whom they have worked, and total investment volumes or annual turnover.
How to format a manager resume
The most common resume format for a manager is “reverse-chronological”.
Most common management skills
As well as achievements, including the skills that make your profile stand out or that differentiate you from the rest is very interesting for the resume and recruiters. Although, it is not necessary to extend too much since in the personal interview these types of questions are discussed more widely. You can include around 6 competencies that you consider most representative, such as:
- Communication
- Leadership
- Empathy
- Orientation to results
- Business vision
- Motivation
- Proactivity
- Teamwork
Choose wisely, as not all skills or aptitudes are valued equally in all managerial positions.
Include a Cover Letter with your manager resume
For senior management or responsibility positions, the cover letter is decisive when awarding a position. The objective of the cover letter for a manager will be to stand out, the cover letter must be different and show that you have taken time to make it and adapt it to the position for which you are applying. One fundamental aspect is to offer references for the company, how it has come to be known, or why you are a dedicated professional in your sector. Make the cover letter tell a story that hooks the reader.
Doing prior networking and mentioning it in the letter is a very positive point as it reaffirms interest in the company. Mentioning achievements and successes will get the recruiter’s attention.
To create a cover letter that gets results, we must ensure that it is structured correctly. Here’s how to do that:
Manager salary
Managers’ salaries can depend on the industry in which they’re employed.
- Median Annual Salary: $124,220 ($59.72/hour)
- Top 10% Annual Salary: More than $208,000 ($100.00/hour)
- Bottom 10% Annual Salary: Less than $58,940 ($26.34/hour)
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
The resume design is a decisive factor
For the success of your application, it is not just your background that is decisive. Because only if you present it visually well will your documents be read at all. Without a professional design, there is a good chance you will receive an immediate rejection.
Modern resume template with strong contrasts
We recommend that you create your resume using a ready-made template. For example, use modern resume templates like the one we have made available to you here.
