How To Craft A Business Resume That Will Land You The Job

Stunning Business Manager Resume Examples for This Year

Updated August 24, 20221.1k

A business manager plays a major role in a company’s success. Here are examples and tips to show you can write the perfect resume for a business manager position.

Business Manager Resume Examples

Business managers are a key component to the success of any business. As a business manager, you’ll be handling both everyday and the specialized areas of business functions, centered around managerial work and helping workers complete their tasks. If you’re looking to write a professional resume for a business manager position, here are a few pointers.

What To Highlight in a Business Manager Resume

First of all, remember that you need to highlight your ability to do this type of work. That means showcasing your managerial skills, whether it’s by showing off previous management positions, indicating how your management work helped a previous company, or even presenting results that show you’re a natural leader.

Structure of a Business Manager Resume

Your first step is to choose the right resume format. There are three common resume formats: functional, chronological, and combination. Each of these formats focuses on a different area of your professional profile – the format that works best for you will depend on your background. Chronological formats tend to work best for managerial positions, as they display your extensive work experience. When you write your resume, choose the right format, then make your way through these resume sections.

Header

Your header will be part of whatever resume template you choose. This is where you put your contact information, such as your phone number, email address and professional social media links, such as your LinkedIn profile. Double-check your contact information before submitting your best resume to ensure your contact information is correct, so a recruiter can contact you.

Resume summary or objective

Depending on how much experience you have, you will choose either a resume summary or resume objective. The resume summary is for people with more experience and is more appropriate for managerial positions, as focuses on your experiences and most notable achievements. The resume objective is for people with less experience, and focuses on your skills, education and overall career objectives.

Skills

Your skills section needs to include both hard skills and soft skills, so a hiring manager knows you have the technical skills necessary to do the job, as well as the soft skills necessary to get along with others. Here are some bullet points for management skills you can consider adding to your professional resume:

Business development
Project management
Knowledge of business operations and business strategies
Communication
Optimization
Problem-solving
Ability to work with team members
General business acumen
Customer satisfaction
Business plans
Forecasting business changes
Handling new initiatives
Interpersonal skills
Microsoft Office Suite, including PowerPoint and Excel
Strategic planning
Working with startup companies

Narrow down these bullet points to 8-12 of your best skills, and try to match them to skills in the job description – this will show the recruiter that you are the perfect candidate for the job.

Work history

Your work experience section should include all previous relevant experience. Here are a few job titles that are appropriate to include on a business manager resume:

Operations manager
Business administration
General manager
Human resources
Office manager
Sales team lead
Senior management

Follow our example and list your experience in reverse-chronological order, with your most relevant job listed first, along with a list of top responsibilities and achievements for each position.

Education

Your education section may be robust, depending on what position you’re applying for. Many business managers have at least a bachelor’s degree in a business-related field. Make sure to also include specialized training or certifications in this section. There are many certifications a business manager may have, including a Certified Manager Certification (CM), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), or a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification among many others.

Do’s and Don’ts for a Business Manager Resume

When writing your business manager resume, keep the following tips in mind:

Do:
- Emphasize previous management positions, even if you weren’t specifically a business manager. Showcasing any management skills can improve your resume.
- Discuss your accomplishments using metrics as often as possible (e.g., “Initiated program that increased profits by 14%”). You should actively indicate how you’ve helped other companies, and metrics are one of the best ways to do it.
- Include specialized skills that you’re good at. You’re trying to showcase the benefits of having you on the team, not someone similar to you.
Don’t:
- Include completely irrelevant work experience. If you include a previous position, you should be able to connect it to the job you’re trying to get right now.
- Add generalized skills that most people have. This can make it look like you’re trying to pad your resume, whether or not you are.
- Talk poorly about any previous position. This can make a hiring manager worry that you could do the same to them.

FAQ: Business Manager Resumes

Do I need to include a cover letter for a business manager application?

A cover letter is always a good part of any job application. Even if you’re not required to add one to your job application, you can use it to discuss exactly what you’re good at, how you’ve been able to benefit past companies and what brought you here. It can set you apart from the job seekers who don’t have a cover letter. When you’re ready to write a cover letter, you can use the ResumeNerd cover letter builder to do so.

How can I write a business manager resume without a lot of experience?

When you’re applying for an entry-level job, you may not have a lot of experience as a business manager. If you don’t have this professional experience, you need to focus on other parts of your resume. Spotlight your skills and expertise, as well as any education and certifications you have. It’s also a good idea to include any education that might boost your chances. For example, you might include other business experience where you took a leadership role.

How do I change my business manager resume to apply to different jobs?

The best resume for each job will be different, as there’s no such thing as a single perfect resume. However, finding that resume requires you to change your resume depending on the job description. Read through the job posting and look for keywords, like specific skills and knowledge that the recruiter indicated in the description itself. This can help you guide your job search and include the right skills in your resume.

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About The Author

Cindi Cervone Carlson

Cindi Cervone Carlson is a Senior Vice President for Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. Cindi is responsible for developing, delivering, and implementing a dynamic, world-class organization dedicated to delivering outplacement consulting, training, support, and executive coaching. Cindi started her career at Challenger as a client who had lost her job. Over the past nine years, she has risen from an entry-level, part-time professional to Senior Vice President.