As a marketing professional, a professional resume is critical when it comes to marketing yourself and getting the job you want with a marketing agency or department. Your resume is a representation of yourself as an employee. Whether you are seeking a role as a marketing coordinator or a marketing director, you need to show the hiring manager that you have what it takes to excel in the position you are applying for. Follow this guide to create your convincing marketing resume and land your dream job.
Before you write your resume, search for different job titles in your field. The job description for your marketing skills and qualifications may have a variety of different job titles. You should research titles and job postings to determine which roles you may be suited for. Then, you’ll need to tailor your resume to each job description. Some of the marketing job titles you may see in your job search are:
When you’re ready to put your resume together, it’s crucial to pick the right resume format that best presents your qualifications. You can use a resume builder to try out different formats with your information and see which one fits your situation the best. Just follow these basic guidelines in choosing the right format:
Reverse chronological format
The most common resume format is the reverse chronological resume. This format puts more focus on your work experiences, with featured skills underneath. Recruiters find this format easy to read and many job seekers find this style of resume easy to write.
Functional format
A functional resume format is often seen for entry-level positions or by first-time job seekers because it is a good format for those who don’t have a lot of work experience. The functional format favors skills over experience and draws the hiring manager’s attention to your best attributes.
Combination format
A combination resume format features a balanced mix of work history and skills. This is most often used by applicants who can show off some related experience in the field, or have transferable skills to display.
Include your contact information in the header of your resume where the hiring manager will see it. Your contact information needs to include your full name, email address, phone number, and LinkedIn profile or link to professional portfolio (if available). Be sure all this information is correct so the hiring manager can schedule you for an interview.
Write a resume summary or a resume objective statement to show your marketing experience or skills.
A summary or objective statement can be helpful to have on your resume to capture the attention of the reader. A busy hiring manager may not read all of your work experience but they will likely notice your summary or objective when they quickly scan your resume. A resume summary focuses on your previous work experience while a resume objective describes your career goals. Make your statements quantifiable and use action verbs when possible. Here is an example of a marketing resume objective:
Award-winning marketing specialist with 5 years of experience in a leading UK agency. Led copywriting, brand awareness, and e-commerce initiatives. Achieved a 40% increase in reach among the target audience. Seeking a market research position where I can contribute my skills and knowledge and further develop marketing strategies.
Use a mix of technical skills and interpersonal skills to make up your marketing skills section. Marketing recruiters will look for a candidate who has both hard skills and soft skills. The best marketing resume will feature a well-rounded skillset. Include the 8 to 12 most relevant skills in your skills section. If your resume is too long, experiment with using bullet points or changing up your resume layout to place the skills section on the side. Some skills that are often used in marketing are:
Include up to your last 10 years of relevant work experience. For each position you’ve held, list 3-5 major tasks or achievements using bullet points. Try using action verbs to describe your work. For example, a marketing manager resume may say:
Led a campaign that increased brand awareness by 30% in a key market segment.
In your education section, list the name of your school or training institution where you got your top academic credential from, the field of study and the institution’s location. You may choose to include relevant coursework or academic honors; however, you do not need to include your GPA.
Achievements and awards can make you stand out from other applicants. In this section, you can include achievements like employee of the month, significant marketing campaigns you contributed to that earned recognition, or even academic awards. Consider your most impressive professional feats and don’t forget to tie these achievements in with requirements from the job description when possible. For example, an award for a social media campaign using email is good for a position that needs coordination of marketing email campaigns. This also helps your resume pass computerized applicant tracking systems (ATS) that will scan your resume and see how closely your talents match the original job description.
Certifications can be another impressive addition to a standard resume. Certifications can display specific skills and knowledge that are key for the job. If you don’t have certifications to list on your resume, consider getting some; many online certifications can be obtained in as little as a few hours by taking a short course or test. You can even get certifications on LinkedIn to verify certain skills.
Generally, yes. The perfect resume should contains all of the information listed above, and give the hiring manager everything they need to make a decision. Your resume should be easy to read with straightforward information relating to the job description. If you are lacking experience in one area, you can fill in your resume with relevant experience that you do have. For example, if you don’t have a lot of work experience, you can use internships or volunteer positions to show your capability for entry-level marketing roles.
Using the same style for your resume and cover letter will help you to present a strong image to the hiring manager. Fonts, logos, colors, and style of paper should match or coordinate across your documents. To create a cover letter to match your resume, use our cover letter builder.
In an interview, you have a limited amount of time to make an impression on the hiring manager, but some of the discussion may center on your resume. If you bring a different resume to the interview, be sure to mention any new information you’ve added, such as skills or certifications you have gained in the interview. You should always bring a copy of your resume to show you are prepared, and have it available so the hiring manager can reference it if needed.
