What is a good objective for a manager resume?

If you are applying for your first manager position, using a professional objective is fine. Here, you should state your skills and experience and explain that you seek to use those to transition into a management position. However, most hiring managers prefer to see a professional summary, in which the focus is more on what you will bring to the table than on your professional aspirations. Here again, you should write a few sentences that focus on your most relevant skills and experience, and include one to two impressive professional achievements that relate to the role you seek.

How long should a manager-level resume be?

If you have ten or more years of experience or are applying for a senior management position, a two-page document is acceptable. However, entry-level applicants should stick to a one-page resume. Regardless of length, be sure only to include the most relevant information for the role at hand. Don’t add unrelated experience or training to pad your document. Sticking to the most critical information will make your skills and experience as a manager stand out to a hiring manager.

How do I prepare for a manager interview?

The best way to prepare for a manager interview is to study the job ad. Look at the responsibilities outlined for the role and jot down a few examples from your professional past that relate to them to use as talking points in the job interview. In addition, practice your responses to some of the most common management interview questions . By rehearsing your answers, you will sound more polished and confident during the interview. LiveCareer’s Resource Center has hundreds of free articles designed to help you prepare for your next interview.

Professional Management Resume Examples

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Management Examples by Job Title
Create Your Management Resume in 5 Easy Steps
Get Expert Writing Recommendations for Your Management Resume
6 Dos and Don’ts for Writing a Management Resume
Beat the ATS with These Management Resume Skills
Management Resumes for Every Professional Level

Management Examples by Job Title

Resume

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Create Your Management Resume in 5 Easy Steps

Step 1: Add Contact Info
Step 2: Include Work Experience Details
Step 3: Provide Education Details
Step 4: Select Your Skills
Step 5: Fill in Your Background

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Get Expert Writing Recommendations for Your Management Resume

Whether you’re stepping into your first leadership role or climbing the management ladder, your resume needs to showcase more than just responsibilities; it must highlight results. LiveCareer’s Resume Builder helps you do just that with step-by-step guidance, ATS-friendly formatting, and prewritten content tailored to management. Learn how to use strong action verbs, quantify achievements, and structure your resume for maximum impact.

Here are a few examples our Resume Builder might suggest for your management resume:

Revamped underperforming department operations, resulting in a 40% increase in team efficiency within six months through process audits and targeted workflow improvements.
Launched mentorship initiative that paired senior staff with new hires, reducing onboarding time by 35% and increasing first-year retention by 20%.
Negotiated new vendor contracts and implemented a cost-control strategy that cut departmental expenses by $150K annually without sacrificing service quality.
Introduced data-driven performance tracking that improved accountability and led to 25% boost in quarterly goal attainment across all teams.
Led company-wide transition to hybrid work, coordinating policies, tech infrastructure, and communication plans that maintained productivity and improved employee satisfaction scores by 18%.
Oversaw cross-functional project team to launch new product line, delivering it three weeks ahead of schedule and exceeding projected sales by 22% in the first quarter.

6 Dos and Don’ts for Writing a Management Resume

Do highlight measurable achievements. Show potential employers the impact of your efforts by including measurable accomplishments. Use numbers to illustrate your results; for example, instead of saying “Improved sales and exceeded goals,” try “Surpassed quarterly sales targets by 25% for three consecutive quarters.”
Do tailor your resume for each job. Capture a recruiter’s attention by highlighting the skills and qualifications they’re looking for. Browse the job description for resume keywords that demonstrate you meet the role’s requirements. A generic, “one-size-fits-all” resume, most likely, will not reach employers.
Do emphasize leadership and strategy. It’s important to demonstrate not just what you managed, but how you made an impact, whether through streamlining operations, improving team performance, or executing strategic plans that aligned with business goals. Use action verbs and data to show you’re a proactive leader who drives change, not just maintains the status quo.

Don’t just list duties. Prioritize accomplishments over responsibilities. Hiring managers want to know what you accomplished. Phrases like “Responsible for team oversight” don’t convey the impact of your work. Instead, highlight results: “Led a 10-person sales team to exceed quarterly targets through performance tracking and incentive programs.”
Don’t overstuff your resume. As a management-level professional, you might have a lot of experience, but avoid trying to fit in every achievement on your resume. The best way to make a great first impression is to be precise with your resume. Eliminate any information that’s not exactly relevant to the role you’re applying for; this way, you won’t bore recruiters with filler content.
Don’t overlook the importance of ATS compatibility. Make sure your resume is optimized for applicant tracking systems (ATS). Many employers use ATS to filter out resumes that lack key qualifications. To ensure your resume gets noticed, tailor it specifically to the job and use an ATS-friendly resume template.
Don’t neglect formatting. Choose one of the three recruiter-approved resume formats to highlight your strengths. For first-time managerial applicants, the combination format showcases both skills and experience, while the chronological format is perfect for experienced managers to emphasize a career full of achievements.

Beat the ATS With These Management Resume Skills

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are software that a lot of employers use to filter out candidates who have resumes that don’t meet the basic criteria for the role. To ensure your resume passes this initial screening, you’ll need to incorporate the qualifications and skills the employer requires in the job description; these are called resume keywords.

LiveCareer’s Resume Builder has a built-in ATS score feature that tells you how well optimized your resume is for applicant tracking software. However, if you already have a resume you’re using to apply for jobs, you can upload it to our free ATS Resume Checker and review it for over 30 common resume mistakes.

Always double-check the job ad for the best interview-winning resume skills, but this list includes some of the most popular skills for manager jobs.

Leadership
Strategic Thinking
Communication
Project Management
Problem-Solving
Decision-Making
Team Building
Adaptability
Performance Management
Budgeting & Financial Oversight

Management Resumes for Every Professional Level

Entry-Level

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Product Manager

This product manager resume follows the functional format, ideal for job seekers with little to no experience.

If you have 0 to 2 years of work experience, opt for this resume style, which focuses on your skills and keeps the work history with minimal details.

This resume’s objective does a great job of showing the candidate’s skills and career goals, and the multiple skills section emphasizes they’re qualified for the job.

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Mid-Career

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Technical Project Manager

This technical project manager resume uses the combination format, the perfect layout for mid-level professionals or promotion seekers.

If you have between 5 to 8 years of experience, a combination format helps you show employers you’re ready to progress in your career by spotlighting your skills and equally featuring your career achievements.

This particular example includes a key combination resume section: the summary of qualifications, which pinpoints your most job-relevant qualifications.

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Executive-Level

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Warehouse Manager

This warehouse manager resume is a classic example of a chronological format, the most commonly used resume style.

The chronological resume is best for job seekers with 10+ years of experience because it allows you to showcase your extensive knowledge.

This resume example boasts an achievement-packed professional summary and work experience that shows the candidate’s impressive career progression.

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Recommended Management Cover Letter

If you find this sample helpful, we have many more management cover letter examples.

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