In this post, we will go through how to build a product manager resume that stands out from the crowd: from formatting your document to adding certifications and courses. By following these tips below, along with some of your own unique experiences, you’ll be able to create an amazing product manager resume for any opportunity!
Focus on Responsibilities and Results
As a product manager, you need to show that you can deliver results. You do this by focusing on your responsibilities, and the results of those responsibilities. Here are a few prompts to help you:
What did you do? How did you do it? What were the outcomes of your work?
It is important to maintain a cause-effect relationship within your responsibilities so that recruiters directly understand your work. You can also use achievement figures to provide a concrete result of your expertise.
Use the Job Description as a Guide
Job descriptions are a great place to start when writing your resume. They can be found on the company’s website or LinkedIn page, or wherever they posted the job opening. The job description will list specific responsibilities that come with the position and may also include some skills that are necessary for success in the role, think customer service, marketing, etc. It will also list qualifications like education level and years of experience required for this position. The best way to go about it is to take that job description and turn it into an actionable resume format point-by-point.
Add Certifications and Courses
If you have certifications, be it online or offline, make sure to list them in your resume. Doing so will show that you are updated with industry trends and that you are a passionate employee. You can list them in the format:
Certification | Certifying Authority | Date
If you don’t have any, it will be helpful to you trying to climb the career ladder. It will help you establish yourself as a candidate with expertise, and thereby bag high-paying jobs.
Customize Your Summary for Each Job
The summary section should be customized for each job you are applying for. If the job description doesn’t include detailed information about what it is you’re supposed to do, take it upon yourself to find out by talking to someone at the company, or even just Google it. You also want to make sure that your resume includes keywords from the job description. This will help hiring managers understand right away what type of skills and experience you have they see your resume.
Conclusion
To recap, here are the key takeaways for a killer product manager resume:
Focus on responsibilities and results, not just skills and responsibilities. Use the job description as a guide to making sure you’re highlighting your most relevant work history. Add certifications, courses, or other relevant experience to your resume if they’ll help sell yourself as an ideal candidate for the job opening at hand. Customize each summary section with details specific to each job opportunity so that it stands out from other applicants.
