Project Manager Resume

When trying to get hired for a project management position, you should prioritize on creating a resume that sets you apart from the competition. An ideal resume should consist of skills, experiences, achievements that help you give a first impression to the hiring managers. So, here we showcase the structure to create an outstanding project manager resume that highlights your experiences and skills and ensures a call for an interview. 

Learn How to Create a Project Manager Resume

Here are some free resume templates available. 

Template 1

Template 2

Template 3

Template 4

Template 5

Strong Summary

 It doesn't matter for which job you are applying for, you need to start with a strong and compelling summary that gives an overview of your career. It also should convey why you are perfect for the position. 

Tips:

• Make it 3-4 sentences.
• Keep the focus on project management experience, leadership attributes, and key achievements.
• If possible, tailor-make your summary with relevant skills for the job or industry.
• Energetic, strong in communication, with a proven track record of driving efficiency and improving project outcomes.

Example: "Results-oriented Project Manager with more than 7 years of experience managing cross-functional teams in the successful delivery of complex projects within budget and on schedule. In a position to manage multiple projects simultaneously with a key focus on Agile methodologies and process optimization. 

Prioritize Your Skills

It is a crucial section which determines whether the skills and experience of the candidates are suitable for the job openings. So, here you have to highlight the hard and soft skills that might increase the chance of getting shortlisted for the interview for the project management role. 

Key Skills for Project Managers:

• Project management methodologies: Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, Lean
• Budgeting and forecasting
• Risk management
• Scheduling and planning, including but not limited to MS Project, Asana, Trello
• Stakeholder management
• Leading and working with a team
• Problem-solving and critical thinking

Pro Tip: Very often, the skill sets outlined need to be adjusted to fit with the job description. Key words common to the role of project management should be included.

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Writing Your Work Experiences

Your work experience section is the core of your resume. Even though each entry is bound to describe both responsibility and achievement in past roles, try to focus on how you added value to that organization and contributed towards project success. 

Structuring Your Work Experience

• Job Title: Project Manager-or Relevant Titles
• Name and Location of the company
• Dates of Employment
• Key Achievements - Summary in Bullets

Here is one example that will help you understand better. 

• Managed more than ten enterprise-level projects, with values in excess of $5M, through end-to-end management, optimization of resource allocation, and mitigation of risks to ensure timely delivery.
• Led the first implementation of an Agile methodology, reducing project completion time by 25% while increasing team productivity by 15%.
• Implemented project tracking and reporting tools that increased visibility of projects in work, reduced project delays by 30%.

Note: 

• Activate it with such action verbs like Led, Managed, Implemented, and Optimized.
• Showcase your work experience with quantifying the results wherever possible. Some examples are budgets managed, timelines shortened, or percentage improvements. 
• If applicable, you are free to emphasize the experience in specific project management tools or methodologies relevant to the position being applied to.

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Education and Certifications

The majority of the project management positions require a degree, with specific certifications. Be sure to include your educational background and any relative certifications you have.

Common Project Management Certifications

PMP: Project Management Professional: Most recognized certification for project managers

Certified ScrumMaster (CSM): Nice to have in Agile environments

PRINCE2 - Projects In Controlled Environments: Very popular in the UK and international markets

Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM): Ideal for those who are just coming into project management. 

Adding Key Projects Can be Effective

In the instance of a senior-level project manager or a person with a great number of years of experience, a section dedicated to key projects can serve to focus attention on your most impressive accomplishments.

Structuring a Project in Resume

Project Name

Role

Dates

Project Description and Outcome

Example: Project Name: ERP Implementation for Fortune 500 Company

Role: Senior Project Manager

Dates: June 2019 - November 2020

Description: Led a cross-functional team of 25 in the implementation of a new enterprise resource planning system for a Fortune 500, migrating all data into the new system, integrating third-party tools into the new system, and training all employees-500+. Completed this project two months in advance and under budget by $1.2M.

Tailor Your Resume to Match the Job

It's vital that you fit your resume to the job to which you're applying. This means that your summary, skills, and experience should be modified to fit closer to the job description. Highlight the most relevant parts of your experience to show that you are the perfect fit for this position.

Proofread and Format

Your resume needs to be error-free and readable. To achieve this, you need to follow the guidelines below. 

Using an open professional font with a consistent format would be better. Writing resume with bullet points where necessary, bold all headers etc. Check the grammar and spelling errors. 

Some of the formatting tips include:

• Use white space liberally to enhance readability.
• Keep the resume to one or two pages depending on level of experience.
• Use bold or italics sparingly to bring attention to important information.

Final Words

A robust project management resume combines technical skills, leadership ability, and success stories of projects. Practicing the tips above will make you create a resume that sells your strengths, thereby giving you an edge in the competitive field of project management.

If you're ready to take the next step in project management, reflect your particular skill set on your resume!

Frequently Asked Questions

How many pages is a good number for a project manager resume?

A project manager resume should be one to two pages, according to your experience level. If your experience is immense, go for two pages, but if your years of experience are less than a decade, a single page will do.

Which project management certifications should I include in my resume?

Some of the hot project management certifications are listed below:

• PMP: Project Management Professional
• CSM: Certified ScrumMaster
• PRINCE2 (Projects In Controlled Environments)
• CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management)
• Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)

What are the most important project manager skills to include on a resume?

The main project management skills you need to include within your resume are:

• Leadership and Team management
• Project Scheduling and planning tools for example, MS Project, Trello, Asana
• Budgeting and Forecasting
• Agile/Scrum methodologies
• Risk management
• Stakeholder Communication
• Problem-solving and decision making

Should I include projects on my resume?

Yes, you can, including major projects that are relevant-especially if you are applying for an advanced project management position. If projects are mentioned, stress what your outcomes were, what challenges you faced, and how you contributed to the success of the project in question. Apply quantifiable results whenever possible: "Completed project 15% under budget".