Collections Manager Resume Example
Working as a collections manager can provide a rewarding career, involving overseeing debt recovery and managing AR processes. To succeed in your applications for collections manager roles, you'll need a resume that reflects your relevant skills and experience. In this article, we'll showcase resume tips and examples that can help you create a professional collections manager resume that catches the eye of hiring managers.
The aim of this article is to equip you with all the knowledge required to create a resume that positions you to succeed in your collections manager applications. The guide will show you practical examples of how to structure your resume to show off your best and most relevant skills and career achievements. It will also show you how to tailor your resume according to the job description and your unique skill set. Read on to learn the tips Jobseeker careers experts recommend as the best for your collections manager resume.
Key sections for a collections manager resume
It's essential to include a few core sections in your collections manager resume, while there are also a few optional sections you can make use of to strengthen your application.
If you have no work experience as a collections manager or have just started in the industry, you could consider using a functional or skills-based format, which emphasizes your skills and education. Draw attention to your soft and transferable skills, as employers will value these highly for entry-level roles. You could also mention any internships, training or volunteer work that helps you showcase skills relevant to the position.
Work experience is typically the most important resume section for collections manager applicants with some prior experience. As such, it's best to use a traditional, reverse-chronological resume format. Use your work experience section to highlight your career achievements and show how you meet the job description. Offer evidence of the impact you had on successful outcomes for the company.
Senior job applications require a slightly different approach to mid-level or junior collections manager roles. Use a reverse-chronological format focusing on your work experience, with a particular emphasis on the impact you've made. Your senior resume will likely be more comprehensive than resumes for more junior roles. You can add extra details about your career, such as awards, publications presentations, professional memberships or certifications.
How you choose to present your resume is up to you. There are plenty of options for a professional resume layout and format, but every application should include the following:
Resume Header and Personal Information
A collections manager resume header contains your name and contact information. Add your first and last name, your phone number and your email address. Include your address or location, but avoid adding any other personal information. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you can add the URL to your header so the hiring manager can get a better understanding of your work history and experience. Make sure your resume header is as brief as possible and doesn't take up too much valuable space. Choose a clear, professional design that sets the tone for your application.
Only include professional, name-based email addresses in your resume header. If you have an old email address that uses nicknames, puns, references to your personal interests or anything else that could appear unprofessional, set up a new email just for your job applications. Finally, always double-check your contact details are correct and up-to-date before sending your resume.
Lawrence Clark
lawrence.clark@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, IN
linkedin․com/in/lawrence–clark123
Resume Summary
The next section is the resume summary. The section might also be called 'resume objective' or 'personal profile'. This is a brief introduction to you, your key skills and your career achievements and ambitions. While a resume summary focuses on your career achievements and experience, a resume objective typically focuses on your ambitions for the future. In addition, your objective should highlight why you're an ideal candidate for collections manager roles by showing key skills and qualities that reflect the job description.
Alternatively, use this section to emphasize your career objectives and explain how and why this role is a suitable step for you at this stage of your career.
The best resume summaries reflect the job description and focus on qualities that are relevant to working as a collections manager, while highlighting elements of your personality that make you an ideal candidate. They also quantify the information provided with evidence. The graphic below showcases some good examples of what to include in your collections manager resume summary.
Good example:
Detail-oriented Collections Manager with a Bachelor of Arts in Art History and extensive experience as an Accounts Receivable Manager. Skilled in financial management, art collection documentation, and client relations. Proven ability to streamline processes, enhance collection strategies, and maintain comprehensive records. Strong analytical and organizational skills with a passion for art and cultural preservation
Bad example:
Worked in managing collections and accounts, with some background in art history. Have experience in handling finances and keeping track of things. Tried to make processes better and keep things organized. Interested in art and preserving culture, with skills in dealing with clients and managing records
Alternatively, a poor resume summary would include bland, generic information that does little to prove your suitability for the role, while failing to provide any useful insights on you as a person or as a candidate. See above for some examples of things to avoid when writing your collections manager resume summary.
Work Experience
In the next section, list your employment history focusing on the most relevant previous roles and achievements that showcase your collections manager skills. List each relevant role in reverse-chronological order starting with your current or most recent role. Add your job title, the organization name, its location and the dates you worked there.
Add some bullet points under each job entry, explaining your achievements in the role, so the reader can see how you contributed towards success for the company. Provide evidence of your impact and make sure each point addresses a requirement listed in the job description.
A good work experience section pulls the reader in with clear examples of where you've put the skills necessary for the job into good use in your career to date. This typically includes evidence of how your skills and activities contributed to positive outcomes for the organization. See below for some good examples of what to include in your resume work experience section.
Good example:
Accounts Receivable Manager, January 2022 - Present
Summit Recovery Solutions, Fremont
- Reduced outstanding receivables by 30% within six months through strategic collections campaigns and improved customer communication protocols
- Implemented automated invoicing system, cutting processing time by 40% and decreasing billing errors by 25%
- Led team to achieve a 95% on-time payment rate, significantly improving cash flow and reducing days sales outstanding (DSO)
Bad example:
Accounts Receivable Manager, January 2022 - Present
Summit Recovery Solutions, Fremont
- Improved financial processes and enhanced team performance to achieve better results in collections management
- Developed strategies to optimize collections and streamline operations for increased efficiency
- Enhanced customer relations and communication to support financial objectives and team goals
See above for some of the pitfalls to avoid with your resume work experience section. Less effective resume work experience sections might take a more vague, descriptive approach to previous jobs. They focus on responsibilities and everyday duties rather than referencing career achievements and the value you've added for previous employers.
Education
The education section provides space to list your highest and most recent academic achievements that are relevant to working as a collections manager.
Typically, working as a collections manager requires a university or college degree, which you'll need to list on your resume. If you're working in this sector, it's usually a good idea to highlight your Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree or other relevant qualifications. Focus on qualifications that showcase your risk management expertise or account reconciliation proficiency.
Include any qualifications relevant to the role. For each, add the name and level of the award, the institution name, its location and your dates of study. You can enhance this section by adding bullet points that show any outstanding grades, awards or achievements and any specialist subjects you studied. These details can make you stand out from other candidates.
If you took part in any volunteering or you were a leader or member of any university societies, you could also mention these in your education section.
Bachelor of Arts in Art History, 2017 - 2020
University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
Hard and Soft Skills
The skills section of a collections manager resume is a chance to list any skills you have that match those of the job description. You could include ERP software knowledge, conflict resolution abilities or any other skills that show you're a suitable candidate. Again, refer to the job description and make sure you include skills that the employer has listed as essential or desirable for employment as a collections manager.
Listing hard skills on your collections manager resume
Under hard skills, add any specialist skills you possess that are specifically required for collections manager jobs. These tend to be technical skills and industry knowledge essential to the position. Furthermore, your hard skills list helps to show employers how competent and experienced you are at key collections manager duties and responsibilities. Add up to five key hard skills that show you're an ideal candidate for the role. It can also be beneficial to add context to each skill, showing how you've used it to positive effect in your career to date.
The best resume hard skills sections focus on specific technical skills necessary for the job, showcasing skills that you have particular expertise in. There are some examples of valuable hard skills for a collections manager resume below.
- Risk management expertise
- Account reconciliation proficiency
- ERP software knowledge
Adding soft skills to your collections manager resume
In your list of soft skills, add any personal strengths, qualities or transferable skills that make you a good fit for the job. Soft skills are often less specific to different industries, but that doesn't make them any less important. In fact, you can develop soft skills throughout your career, and they tend to be suitable for various roles and professions. Think of your best soft skills and add up to five that match the requirements of the job description.
An effective collections manager resume soft skills section should be targeted to include skills that reflect your personality and unique characteristics, while also matching the job description. The graphic below includes some examples of good resume soft skills.
- Effective communication skills
- Conflict resolution abilities
- Time management proficiency
Certifications and Training
Your certifications section is the place to mention any relevant professional collections manager certifications, licenses or qualifications. These could be professional accreditations and licenses, or certifications that improve your level of suitability for the position. Therefore, add any professional licenses or certifications, along with valid dates that show they're still valid.
Take a look at some example certifications for a collections manager resume below:
- CPCC - ACA, 2022
- CRCP - NACM, 2022
- CCCO - AICPA, 2022
Expert Tip:
Optional Resume Sections
There are several additional sections you could add to a collections manager resume, to improve your chances of success. Choose any optional sections that showcase essential or desirable skills or experience for collections manager jobs.
Personal Interests
Listing your hobbies and interests can reveal key qualities that some employers may value. These are particularly useful for your resume if you're short of work experience and need to showcase a particular skill or experience. Think about adding hobbies and interests to your resume if they add some insight into your personality that you can't express elsewhere in your application.
Volunteering
Listing volunteer work is another useful way to prove your relevant experience for collections manager roles. Add any voluntary roles, including your position, the name of the organization, the dates of your voluntary work and a brief explanation of your responsibilities and achievements.
References
Although it's rare to include references on a collections manager resume, some employers may ask for it. Don't add references unless they're specifically mentioned by the employer in the job advert. Add two or three professional references, and be sure to approach each referee before you include them.
Please contact me for a list of references.
Best strong verbs for your a collections manager resume
Start each bullet point in your work experience section with a strong verb to show actions you took. Choose verbs from the suggestions below that highlight your key skills or those mentioned in the job description.
- Managed
- Negotiated
- Resolved
- Coordinated
- Implemented
- Optimized
- Analyzed
- Communicated
- Monitored
- Streamlined
If you want to create a resume that stands out from the crowd, use Jobseeker's expert-designed resume templates. You can also find cover letter templates that work to get you noticed by employers.
Example of a collections manager resume
Now that you know everything that needs to go into your collections manager resume, let's review an example resume that you can use as a guide when creating your own:
4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, IN
•
lawrence.clark@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/lawrence–clark123
Results-driven Collections Manager with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and extensive experience as a Credit and Collections Manager. Proven track record in optimizing collections processes, reducing delinquency rates, and improving cash flow. Skilled in credit risk assessment, team leadership, and implementing effective strategies to enhance financial performance. Strong analytical, communication, and negotiation abilities. Dedicated to achieving organizational goals and maintaining positive client relationships
Credit and Collections Manager
2020
-2022
Evergreen Financial Solutions (Atlanta)
- Reduced outstanding receivables by 30% within six months through strategic collection initiatives and debtor negotiation
- Implemented a new credit evaluation system, decreasing bad debt write-offs by 25% annually
- Led a team of 10, achieving a 95% collection rate and improving overall cash flow
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
2017
-2020
University of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA)
Risk management expertise
Account reconciliation proficiency
ERP software knowledge
Effective communication skills
Conflict resolution abilities
Time management proficiency
CPCC - ACA
CRCP - NACM
English - Fluent
Spanish - B2
Best practices for a collections manager resume
Tips to write the best resume
- Use strong verbs to help show the actions you've taken in different collections manager roles (e.g. monitored, streamlined, managed).
- Tailor your resume to make it as relevant as possible to the role you're applying for. Consult the job description and adapt your resume to reflect the required skills and experience.
- Keep your collections manager resume concise, with a target length of one page for less experienced candidates, and two pages for senior positions.
- Review your resume thoroughly and correct any errors before sending it, to avoid unnecessary harm to your chances.
- List key skills throughout your resume that show you're a good fit for the role, and include a separate 'skills' section.
Things to avoid on your resume
- Don't forget to review your contact information before sending your resume, to ensure it's all up-to-date.
- Don't include personal details beyond your name, location and contact details. Adding your age, gender, nationality or a photo can create unwanted hiring bias.
- Don't lie or exaggerate on your collections manager resume, as this can create false expectations in employers and harm you in the future.
- Don't fill your resume with industry jargon or business-speak that could alienate the reader.
- Don't list unrelated work experience unless you can show you used skills that are valuable to the job you're applying for.
How to make your resume ATS compliant
An applicant tracking system (ATS) is just one of the tools employers and recruiters can use to streamline their hiring practices. This typically includes screening candidates by scanning and ranking their resumes based on their likely suitability for any vacancy. There are several things you can do when writing your collections manager resume, to give yourself the strongest chance of ranking highly in the ATS stage and progressing through the recruitment process.
Create an ATS-optimized resume by following these quick tips:
- Choose a resume structure that matches the traditional, reverse-chronological layout or alternatively, the functional resume structure. This should make your resume more readable for ATS applications.
- Add keywords throughout your resume that help ATS software match your application to the job description. A higher match means your application is more likely to proceed to be reviewed by human eyes.
- Add each section with clear headings that match the established resume conventions, so ATS software can easily identify each part of your resume.
- Use design elements that help make your resume more readable. These might include white space, clear, professional fonts and subtle color accents to help certain elements stand out.
- Keep your resume as concise as possible, to make it easier to read, and for ATS software to scan.
If you need help creating a professional resume, take a look at our expert career articles and variety of resume examples created by careers experts.
A collections manager resume FAQs
Alongside your collections manager resume, it's important to produce a professional cover letter that creates a similar positive impact on the reader.
Before you write your cover letter, think about whether you need a formal, professional letter or if a brief, less formal email might be more suitable.
If you decide you want to write a traditional cover letter, follow the standard letter-writing conventions around layout and structure. In the main body of the letter, write an opening paragraph to introduce yourself and explain why you're applying for the collections manager role. Your second paragraph is typically where you highlight your key relevant skills and achievements. Finally, close by expressing your enthusiasm for the role and leave a call to action to encourage the hiring manager to make contact with you.
You can create a professional cover letter in just a few simple, easy-to-follow steps using Jobseeker's tried and tested cover letter templates.
Writing a collections manager resume with no experience needn't be a daunting task. There are still plenty of ways to impress hiring managers with your resume. Select a resume format that emphasizes your skills and education over your work experience, such as a functional format. Additional resume sections such as volunteer work, hobbies and interests, certifications and internships can all help you showcase your relevant skills. These can be more prominent in your resume if you haven't got a lot of work experience.
You can use a resume headline to introduce your document and set the tone for your collections manager applications. Resume headlines can also help you pass the ATS stage of the selection process, by highlighting the job title and one or two key details. Write a short, snappy heading for your resume including the job title and a reference to your experience, your track record or one or two of your key skills.
See an example resume headline below:
- Junior Collections Manager Seeking Opportunities
- Experienced Collections and Credit Manager
- Senior Collections Management Specialist
The best resume format for you depends on two things. Firstly, it depends on your experience level. Secondly, it depends on the type and level of position you're applying for. If you're applying for a junior position or changing careers, you might want to consider a functional resume. This highlights your skills and education over your work experience. Once you have some relevant work experience, and for senior positions, a reverse chronological resume format is typically best. This emphasizes your work experience, which will probably be the key thing employers want to know about.
Key points for your collections manager resume
The best resumes focus on your skills and the value you've added to previous roles, rather than focusing on your duties and responsibilities. Choose the most suitable resume format for your experience levels, and focus on tailoring your resume based on the requirements listed in the job description.
Jobseeker has a wealth of resume tools, including resume templates and examples, to help you create a winning job application. Sign up today to get started. Whether you're a junior or senior candidate, a professional cover letter can help to grab the attention of the employer. Jobseeker's cover letter examples were created by careers experts to provide useful tips and ideas for your cover letter.
Sources:
(1) Tips for Writing a Federal Resume, U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/tips-for-writing-a-federal-resume
(2) Resume Tips, Duke University: https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/resume-tips/
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