Marketing Manager Resume Example

This comprehensive guide will give you all the tools you need to craft a marketing manager resume that positions you strongly against other candidates. The article will take you through the key steps of creating a resume that presents your key skills, qualities and career achievements in a format that employers favor. It will also help you tailor your resume according to your unique skills and experience level. Read on to access expert insights from Jobseeker that will help you create a winning marketing manager resume.

Core sections to include in a marketing manager resume

Although the content of a marketing manager resume may differ according to your experience and seniority, the main sections will remain the same.

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 with Contact Details

The resume header is the place to add your name and contact details, along with your LinkedIn URL if you have a profile, so employers can find more information about your career journey and skills. You don't typically need to add a photo, or any other personal information to this section. Be aware of the amount of space your resume header takes up. You don't want your contact details to take space away from the main content of your resume, so keep this section as brief as possible.

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.

Resume Summary

Next, write a short paragraph to introduce yourself. You could also call this section 'resume summary' or 'personal profile'. In two or three sentences, explain your professional background, achievements and key skills. If you choose to write a resume summary, this focuses on your career experience to date. On the other hand, a resume objective addresses your future plans and career ambitions. Furthermore, when writing your profile, focus on two or three key skills and achievements that showcase your suitability for marketing manager roles.

Alternatively, use this summary to introduce your personal career ambitions and explain why marketing manager roles are a good fit for you at this stage of your career.

A great resume summary should highlight why you're an ideal candidate for marketing manager roles by showing key skills and qualities that reflect the job description and provide evidence to support them. It should also introduce your personality and unique qualities to the reader, to help them start to form an opinion about you as a candidate. The graphic below showcases some good examples of what to include in your marketing manager resume summary.

On the other hand, an unsuccessful resume summary is one that mentions irrelevant skills, qualities and achievements and fails to differentiate you from other candidates. The visual above includes some examples of what not to do with your marketing manager resume summary

Employment History

Under your work experience section, add any jobs you've had in the past that are relevant to the position of a marketing manager. Mention only the most appropriate and relevant jobs you've had in reverse-chronological order, starting with your most recent and working backwards. Add your job title, the name of the employer, the location of the role and your dates of employment.

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.

An effective resume work experience section is one that constantly echoes the skills and experience listed in the job description, and shows how you used your skills to positive effect in each job. Each bullet point should be carefully crafted to showcase a particular skill or achievement relevant to marketing manager jobs, with evidence to show the value you added. Take a look at the examples below for some guidance on what works best for your work experience section.

Above, you can see a weaker example of a resume work experience section to best avoid. A poor resume work experience section would typically use vague descriptions of activities in previous jobs, while focusing too much on responsibilities rather than achievements. Failing to focus on the skills and experience that match the job description is likely to harm your chances of success.

Education

In your education section, include details of your most relevant marketing manager qualifications and educational achievements.

If you're applying for marketing manager positions you'll typically need to have a degree. A Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) with a concentration in Marketing will usually help your chances of success. You could also list any qualifications that demonstrate your data analytics expertise or SEO/SEM proficiency.

Enter the name and level of the qualification, the institution you studied at, its location and your dates of study or graduation. You could also add one or two bullet points to draw attention to your grades if they were particularly good, as well as any specialist subjects you studied. This will help the hiring manager understand your knowledge and special skills better.

If you were a member of any clubs or societies, or volunteered for any causes while studying, you could also mention these in your education section.

Skills

Listing your key skills can help to prove your suitability for marketing manager jobs. These could be CRM software knowledge, creative problem-solving or various other relevant skills. Again, include any skills that match those listed in the job description. Focus particularly on technical skills required for marketing manager jobs and transferable skills that show your qualities as a marketing manager.

How to include hard skills on your marketing manager resume

Under hard skills, add any specialist skills you possess that are specifically required for marketing manager jobs. These tend to be technical skills and industry knowledge essential to the position. Furthermore, your list of hard skills provides a strong indication to the reader of your expertise in marketing manager roles, and how well you'll fit into the position. 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 marketing manager resume below.

Listing soft skills on your marketing manager resume

Your soft skills are the core qualities and personal characteristics that make you a good employee. They tend to apply to multiple professions and jobs, though the soft skills you'll require may change as you move from junior to senior positions. Indeed, without soft skills, you may struggle to adapt to marketing manager roles or meet the standards expected of you. So make sure you include several key soft skills on your resume. In this section, add four of five transferable skills that match the job description.

Your soft skills section should make the most of your unique personal qualities and strengths, while also reflecting the requirements laid out in the job description. See below for some examples of useful soft skills for a marketing manager resume.

Licenses and Certifications

Your certifications section is the place to mention any relevant professional marketing manager certifications, licenses or qualifications. These could be official licenses required for the job or certifications that improve your employability. Therefore, make sure you list the dates of your certifications and licenses so employers can see they're up-to-date and valid.

Review the list below for some suitable certifications for a marketing manager resume:

Optional Sections

There are several additional sections you could add to a marketing manager resume, to improve your chances of success. Pick from the optional sections below to help show the employer you have the skills and experience for the job.

Hobbies and Interests

Add any hobbies and interests that reinforce your credentials for the position. They also help to show a different side of your personality, and can help your resume create a more memorable impression on hiring managers. If you're short on real world work experience, hobbies and interests can be a useful way of providing more information about your qualities. If you're thinking about adding hobbies and interests, just make sure they add something unique to your application, and showcase your personality and interests in unique and interesting ways.

Volunteer Experience

Voluntary work can help you develop useful skills, so it's a valuable addition to your marketing manager resume. 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

It's relatively unusual to include references in a standard marketing manager resume, but they are required occasionally. Check the job advert to see if you'll need to add references to your resume. Include a maximum of three professional references, being sure to check with your referees before including them in your resume.

Best action words for your marketing manager resume

Start each bullet point in your work experience section with a strong verb to show actions you took. Choose from the list of words below to make the best possible impression.

Jobseeker's clean, attractive resume formats can help your applications make a strong impression on employers. Check them out for help designing a winning resume, and see our cover letter templates to help win over recruiters and hiring managers.

Sample resume for marketing manager positions

The marketing manager resume example below includes all the sections above, so you can see how a completed resume looks:

How to make your resume ATS compliant

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) help recruiters and employers to manage their hiring process. They can handle some of the more time-consuming and resource-intensive jobs, such as initial screening of resumes. Employers often receive hundreds of applications per vacancy, and ATS software can quickly and accurately scan and rank resumes based on their likely suitability for any role. If you follow a few simple tips when writing your marketing manager resume, you'll give yourself a better chance of ranking highly in the ATS screening and progressing to the next stage.

Here are a few quick tips for creating an ATS-friendly resume:

• Use a traditional resume layout, such as a reverse-chronological or functional format. This will mean your resume includes all the necessary sections, in the expected order.
• Add keywords that match the job description throughout your resume, as ATS applications scan for these and well-placed, considered use can help your resume rank more highly.
• Include clear headings in each section that match the traditional resume structure and format. This will make it easier for the ATS software to scan 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.
• Use simple, concise language to keep your resume to a maximum of one to two pages in length. This will make it easier for ATS software to read.

Takeaways for your marketing 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. Select a resume format that suits your experience levels and the job you're applying for, and make sure you tailor your resume for each application.

Use Jobseeker's resume templates, other tools and resources to create an application that impresses employers. Sign up today to access a wealth of valuable resume and cover letter resources. Whatever job you're applying for, a professional cover letter can make all the difference to your chances. Use Jobseeker's HR-approved tools and cover letter examples to inspire your applications.

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/