Product Manager Resume Example
If you're hoping to start a career as a product manager, you'll need experience in conducting market research and collaborating with UX/UI. For a successful product manager application, you'll want to submit a professional resume that showcases your relevant skills. In this article, we'll outline how to write a winning resume to boost your chances of success in your product manager applications.
After reading this article, you'll feel confident creating a product manager resume that effectively showcases your relevant skills and experience. You'll find valuable tips on writing a resume that best showcases your unique skills and achievements. There is also extensive guidance on how to structure your resume to match the job description, and to reflect your experience levels to impress HR specialists and employers. Read on to learn how to write a perfect product manager resume, from the advice of careers experts at Jobseeker.
Main sections of a product manager resume
It's essential to include a few core sections in your product manager resume, while there are also a few optional sections you can make use of to strengthen your application.
If you're applying for an entry-level product manager role and have limited relevant experience, consider using a skills-based, or functional resume format. The layout emphasizes your skills and education above your work experience. Furthermore, a junior resume is more likely to focus on soft and transferable skills, as well as relevant training, internships and volunteer roles.
When applying for mid-level product manager positions, it's typically best to opt for a reverse-chronological resume format. This is because work experience tends to be the most important resume section for this level. Your resume should focus on your career achievements, and the role you've played in successful projects and activities for your employers. Consult the job description for guidance on what to showcase, and provide evidence to support your claims.
For senior product manager roles, you're likely to be competing against highly experienced candidates. Use a reverse-chronological resume format and focus on adding additional information that shows your credentials beyond your work experience. It's likely that your senior resume will be longer than a standard resume of one-to-two pages. This is because you'll be listing additional achievements beyond your work experience, such as awards, publications and professional memberships.
Your resume layout and structure may differ depending on your experience levels, but make sure your resume includes the following:
Resume Header
Your product manager resume header is the place to add your contact details. Start by adding your full name and underneath, include your email address, phone number and location. Adding your LinkedIn profile, if you have one, can help the employer get a better insight into your skills and industry expertise. You don't need to include any additional personal information or a photo. 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.
Make sure your email address appears as professional as possible, and doesn't include anything like nicknames, inappropriate language or personal information. If it does, set up a new email account with an address based on your name or initials, and use that for your job applications. Always double-check your contact details are up-to-date before sending your resume.
Terry Parker
terry.parker@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
12 Grimmauld Place, Brooklyn, NY
linkedin․com/in/terry–parker123
Resume Summary
In your resume summary, write a short paragraph that highlights two or three of your key achievements and skills for product manager roles. You could also call this section 'resume objective' or 'personal profile'. A resume summary covers your career experience to date, while a resume objective focuses more on your ambitions for the future. Furthermore, when writing your profile, focus on two or three key skills and achievements that showcase your suitability for product manager roles.
Alternatively, use this summary to introduce your personal career ambitions and explain why product 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 product 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 product manager resume summary.
Good example:
Results-driven Product Manager with a BBA in Marketing and extensive experience as a Senior Product Manager. Proven track record in leading cross-functional teams, driving product development from concept to launch, and executing go-to-market strategies. Skilled in market analysis, customer insights, and leveraging data to inform decision-making. Adept at managing the product lifecycle, optimizing user experience, and achieving business growth objectives. Recognized for strong leadership, strategic thinking, and effective communication
Bad example:
Product manager with some background in marketing and product roles. Worked with teams to create and launch products. Have looked at markets and customer needs to help make decisions. Managed product stages and tried to improve user experience and business goals. Known for working well with others, thinking strategically, and communicating effectively
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. In the graphic above you can find some negative examples of how to write a resume summary.
Work History
In your work experience section, list any previous relevant roles you've worked in, as well as your key achievements as a product manager. For each entry, list the job title, the name of the employer, its location and the dates you worked there. Add each job in reverse-chronological order, starting with your current or most recent role.
Also include some bullet points for each job mentioned, showcasing your achievements so the employer can see the impact you made on the company. Pay attention to the job description and make sure each point is relevant to product manager roles.
A successful resume work experience section will always showcase skills and experience relevant to the job description, and how you put each to good use in your previous roles. Offering quantifiable evidence in a product manager resume proves you're a strong candidate for the job, such as client feedback, project outcomes, KPIs or financial results. There are some examples of strong resume work experience sections below.
Good example:
Senior Product Manager, January 2022 - Present
Innovatech Solutions, Richmond
- Spearheaded the launch of a new SaaS product, achieving a 40% increase in user adoption within six months
- Led cross-functional teams to deliver a product update that boosted customer retention rates by 25% year-over-year
- Implemented data-driven decision-making processes, resulting in a 30% reduction in time-to-market for new features
Bad example:
Senior Product Manager, January 2022 - Present
Innovatech Solutions, Richmond
- Managed projects to improve product offerings and enhance user satisfaction
- Collaborated with teams to optimize product development processes
- Developed strategies to drive product success and market presence
Above, you can see a weaker example of a resume work experience section to best avoid. Poor examples of resume work experience sections tend to be vague and fail to quantify your achievements and the impact you've made in your career to date. They may also focus on responsibilities above relevant skills and how you've used them.
Education
In your education section, include details of your most relevant product manager qualifications and educational achievements.
Typically, working as a product 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 market research analysis or data-driven decision-making.
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. If you have space, include some bullet points outlining any specialist areas of study, awards or high grades, so the employer can learn more about your unique skill set and knowledge.
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 Business Administration (BBA) in Marketing, 2017 - 2020
Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN
Hard and Soft Skills
In your skills section, list any skills you've acquired or developed that are relevant to product manager positions. Consider adding user experience design, communication and collaboration or any other necessary skills for the job. 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 product manager.
Highlighting your hard skills
Under hard skills, add any specialist skills you possess that are specifically required for product 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 product manager roles, and how well you'll fit into the position. It's best to aim for four or five key hard skills that match the job description. These can really showcase your suitability for the job.
Your resume hard skills list should reflect your unique and specific industry expertise and experience, while also fulfilling the requirements listed in the job description. See the examples below for an idea of what an effective product manager resume hard skills list looks like.
- Market research analysis
- Data-driven decision-making
- User experience design
Soft skills on your product manager resume
In your soft skills list, include any personal characteristics that make you a good fit for a product manager job. Soft skills tend to be more universal than hard skills, but they're no less important. Indeed, as the nature of work changes, soft skills are growing in importance, so make sure you include them in your resume. Aim to include approximately five soft skills that reflect the skills listed in the job description.
An effective product 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.
- Communication and collaboration
- Problem-solving mindset
- Critical thinking abilities
Certifications and Training
Under certifications and licenses, add any further qualifications that show you're a good fit for the job. Add any official certifications or accreditations that increase your level of qualification and suitability for working as a product manager. Therefore, include the details of any licenses and professional certifications required for product manager roles, along with completion dates so employers can see you're up-to-date.
Read on to see some relevant example certifications for a product manager resume:
- Certified Scrum Product Owner, 2022
- Pragmatic Marketing Certification, 2022
- AIPMM Certified Product Manager, 2022
Expert Tip:
Additional Information
In addition to the core sections of a product manager resume, there are several optional sections you could include to enhance your chances. Choose any optional sections that showcase essential or desirable skills or experience for product manager jobs.
Personal Hobbies and Interests
Listing your hobbies and interests can reveal key qualities that some employers may value. Your hobbies and interests are useful for a product manager resume if you want to show a different side to your personality, or to stand out among other candidates. They can also be valuable if you're a junior candidate without much relevant work 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.
Volunteer Work
This section can be valuable for a product manager resume, if you've done any voluntary work that showcases your relevant skills. List your volunteer job title, the organization you volunteered for, its location and the dates of your involvement, alongside a brief explanation of your responsibilities in the role.
References
Although it's rare to include references on a product manager resume, some employers may ask for it. Don't add references unless they're specifically mentioned by the employer in the job advert. Be sure to prepare your referees in advance, so they've agreed to provide a reference and are ready to be contacted.
References will be available upon request.
Best strong verbs for your a product 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.
- Lead
- Strategize
- Innovate
- Analyze
- Collaborate
- Prioritize
- Execute
- Optimize
- Mentor
- Communicate
Jobseeker's resume templates were created by careers experts to help you produce a professional resume in minutes. You can also find cover letter templates to complete an eye-catching job application that gets you noticed.
Sample resume for product manager positions
Now we've covered the main sections to include in your product manager resume, let's take a look at how it all comes together in the example below:
12 Grimmauld Place, Brooklyn, NY
•
terry.parker@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/terry–parker123
Results-driven Product Manager with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and extensive experience in driving digital solutions. Proven track record in managing product lifecycles, from ideation to launch, and optimizing user experience. Skilled in cross-functional team leadership, market analysis, and strategic planning to deliver innovative, customer-centric products that achieve business objectives
Product Manager, Digital Solutions
2020
-2022
Innovatech Solutions Inc (Chandler)
- Spearheaded launch of a new e-commerce platform, increasing online sales by 35% within the first six months
- Implemented data-driven customer feedback system, enhancing user satisfaction scores by 20% and reducing churn rate by 15%
- Led cross-functional team in developing a mobile app, achieving 50,000 downloads and a 4.8-star rating on app stores
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
2017
-2020
Colorado State University (Fort Collins, CO)
Market research analysis
Data-driven decision-making
User experience design
Communication and collaboration
Problem-solving mindset
Critical thinking abilities
Certified Scrum Product Owner
Pragmatic Marketing Certification
English - Fluent
Spanish - B2
Best practices for a product manager resume
Advice to help you craft a winning resume
- Create a positive impression with a well-written resume summary or objective that highlights your key strengths for product manager roles.
- List your relevant work experience in reverse-chronological order, starting with your current or most recent job.
- Showcase your key skills throughout your resume, as well as in your dedicated skills list, with each skill reflecting the job description.
- Use a clear, professional resume format to make your document as accessible as possible, including a readable font and appropriate headings, margins and line spacing. This will make your resume easier for recruiters and hiring managers to read.
- Proofread your resume before sending it, to avoid any unnecessary mistakes that may harm your chances.
Steer clear of these common resume writing errors
- Don't lie or exaggerate about your product manager experience or achievements as it can harm your chances in the long term.
- Don't add work experience that's unrelated to the role you're applying for, as it isn't likely to help your chances of success.
- Don't write any unnecessary personal details on your resume. Details such as age, gender or nationality can lead to unintentional recruitment bias.
- Don't use complex formatting that makes your product manager resume harder to read or less scannable by software such as applicant tracking systems (ATS).
- Don't use passive language - steer away from phrases like 'I was asked to' and use action words instead.
Guide to making your resume ATS-friendly
Applicant tracking systems (ATS) help recruiters and employers to streamline their hiring process. They can store and process data, including applications and applicant data, quickly and efficiently. One of the jobs ATS applications are increasingly responsible for is initial candidate screening. The systems can quickly scan and rank resumes based on how closely they match the job description. If you follow a few simple tips when writing your product manager resume, you'll give yourself a better chance of ranking highly in the ATS screening and progressing to the next stage.
Create an ATS-optimized resume by following these quick tips:
- 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.
- Use of job description keywords throughout your resume will help it rank higher in the ATS scanning stage, as it will more closely match the requirements laid out in the job description.
- Add each section with clear headings that match the established resume conventions, so ATS software can easily identify each part of your resume.
- Adopt a resume design that uses clear, professional design principles and leaves white space for your content to breathe. Use the most readable fonts and incorporate subtle design elements to enhance the readability of your document.
- Use concise language to keep the length of your resume to between one and two pages. This will make it easier to scan for ATS applications.
For help crafting a winning resume, read our in-depth career blog and review our resume examples for inspiration.
Frequently Asked Questions about a product manager resume
Accompanying your resume for product manager applications, you'll want to produce a cover letter that similarly leaves a positive impression on hiring managers.
Firstly, think about whether you want to write a full, formal cover letter or whether a brief email to introduce yourself and draw attention to your resume will suffice.
A full, formal cover letter follows a traditional letter-writing structure and format. Add your header, the recipient's address an use professional greetings and sign-offs. In your first paragraph, introduce yourself and confirm the role you're applying for, along with your reasons for applying. Next, outline your key skills and achievements that are most relevant to the product manager job description. Finish by expressing your enthusiasm for the role and adding a call to action to encourage the hiring manager to contact you for further information.
For help creating an eye-catching cover letter that impresses recruiters and hiring managers, use Jobseeker's professional cover letter templates.
Even if you have no work experience, following a few simple tips for your product manager resume can ensure you make a strong impression on employers. Opt for a skill-based resume format instead of a traditional layout. This places your skills and education in a more prominent position on your resume. Utilize additional sections at the end of your resume to show you've got what it takes to do the job. These include hobbies and interests, voluntary roles, certifications and internships.
If you want to create a strong first impression in your product manager application, a resume headline can help. A well-written resume headline is also a way to increase your chances of passing the ATS resume scanning stage, by referencing keywords that match the job description. Write a short, concise resume headline incorporating the job title, one or two key skills that match the job description and a reference to your reputation or track record.
You can use this example resume headline as a template for creating your own:
- Aspiring Product Management Professional
- Innovative Product Management Leader
- Senior Product Management Professional
The top resume format for your applications will vary according to a couple of factors. First, how much professional experience you have. Second, what type of job you're applying for and its seniority level. For entry-level roles, or situations where you're changing to a new career, a functional resume is often the best option. This places your skills and education above your work experience. On the other hand, if you're experienced in your industry or applying for senior positions, a traditional, reverse chronological resume format is usually best. This places most emphasis on your work experience.
Key takeaways for your product manager resume
Writing a strong, impactful resume is about using your experience to demonstrate your relevant skills and achievements. You can do this through your work history or other resume sections. Use a suitable resume format and tailor your resume for every application you submit.
HR-approved resume templates and other tools by Jobseeker are the easiest way to create a winning job application. Sign up and follow the simple instructions to complete a resume that stands out from the crowd. 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/
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