As a business project manager, articulating the complexity of your projects while demonstrating leadership skills can be a significant resume challenge. Our guide offers strategies and examples to effectively showcase your management competencies and project achievements, ensuring your resume stands out to potential employers.
- Sample industry-leading examples to learn how to write your best resume yet.
- Improve the experience, education, and achievements section of your resume with insights from resume-writing professionals.
- Curate your technical expertise and personality to stand out amongst the pool of candidates.
- Succinctly focus on your unique skill set all through your business project manager resume.
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Optimize your business project manager resume format to pass the recruiters' assessment
You may be wondering just how much time you need to spend on designing your business project manager resume.
What recruiters are looking for is systematised content that is clear and coherent. Thus, your business project manager resume needs to answer requirements and why you're the best candidate for the role from the get-go.
Often, a clear layout consists of:- Sorting your experience in the reverse chronological order - starting with your most recent and relevant roles. This is an excellent choice for more experienced professionals;
- Writing your contact information (e.g. personal phone number and email address) and your portfolio or LinkedIn link in your business project manager resume header. If you're wondering to include a photo or not, always make sure that it's appropriate for the country you're applying in;
- Use the basic, most important business project manager resume sections - your experience, education, summary, etc. Use your resume's real estate wisely to tell a compelling, professional story and match job description's keywords;
- Don't go overboard with the length of your resume. One page is absolutely fine if you happen to have under a decade of relevant experience.
Are you still wondering if you should submit your business project manager resume in PDF or Word format ? The PDF has a few more advantages, as it doesn't change the format and the text can't be altered upon application.
Format matters most when your business project manager resume is assessed by the Applicant Tracker System (or the ATS).
The ATS parses resumes, looking for specific keywords, skills or experience that match the job description.
P.S. We recently did a study on how the ATS works and were able to demystify three of the biggest misconceptions about how it assesses candidate resumes.
To pass the ATS evaluation, select any of the serif or sans-serif fonts. Popular choices that would help your business project manager resume stand out include Raleway, Exo 2, Montserrat, etc.
Most traditionalists go for Arial or Times New Roman, but it's often the case that many candidates choose these fonts, and you'd thus lose points on the uniqueness front.
Your resume should match the market – Canadian applications, for instance, may use a different layout.
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List all your relevant higher education degrees within your resume in reverse chronological order (starting with the latest). There are cases when your PhD in a particular field could help you stand apart from other candidates.
The key to your business project manager job-winning resume - present your expertise with these sections:
- A header to make your resume more scannable
- Snapshot of who you are as a professional with your resume soft skills, achievements, and summary or objective
- Job advert keywords in the skills section of your resume
- Resume experience quantifying your past job successes with metrics
- A relevant education, certification, and technical sills section to provide background to your technological/software capabilities
What recruiters want to see on your resume:
- Proven track record of successful project delivery, highlighting specific outcomes such as on-time completion, budget adherence, and scope management.
- Expertise in project management methodologies and tools (e.g., Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, PMBOK, Microsoft Project, JIRA).
- Demonstrated leadership skills and team management experience, showcasing the ability to motivate, guide, and manage diverse project teams.
- Strong problem-solving capabilities and the ability to adapt to changing environments, emphasizing crisis management and risk mitigation.
- Relevant certifications or education, such as a PMP (Project Management Professional), PRINCE2, or a Master's degree in Project Management or related field.
What is the resume experience section and how to write one for your past roles
The experience section in a business project manager resume is critical for your profile and overall application. It should not only display your work history, but also highlight your achievements in previous roles.
Many candidates either simply list their duties or provide excessive details about past, irrelevant jobs. A more effective approach involves first examining the job advertisement for keywords - specifically, skills essential for the role. Then, demonstrate these key requirements throughout different parts of your resume, using accomplishments from your roles.
Format each bullet point in your experience section by starting with a strong action verb. Follow this with a description of your role and its impact on the team or organization.
Aim to include three to five bullet points for each role.
Finally, gain insights into how professionals have crafted their business project manager resume experience sections by exploring some best practice examples.
- Led a cross-functional project team of 15 professionals to revamp an e-commerce platform, improving customer conversion rates by 25%.
- Managed a $2M project budget, ensuring all deliverables were achieved under budget by 10%, enhancing overall profitability.
- Established and streamlined project workflows, reducing time-to-market for new features by 30% and increasing team productivity.
- Directed the expansion of business operations into three new international markets, leading to a 40% revenue increase year-over-year for each.
- Implemented an agile project management approach, which cut down project delivery timelines by an average of 20% across all projects.
- Developed and executed a successful risk management strategy for high-value projects, mitigating risks early and maintaining a 95% project success rate.
- Orchestrated a company-wide digital transformation project, modernizing IT infrastructure and fostering a 50% increase in operational efficiency.
- Collaborated with senior stakeholders to realign the project portfolio in line with strategic objectives, delivering a 15% boost in customer satisfaction.
- Negotiated and secured partnerships with key software vendors, reducing project costs by 20% through volume licensing agreements.
- Executed a company merger project, integrating systems and staff, which resulted in the expansion of service offerings and a 35% increase in market share.
- Cultivated a continuous improvement environment by implementing Six Sigma methodologies, leading to a sustained 10% reduction in annual operating costs.
- Championed the adoption of a new CRM system across the organization, enhancing customer data analysis and tailoring marketing strategies more effectively.
- Oversaw the launch of a new SaaS product line, navigating through the development cycle and achieving a successful release that captured 5% of the target market within six months.
- Cultivated and maintained stakeholder relationships that enabled the alignment of project goals with executive visions, ensuring 100% board satisfaction.
- Enhanced internal project communication mechanisms, leading to a 60% improvement in cross-department collaboration and project transparency.
- Facilitated the development and launch of an enterprise mobile application, achieving over 100,000 downloads within the first three months of release.
- Restructured the project reporting system, allowing for real-time tracking of KPIs and helping teams to exceed performance targets by up to 15%.
- Pioneered a sustainability project that cut down resource waste by 25%, thereby enhancing the company's brand image as an eco-conscious entity.
- Spearheaded the development and integration of an AI-enhanced analytics platform, resulting in a 30% increase in data-driven decision-making across the company.
- Managed the negotiation and implementation of a multi-year $5M vendor contract that consolidated service providers and saved the company $600,000 annually.
- Initiated and led a productivity optimization project that streamlined processes and resulted in a 20% increase in project throughput.
- Designed and executed a market entry strategy for two new products, surpassing target revenue goals by 25% within the first year of launch.
- Led an organizational change management project that achieved a 90% employee adoption rate for new software tools within just three months.
- Championed a cross-departmental knowledge sharing platform, leading to a significant reduction in project handover times by an average of 40%.
Quantifying impact on your resume
- Highlight the budget size of projects managed to demonstrate financial accountability and stewardship.
- Document the percentage of projects delivered on time or on budget to showcase reliability and efficiency.
- Include the number of team members you have led to indicate leadership and people management capabilities.
- State the measurable outcomes achieved, such as percent increase in revenue or productivity, to illustrate tangible results.
- Quantify the size of operational improvements, such as cost savings or error reductions, to show your impact on streamlining processes.
- Detail the specific number of clients or stakeholders you've successfully managed to display your customer or client relationship skills.
- Express the scale of market expansion or growth to highlight strategic thinking and execution in enlarging business footprint.
- Report on the volume of deals closed or contracts negotiated to reflect your persuasive negotiation abilities.
Action verbs for your business project manager resume
How to shift the focus from your business project manager resume experience section to your professional profile
If you're at the start of your career journey or transitioning industries, you might be concerned about the lack of professional experience while crafting your business project manager resume.
How can you effectively present your business project manager resume experience section under these circumstances?
Rather than a traditional, extensive experience section, demonstrate your expertise through:
- Emphasizing your education. Your academic background might impress recruiters, especially if it includes recent, industry-relevant knowledge;
- Creating a compelling objective statement. The first few sentences of your resume should map out your motivations and career aspirations, offering insight into your goals;
- Highlighting your transferable skills. For example, if you've honed communication skills through volunteering, illustrate on your business project manager resume how these can benefit a potential employer;
- Detailing your technical background in certifications and skills sections. As a recent graduate, your technological foundations might be particularly attractive to employers looking to develop these skills further.
It's important to remember that employers sometimes prefer candidates with less experience but who are a better cultural fit for their organization.
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If you failed to obtain one of the certificates, as listed in the requirements, but decide to include it on your resume, make sure to include a note somewhere that you have the "relevant training, but are planning to re-take the exams". Support this statement with the actual date you're planning to be re-examined. Always be honest on your resume.
Defining your unique business project manager skill set with hard skills and soft skills
In any job advertisement, a blend of specific technologies and interpersonal communication skills is typically sought after. Hard skills represent your technical expertise and indicate your job performance capacity. Soft skills, on the other hand, demonstrate how well you would integrate within the company culture.
Incorporating a balanced mix of both skill types in your business project manager resume is crucial. Here's how you can do it:
- In your resume summary or objective, incorporate up to three hard and/or soft skills. Make sure to quantify these skills with relevant or impressive achievements; less
- The skills section should list your technical know-how.
- The strengths section is an ideal place to quantify your competencies by focusing on the achievements facilitated by these skills.
Top skills for your business project manager resume:
Project Management Software (e.g., Microsoft Project, Asana)
Agile Methodologies
Budget Management Tools
Risk Management Software
Data Analysis Tools (e.g., Excel, Tableau)
Collaboration Tools (e.g., Slack, Trello)
Gantt Chart Software
Time Management Tools
Stakeholder Management Tools
Resource Allocation Software
Leadership
Communication
Problem-Solving
Time Management
Negotiation
Conflict Resolution
Adaptability
Teamwork
Critical Thinking
Emotional Intelligence
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If the certificate you've obtained is especially vital for the industry or company, include it as part of your name within the resume headline.
The importance of your certifications and education on your business project manager resume
Pay attention to the resume education section . It can offer clues about your skills and experiences that align with the job.
- List only tertiary education details, including the institution and dates.
- Mention your expected graduation date if you're currently studying.
- Exclude degrees unrelated to the job or field.
- Describe your education if it allows you to highlight your achievements further.
Your professional qualifications: certificates and education play a crucial role in your business project manager application. They showcase your dedication to gaining the best expertise and know-how in the field. Include any diplomas and certificates that are:
- Listed within the job requirements or could make your application stand out
- Niche to your industry and require plenty of effort to obtain
- Helping you prepare for professional growth with forward-facing know-how
- Relevant to the business project manager job - make sure to include the name of the certificate, institution you've obtained it at, and dates
Both your certificates and education section need to add further value to your application. That's why we've dedicated this next list just for you - check out some of the most popular business project manager certificates to include on your resume:
The top 5 certifications for your business project manager resume:
- Project Management Professional (PMP) - Project Management Institute (PMI)
- Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) - Scrum Alliance
- Certified Project Manager (CPM) - International Association of Project Managers (IAPM)
- Master Project Manager (MPM) - American Academy of Project Management (AAPM)
- PRINCE2 Practitioner - AXELOS Global Best Practice
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The more time and effort you've put into obtaining the relevant certificate, the closer to the top it should be listed. This is especially important for more senior roles and if the company you're applying for is more forward-facing.
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The summary or objective: focusing on the top one-third of your resume
It's a well-known fact that the top one-third of your business project manager resume is the make-it-or-break-it moment of your application. The resume summary and objective could help you further build up your professional profile.
- If you have plenty of career highlights behind your back, use the resume summary . The business project manager summary immediately focuses recruiters' attention on what matters most within your experience.
- The resume objective is the perfect choice for balancing your career achievements with your vision. Use it to state precisely how you see yourself in a couple of years' time - as part of the company you're applying for.
Both the resume summary and resume objective can be your value pitch to potential employers: answering what makes your application unique and the top choice for the business project manager role. They both have to be specific and tailored - as there's no one-size-fits-all approach to writing your business project manager summary or objective. Use the business project manager examples below as a starting point:
Resume summaries for a business project manager job
- Seasoned business project manager with over 10 years of dedicated experience in financial services. Proficient in leading high-stakes projects, leveraging deep knowledge in financial modeling, risk assessment, and strategic planning. Recognized for delivering a portfolio of projects valued over $50M ahead of schedule for a Fortune 500 company.
- Dynamic project leader with 15 years of project management experience within the healthcare sector. Expert in orchestrating complex, multi-disciplinary projects, and proficient in regulatory compliance and digital health systems. Successfully led the implementation of a statewide electronic health records system, impacting 5 million patients.
- Former senior software developer transitioning into project management, bringing a unique technical perspective with 8 years of industry experience. Skilled in Agile methodologies, cross-functional team leadership, and continuous process improvement. Spearheaded the successful launch of a scalable e-commerce platform, enhancing operational efficiency by 40%.
- Ex-military officer now pursuing a career in business project management, bringing disciplined leadership and 6 years of experience in international logistics operations. Adept at resource allocation, team motivation, and strategic planning. Directed a complex supply chain overhaul that improved deployment efficiency by 25% for a UN peacekeeping mission.
- Eager to apply a fresh perspective on project management with an extensive background in academic research and a recent MBA graduate. Excited to leverage strong organizational, analytical, and collaborative skills to initiate, plan, and deliver projects that match strategic business objectives.
- Recent Bachelor of Business Administration graduate passionate about starting a career in project management. Keen to utilize exceptional interpersonal communication, problem-solving abilities, and newly acquired knowledge in project lifecycle management to facilitate project teams and exceed stakeholder expectations.
Bonus sections for your business project manager resume
Looking to show more personality on your business project manager resume? Then consider including a couple of extra sections.
They'd benefit your application by highlighting your most prominent:
Key takeaways
- Your business project manager resume is formatted professionally and creates an easy-to-read (and -understand) experience for recruiters;
- You have included all pertinent sections (header, summary/objective, experience, skills, certifications) within your business project manager resume;
- Instead of just listing your responsibilities, you've qualified them with skills and the results of your actions;
- Within your business project manager resume, you've taken the time to align specific job requirements with your unique expertise, showcasing the value you can provide as a professional;
- Technologies and personal skills are featured across different sections of your business project manager resume to achieve the perfect balance.
