INDUSTRY STATS
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Manufacturing Manager positions are at a 5% growth rate, which is slower than average. With that said, there are currently 189,300 jobs in the market right now. The total number of jobs is expected to increase by 10,000 to 199,300 in the period of 2020-30.
What’s more, the median annual wage for the Manufacturing Manager jobs was $108,790 in May 2020. The lowest 10% earned less than $67,100, and the highest 10% more than $181,220.
Our conclusion? The Manufacturing Manager job market is wide open for candidates.
Top manufacturing manager sections that make the best resume
- Header
- Professional summary
- Experience (with numbers and results)
- Relevant skills
- Education
- Certifications
How to write a manufacturing manager resume experience section
Manufacturing manager resume experience: checklist
- Use either chronological or reverse-chronological format when listing your previous jobs;
- Mention only relevant positions that add value to your resume;
- Briefly state the challenges you’ve faced and how you’ve overcome them;
- Highlight the results from your efforts (for bonus points, add numbers, percentage rates, etc.);
- Forget about buzzwords! Use power verbs instead.
Use the examples below to build your own experience section!
- Schedule production on Meccano's manufacturing plants.
- Coordinate logistics operations of supply chain, product design, production, shipping and customer service.
- Develop the Internal Control System for business processes.
- Participate in the continuous improvement of the Meccano products.
- Managing a 3 shift operation of 18 CNC Swiss Lathes.
- Designed shop floor layout for machine locations, electrical requirements and compressed air supply.
- Developed and validated new titanium bone screw processes, including inspection plans, and Methods of Manufacturing.
- Machine setup and program prove-outs.
- Interviewing, hiring and training setup machinists and operators.
- Improved overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) by 20% through the implementation of Lean initiatives such as 5S, Kaizen, and VSM
- Reduced scrap and rework rates by 15% through the implementation of standard work procedures
- Increased on-time delivery performance (OTIF) by 10% through the implementation of production planning tools and cross-functional communication
- Managed a team of 50 people and developed a culture of open communication and collaborative resolution
- Achieved consistent target attainment by setting and monitoring KPIs and driving continuous improvement initiatives
- Increased production capacity by 25% through the implementation of new equipment and process improvements
- Reduced lead times by 30% through the implementation of Kanban systems and production planning tools
- Improved quality performance by 15% through the implementation of statistical process control (SPC) and operator training programs
- Managed a team of 30 people and provided coaching and mentoring to improve team performance
- Maintained compliance with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards
- Increased efficiency of manufacturing process by 15% through process optimization and troubleshooting techniques.
- Reduced production costs by $500,000 annually by strategically assessing opportunities to improve efficiencies in the Operations area.
- Improved HSE performance by 25% by implementing new procedures and reviewing H/S/E performance regularly.
- Improved product quality by 20% by implementing new procedures and reviewing product quality performance regularly.
- Managed production priorities and expenditures up to authorized limits.
- Managed department activities and resources in implementation of the RC 14001 and HSES requirements.
- Participated in RC 14001 Management Review Meetings.
- Approved expenditures and initiated process improvement projects in compliance with the PSM-03 procedure and established management systems.
- Implemented management procedures to handle employee discipline up to and including termination, employee recognition, and policies that affect personnel.
- Managed up to 200 employees.
- Improved preventive action process relating to the RC 14001 and HSES programs for their respective area of responsibility.
- Improved production output by 10% through effective supervision and coaching.
- Reduced production waste by 5% through process optimization.
- Implemented new procedures to improve production quality.
- Coordinated with cross-functional teams to troubleshoot production issues.
- Managed up to 50 employees.
- Assisted in developing and implementing new product technologies.
- Improved preventive action process relating to the RC 14001 and HSES programs for their respective area of responsibility.
- Improved production output by 20% through process optimization.
- Reduced production waste by 10% through process optimization.
- Designed and implemented new manufacturing processes.
- Coordinated with cross-functional teams to troubleshoot process issues.
- Managed up to 10 employees.
- Assisted in developing and implementing new product technologies.
- Improved preventive action process relating to the RC 14001 and HSES programs for their respective area of responsibility.
PRO TIP
Check the Manufacturing Manager job description for inspiration. Look for similarities between your employer’s values and your experience.
Action verbs for your manufacturing manager resume
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Manufacturing manager resume: the skills section!
How to write a strong manufacturing manager resume skills section?
- Make sure to include all types of skills - soft, hard, technical;
- Focus on skills that show your expertise in the field;
- Check the job description for keywords and make sure to add them to your resume – this will help you pass ATS;
- Leave room for discussion – elaborate on some of your strongest skills in other sections of your resume
Top skills for your manufacturing manager resume
Digital Fluency
Microsoft Office
Program Manufacturing Devices
Machining
Fabricating
Communication
Attention to details
Caution
Organisation
Punctuality
PRO TIP
Don’t feel obliged to spend a separate section for your soft skills - you can weave them throughout your job experience or career summary. But, don’t just write empty words - back them with examples.
Recommended reads:
Manufacturing manager resume header: tips, red flags, and best practices
Checklist for your manufacturing manager resume header
- Your name and surname in a legible and larger resume font
- The job title you’re applying for or your current job title as a subheading to your name
- Link to your portfolio or online profile, such as LinkedIn
- Address (City and State for the US; just your city for rest of the world)
- Email address
- Headshot (required or welcomed in the EU; not required and sometimes frowned upon in the US)
Stick to popular email providers such as Gmail or Outlook. And use these professional formats to create your username:
- first.last@gmail.com
- last.first@gmail.com
- firstlast@gmail.com
- f.last@gmail.com
- first.l@gmail.com
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
Include a link to your portfolio in your Manufacturing Manager resume header. Most companies will require that you include one in your resume, and even if they don’t, it’s an excellent opportunity to directly show them your proudest projects.
A career summary for your manufacturing manager resume
Things to include in your Manufacturing Manager resume summary:
- Your total years of experience in the industry;
- 2-3 of your most remarkable achievements so far;
- How your experience relates to the position you’re applying for;
- A very brief description of your strengths.
Resume summary formula:
PRO TIP
When writing a resume summary or objective, avoid first-person narrative.
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Manufacturing manager resume: The education section
Things to include in your resume's education section:
- Your highest education degree – including course, year of graduation, institution;
- Awards received as part of your education;
- Extracurricular activities that have helped you gain relevant skills;
- Certifications that have helped you master new skills and increase your expertise;
- Entry-level applicants only: relevant courses and projects.
Top certifications for your Manufacturing Manager resume
Management Skills: New Manager Training Update 2022
Management Skills Certification in Developing People, Leading Teams & Process Improvement in the New Hybrid Work Culture
New Manager: The Basics and More of Being a Great Leader
Go from a slightly uncertain, confused newbie to a confident, skilled manager who builds and leads effective teams.
Management Skills - Team Leadership Skills Masterclass 2022
Leadership & Management Skills - Change Management- Lean BPM Management Skills - Team Management - Team Building
The Superboss Playbook for Managers
Discover how top managers develop high potential talent, lead by teaching, and foster creative, high-performance teams.
Supply Chain mistakes to avoid in a Manufacturing Industry
Learn from the costly supply chain mistakes of Sourcing, Manufacturing, Warehousing, Technology and Customer Experience
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PRO TIP
If you hold a certain major and a minor, your majors should be mentioned first.
Choosing the right format for your manufacturing manager resume
In general, there are three basic formats for your resume:
- Reverse-chronological resume format;
- Functional skills-based resume format;
- Combination (or Hybrid) resume format.
Some things to consider when choosing the right format for your Manufacturing Manager resume include the stage of your career, whether you have all the right skills required for the job or are looking for an industry change, and what field you’re looking to grow in.
The reverse-chronological resume format is the most common one. It lets you describe your most recent job and then move backward. This makes it great for people who have around or less than 10 years of experience and are looking to highlight only their work-related skills and qualities.
If you’re just starting your career journey and reverse-chronological resumes sound too demanding, go for the functional resume format. It’s ideal for showcasing your strengths, personal qualities, skills, education, and the courses you’ve taken, without putting too much pressure on experience and expertise.
Don’t worry if neither of these sounds suitable for you – the hybrid or combination resume format will surely match your needs. It’s similar to the reverse-chronological, but with a catchy twist. Combination or hybrid resumes are great for showcasing both your experience and work-related skills and your personal qualities. Add a “What my day looks like” section for enhancing the jaw-dropping experience!
Here are some more things worth remembering when it comes to formatting your Manufacturing Manager resume:
- Choose standard 1-inch resume margins;
- Go for traditional resume fonts sized 10-12p;
- Match the length of your Manufacturing Manager resume with your experience – choose a one-page template if you have less than 10 years of experience, and be careful with two-page templates – use them only when applying for executive positions;
- Save your resume in PDF to avoid formatting issues and potential unauthorized editing.
Tired of getting rejected? Check out this article on how to craft a resume that stands out!
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PRO TIP
Sometimes you’ll want to go after a job which requires more experience than you have. Instead of using a typical Manufacturing Manager resume layout, you can use a creative layout. Getting noticed is the most important challenge and a creative resume layout might help you get invited for an interview as most of other accountants have boring resume designs.
Other sections suitable for your Manufacturing Manager resume
Depending on the position and the industry, you can spice your resume up by adding some more sections. They will help the recruiter get a glimpse of who you are as a person, besides all your job-related skills and qualities.
Here are some examples:
How to add creativity to your manufacturing manager resume
Gone are the days when creative resumes were frowned upon by recruiters!
What’s more, the right amount of creativity will make recruiters remember you and want to learn more about who you are – both as an individual and as a professional.
There are two ways to build a creative resume - add creative sections or go for a more creative design approach in general. Go for whatever suits you, the position, and the industry most!
What makes a great manufacturing manager resume: key takeaways
- Choose a resume layout that sends the right message across and fits your current career situation;
- Create a resume header that shows your desired job title, and easy to find contact numbers;
- Be specific about your experience, accomplishments and future goals in your summary;
- Feature detailed metrics and specific examples that show the impact you made in your previous roles when describing your experience;
- List soft skills backed by examples;
- Add all of your technical skills and certifications that you have and match the job description;
- Show off a dash of personality in your resume that will demonstrate your culture fit and the right mix of hard and soft skills.
