As a people manager, articulating your multifaceted team leadership experiences and their outcomes on a resume can be daunting. Our guide provides clear examples and actionable tips to help you distill these complexities into concise, impactful bullet points that will catch the eye of potential employers.
- Which sections do you need to include in your resume to meet recruiters' requirements;
- How to write your people manager resume experience section - even if you have don't have little to no work experience;
- Real-life professional examples to guide you how to write the most important people manager resume sections;
- Adding even more sections so your people manager resume stands out with professionalism and your personality.
We've also selected some of the best (and most relevant) resume guides for the people manager role you're applying for:
- District Manager Resume Example
- Recruiting Coordinator Resume Example
- Contract Analyst Resume Example
- Recruitment Manager Resume Example
- HR Resume Example
- Knowledge Manager Resume Example
- Talent Manager Resume Example
- Training Director Resume Example
- Staffing Manager Resume Example
- Continuous Improvement Manager Resume Example
Professional people manager resume format advice
Achieving the most suitable resume format can at times seem like a daunting task at hand.
Which elements are most important to recruiters?
In which format should you submit your resume?
How should you list your experience?
Unless specified otherwise, here's how to achieve a professional look and feel for your resume.
- Present your experience following the reverse-chronological resume format . It showcases your most recent jobs first and can help recruiters attain a quick glance at how your career has progressed.
- The header is the must-have element for your resume. Apart from your contact details, you could also include your portfolio and a headline, that reflects on your current role or a distinguishable achievement.
- Select relevant information to the role, that should encompass no more than two pages of your resume.
- Download your resume in PDF to ensure that its formatting stays intact.
Keep in mind the market you’re applying to – a Canadian resume, for instance, might have a unique layout.
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The more trusted the organization you've attained your certificate (or degree) from, the more credible your skill set would be.
Don't forget to include these six sections on your people manager resume:
- Header and summary for your contact details and to highlight your alignment with the people manager job you're applying for
- Experience section to get into specific technologies you're apt at using and personal skills to deliver successful results
- Skills section to further highlight how your profile matches the job requirements
- Education section to provide your academic background
- Achievements to mention any career highlights that may be impressive, or that you might have missed so far in other resume sections
What recruiters want to see on your resume:
- Demonstrated leadership and team management skills
- Experience in developing and motivating teams to achieve objectives
- Strong interpersonal and communication abilities for effective team collaboration
- Proven track record of successfully implementing projects and process improvements
- Ability to make strategic decisions and solve problems efficiently
Advice for your people manager resume experience section - setting your application apart from other candidates
Your resume experience section needs to balance your tangible workplace achievements with job requirements.
The easiest way to sustain this balance between meeting candidate expectations, while standing out, is to:
- Select really impressive career highlights to detail under each experience and support those with your skills;
- Assess the job advert to define both the basic requirements (which you could answer with more junior roles) and the more advanced requirements - which could play a more prominent role through your experience section;
- Create a separate experience section, if you decide on listing irrelevant experience items. Always curate those via the people or technical skills you've attained that match the current job you're applying for;
- Don't list experience items from a decade ago - as they may no longer be relevant to the industry. That is, unless you're applying for a more senior role: where experience would go to demonstrate your character and ambitions;
- Define how your role has helped make the team, department, or company better. Support this with your skill set and the initial challenge you were able to solve.
Take a look at how real-life people manager professionals have presented their resume experience section - always aiming to demonstrate their success.
- Spearheaded a team of 25 employees, fostering a collaborative environment that improved team engagement scores by 30% over a two-year period.
- Drove the successful implementation of a new performance management system, which increased productivity by 15% within the first year.
- Partnered with cross-functional teams to align on business strategies, leading to a 20% increase in customer satisfaction rates.
- Cultivated a comprehensive employee development program, resulting in a 40% reduction in turnover among high-potential individuals.
- Negotiated with external vendors to secure cost-effective training solutions, saving the company over $200,000 annually.
- Implemented a company-wide recognition program that acknowledged and rewarded team and individual contributions, enhancing overall morale.
- Developed and executed a diversity recruitment plan, increasing minority representation within the company by 25%.
- Installed a people analytics dashboard that provided real-time data on workforce dynamics, aiding in making informed HR decisions.
- Coordinated with the executive team to manage a reorganization effort which led to a more streamlined operational structure.
- Initiated a mentorship program that paired junior and senior employees, leading to a noticeable boost in junior-level productivity and knowledge sharing.
- Managed a budget of $1.5 million for departmental expenses while ensuring optimal allocation of resources for staff development.
- Enhanced internal communication strategies, implementing quarterly town-hall meetings that increased staff alignment with company goals.
- Led the successful merger of two corporate cultures through strategic HR initiatives that maintained an attrition rate below industry average by 10%.
- Facilitated leadership workshops that helped develop the next generation of company leaders, ensuring a robust succession planning process.
- Designed and promoted flexible work arrangements that enhanced work-life balance and led to a 35% drop in reported employee burnout.
- Oversaw a period of rapid team expansion from 30 to 100 members, maintaining a consistent employee satisfaction score of over 85%.
- Championed a company-wide digital transformation in HR processes which reduced paper usage by 70% and increased operational efficiency.
- Initiated a global virtual training program that reached over 500 employees, enhancing overall skill sets and driving innovation.
- Designed an automated applicant tracking system that reduced time-to-hire by 20% and improved the candidate experience.
- Formulated a retention strategy that saw a year-on-year employee retention improvement of 8% in a competitive tech market.
- Streamlined the annual performance review process, which resulted in a 50% reduction in administrative time for managers.
- Guided a workforce through a pandemic by implementing remote work policies that preserved 100% of jobs amidst industry layoffs.
- Led a data-driven salary review that promoted pay equity, successfully closing gender pay gaps by 95%.
- Collaborated with the marketing and product teams to align employee branding with the corporate mission, resulting in a top 10 placement in 'Best Places to Work' rankings.
Quantifying impact on your resume
- Include the size of the teams you have managed, as this demonstrates your leadership capacity and ability to handle responsibility.
- List the percentage increase in team productivity or efficiency under your leadership, showing your effectiveness in driving performance.
- Describe any reduction in staff turnover rates you achieved, indicating your ability to maintain team stability and morale.
- Quantify the revenue growth or cost savings your initiatives have generated, providing concrete evidence of your contribution to the business's bottom line.
- Detail the number of training programs you've developed or implemented, showcasing your commitment to team development and skill enhancement.
- Specify the number of projects or initiatives you've successfully completed, reflecting your project management skills and execution capabilities.
- Mention any awards or recognitions you've received for your managerial achievements, underscoring your acknowledged leadership quality.
- Report the scale or scope of the budgets you've managed, highlighting your financial acumen and trustworthiness with significant fiscal responsibilities.
Action verbs for your people manager resume
Four quick steps for candidates with no resume experience
Those with less or no relevant experience could also make a good impression on recruiters by:
- Taking the time to actually understand what matters most to the role and featuring this within key sections of their resume
- Investing resume space into defining what makes them a valuable candidate with transferrable skills and personality
- Using the resume objective to showcase their personal vision for growth within the company
- Heavily featuring their technical alignment with relevant certifications, education, and skills.
Remember that your resume is about aligning your profile to that of the ideal candidate.
The more prominently you can demonstrate how you answer job requirements, the more likely you'd be called in for an interview.
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List your educational qualifications and certifications in reverse chronological order.
In-demand hard skills and soft skills for your people manager resume
A vital element for any people manager resume is the presentation of your skill set.
Recruiters always take the time to assess your:
- Technological proficiency or hard skills - which software and technologies can you use and at what level?
- People/personal or soft skills - how apt are you at communicating your ideas across effectively? Are you resilient to change?
The ideal candidate presents the perfect balance of hard skills and soft skills all through the resume, but more particular within a dedicated skills section.
Building your people manager skills section, you should:
- List up to six skills that answer the requirements and are unique to your expertise.
- Include a soft skill (or two) that defines you as a person and professional - perhaps looking back on feedback you've received from previous managers, etc.
- Create up to two skills sections that are organized based on the types of skills you list (e.g. "technical skills", "soft skills", "people manager skills", etc.).
- If you happen to have technical certifications that are vital to the industry and really impressive, include their names within your skills section.
At times, it really is frustrating to think back on all the skills you possess and discover the best way to communicate them across.
We understand this challenge - that's why we've prepared two lists (of hard skills and soft skills) to help you build your next resume, quicker and more efficiently:
Top skills for your people manager resume:
Human Resource Management Systems (HRMS)
Performance Management Software
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
Employee Engagement Tools
Payroll Management Software
Learning Management Systems (LMS)
Data Analysis Tools (e.g., Excel, Power BI)
Project Management Software (e.g., Asana, Trello)
Collaboration Tools (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams)
Time Tracking Software
Communication
Empathy
Conflict Resolution
Team Building
Leadership
Adaptability
Time Management
Decision Making
Coaching and Mentoring
Emotional Intelligence
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Mention specific courses or projects that are pertinent to the job you're applying for.
Your academic background: should you include your education and certifications on your people manager resume?
Adding relevant education and certifications to your people manager resume is beneficial, whether you're an experienced candidate or just starting in the field.
Featuring your higher education degree that aligns with the role demonstrates your commitment to the industry. On your people manager resume, include the start and graduation dates, followed by the name of the institution that awarded your degree.
Regarding certifications, it's wise to list those most relevant to the role or that have contributed to your array of crucial technical or personal traits. Be sure to include the name of the certificate and the awarding institution.
If uncertain about which certifications to feature prominently on your people manager resume, refer to our compiled list of the most in-demand ones for guidance.
The top 5 certifications for your people manager resume:
- Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) - HR Certification Institute (HRCI)
- SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) - Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
- Certified Manager (CM) - Institute of Certified Professional Managers (ICPM)
- Professional in Human Resources (PHR) - HR Certification Institute (HRCI)
- Associate Professional in Human Resources (aPHR) - HR Certification Institute (HRCI)
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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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Your people manager resume top one third: choosing between a resume summary or an objective
The top third of your resume is crucial, as recruiters might focus only on this section rather than reading the entire document. Therefore, it's important to carefully decide whether to include a resume summary or an objective.
- The resume summary encapsulates your most significant experiences, key achievements, and skills in the field. Ideal for candidates with substantial relevant experience, the summary previews what recruiters will find in the rest of your resume.
- The resume objective outlines your professional aspirations. It describes your career goals for the coming years and how you envision your role evolving in the prospective company. The resume objective is suitable if you have less professional experience and wish to emphasize various soft skills such as motivation, vision, and planning.
Explore some of the best examples of resume summaries and objectives from real-life professional resumes in the industry.
Resume summaries for a people manager job
- A seasoned people manager with over 15 years of robust experience leading diverse teams within the technology sector at multinational firms like Intelisoft. A specialist in agile methodologies and team dynamics, renowned for enhancing team productivity by 40% through innovative management strategies and targeted development programs.
- With 10 years of dedicated service managing sales personnel at Verizon, I excel in strategizing revenue growth and team optimization. Instrumental in driving a 25% sales increase and awarded ‘Regional Manager of the Year’ twice, my knack for cultivating high-performance cultures sets me apart as a leader in the sales management arena.
- Transitioning from a decorated 12-year military career into civilian leadership, I bring a unique perspective and an unparalleled ethic of service and discipline. As an Army Captain responsible for a battalion, my experience in strategic planning and personnel management aligns perfectly with the demands of modern people management roles in the corporate setting.
- Forging a new path after a successful stint as an educator, with over 8 years of experience in curriculum development and staff coordination at a prestigious private school. My adeptness at fostering growth and achieving extraordinary student outcomes translates seamlessly into developing and managing effective teams in a corporate environment.
- As a recent Human Resources Management graduate, my objective is to apply my extensive theoretical knowledge and internship experiences to effectuate positive organizational change. With a passion in cultivating a supportive and high-performing workplace well-aligned with strategic business goals, I aim to leverage my fresh perspective and unbridled enthusiasm to build my career in people management.
- Aiming to embark on a professional journey in people management armed with a Master’s degree in Organizational Psychology and internships completed at top-tier firms like PwC. I aim to marshal my analytical skills and understanding of employee relations to foster a collaborative and thriving workplace while contributing to larger business objectives.
Additional valuable people manager resume sections to stand out
When assessing candidate applications, recruiters are often on the lookout for elements that go beyond meeting standard requirements and technical expertise.
This is where extra sections could play a key role in showcasing your unique skill set and personality.
Make sure to include sections dedicated to:
- How you spend your free time, outside of work. The interests resume section also goes to show your personality and transferrable skills; and may also serve to fill in gaps in your experience;
- Most innovative work. The projects resume section brings focus to what you're most proud of within the field;
- How you're able to overcome language barriers. The language resume section is always nice to have, especially if communication would be a big part of your future role;
- Industry-wide recognitions. Remember that the awards resume section should highlight your most noteworthy accolades and prizes.
Key takeaways
- The layout of your resume should take into consideration your professional background while integrating vital sections and design elements;
- Highlight your most pertinent achievements for the role all through different sections;
- Be very specific when selecting your certifications, hard skills, and soft skills to showcase the best of your talents;
- Include within the top one-third of your people manager resume a header and summary to help recruiters understand your experience and allocate your contact details. A skills box is optional, but it will help you align your expertise with the role;
- Detail the full extent of your professional experience with specific bullets that focus on tasks, actions, and outcomes.
