- What should your business manager resume include?
- How can you create a professional summary?
- How should you describe your work experience as a business manager?
- Include a winning business manager resume education and certifications section
- Which key skills are relevant for a business manager resume?
- How to select the most impactful business manager resume template
- Copyable business manager resume example
- Key takeaways for writing a business manager resume
Take your business manager career to new heights with an expertly crafted resume designed to get results. But you don’t have to go it alone. We’ll go section by section and show you how to craft a resume that will set you apart from the crowd.
No matter the industry, all business managers are in charge of employee productivity and creating winning strategies to keep the company’s profitability and performance at peak levels. An expertly crafted business manager resume can shine a spotlight on your skills and expertise, and make it clear to a hiring manager that you’re the top candidate for the job.
This resume guide, along with the corresponding business manager resume example, will cover the following topics:
What a business manager resume should include
Advice on each section of your resume (summary, work history, education)
Adding relevant key skills to your resume
Choosing the right resume template for a business manager
What should your business manager resume include?
Your business manager resume must showcase your leadership, time management, and financial management skills, among others. A business manager is responsible for solving complex problems and creating effective financial strategies, so your resume should reflect those skills in action. A hiring manager will want to see from your resume that you have the winning skills and expertise to keep a business running smoothly and profitably, so it’s important to have a complete and informative narrative to demonstrate that you’re the person to solve their problems.
Your business manager resume should contain the following elements:
The resume header with your contact information
The resume summary
The employment history section
The resume skills section
The education section
How can you create a professional summary?
A business manager is responsible for a company’s performance, so you should start your resume strong with confidence, enthusiasm, and an overview of your skills and achievements. The first place you can do that is in the professional summary, which is 2 to 3 sentences that provide an overview of your background and the value you bring to the table. Think of it as your “highlight reel.” It’s a definitive pronouncement of your skills, values, and accomplishments, and how you’ve used them on the job. You might want to highlight your propensity for efficiency and productivity, or how you display trustworthiness and earn the respect of your colleagues.
If you really want to “wow” a hiring manager, you can emphasize your core skills in an Areas of Expertise list as an addendum to your professional summary. Appearing after your professional summary, this is a set of bullet points presenting your unique abilities, allowing space for a brief explanation of each one.
See our adaptable business manager resume summary below.
Highly driven and hard-working professional with a proven ability to boost performance through skillful sales and operations management. Solid career combines advanced education with 15+ years of experience building teams, overseeing finances, and introducing strategies to improve revenue and profitability. Hands-on leader and trainer with a talent for inspiring personnel to work together to exceed goals. Proficient in Windows and Mac OS, Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat Pro, and QuickBooks.
How should you describe your work experience as a business manager?
The work experience section is the place to show not only the positions you’ve held but what you accomplished in each role. As you want to tailor your resume for each position you apply for, use the job description to give each hiring manager useful and informative highlights of your main responsibilities and achievements while demonstrating your top-notch business acumen.
The best format for your resume is the reverse chronological order, which means listing your most recent position first and working backward. You’ll provide the company name, your job title, when you worked there, and your main responsibilities. Under each entry, list your accomplishments in bullet points. Use quantifiable data when possible, as it adds an extra “punch.” Why? Hiring managers want to see that you got things done, not just went through the motions.
Maybe you’re a whiz with efficiency, and figured out how to streamline the hiring process:
For example:
Created and facilitated a new hiring plan to help multiple departments fill open positions 22% faster than the previous year while also increasing new employee onboarding satisfaction feedback.
Take a look at the adaptable business manager resume employment history section below.
Business Manager at Sebastian Joe's Corporation, Minneapolis 2019 - Present
Collaborate with channel partners and internal teams to develop and implement robust go-to-market strategies.
Closely monitor KPIs, identify concerning trends, and proactively institute course-correction tactics with a focus on mitigating risks and controlling costs.
Promoted to high-visibility role accountable for propelling business growth by building relationships with high-value strategic channel partners, driving maximum revenue from both new and existing accounts.
Generated $2M in annual revenue by expertly managing sales, service and business functions.
Revamped and revitalized training procedures; developed a new employee training manual and facilitated on-the-job training and development sessions to improve team and individual performance.
Increased efficiency and productivity by overseeing the implementation of a new CRM system.
Operations Manager at Sebastian Joe's Corporation, Minneapolis 2015 - 2019
Oversaw all operations for this organization with 50 employees.
Hire, train, and motivate team members to accomplish performance objectives.
Established goals, ordered merchandise/supplies, and tracked sales, labor costs, and other expenses.
Delegated tasks and monitored productivity, implementing strategies to increase efficiency and profitability. Processed payroll and conducted staff appraisals.
Managed and coordinated team members in setting new sales records on multiple occasions.
Led-by-example and inspired employees to provide world-class customer service to drive sales performance and maximize resources.
Deputy Store Manager at Metro AG, Minneapolis 2010 - 2015
Provided leadership and assistance in overseeing operations for world-leading self-service wholesale/retail outlet with 200+ employees.
Supervised sales activities and implemented corporate promotions and policies.
Led and trained department leaders and staff members in customer service, product sales and reconciling financial transactions.
Managed the budget.
Met or exceeded productivity and P&L objectives by working side-by-side with the Store Manager in coordinating and directing daily business and sales operations.
Expertly balanced financial and customer service functions in highly visible and versatile management position.
Expert Tip
Use industry jargon judiciously
It’s important to include some relevant jargon on your resume, as it demonstrates a knowledge of your specific industry. Use the job description to decide what skills and attributes they’re looking for, and use them appropriately throughout your resume.
But don’t overdo it. The hiring manager or recruiter scanning your resume may not have the same background as you do, and may not understand heavy technical jargon. Also, avoid cliches or overused business phrases such as “go getter,” “pushing the envelope,” or “value added.” Recruiters have seen these a million times, and they really don’t add anything to your value. Leave them out.
Include a winning business manager resume education and certifications section
If you’ve got a business degree, show it off. The hiring manager is most likely expecting to see it. While it may not be absolutely mandatory for the job, a potential employer knows that completing a business degree shows your dedication to the field and that you have the foundational knowledge required for the position. But you don’t have to list every business class you ever took. Keep the following in mind:
Simplicity is key. You want a simple list of your degrees and certifications, and include only the vital details like college name, location, and degree.
List your education in reverse order with the highest degree first. That means if you have an MBA, list that first, before your bachelor’s.
List any certifications you’ve completed or are working towards, such as Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) or Project Manager Professional (PMP). These show both a high skill level as well as a dedication to your career and professional development.
Bachelor of Business Administration at University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Which key skills are relevant for a business manager resume?
On a resume, experience and skills go hand-in-hand, but you still have to set them apart for maximum impact, and it’s important to align your skills with what the employer is looking for. But how do you do that? You're not a psychic!
Fortunately, you don’t have to be. It’s all in the job description, including keywords that you can use in your resume or find related skills that line up with yours. If you’re applying for a job with a larger company, you’ll probably be subject to an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) which will scan your resume, look for those keywords, and rank them accordingly. (To learn more about making your resume ATS-friendly, check out our article Resume ATS optimization.)
If you still need a bit of assistance, career.io’s resume templates provide a list of key business manager skills from which you can choose. Don’t limit your skills to your skills list—incorporate them throughout your resume, including your work history and professional summary. For a business manager, for example,some vital skills might include:
Sales & Business Management
Budgeting & Cost Analysis
Inventory & Procurement
Employee Training & Development
Customer Service & Retention
Human Resources & Payroll
Performance Tracking & Improvement
Retail & Food Service Operation
Conflict Resolution/Mediation
Brand Promotion/Marketing
Problem Solving
How to select the most impactful business manager resume template
A good business manager’s resume is concise, organized, and professional—just like you.
It should also utilize a modern, straightforward resume design that is easy for a hiring manager to scan and find pertinent information. You can use a pop of color if it suits your personality, but don’t go overboard with graphics and a fancy design more appropriate for a “creative” field. The sample business manager resume uses our Paris template that has a little color in the header, but is clean, concise, and professional.
A business manager resume shouldn’t be longer than 2 pages, and only if you have years of experience. Keep it concise, uncluttered, incorporating only relevant details.
When choosing your perfect resume template in our resume builder, start by selecting the resume layout that works best for you. We’ve got 100+ resume examples in our database, so you’re sure to find the perfect one.
Copyable business manager resume example
Summary example
Highly driven and hard-working professional with a proven ability to boost performance through skillful sales and operations management. Solid career combines advanced education with 15+ years of experience building teams, overseeing finances, and introducing strategies to improve revenue and profitability. Hands-on leader and trainer with a talent for inspiring personnel to work together to exceed goals. Proficient in Windows and Mac OS, Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat Pro, and QuickBooks.
Employment history example
Business Manager at Sebastian Joe's Corporation, Minneapolis 2019 - Present
Collaborate with channel partners and internal teams to develop and implement robust go-to-market strategies.
Closely monitor KPIs, identify concerning trends, and proactively institute course-correction tactics with a focus on mitigating risks and controlling costs.
Promoted to high-visibility role accountable for propelling business growth by building relationships with high-value strategic channel partners, driving maximum revenue from both new and existing accounts.
Generated $2M in annual revenue by expertly managing sales, service and business functions.
Revamped and revitalized training procedures; developed a new employee training manual and facilitated on-the-job training and development sessions to improve team and individual performance.
Increased efficiency and productivity by overseeing the implementation of a new CRM system.
Operations Manager at Sebastian Joe's Corporation, Minneapolis 2015 - 2019
Oversaw all operations for this organization with 50 employees.
Hire, train, and motivate team members to accomplish performance objectives.
Established goals, ordered merchandise/supplies, and tracked sales, labor costs, and other expenses.
Delegated tasks and monitored productivity, implementing strategies to increase efficiency and profitability. Processed payroll and conducted staff appraisals.
Managed and coordinated team members in setting new sales records on multiple occasions.
Led-by-example and inspired employees to provide world-class customer service to drive sales performance and maximize resources.
Deputy Store Manager at Metro AG, Minneapolis 2010 - 2015
Provided leadership and assistance in overseeing operations for world-leading self-service wholesale/retail outlet with 200+ employees.
Supervised sales activities and implemented corporate promotions and policies.
Led and trained department leaders and staff members in customer service, product sales and reconciling financial transactions.
Managed the budget.
Met or exceeded productivity and P&L objectives by working side-by-side with the Store Manager in coordinating and directing daily business and sales operations.
Expertly balanced financial and customer service functions in highly visible and versatile management position.
Education example
Bachelor of Business Administration at University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Skills example
Sales & Business Management
Budgeting & Cost Analysis
Inventory & Procurement
Employee Training & Development
Customer Service & Retention
Human Resources & Payroll
Key takeaways for writing a business manager resume
Your business manager resume should showcase your leadership, time management, and financial management skills.
A good place to show off your skills is in the professional summary, which is 2-3 sentences that provide an overview of your background and the value you bring to the table.
Incorporate keywords from the job description throughout your resume, and emphasize skills such as sales & business management, employee training, or performance tracking.
Career.io’s online resume builder can help you create an effective resume quickly and easily with adaptable templates and AI powered content.
