Applying for the position of general manager can seem like a complex and lengthy process. But with the right general manager resume, you can maximize your chances of getting your dream job.
Using the right general manager resume pattern, examples, and best practices is vital to properly demonstrate your leadership skills and tell the recruiter that you are the best candidate for the managerial position.
In this comprehensive article, we will look at the key components of a general manager’s resume, along with examples of carefully crafted resumes.
By the end of this guide, you will have a good idea of the skills you have to highlight for the general manager position and how you can arrange the overall design and format of your general manager resume.
Let’s start with some basics.
What is a General Manager?
A general manager is an experienced professional who is responsible for overseeing all the operations of a specific department or the entire organization. The exact job description of a general manager can greatly vary from company to company, depending on the industry and size of the company.
Generally, in a small-scale company, a general manager is responsible for managing and overseeing the operations of a smaller team. On the other hand, larger organizations can also require general managers to oversee an entire department and manage functions like budget management, efficient improvement, and implementing new business strategies to improve productivity and profitability.
Key Components of a General Manager Resume
Since the roles and responsibilities of a general manager vary from company to company, the exact components and information of a general manager’s resume can also differ.
Generally, a well-crafted general management resume has the following components:
1. Personal Information
Like most of the other types of resumes, the very first section of a general manager’s resume should contain the personal information of the candidate. This information includes your contact number, location, professional email address, and any other relevant piece of information that can help the employers contact you.
The primary goal of this section is to immediately introduce you to potential employers and give them a way of contacting you for an interview or follow-up questions.
2. Professional Summary
As the name suggests, the professional summary section is a concise and engaging section that provides quick information about your experience, career objectives, and major skills. The ultimate goal of this section is to demonstrate to the hiring manager why you are the right candidate for the role of general manager you are applying for.
Make sure you personalize the summary section according to the specific position you are applying for. This means you might want to adjust your career goals to fit the specific job position.
Read More :- Summary For Resume Examples
3. Work Experience
Another key component of a general manager’s resume is detailed work experience. As a general manager, you would be expected to have a multidisciplinary experience to ensure you can oversee all key aspects of a department or organization.
So, when you are applying for a general manager job, make sure you include all the relevant work experiences that reflect your experience and skills making you the right candidate to be in an important managerial position.
If you already have experience working as a general manager somewhere, you must include this in the resume to immediately tell the recruiter that you have the required prior experience and are well qualified to take the job.
However, if you don’t have any prior experience as a general manager, you need to include other relevant experiences with suitable roles and responsibilities that make you qualified for a management position.
4. Skills
Most of the critical responsibilities and skills need to be mentioned in the work experience section. It tells the recruiters where you gathered the skills required to be a good general manager.
Nevertheless, adding a separate skills section in the general manager position is important to list all the skills that make you the right candidate for the job. It is highly recommended that you check the job description to include the skills that the company is looking for.
Since general manager is such a versatile field, the exact skills to include can vary on the basis of the industry or organization you are applying to. Some of the common skills required for the general manager position are:
- Conflict resolution
- Leadership
- Strategy management
- Collaboration and time management
- Excellent research skills.
- Work allocation and general organization
- Attention to detail.
Read More :- Personal Skills for resume
5. Education
Some organizations, especially large ones, may have strict education requirements for the position of general manager. Therefore, a general manager’s resume should have a separate education section where you demonstrate your educational background to the potential recruiters.
The goal of telling your education is to support the depth of knowledge, expertise, and skills you have gathered to be an excellent general manager. For example, if you have a master’s degree in project management, it will demonstrate that you have an excellent knowledge of leadership and management theories to be an excellent general manager.
General Manager Resume Examples
Here’s an example of a general manager resume of a candidate who has previously worked as a general manager:
Here’s another example of a brand activation manager who does not necessarily have prior experience working as a general manager but has the qualifications and skillsets for it:
How to Make Your General Manager Resume Standout?
A general manager position is certainly a highly coveted position within any organization. When you are applying for such a role, you should expect significant competition. Therefore, it is important to follow the best practices of creating a general manager resume by following the right examples and tips.
Here are some tried-and-tested tips that can help your general manager resume stand out:
1. Cover Multiple Aspects
As a general manager, you would be expected to have excellent leadership abilities, strategic management skills, and overall expertise in operating or managing a company. Therefore, you should highlight all of these relevant skills and expertise in your resume.
Moreover, your resume should tell the recruiter that you have what it takes to drive business growth through team management and implementing strategies that will benefit the company.
In other words, your resume should have a fine balance of demonstrating your managerial skills and also making it clear that you can make a positive impact on an organization’s profitability.
2. Highlight Certifications
There are popular certification programs that you can complete to demonstrate you have what it takes to be a general manager. Some of these certifications are Six Sigma certifications, certified project manager (IAPM), certified scrum master (CSM), Professional management professional (PgMP), and many others.
The common objective of all of these certifications is to make you ready for the general manager position and master the relevant theoretical knowledge you need to excel at your job. Knowledge gained through certifications and skills acquired via experience ultimately make you the right candidate for the job.
3. Include Quantified Achievements
Writing general skills and accomplishments in your general manager resume is great. But if you truly want to stand out in front of potential recruiters, you need to quantify your achievements to tell the hiring manager what exactly you have accomplished in your previous jobs.
For instance, you can state you helped the company increase its annual profits by 50% or minimize operational costs by 25%. Adding such specific results can make your resume stand out and increase your chances of landing the dream job.
4. Include Your Technical Skills
Technical skills can be the make-or-break factor when it comes to candidate selection in this modern era. So, when you are crafting a general manager resume, you should include your proficiency in technical software and management tools, such as Asana, Oracle, and Microsoft Dynamics.
Moreover, if you have ever completed any certification in more technical coding or development fields, you can include those to make a good impression. Your overall experience with data analysis and project management software can give you a significant boost in your chances of landing the job.
5. Follow A Suitable Layout
The reverse-chronological resume is the best type of resume layout for a general manager resume. In this format, you can display your work experience history progressively backward. Hence, the recruiter will be able to understand a clear career progression.
Moreover, individuals who have had a solid and linear career path are always encouraged to use the reverse-chronological resume format. It ultimately helps the candidates highlight their latest roles and achievements to land their dream job.
6. Resume Design
Other than the overall layout of the resume, you also have to focus on using a clean and professional-looking resume template. An easy-to-read resume is bound to impress the recruiter at the very first glance.
The key things you can do to make your resume clear and easy to read are:
- Add a 1” margin on each side of the resume.
- Use a clear and simple font like Arial or Rubik.
- Make the resume in simple and elegant colors like gray, off-white, or dark blue.
- Give respect to the recruiters’ time by limiting the resume to 1-page that summarizes all of your experiences, skills, and education history relevant to the general manager position you are applying for. You can always add additional details in your cover letter.
7. Header Information
Every resume, including the general manager’s resume, needs to have a neat header at the very top of the document. The header section should have your essential information, including the name, phone number, email, and job title.
If you have a well-crafted LinkedIn profile, you should also include the link to your profile. Moreover, you can write a relevant resume headline to immediately tell the recruiter that you are applying for the general manager position.
In terms of attaching a photo with the resume, you need to consider the job requirements. Moreover, the requirements and expectations of attaching photos in resumes vary from country to country, so you need to consider your local conditions.
Generally, it is recommended that you don’t attach your photo with the general manager’s resume to avoid any conscious or unconscious bias from the recruiter.
8. File Format
PDF is the standard file format for resumes. Many people design their resumes in Word documents or Google Docs. You can definitely do that, but your final file format should be PDF to keep the design intact.
An important thing to remember is that most organizations nowadays use modern Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to analyze resumes, so a PDF file can easily pass through such systems. Other than the file format, you also need to properly name your file.
A standard file name is: “FirstName_LastName_Resume.”
Conclusion
The bottom line is that crafting a compelling general manager resume to land your dream job is a combination of many different factors. It all starts with writing a headline that captures the recruiter’s attention and urges them to keep reading your resume.
Following the other best practices of crafting the general manager resume, such as following the right format, font, and overall layout, can make sure your document successfully goes through the ATS and compel the recruiter to contact you for a detailed interview.
Overall, keeping your resume short and specific to the job you are applying for can help you stand out from the competition and establish you as the best candidate for the job.