Brand Manager Resume Example & Writing Guide

As a brand manager, you are the guardian of the name, reputation and market viability of your company and its products. If this lucrative and challenging career is calling to you, or if you’re looking to take your skills to a new company, an outstanding brand manager resume is your first step.

In this brand manager resume writing guide and its copyable resume examples, we’ll cover the following:

• What does a brand manager do?
• How to write a brand manager resume
• The five parts of a winning resume
• The best resume format for a brand manager

What does a brand manager do?

A brand like Google, Apple, Coca-Cola or FedEx – the name alone – is among a company’s most valuable assets, in addition to the individual branded products it sells. A brand manager is responsible for developing and implementing a company’s overall branding strategy, monitoring and managing how this brand is used in marketing, advertising and publicity to ensure that it has a winning reputation in the market and is trusted for its quality.

Brand managers can be among a company’s most important executives, overseeing all aspects of how the brand is used. They need to be skilled at market research, and they need to be in close contact with several departments of their company, as well as outside advertising and marketing agencies.

How to write a brand manager resume

A brand manager resume needs to exude competence and professionalism, using clean, crisp writing and eye-catching design. It should usually be one page only, although two pages is sometimes considered acceptable if you have a lot of experience to cover or are applying in Europe (where resumes are known as CVs). 

Your resume should contain these five parts:

• Header
• Summary/profile
• Employment history
• Education
• Skills

In the header, at the top of your resume, list the following contact info: name, occupation, address, phone number and email. You can also add a LinkedIn profile or some other website that showcases your professional achievements.

Choosing the best resume format for brand managers

Most brand managers who have had some experience as employees in the advertising or marketing world will find the reverse chronological resume format to be their best choice. This format focuses on an employment history section where you’ll be able to detail your past 10 years of experience (or as much as you have).

If you’re just starting out, making a career change or are self-employed, you may find one of the alternative resume formats we suggest to be a better option for your situation.

Resume summary example

The resume summary, also known as a profile, consists of a few lines of text under your header that serve as a professional self-portrait, describing what you do and why you’re good at it. Usually it will focus on work experience, or in the case of new graduates with little experience, it might emphasize education.

Use strong action verbs to describe your work-related achievements, and use carefully chosen adjectives to describe your professional self. Consider the summary your “elevator pitch,” and pack it full of the information that best showcases your qualifications for the job. The summary of our brand manager resume sample appears below.

Employment history sample

List up to 10 years of relevant employment history here, naming each employer, its location, your title and the years you worked there. Use bullet points under each job to describe your achievements at these jobs – not just what you were responsible for, but what you actually accomplished, using concrete facts and figures where possible. Below you’ll find the employment history section of our brand manager resume sample.

Brand manager resume education example

Brand managers will usually need a bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, advertising or a related field, and some employers may require advanced degrees like an MBA. The education section is the best place to include these qualifications.

List your educational credentials here in reverse chronological order, starting with your highest degree. Include any certifications or special credentials you hold. Check out the education example from our brand manager resume sample below.

CV skills example

Always include a list of your job-related skills, both “hard” and “soft,” in this CV section. Hard skills are technical capabilities like familiarity with job-related software or market research skills. Soft skills are more innate and people-related, like communication skills and teamwork. Both are essential to your CV. Find more ideas in the skills section resume example below.

Resume layout and design

Just as good branding sends a message through both the visuals and the copywriting, your resume will need a great layout and design to entice the hiring manager to hear what you have to say.

Make sure to create a good balance of white space to text and stick with the same 1-2 font styles throughout your resume. An attractive and functional header will help call attention to your name and contact information. A professionally-designed resume template makes this easy to pull off. 

Key takeaways for a brand manager resume example

• Use your summary to convey a bit of personal style while highlighting your skills and experience.
• Reverse chronological resumes are best for those seeking traditional employment but alternative formats may be a better option for freelancers.
• Check out our brand manager resume sample for more ideas on creating a great page layout.