A great business and management resume will do for your career what many companies are doing in the wake of the pandemic: reinvigorating. By creating a stellar resume, you can streamline your search and land your next great position!
.jpg)
.jpg)
You don’t just want a job, you want the right job. Let Resume.io help you get there. We have powerful tools for job seekers, with resume guides and resume examples for 300+ professions. We also have an easy-to-use resume builder. With our tools and your business sense, you will be on your way to a resume that resonates with hiring managers.
This resume guide, along with the corresponding resume example will cover the following topics:
- What does a business and management professional do?
- How to write a business and management resume (tips and tricks)
- The best format for a business and management resume
- Advice on each section of your resume (summary, work history, education, skills)
- Professional resume layout and design hints.
What does a business and management professional do?
Business and management professionals perform the essential functions of keeping companies running. They do everything from bookkeeping to high-level decision making. Managers run teams of employees, monitor their progress and give them benchmarks for success. A great manager helps workers do their best job and feel good about it. They recognize talent and nurture it.
Businesspeople may be entrepreneurs who turn their ideas into products or services. They may work for megacorporations in one of its many departments. There are hundreds of job titles beginning at the top with the C-Suite. Each company may write a slightly different description for its business and management jobs, so the scope of your position will vary depending on where you work.
Here are some broad categories of business function*. As a business or management professional, you may work in or oversee any of these.
- Administration/management
- Accounting and finance
- Research and development
- Distribution
- Sales
- Customer service
- Human resources
- Marketing/promotions
- Production
- Operations
- IT support
- Purchasing
- Legal
*List taken from Founder’s Guide.
Business and management job market and outlook
The market for business and management professionals is dependent both upon the economy as a whole and the vertical and department within the business in which you specialize. Many businesses are reassessing how they operate and whether they need in-person employees. If you can be flexible, the opportunities are there.
The state of the global and U.S. is still questionable as COVID continues to surge, however, global demand for products is increasing and the Congressional Budget Office predicts that the gross national product will continue to rise as will the number of employed workers. Those factors should allow for an increase in jobs and earnings within business and management careers.
Here are some common management jobs, their predicted rate of growth and median income*.
| Title | Growth Rate (2020-2030) | Median Salary |
| Administrative services and facilities | 9% | $98,890 |
| Advertising, promotions and marketing | 10% | $141,490 |
| Architectural and engineering | 4% | $149,530 |
| Compensation and benefits | 4% | $125,130 |
| Computer and information systems | 11% | $151,150 |
| Human resources | 9% | $121,220 |
| Public relations and fundraising | 13% | $118,430 |
| Sales | 7% | $132,290 |
| Training and development | 11% | $115,640 |
* Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
If you are not in one of these management positions, you can check out statistics for careers such as accounting and auditing, budget analysis, logistics and market research analysis among others at the BLS site.
How to write a business and management resume
The first step in any process is understanding what goes into the final product. The same is true here. These are the sections your CV must contain:
- The resume header
- The resume summary (aka profile or personal statement)
- The employment history section
- The resume skills section
- The education section
A great business organization understands its mission, can clearly state it and speaks directly to its customers. Use those principles as you take on the challenge of writing your business and management resume.
Research the company you want to work for. Learn about its target market, its competitors and its employees. Dig a little to get the name of the hiring manager and your prospective boss (if possible). Then, use that information to both personalize your resume in general and to try to hook those people in with a common bond, such as the school you attended or a past job at the same company. A personal touch can make all the difference when hiring managers are sifting through dozens of resumes.
Use consistent messaging, tone and style throughout your resume and cover letter. Follow these guidelines to make the most of your business and management CV:
- Write as though you are addressing the company you wish to work for and explaining what your value add is.
- Pay attention to creating a polished visual first impression with a resume template that has a creative edge without distracting from your message.
- Take the ATS algorithms into account by personalizing your skill set and message for each job listing.
Beat the ATS with SEO
Use your business acumen to decipher what your prospective employee really wants. This will help you avoid the Applicant Tracking System filter. Analyze each job listing, taking careful note of the skills, experience and attributes listed.
Then, insert appropriate keywords and phrases from the job listing into your resume.
This will not only help you avoid being filtered out of the running for the job, but it will show your prospective employer that you know how to target your market.
Choosing the best resume format for business and management
The goal of your business and management resume is to ensure that recruiters can easily see what you bring to the table. Therefore, it’s in your best interest to use the format they prefer: reverse chronological order.
The functional resume format is mostly used by technical professions and specialists (as well as for some scientific roles) because it expands the skills section to describe important niche or complex skills and competencies rather than your work history. The combination resume format takes the best from both worlds and can be implemented in various ways (niche IT specialists sometimes use this type of document).
Recent marketing graduates or those looking for a career shift can check out the resume formats we suggest as chronological alternatives or hybrids, but for 99% of marketing professionals, reverse chronological order is the way to go.
Resume summary example: your personal business
The summary of your business and management resume offers you the chance to sell yourself. You should be trying to answer two main questions:
- What differentiates you from other candidates for the job?
- Why should we hire you?
You can do that by describing who you are as a professional (don’t be afraid of strong, positive language) and then illustrating that with one or two of your biggest achievements.
If you have extra space (you have about 4 lines here), add in a more personal statement. Consider telling why you love your work, what inspires you about the company or tell about a hobby or skill that gives you a unique perspective on the work and won’t come out in the rest of your resume.
If you want to take a look at more pointed resume samples for inspiration on compiling your summary, you can click over to one of our business resume example guides such as the senior business analyst or project manager resume samples. For C-suite aspirants, try our CEO resume example. For broader categories, try our manager resume example or our consultant resume example.
You can find a resume example for your summary section below.
Dynamic and driven Business and Management professional adept in overseeing and directing all business management processes. Committed to creative problem solving and implementing best practices to boost business and sales.
Employment history sample: successful business
The employment history section of your business and management resume is where reverse chronological order comes into play. Starting with your most recent position, and going back about 10 years, you need to chronicle the story of your successes and growth as a businessperson.
Since your goal is to convince the hiring manager that you have a lot to offer, you need to show them here what you have already achieved. Instead of listing responsibilities, brainstorm all your accomplishments. Then, choose 3-4 for each job that illustrate that you have what it takes to level up to the job you seek.
To develop your bullet items, start with a strong action word. Then use data and details to give weight to your achievement. For example:
- Forecasted market downturn and recommended reduced production that prevented $10 million in waste.
or
- Streamlined accounting processes to make monthly revenue data available two weeks sooner.
Below you will find an adaptable employment history resume example.
Director of Business, Gradient, Hartford
Nov 2015 - Aug 2020
- Worked to continually bring focus and energy to help drive new business.
- Established a business performance evaluation system and regularly followed up on activity and sales.
- Identified and solved key cross-functional business challenges.
- Effectively handled internal and external company communications related to business objectives.
- Developed plans for key initiatives and prepared for the execution of strategic programs.
- Worked to build and lead an energetic and dynamic team.
- Aimed to establish and foster a culture of safety and productivity throughout the business.
Regional Business Director, Action Force, New Haven
Mar 2012 - Aug 2015
- Effectively led my region to meet and exceed all assigned goals while maintaining compliance with Action Force's Policies.
- Strategically developed the business plans and implemented sales strategies accordingly.
- Successfully allocated and managed the district budget.
- Appropriately leveraged Action Force's resources to achieve business objectives.
- Assessed and contributed to continuous improvement in business planning and strategic efforts.
Business and management CV skills example: think big
Choose the highest level skills you have that match the requirements of the job. Remember the ATS? The skills section of your business and management resume is a great place to add in some of those all-important keywords and phrases.
Try to find a balance between hard skills you learned on the job and soft skills, such as communication and organization, that make you an efficient and sought after manager.
According to the American Management Association, these are the top skills you need to be an effective manager:
- Leadership
- Communication
- Collaboration
- Critical Thinking
- Finance
- Project Management
Below you will find a skills section resume example.
- Project Management
- Business Development
- Business Strategy
- Ability to Multitask
- Leadership Skills
Business and management education resume example
The education section of your business and management resume is a listing of your academic degrees. Many businesspeople have MBAs, and if that is the case with you, you may leave out your high school experience.
If you're a recent graduate and have a GPA of 3.5 or higher, feel free to list that. Otherwise, leave it off.
This section may also include any awards you have earned or professional affiliations you have. Space allowing (don’t go over two pages), you may create a separate Awards and Affiliations section.
Below you will find an education section resume example as a formatting guide.
- Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester
September 2007 - May 2011
Resume layout and design: high expectations
Set the tone of your candidacy with your layout and design. You want recruiters’ first impression of you to be one of professionalism and organization. That means a resume that is easily readable, offers bold headings and highlights your all-important contact information.
Don’t be tempted by flashy color, graphics or elaborate fonts because they may detract from your content. Stick to legible fonts and just a bit of color, if you must. Consider using one of our resume templates to guide you and to take care of the mundane formatting details.
Key takeaways for a business and management resume
- Align the message of your resume with the business goals of the company to which you are applying.
- The business climate is looking up, but flexibility will be key as companies realign in the post-shutdown era.
- Customize your resume to help you solve the ATS problem and to show recruiters you know what the job takes.
- Take advantage of our online resume builder to transform your text and get your job hunt moving!
