project management summary resume

Project Manager Resume [2024] - Example & Full Guide

As a project manager, you’re the be-all and end-all of any project.

So, you’re great at setting goals, strategic planning, creating budgets, leading a team towards a common goal, keeping tabs on everyone and everything…

Actually, is there anything you can’t do?

Well, if you’re here, chances are your weak point is writing a job-landing project manager resume .

And, yes—it may seem hard to transfer all of your work experience, skills, and professional achievements onto a single piece of paper. With the right guidance, however, it doesn’t have to be!

So, in this article, we will cover everything you need to know about writing an effective project manager resume, including:

Project Manager Resume Example

Step-by-step guide to write your project manager resume, 50 project manager skills to put on your resume.

Like the look of Jennifer’s IT Project Management resume? Create your own modern project management resume in minutes with these easy-to-complete resume templates and get started on your journey to earning the best PMP certification .

Quite impressive, right?

These are the elements that make this project manager resume an example to follow:

Reverse-chronological format. This resume format is the most popular around the world and effectively shows off the candidate’s work experience.
Eye-catching resume summary. The project manager resume example above includes a brief and to-the-point resume summary that highlights the candidate’s skills and area of expertise.
Contact information. The project manager resume example above includes all the necessary contact details, such as the candidate’s email address, location, phone number, and relevant social media handles.
Achievement-focused work experience section. In this project manager resume example, the candidate doesn’t simply mention their responsibilities - they also include their work achievements to help them stand out from other candidates.
Relevant education section. The candidate only includes their key education details, such as their Bachelor’s degree and a field-related minor.
Use of bullet points. The candidate uses bullet points to organize and present the information which makes this project manager resume example look neat and structured.
Well-organized skills section. This project manager resume example includes the candidate’s soft and hard skills that are relevant to the IT industry and project management.
Effective use of additional sections. The candidate takes advantage of the extra space on their project manager resume by including relevant additional sections, such as their industry-related certifications and academic achievements to show off their professional background.

We've also got more resume examples that you might want to check out:

Program Manager Resume
Operations Manager Resume
Business Development Manager Resume
Human Resource (HR) Resume
Office Manager Resume

Writing a project manager resume is no different than working on any other project - you definitely need to have a plan and know the exact steps you’re going to take.

Luckily, you don’t need to figure it out yourself!

We’ve covered each step of writing a powerful project manager resume for you, so let’s dive in:

#1. Pick the Right Format for Your Project Manager Resume

The reverse-chronological resume format is by far the best option for your project manager resume.

As we’ve mentioned above, the reverse-chronological format is the most popular resume format worldwide. It’s also a recruiters’ favorite!

Here’s what it looks like:

This resume format gives the recruiter a clear picture of your professional background and work achievements by putting your project manager's work experience in the foreground.

Now that you’ve chosen a format for your project manager resume, let’s address the resume layout .

These are the resume layout elements you should pay attention to:

Font style . Your project manager resume has to be easily readable, so choose a professional font style that looks good on both PDF and paper.
Font size. Keep your font size at 11-12 pts for body text and 14-16 pts for section headings, so that your project manager resume is easy-to-read and fits into a single page.
Bullet points. Whenever possible, use bullet points to present information and make your project manager resume easy-to-scan as well as well-organized.
Resume length. Recruiters go through hundreds of resumes every day, so it’s best to fit your project manager resume in one page to make sure they actually read it.
Resume file format. If not asked otherwise, always save your resume as a PDF file so that it looks the same no matter the device or OS the hiring manager uses.

Use Our Tried & Tested Templates

As a project manager, you’re great at time management.

So, you probably aren’t too excited about spending hours on pointless tasks… like formatting your project manager resume.

And especially so when you could be focusing on more important things instead, such as perfecting the contents of your project manager resume.

What if we told you there’s a quick and easy shortcut?

Instead of wasting your time on designing your resume, just pick one of our professional resume templates and dive straight into filling in the contents of your project manager resume!

Besides, our resume templates are far more visually appealing than basic text-editor resumes.

Check it out for yourself:

#2. Add Your Contact Information

Now that you’ve dealt with formatting your project manager resume, you can start filling in the contents.

Let’s begin with the basics - simply add your contact information , including:

Your first name and last name
Your title
Your phone number
Your email address
Your location
Relevant social media handles (optional)

Here’s an example of a contact information section that includes all of the above:

Lauren Anderson

Project Manager

012-345-6789

[email protected]

Boston, Massachusetts

linkedin.com/in/laurenanderson29

This step is as easy as it looks - you just have to make sure to fill in the contact details correctly.

Otherwise, you may leave a bad impression which can hurt your application.

After all, no company wants a project manager who’s sloppy and doesn’t pay enough attention to details.

#3. Write an Impactful Project Manager Resume Summary

The next step is writing an impressive project manager resume summary .

Your resume summary is meant to provide a quick overview (2-3 sentences) of your professional background to let the hiring manager see whether you’re a relevant candidate.

So, to make sure the recruiter doesn’t put your project manager resume aside after taking just a glance (and actually reading the whole thing), your resume summary has to be effective.

Here’s what a powerful resume summary includes:

Your title and years of experience
Your most relevant skills in project management
Your top 1-2 professional achievements

And here’s an example of an impactful project manager resume summary:

Strategic and detail-oriented Project Manager with 7+ years of experience. Outstanding organizational, time management, planning, and problem-solving skills. Met all project deadlines for 5 years straight and increased Company X’s market share by 12% through successful branding projects.

#4. Make Your Project Manager Work Experience Stand Out

As a project manager, you have tons of work experience , so the next step is to list it effectively.

First things first - let’s get the formatting right.

Here’s how you should format the work experience section in your project manager resume:

Follow the reverse-chronological order. Start with your most recent (or current) position and go backward in time.
Add your job title. This is supposed to give the recruiter a clear idea of the role you had in the previous workplace.
Include the company's name and location. You can also briefly describe the company if it’s not a well-known name.
Add the date of employment. To show how long you worked at the company, use the mm/yyyy format.
Write down your achievements and responsibilities. Stick to 5-6 bullet points for the most recent roles and 2-3 for older jobs.

Now, no doubt you want your project manager resume to make a lasting impression on the hiring manager and help you land the job.

So, filling in just the basic work experience details isn’t nearly enough - you’ll end up with a project manager resume that’s similar to other candidates’ resumes.

If you want to make your project manager resume stand out, ask yourself - what exactly are hiring managers looking for?

Sure, it’s your years of experience, but the responsibilities you had in previous roles weigh in much less.

To recruiters, the most important part of your professional background is a proven track record of success .

As such, the key to a job-winning project manager resume is this:

Make your work experience section stand out by focusing on your achievements over your responsibilities whenever possible.

So, here’s what you can do to take your work experience section to the next level:

Use action verbs to describe your achievements and responsibilities, e. g. spearheaded, managed, resolved, executed, etc.
Only include relevant work experience, e. g. you already have relevant project management experience, so the recruiter won’t be impressed that you scooped ice cream in high school.
Make your achievements quantifiable , e. g. ”Consistently delivered projects up to 12% below the budget” instead of “Consistently delivered projects under the budget”.

Here’s an example of what an impressive work experience section could look like:

IT Project Manager

08/2017 - 01/2022

Led and coached a team of 16 IT specialists.
Managed the Lean Training project for all 54 IT department employees.
Consistently delivered projects up to 12% below the budget.
Initiated and managed the project to replace all aging equipment, lowering monthly electricity costs by 23%.
Introduced a project performance management system that increased project efficiency by 18% over the period of 3 years.

#5. List Your Education Right

Whether you have a degree in project management, business administration, or any other related field, what matters most is your work experience, so keep your education section brief.

Simply list your education starting with your highest degree as such:

Degree Name
University, college, or other institution
Location (optional)
Years attended

As a project manager, technically you aren’t required to have a degree (though this can make competing against candidates with a diploma much harder), so only include your high school education in your project manager resume if you don’t have higher education .

Here’s an example of the education section:

BSc in Project Management

Colorado State University Global

09/2012 - 06/2016

#6. List Your Project Manager Skills

The skills section shows the recruiters your professional abilities, so it’s one of the most important sections (alongside the work experience section) in your project manager resume.

Here are some tips on how to list your skills effectively:

Tailor your skills section for project management. The point of the skills section is to prove to the hiring manager why you’re a great candidate for this position, in particular, so listing all of your skills is redundant.
Include any of the skills you have that the company is looking for. Carefully read the job description and see whether the company has listed any specific skills - if you match them, make sure to include them in your project manager resume.
Research the most in-demand project management skills. The skills you need largely depend on the field (IT, marketing, retail, etc.), so research the project management field you’re specifically applying to and write down any of the industry-related skills that you have.
Take a look at your achievements. Not sure which skills you have? Your achievements are proof of your skills, so go back to the work experience section and take a closer look. For example, if you consistently deliver projects before the deadline, you’re likely skilled at time management, planning, delegation, etc.
List your soft skills and hard skills separately. This will make your project manager resume well-organized and easy to navigate.

Need some inspiration on which skills to include in your project manager resume?

Take a look at our list of the 50 most in-demand project management skills!

Soft Skills for a Project Manager

Public Speaking
Active Listening
Communication Skills
Critical Thinking
Problem-solving
Negotiation
Conflict Resolution
Analytical Thinking
Adaptability
Stress Management
Time Management
Collaboration
Compromising
Organizational Skills
Emotional Intelligence
Resourcefulness
Decision-making
Attention to Detail

25 Hard Skills for a Project Manager

Business Strategy Knowledge
Forecasting
Project Management Methodologies
Microsoft Office Proficiency
Technical Documentation
Project Management Software Proficiency
Process Management
Strategic Planning
Statistical Analysis
Risk Evaluation
Risk Management
Database Management
Programming Languages
Technical Writing
Prioritization
Evaluation of Project Performance Metrics
Goal Setting
Financial Management
Contract Management
Vendor Management

#7. Include Your Project Management Certificates

While some companies don’t require project managers to have a degree, many are looking for certified project managers.

Having a project manager certificate also means that you’ll get paid more - in fact, certified project managers earn up to 16% more compared to their uncertified colleagues.

So, don’t let your certificates go to waste and include them in your project manager resume (in reverse-chronological order, of course, in case you have multiple certifications )!

Here’s how to do it:

Certification name
Name of agency
Year of obtainment
Location (if applicable)
Date of expiration (if applicable)
Expected date of obtainment (if applicable)

And here’s an example:

Certified Project Manager Professional (2019-2022)

Project Management Institute

#8. Make Use of Relevant Additional Sections

Do you still have some extra space on your project manager resume?

Take advantage of it!

Show off your project management experience by adding one or more of these additional sections:

Associations and organizations you’re a part of, alongside your role in them.
Publications , such as studies, interviews, and others.
Conferences , whether they’re on project management or industry-related subjects.
Awards , if any of them are related to project management.
Languages are always a plus, but even more so if you’re applying to an international company.

And here’s an example of how to put these extra sections on your project manager resume:

Conferences

BRIDGE 2021
English - Native or Bilingual Proficiency
Russian - Professional Working Proficiency

#9. Match Your Project Manager Resume With a Cover Letter

Now that you know how to write an effective project manager resume, there’s one more thing we need to address - how to write an impactful cover letter .

The point of a cover letter is to prove to the hiring manager that you’re the full package - a competent project manager and the perfect fit for the company.

So, your cover letter should be personalized for the position and include any important details that you haven’t mentioned on your project manager resume.

Here’s how to write a compelling cover letter (even if you aren’t confident in your writing skills!):

Start your cover letter by putting your contact information in the header.
Directly greet the recruiter and mention your top 1-2 achievements in the first paragraph.
In the body of your cover letter, describe your professional background (work experience, skills, etc.) in detail, explain why you want to work for this particular company, and stress why you’d be a great asset to them.
To end your cover letter , include a call to action.

Check out our guides on cover letter writing tips and cover letter mistakes to make sure your cover letter is top-notch.

Here’s an example of a convincing project manager cover letter :

Want to show the hiring manager that you are thinking of every detail from A to Z? Match your cover letter to your project manager resume with our cover letter templates !

Key Takeaways

Congrats - now that you know the step-by-step plan of writing a project manager resume, you’re prepared to write a job-winning project manager resume for yourself!

Before you start, let’s run over the main elements of writing an effective project manager resume:

Use the reverse-chronological resume format to put your project manager work experience in the center of attention.
Write an eye-catching resume summary to spike the recruiter’s interest in reading your project manager resume.
To land the job, focus on your achievements over responsibilities when describing your work experience.
Only add industry-related soft and hard skills to your project manager resume.
Add extra sections, such as certificates, awards, associations, etc., to paint a full picture of your professional background.
Convince the hiring manager you’re the perfect candidate by attaching a compelling cover letter to your project manager resume.