With the rise of blockchain entering our lives, job seekers are looking for new and creative ways to showcase their skillset.
This article will find a complete guide on what resumes should look like in 2021. This includes everything from what content is essential to having fonts that work best for readability and more! It might be challenging to write a CV. On a single page or two of paper, how can you possibly emphasize your whole career, including all of your talents, experience, qualifications, credentials, and potential? The typical hiring manager or recruiter spends just six seconds evaluating a résumé, according to Glassdoor. Six seconds, to be exact! Knowing how to write the ideal project management resume is so important. You’ve come to the perfect spot if you’re having problems securing interviews or callbacks based only on your CV. I’ll show you how to build a résumé that gets you through the hiring process quickly, whether you’re new to project management or have years of expertise.
What Are the Benefits of Having a Strong Project Management Resume?
Two hundred fifty applications are sent in response to a corporate job posting. However, only four to six of those candidates will be contacted for an interview, and only one will be hired. To boost your chances of being among the 2% of candidates who obtain an interview, your project management resume must stand out from the rest. Even if you have unrivaled talents and expertise and are the most outstanding candidate for the job, it won’t matter if you can’t effectively communicate that information on a resume. On the other hand, you may be underqualified for specific project management positions. However, with the correct résumé, you’ll be able to distinguish yourself from other project managers with a more incredible experience.
How to Improve Your Project Management Resume?
These are some of the most excellent methods to stand out to hiring managers and recruiters, whether you’re beginning from scratch or just updating an existing resume. These five tactics can help you improve your project management resume.
1. Include Relevant Keywords.
Most hiring managers in today’s corporate world don’t go through a stack of resumes by hand. Instead, resumes are scanned for relevance by software to determine whether the candidate has the necessary abilities for the job. Many businesses use recruitment services to assist them in finding the most acceptable candidates. Recruiters utilize the same method to restrict the field since it is the quickest way to examine hundreds of resumes. The first step to success is getting your CV before an actual human, which you won’t be able to do if the program rejects your application. Including relevant keywords in your resume will improve your chances of getting beyond the first screening. The following are some examples of suitable project management resume keywords:
- Agile
- Budgeting
- Management of Change
- Communication with the client
- Analyze the data
- Deadlines
- Financials
- Milestones
- KPIs
- Organize groups
- Control the situation.
- Client expectations should be managed.
- Procedures
- Process improvement
- Controlling the quality
- Management of risks
- Allocation of resources
- Roadmap
- Organizing and planning
- Stakeholders
- Timeline
Every project management role is distinct from the others. So don’t cram every possible term into your CV. Instead, for each position you ap foreplay, you should alter the keywords depending on the job you’re looking for. Refer to the job description when considering appropriate keywords for each position. What are the specific skills and tool proficiency requirements? Use them as keywords to show the software that your abilities are a fit for what they’re searching for. This adds a step to your application procedure, but it dramatically improves your chances of getting your resume on the hiring manager’s desk.
2. Create Captivating Headlines.
Even if your resume is shown to a decision-maker, that individual will not read it word for word. So creating strong headlines is the most excellent method to make your resume stand out from the crowd. So what can you mention in your resume to make it stand out to a hiring manager? It’s not enough to call oneself a “project manager.” Here are some examples of creative CV headlines for project managers:
- Project Manager with [X] Years of Experience in the [Industry]
- [Credentials] Certified Project Manager For [X] Years Exceeding Client Expectations
- Project Manager with Strong Risk Management and Leadership Experience Seeking New Opportunities in [Industry]
These headlines are significantly more descriptive and provide more information than just mentioning your title. If a hiring manager sees a headline like this when scanning resumes, you’ll have a far greater chance of having the remainder of your CV examined.
3. Highlight technical skills.
You’ll need to demonstrate to potential employers that you’re competent to lead teams and have soft skills and fundamental project management keywords. Highlighting relevant technical abilities on your resume is one of the most excellent methods. Use real-life examples to convey this information on your CV. This should mention any project management approaches you’ve successfully used in real-world projects. Also, include any project management tools you’ve used in the past. This is something you may adjust depending on the job you’re looking for. For example, if you’re looking for a position managing complicated projects for a giant company, you may highlight your experience with a project management application like LiquidPlanner.
This would be more amazing than just calling a Kanban-style board or a Gantt chart tool. If the work requires simplicity, though, showcasing such solutions is the best option.
4. Demonstrate your credentials and accomplishments.
Adding your most noteworthy achievements to the top of your resume is another excellent method to stand out from the crowd. This is particularly true if you have any notable industry qualifications. The Project Management Institute’s PMP Certification, for example, would add significant value to your CV.
Professionals with PMP certification earn 25% more than those who do not have one. As a result, not only will your CV be more enticing, but you may also be able to earn a higher salary. Among the other notable certifications are:
- Associate in Project Management Certification (CAPM)
- Agile Certified Practitioner by PMI (PMI-ACP)
- Professional in Portfolio Management (PfMP)
- Professional in Risk Management (PMI) (PMI-RMP)
- PMI Business Analysis Professional (PMI-PBA)
Show off your qualifications if you possess them. If not, being certified is worthwhile. Some of these credentials take time to get, but you may still emphasize significant accomplishments on your CV in the interim. Rather than just citing a past project, provide a measure demonstrating the project’s success.
5. Use an Appropriate Layout.
The majority of resumes have the same format. While you don’t have to reinvent the wheel, think about how you put items on your CV. Significant achievements should not be tucked away at the bottom of a page. A resume usually includes experiences in reverse chronological order. However, if you’ve recently taken time off or worked in unrelated positions, this may not be the most incredible alternative. If you fall into this group, create a layout that first emphasizes your most relevant project management experience, even if it isn’t in chronological order. Instead of chronological, label the top portion of employment experience “Relevant Experience” or “Project Management Experience,” for example. You may make this procedure considerably simpler by using an online resume maker like Zety.
The platform includes over 20 templates, with over 1.5 million people using some of them. However, the wonderful thing with Zety is that you can customize the resume to your preferences, which is ideal if you want to stand out from the crowd.
Resumes for Project Managers: The Fundamentals
Let’s take a more in-depth look at the essential components of a project management resume. The most effective project management resumes include the following information:
1. Experience, expertise, and skills.
If a hiring manager doesn’t grasp your talents, listing your prior positions won’t be adequate. This is particularly true for situations that aren’t entry-level. You’ll most likely be up against people with 10 or 20 years of expertise in the same field. Your resume must highlight the most relevant talents and work experiences for that particular post to stand out among the other candidates. Describe how you got specific outcomes in past initiatives. Those who don’t have a lot of project management expertise will have to be inventive. Instead of concentrating on the lack of experience, emphasize the talents and certifications you have. Another reason a project management certification might help you obtain new jobs—especially if you’re a beginner—is that it can help you stand out.
2. Emphasize your importance to the company.
The top project management resumes demodemonstratehiring managers that you’d be an excellent match for their company. Your CV should indicate that you are in great demand and that the employer is pursuing you. In an ideal world, the hiring manager would scan your CV and think, “We need this individual.” They’d therefore spend more time in the interview selling you on why you should accept the job rather than you attempting to persuade them to employ you. It’s a lot simpler to say than it is to accomplish. However, doing company-specific research is the best option here. To ensure that the content on your resume aligns with the company’s values, you’ll probably need to update it depending on the position you’re looking for. You may take it a step further and go on LinkedIn to see who is now working at the firm or has previously held the position you’re looking for. What do all of these individuals have in common? Is there a trend among past professionals who have held this position? This might be time-consuming as well. But it’ll be worth it when your phone begins ringing nonstop with interview requests.
3. Career Summary That Makes Sense.
People often make the mistake of adding irrelevant successes, achievements, or qualifications to their project management resumes. The facts about yourself that are most relevant to the job in question should be prioritized on your resume. Your high school grades, college groups, and extracurricular activities aren’t as important as your project management credentials and past management positions. You can probably delete your six-month tenure as an intramural soccer captain off your résumé. If you believe your CV is lacking and you know the hiring manager is an ex-soccer player or anything similar, you may include that information. Stick to your relevant professional achievements for the most part. After reviewing your CV, the recruiting manager shouldn’t have any queries. Everything should be summarized in an easy-to-understand manner.
Steps For Creating The Ideal Project Management Resume:
These are some of my favorite short tips and best practices for improving your CV. These steps may immediately increase the quality and value of your project management resume.
1. Don’t Lie
This should be self-evident, yet you’d be amazed how often it occurs. A recent survey revealed that 36% of Americans confessed to lying on their resumes. Sixty-five percent of those who were detected lying were dismissed or refused employment. Aside from the ethical implications of lying on a CV, it may also harm your career. If you have a bad reputation for it, you’ll have difficulty finding a job. Maybe you obtain the job, but you’re dismissed later because you’re underqualified. When it comes time to apply for your next appointment, this will be a significant issue. While it may be tempting to stretch the truth, I do not advise it. Most businesses do more due diligence than you may imagine. If you lie about one of your qualifications, certificates, past management experience, or anything else, a simple phone call may typically be used to verify that information. In addition, because so many organizations use recruitment services to help with hiring, your falsehoods are highly likely to be discovered.
2. Make it as brief as possible
It is a fallacy that your resume must be one page long. This is particularly true in today’s world when resumes are received and assessed over the internet. That being said, don’t expect to acquire a job by submitting a 10-page paper. Less is more in this case. Don’t keep adding new material to your resume every year without getting rid of the old. You may remove outdated portions of your resume as your career progresses. On a CV, a 15-year project management expert does not require a college GPA, a university-level award, or a high school achievement. You’ve amassed many more significant accomplishments over the last 15 years that may replace the previous ones, and keep your resume brief. If the work was more than seven to nine years ago, the conventional rule is that you don’t need anything more than a company and job title.
3. Proofread
This is something I can’t emphasize enough. If your resume has spelling and punctuation faults, you won’t obtain the job. Especially if you pride yourself on your attention to detail. If you can’t take the time to make sure your resume is error-free, that’s a significant red flag. If a hiring manager notices that you were sloppy with this paperwork, they may believe you’re messy and cluttered with your management style. Request that your résumé be reviewed by friends, mentors, family, significant others, and coworkers. It’s also good to run it via an online editing tool to spot any errors.
Related Tags
- project manager resume examples 2021
- senior project manager resume pdf
- project manager resume sample doc
- project manager resume examples 2020