Department Manager resume example

Have you got what it takes to oversee an entire department and everyone in it?

Then you need a resume that proves to the recruiter that you’re an organized, approachable leader with the experience to back it up.

If you’re not sure how to fit all of that information on just two sides of paper, we can help. Check out our comprehensive writing guide below, complete with a department manager resume example.

 

 

 

Department Manager Resume Example

 

This example Department Manager resume is well-structured to provide a pleasant reading experience for recruiters, and contains all of the crucial information they want to see.

The rest of the guide will show you exactly how you can achieve this in your own resume.

 

 

Department Manager resume layout and format

Your resume layout and format will play a big role in helping hiring managers to take notice of your resume and stay glued to it.

Shoot for a simple yet professional look to ensure you make a strong first impression, and organize the page in a way that is easy for readers to digest the information.

The following formatting tips should help.

 

 

Formatting your resume

• Length: Think that submitting a 10 page resume will impress recruiters? Unfortunately it won’t… Even if you’ve got tons of experience to brag about, recruiters don’t have time to read essays, so keep it brief – around 2 pages is the sweet spot.

• Font & readability: A readable resume is crucial if you want recruiters to see your important skills. Ensure yours is easy to read by using a simple, clear font and breaking up the text with bullet points and short paragraphs.

• Layout: A visually appealing resume is important, but don’t forget about functionality. To ensure a functional design, use bold headings and borders to organize the page into clear sections.

• Photos: Including a photo on your resume is not obligatory in the United States, but it may be a good idea in some regions and industries where it is customary.

 

Quick tip: Achieving a professional look for your resume can be difficult and time-consuming. If you want to create an attractive resume quickly, try our partner’s Resume Builder and use one of their eye-catching resume templates.

 

 

 

Resume layout

When writing your resume, you should always include the following sections:

• Name and Contact Details – Place this information at the top of your resume to make it easy for employers to contact you.
• Resume Summary – Write a brief introductory paragraph at the top of your resume summarizing why you are the best candidate for the job.
• Skills Section – Create a concise list of your most important skills that can be quickly skimmed over by potential employers.
• Work Experience – List your previous jobs in reverse chronological order, including volunteer work and college placements if you have no paid experience.
• Education – List your educational qualifications and any professional training you have received.
• Additional Information – This is an optional section for including details about hobbies, interests, or any other relevant information that may help distinguish you from other candidates.

Here’s what to add to each section of your Department Manager resume.

 

Contact Details

 

Make it easy for hiring managers to contact you by adding your contact details to the top of your resume.

Keep this section small to save space and include the following.

• Name and profession title
• Telephone number – Ideally your cell phone so you can answer quickly.
• Location – Add your general location such as LA or New York
• Email address – Use a professional looking one with no nicknames.

You can add a link to your LinkedIn profile if you have one – you do not need to include personal details like date of birth or marital status.

 

Department Manager Resume Summary

Make a strong first impression on recruiters by beginning your resume with a powerful summary that highlights your most valuable skills and experience.

This brief summary provides an opportunity to showcase why you’re the ideal candidate for the job and persuade recruiters to read further into your resume.

 

 

How to create a resume summary that will excite recruiters:

• Keep it short: To effectively capture a recruiter’s attention, it’s crucial to keep your resume summary brief and to the point, limiting it to 4-7 lines as this provides enough detail without overwhelming them at this early stage.

• Tailor to target jobs: By carefully reviewing the job description and incorporating as many relevant skills as possible, you can customize your resume to better match your target jobs.

• Avoid using cliches: To capture the attention of recruiters you must provide factual information, such as hard skills and qualifications, and avoid using empty phrases like “Go-getter who thinks outside the box.”

 

Department Manager resume summary example

 

What to include in your Department Manager resume summary?

• Summary of your experience: Summarize the type of work you have done in the past and the ways in which you have contributed to the success of your previous employers.

• Relevant skills: Incorporate your highly relevant skills for Department Manager jobs to exhibit your suitability as soon as your resume is opened.

• Qualifications: Any qualifications that are important to the Department Manager jobs you are applying for, should be mentioned in the summary.

 

Quick tip: Choose from hundreds of pre-written summaries across all industries, and add one to your resume with one-click in our partner’s Resume Builder. All written by recruitment experts and easily tailored to suit your unique skillset and style.

 

Core skills section

Next, you should create a bullet pointed list of your core skills, formatted into 2-3 columns.

Here, you should focus on including the most important skills or knowledge listed in the job advertisement.

This will instantly prove that you’re an ideal candidate, even if a recruiter only has time to briefly scan your resume.

 

 

Best skills for your Department Manager resume

 

Quick tip: Our partner’s Resume Builder contains thousands of in-demand skills for every profession that can be added to your resume in seconds – saving you time and greatly improving your chances of landing job interviews and getting hired.

 

 

Work experience

So, you’ve got the recruiter interested with your catchy summary… Great work.

Now it’s time to show them the impact you make in the workplace by listing out your previous jobs and what you achieved in each one.

If you have tons of experience, you can condense this part down to the last few years – if you are junior, then you should include as much possible (even volunteering and school work placements)

 

 

Structuring your jobs

You probably do a lot in your job, so its vital to break all of that information down into a good structure.

Structure your jobs as follows to make it easy for recruiters to skim through and pinpoint the essential info.

 

 

Job outline

Starting each job with a brief summary of the organization, your position within it, and the primary goal of your role can help recruiters quickly understand the context of your work.

 

Key responsibilities

List your notable responsibilities in short sharp bullet points to demonstrate your input and how you contributed to the organization’s success.

Highlight the skills that are most important to the roles you are applying for.

 

Key achievements

Finish each role by highlighting some impressive achievements you made whilst in the role.

Anything that benefited the employer can be included from making financial savings, to winning new customers.

Quantify your achievements with facts and figures if you can, e.g. “reduced call wait time by 10%”

 

Example job for Department Manager resume

 

Quick tip: Create impressive job descriptions easily in our partner’s Resume Builder by adding pre-written job phrases for every industry and career stage.

 

 

Education section

Near the end of your resume add your education section.

Experienced candidates should keep it brief and focus on professional qualifications – and junior candidates can include high school diplomas, college degrees etc.

 

Additional information

The bottom of your resume is a place to add any “additional info”

Any other info that didn’t fall into any of the previous sections can be added here.

If you have hobbies that are related to your profession or any awards or publications – add them here.

 

 

Writing your own winning Department Manager resume

By tailoring your resume to the specific job and industry you are targeting and ensuring that it effectively communicates your professional value, you can position yourself as a top candidate for all Department Manager positions.

Good luck with your job search!