Your product manager resume should show you can work cross-functionally to bring an innovative product from concept to market. It must also demonstrate a deep understanding of customer needs, market trends, and product vision. This guide provides tips, templates, and examples to help create a resume that captures your ability to drive product success.
Key takeaways:
To create a cohesive document that best represents your professional abilities, start with a modern resume template. Your product manager resume should include these sections:
Hiring managers need to know how to reach you if they’d like to continue the conversation. So, list all of your best contact information at the top of your resume. This should include your full name, phone number, email address, location, and a link to your LinkedIn profile.
Your Name
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
City, State Abbreviation Zip Code
LinkedIn
A profile should act as the hook at the top of your resume, capturing the attention of hiring managers by concisely explaining who you are. Start by clearly stating your job title, years in the field, and a few core skills in your area of expertise. What makes you unique? Mention those key details that make you the perfect product manager for the job.
For example, if they’re looking for someone familiar with artificial intelligence (AI) to track user interactions, mention your ability to leverage machine learning. Or perhaps you’re proficient in a programming language they use in their workflow. List a few of those languages here in your profile to stand out as a promising candidate.
Accomplished senior product manager with over nine years of experience and a proven track record of working with industry giants such as Amazon and Google. Utilizes AI to personalize user interactions. Leverages technical proficiency and business acumen to drive product innovation. Leads cross-functional teams to implement user-centric design improvements.
Results-driven associate product manager with a background in computer science and over three years of experience in the video game industry. Leverages programming languages like Python and SQL to identify product opportunities and improve user engagement. Collaborates with cross-functional teams to implement updates and optimize in-game monetization.
Think of your professional experience section as a compelling product roadmap outlining your career trajectory, significant achievements, and core responsibilities. Provide a brief overview of your most recent positions, including examples of your skills in strategy and development.
You work with a team of talented professionals to achieve product goals, so mention your ability to collaborate cross-functionally, from marketing to engineering and beyond. Hiring managers need to know you have the interpersonal skills necessary to succeed.
Senior Product Manager, Amazon, Seattle, WA
August 2018 – present
Associate Product Manager, Mystic Entertainment, Austin, TX
January 2023 – present
As a product manager, you’re likely well aware of how important quantifiable data can be. When you provide metrics on a resume, it helps hiring managers understand your value. You can show them how you improved the workplace by using numbers to illustrate results in the form of percentages and dollar amounts.
Your resume is like an advertisement for prospective employers. The goal is to present yourself as the solution to their problem. You can do this by being strategic with the information you choose to work into your resume and only including the most relevant qualifications.
Include keywords from the company’s job listing in your resume without overdoing it. For example, if data-driven decision-making is mentioned and you have that experience, list it in your key skills or professional experience section. This is the best way to pique the reader’s interest and ensure your document performs well within applicant tracking systems (ATS).
Even if you don’t have direct product management experience, you can leverage accomplishments from previous roles that demonstrate your ability to lead, find solutions, and achieve results. You can rearrange your resume and draw focus to other areas, such as:
Management positions similar to those of product managers usually require at least a bachelor’s degree. However, many employers may value experience over academic qualifications. Regardless of your level of education, list your highest degree first, including the school name, location, and attendance dates.
To increase your credibility and stand out among other well-qualified candidates, include industry-specific and product management certifications. For example, Certified Product Manager and Certified ScrumMaster credentials show potential employers that you take your career seriously.
Template:
[Degree Name]
[School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Year]
Example:
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Business Administration
University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL | September 2013 – June 2017
Template:
[Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
Example:
Certified Product Manager, University of California San Diego, 2018
Include a key skills section on your product manager resume to highlight all of your abilities that match the requirements of the job you’re applying for. Organize your skills into a bulleted list to show you can successfully develop, launch, and manage products. Remember to include soft skills as well — your capacity to work well with others is just as important as other job duties. Here’s a list of examples to get you started:
Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
---|---|
Agile development methodologies | Competitive analysis |
Creativity | Critical thinking |
Flexibility | Market research |
Negotiation | Objective prioritization frameworks |
Organization | Proactive leadership |
Product lifecycle management | Project management systems (Trello, Asana, Jira) |
Strong communication | Team building |
Time management |
Be direct with your resume readers by using action verbs to keep your language concise and impactful. To avoid unnecessary first-person language (e.g., “I was responsible for managing…”), start your sentences with a verb. These words help to show hiring managers what you accomplished in your role, not just what was expected of you. Here are some examples you can use in your product manager resume:
Action Verbs | |
---|---|
Analyzed | Collaborated |
Coordinated | Developed |
Directed | Forecasted |
Implemented | Improved |
Innovated | Launched |
Led | Optimized |
Oversaw | Prioritized |
Spearheaded |
The best resume template for a product manager is professional and easy to read, highlighting your most relevant business experience and key skills. Choose a simple template without flashy graphics and prioritize spacing and simplicity when selecting a design. Although it’s important for your product manager resume to look good, the content is what will ultimately sell you to prospective employers.
Kathleen Davis
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
City, State Abbreviation zip code
LinkedIn | Portfolio
Strategic product manager and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt on a mission to create innovative products that drive business growth and solve customer problems. Seeking to leverage six years of product management experience for Nordstrom Inc. Strong communicator and collaborator dedicated to improving customer satisfaction.
Product Manager, Walgreens, Deerfield, IL
September 2019 – present
Associate Product Manager, Ulta Beauty, Inc., Bolingbrook, IL
August 2017 – September 2019
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Business Administration
University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL September 2013 – June 2017
The job outlook for management positions is bright across the board, including product management. With an average of 1.1 million new openings projected every year, the demand will be high over the next decade. Despite this rise in demand, you’ll need a fine-tuned resume to land your desired job. That means aligning your resume with each job you apply for.
For example, suppose a company is looking for a product manager who uses agile development methodologies and prioritizes user-experience design. With that in mind, you would highlight times you’ve led agile projects and describe moments when you developed user-centric product features. Specifically speaking to the employer’s needs will make the biggest impact.
Choosing the right resume format is like selecting the best UI for a product. The goal is to present your qualifications in the most effective and accessible way. No matter your experience level, the combination resume is a great option for product managers. It displays your skills upfront and ends with a comprehensive overview of your career trajectory, giving hiring managers a clear view of your abilities.
It’s important to connect with an audience on a personal level, and a cover letter is your chance to do that with hiring managers. Create a cover letter to go alongside your resume and tell the unique story of who you are as a product manager. Take the opportunity to connect with potential employers and explain why you think you’re the best fit for the job.
ResumeTemplates offers free, HR approved resume templates to help you create a professional resume in minutes. Choose from several template options and even pre-populate a resume from your profile.