Production Manager Resume—Sample and 25+ Writing Tips

Are you a six-sigma black belt—

And frequently mistaken for some kind of ninja from Kanban?

It can be difficult to explain what you do to a hiring manager who’s not in the know—

And you don’t want to dumb things down in case an industrial engineer picks up your resume.

Here’s the solution:

Write a production manager resume that impresses both types with concrete facts and hard numbers.

In this guide:

• A production manager resume sample better than most.
• How to create the perfect production manager job description for resumes.
• How to write a resume for production manager jobs that stands out.
• Expert tips and examples to boost your chances of landing a production manager job.

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Need a related production, engineering or management resume? These are just some of our guides:

• Manager Resume Example
• Product Manager Resume Example
• Executive Resume Example
• Business Development Resume Example
• Operations Manager Resume Example
• Supervisor Resume Example
• Manufacturing Engineer Resume Example
• Construction Project Manager Resume Example
• Business Manager Resume Example
• Assistant Manager Resume Example
• Property Manager Resume Example
• Project Coordinator Resume Example
• Resume Examples for Every Job

Production Manager Resume Sample

Now here’s how to write a production manager resume they’ll love:

1. Go With the Right Production Manager Resume Format

Who’s going to believe that you can keep a production line running smooth and lean—

If you can’t keep your production manager resume in order?

So—

Make sure your resume format is Japanese-levels of organized. Here’s how to format your resume the right way:

Resume Format for Production Manager Jobs

• Use the reverse-chronological resume layout to show your most recent stuff first.
• Tool up with a good resume font like Arial or Noto in 11–12 pt.
• Set your resume margins to one inch and leave plenty of white space throughout.
• Adhere to resume length recommendations. How long should a resume be? Well, it’s usually best to submit a one-page resume. Flow over to a second page only if you’ve got 20+ years of relevant experience.
• Include at least these resume sections: Resume header, Profile (Objective or Summary), Experience, Education, and Skills.

If you haven’t been asked for another file format, then saving your resume as a PDF is a very safe bet.

Take note if you have been asked for another format, though—

Some Applicant Tracking Systems (ATSs) can’t deal with PDF files, and you might have to use something like *.docx instead.

2. Start With an Impressive Production Manager Resume Profile

Now’s the time to make your production manager resume stand out like an andon alarm.

How?

With a professional resume profile statement that puts all eyes on you.

Been in the production management game for over a year?

Then start your resume with a resume summary statement—it’ll let you leverage all that experience.

Use:

1. One adjective (dedicated, reliable, highly organized)
2. Job title (Production Manager)
3. Years of experience (3+, 6+)
4. How you’ll help (lower overheads while increasing production capacity)
5. Two or three of your most impressive achievements (reduced 19 parent parts to 11 for the overflow valve range, reduced scrap to budget by $13,200)

These production manager resume examples show how:

Production Manager Resume Examples—Resume Summary

Dynamic production manager with 5+ years’ experience, skilled in inventory management. Seeking opportunity to help Company ABC streamline its production processes. At Clay Castle, implemented Kanban inventory system, reducing late shipments due to stockouts by 17%, and improved on-time shipment rate from 79% in 2018 to 92% in 2019.

Production manager with 5 years’ experience. Seeking opportunity to join an easy-going team and company with decent benefits. At Clay Castle, implemented Kanban inventory system and improved on-time shipment rate.

So what were the differences there?

The first example sticks to concrete, quantified achievements rather than undefined duties.

It also focuses on what the candidate can do for their potential new employer and not the other way around.

But what if you don’t have the production manager experience to pull this off?

Start with a resume objective instead, and talk up achievements from non-management production jobs that speak to your skills.

Consider these resume objective examples for production manager resumes? 

Production Manager Resume Examples—Resume Objective

Dedicated production supervisor with 2+ years’ experience, skilled in inventory management. Seeking opportunity to help Company ABC streamline its production processes. At Mari Finland & Associates, decreased average part inventories by 14% and decreased equipment SUs by 800 hours p.a., saving $32,000+ p.a.

No experience working as a production manager, but have had a good run as a production supervisor. Looking for a great company that can provide plenty of learning opportunities and decent insurance.

There’s a pattern here:

The first example uses concrete, quantified achievements and a focus on what benefits the candidate can bring to the employer to really impress. The second one… is the complete opposite, unlikely to impress anyone. 

Progress grinding to a halt?

Write your resume profile last—

You’ll be able to do a better job with less effort once you have your job descriptions and skills section done.

Expert hint: Notice that good profile examples mention the new employer by name. Targeting your resume boosts your chances of getting noticed and shows you care enough to take the time to craft a thoughtful, customized application. 

3. Create the Perfect Production Manager Job Description and Skills Sections

To make them call you—

You need to convince them that you can handle the work.

The best way to do that?

Show them you’ve already handled something just like it.

Turn your resume work history section into a showcase of uncannily relevant achievements.

How to write a job description for production managers:

1. Take your time and re-read the job ad.
2. Identify the production manager skills and duties in it.
3. Think of times you’ve used those skills to benefit employers.
4. Write resume bullet points that put numbers to those benefits.

These production manager resume examples show how:

Production Manager Job Description for a Resume

Production Manager

Clay Castle, Austin, TX

September 2018–present

• Improved on-time shipment rate from 79% in 2018 to 92% in 2019.
• Implemented Kanban inventory system, reducing late shipments due to stockouts by 17%.
• Reorganized assembly line tasks, increasing production rates by 34%.
• Developed and implemented 20+ KPIs for purchasing, internal quality, inbound quality, training, and 5S.

Production Manager

Clay Castle

2018–present

• Improved on-time shipment rate.
• Implemented Kanban inventory system.
• Reorganized assembly line tasks.
• Developed and implemented new KPIs.

Quite the variance.

The good example provides specific instances to prove the candidate’s abilities, backed up by numbers to convince the reader and provide meaningful context. 

By focusing on professional achievements rather than on assigned duties, you can show not just that you did a job, but that you succeeded at it. 

One more thing to come down the pipeline:

A resume skills section.

But know that flooding the page with every production management skill you find online will work against you. Recruiters can spot copy-paste skills lists from a mile away—

Plus, you’ll inevitably end up including information that’s not directly relevant to the job, and that’s just inexcusable. 

So, instead:

Cover everything mentioned and implied in the job ad and pretty much leave it at that. Do this by reviewing the job advertisement and highlighting the skills and proficiencies it mentions: those will become your resume keywords. 

Pick up to 10 skills the ad mentions and that you possess, and you’re ready to start assembly.

Here’s a list to get you started: 

Skills for a Production Manager Resume

Hard skills

• Management skills
• Project management
• Six sigma
• Quality control
• Lean manufacturing
• Market research
• Product management
• Product development
• Process improvement
• Continual improvement

Soft skills

• Communication skills
• Critical thinking
• Teamwork
• Collaboration
• Organization skills
• Time management
• Leadership skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Decision making
• Problem solving

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4. Turn Random Education Into a Reason to Hire You

There are many paths to becoming a production manager—

Whichever one you took, be sure to do it justice in your education section.

First, list your degrees, schools, and graduation years. Add a couple of bullet points that speak to key production manager skills. The less relevant experience you have, the more important these become. 

This production manager resume education section example shows how:

Production Manager Resume Example—Education Section

Bachelor in Business Management

Western Governors University

2015

• Pursued a passion for business accounting coursework.
• Graduated with a 3.74 GPA.

Low on production manager experience? 

Extend your education section with relevant projects, classes, and accomplishments that show production manager skills like engineering design and organization.

5. Stock Your Production Manager Resume With Extra Sections

Production management is a pretty broad line of work—

Sections like experience, education, and skills aren’t going to do a great job of setting you apart from the other candidates.

The fix?

Add one or two extra sections:

• Additional Activities
• Foreign Languages
• Classes Taken
• Awards
• Hobbies and Interests
• Volunteering
• Certifications
• Professional References

None of these are strictly mandatory, but they can definitely put your resume a cut above those of other applicants with similar experience. 

These two production manager resume examples show yes vs no:

Production Manager Resume Samples—Extra Sections

Certification

• CSSBB (Certified Six Sigma Black Belt), American Society for Quality

Languages

• English – Native
• French – Communicative

Certification

• CSSBB

Hobbies and Interests

• Making slingshots from salad forks
• Reproducing Monets in mustard and ketchup
• Collecting fidget spinners

Six Sigma, meet “she’ll be right”.

Hobbies and interests in your resume are totally fine—

As long as they’re very obviously relevant to the job ad. These aren’t.

Nearly there—

Just one last, somewhat giant, step:

You need a production manager cover letter.

Unless you’ve been explicitly asked not to include one, it’s not optional. So, write a cover letter that shows off your extra achievements and proves you’d be the perfect fit for the role. 

Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.

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Key Points

For a production manager resume that gets interviews:

• Use the production manager resume template up top. It’s as streamlined as a Japanese automaker’s factory.
• Put production manager achievements in your profile, work history, and education sections to show what you’ve handled in the past.
• Choose the right production manager resume skills to include. The job ad will make it clear which skills those are.
• Write a production manager cover letter. It’s your opportunity to not only showcase your achievements but also your passion for the work.

Not sure how to go about writing your best production manager resume ever? Drop us a line down below. We’ll be sure to get back to you. Maybe your fellow readers will too.

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