Project Manager Resume Example & Project Management Skills

Your old resume came to the end of its lifecycle? To reach new career milestones, you need a new project management resume. One that tells stakeholders that you live and breathe Agile and dream in sprints and know flowcharts and workflows backward and forward.

You’re in the right place—this article will show you how to write a project manager resume that delivers.

In this guide:

• Project manager resume examples that get the best jobs out there.
• How to ace your project management skills on a resume.
• How to write a resume for a project manager that gets the interview.
• Expert advice and examples to improve your project management resume.

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Would you like to see other examples of resumes for management jobs? Check the guides below:

• Account Manager Resume Example
• Business Manager Resume Example
• Construction Project Manager Resume Example
• General Manager Resume Example
• HR Coordinator Resume Example
• HR Manager Resume Example
• IT Project Manager Resume Example
• Marketing Manager Resume Example
• Program Manager Resume Example
• Project Coordinator Resume Example
• Social Media Manager Resume Example

Project Manager Resume Example

A project manager is in charge of a particular project from start to finish. And a project manager resume must highlight their best qualities, such as organization skills, time management, leadership skills, and relevant experience focused on coordinating various projects.

Continue reading to learn how to write a project manager resume just like the one above:

1. Choose the Best Project Manager Resume Format

Before you can start writing your project management resume, you should focus on the planning phase. And that requires deciding on the resume format you want to follow. While most candidates pick the reverse-chronological resume, you can also go for the functional resume or the chrono-functional format—it all depends on your career progression and preferences.

If you’ve already chosen the style of the resume, it’s time to think of the aesthetics. Yes—the resume layout matters. Just like the most insightful project flowchart may fail if it’s visually chaotic, recruiters might discard your project manager resume if it doesn’t bring out the appeal. 

Here’s what you should do:

• Make a resume outline using the resume sections you want to include in your application.
• Select the best resume fonts, such as Helvetica or Calibri, and set the font size to 11–12 pts.
• Maintain the balance between text and white space with 1-inch resume margins on all sides.
• Arrange the contents using headings and bulleted lists.
• Keep the length of your resume limited to one page. (Go for a two-page resume only if you have extensive work experience.)

You can also save time on formatting the document by using free resume templates—they come in a variety of styles, ranging from modern resume templates to more simple resume templates.

Remember to save your project management resume in a PDF or Doc file format, as most companies prefer these.

2. Write a Project Manager Resume Summary or Objective

Some individuals go the extra mile to make their resumes unique. Think of Lukas Yla, who brought his resume to marketing agencies cleverly secreted in donut delivery boxes. While some ideas are ingenious, you don’t need extreme levels of creativity to get noticed. In fact, a well-written resume profile should do the work just fine!

Before you get to it, consider your level of experience. Here’s why:

• If you’re experienced, you should write a resume summary focusing on your achievements with specifics about what you can bring to the table at the new company.
• If you’re an entry-level candidate, you should opt for a resume objective, highlight your knowledge and skills, and mention how the company can benefit from them.

Here’s the job-winning formula for your resume profile:

1. Start with a strong character trait or mention professional certifications.
2. Follow with your job title and years of experience.
3. Add optional information about the industry or your specialty.
4. Specify the goal you want to achieve at the company you’re applying to.
5. Recall significant accomplishments from previous jobs.
6. Use resume keywords to grab the reader’s attention.

Now, check the examples below:

Resume Summary for a Project Manager: Example

Diligent PMP-certified project manager with 5+ years of experience delivering museum projects to successful completion. Eager to contribute to the expansion of the Maine State Historical Center by establishing project milestones and collaborating closely with museum stakeholders. Coordinated a $1.5-million project within deadlines and with adherence to the budget in 2019–2020.

This candidate ticks all the boxes. They started with a strong adjective describing their personality, followed by certification, job title, and achievements. They also specified how they could assist the new workplace. Impressive? Definitely.

Accomplished project manager with a background in humanities. Skilled in Agile, Scrum, and business process improvement. Worked for five years as a project manager in the cultural sector.

The example above isn’t terrible, but it’s not great, either. It doesn’t include any specifics about the candidate’s experience or goals.

If you’re writing an entry-level project management resume, use a resume objective instead of a summary. Check the examples below for clarification:

Resume Objective—Project Manager

Detail-oriented junior project manager with a background in museum studies. Experienced in planning and developing exhibitions. Eager to support the head curator’s work by creating detailed project plans and communicating updates to museum leadership.

The truth is, strictly speaking, this candidate doesn’t have project management experience yet. But that doesn’t mean they’re green behind the ears, and this resume objective shows it. They use their relevant experience from previous jobs to show they can help the new workplace succeed.

Motivated junior project manager hoping to gain experience in coordinating cultural projects. Eager to deeper understand the local heritage by working for Portland Historical Museum.

This candidate might not be as trustworthy to hiring managers as the previous one. Why? Because they want to know how the business will benefit from your work, not what the candidate wants to gain from it.

Expert Hint: Before working on your project manager resume profile, complete the rest of your resume. Once other sections are done, you can use the information from them to create your resume summary or objective.

3. Create a Project Management Resume Job Description

A good project manager resume needs more than just a job description—a simple list of your duties won’t be enough to impress hiring managers. What it actually needs is a relevant work experience section that proves you’ve got all the skills needed for the job. 

Follow these steps to create a strong project manager work experience section:

• List the relevant positions starting with the most recent one. Add your job title, company name, location, and work period.
• For each position, mention 3–4 key responsibilities. Start each sentence with a power word to show you know how to take the initiative.
• Turn them into achievements using numbers to quantify your results. They will quickly grab the recruiter’s attention.
• Add a key career achievement for each position to highlight your best wins.

Check the example below:

Project Manager Resume—Examples of Work Experience

Project Manager

Tall Pines Mansion, Brunswick, ME

January 2017–Present

Key responsibilities:

• Cutting project costs by $70,000 by outsourcing the museum website development to an overseas company.
• Developing and leading several cross-functional teams, selecting project team members, and hiring freelancers when necessary to adhere to deadlines.
• Collaborating with the museum director and managers to establish project budgets, prepare contracts, and negotiate with local contractors.

Key achievement:

• Delivered a $1.5-million permanent exhibition project involving cooperation between museum curators, researchers, and contractors within 18 months.

See how each sentence starts with a resume action word? And the numbers that prove the candidate knows what they’re saying? The hiring managers will notice those things, too.

Project Manager

Green Pastures Heritage Center, Providence, RI

February 2016–July 2022

• Responsible for the museum expansion project.
• Monitored contractor selection process to find opportunities to cut costs.
• Handled documentation related to exhibition redesign, including contracts, necessary permits, and workflow updates.

This candidate could be an expert, but the problem is that their resume doesn’t show it.

So, what about candidates who don’t have years of experience up their sleeves? An entry-level project manager resume also needs to be convincing. 

Suppose you’re applying for junior or assistant PM positions. In that case, you can back yourself up with examples of project management skills you gained elsewhere, like during internships, at part-time jobs, while volunteering, freelancing, or by working on personal projects. A resume without work experience can still be impressive.

See the example below:

Project Manager—Entry-Level Resume Example

Exhibit Assistant

Androscoggin River Museum, Brunswick, ME

July 2013–December 2014

Key responsibilities:

• Assisted in planning, researching, and developing new permanent and temporary displays.
• Conducted short-term research projects and contributed to writing museum catalogs, brochures, and online content about historical objects.
• Led recruitment and training for a team of 16 volunteer guides to prepare them for welcoming and assisting museum visitors.

While this candidate’s job title isn’t related to project management, they gained transferable skills such as project planning, conducting research, and coordinating a team. All these abilities will come in handy when applying for entry-level project management positions.

Talking about skills for a resume… It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the work experience section isn’t the only place where you can highlight your project management skills. You should also list them in the skill section.

But which project management skills matter the most? A study shows that successful project managers are good at making informed decisions based on facts, have good social skills, and prefer a long-term view. Below, you can find project management skills you can add to your resume to reflect those qualities:

Project Manager Skills in a Resume

• Leadership skills
• Management skills
• Written and verbal communication
• Microsoft Office
• Problem-solving
• Time management
• Critical thinking skills
• Strategic planning
• Risk management
• Creative thinking
• Interpersonal skills
• Technical skills
• Organizational skills
• Collaboration
• Agile
• Scrum

But hey—don’t just copy and paste the list above on your resume. Select the most relevant skills for the job you’re applying for.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Make a list of your hard skills, soft skills, and computer skills.
2. Scan the job advertisement to highlight the required skills.
3. Compare the job requirements with your abilities.
4. Create a curated skill section that is 100% relevant to the job.

The key to a successful job application is being selective about what you include in a resume!

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4. Make an Education Section That Counts

Project managers come from many backgrounds. While some professionals have a background in business administration or even a master’s degree in project management, many completed education in a different field. That might be an advantage when looking for a new job. That’s why it’s vital to list your education on a resume correctly.

To add your education to a resume:

• Mention your highest qualification first, along with the name of the school or organization and the years of study.
• Add your GPA and academic achievements, such as honors or scholarships.
• Mention extracurricular activities or relevant coursework.

Check the example below:

Education on a Resume: Project Manager (Example)

Bachelor of Arts in History

Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME

September 2009–May 2013

GPA: 3.78

Extracurricular activities:

• Editor of the Bowdoin College Student’s Magazine in 2011–2013
• Elected president of Brunswick Heritage Club in 2010–2012

Describing your time at college this way shows that you’ve done more than just pass exams.

5. Pick Other Resume Sections

Your resume project is nearing completion, but some elements are still left to handle. So far, your project manager resume might feel a little basic. Luckily, you can spice it up by adding extra resume sections that show additional qualifications.

Choose from the following resume sections:

• Certifications: Such as the prestigious PMP certification or Scrum project management certificate.
• Memberships and associations: You might list project manager associations, such as IPMA or PMI, and organizations related closely to the industry you specialize in.
• Language proficiency: while English is the language of international business, listing other languages on a resume can be beneficial if you want to work in an overseas company.
• Volunteer work: Many charitable organizations need project managers to coordinate outreach activities, fundraising events, and charity programs in the US and abroad.
• Interests and hobbies: Do you work on personal projects in your free time? Feel free to add them to your resume for an additional boost.

Have a look at the example of extra resume sections below:

Project Manager Resume Template: Additional Sections

Languages

• English—Native
• French—Advanced
• Spanish—Intermediate

Certification

• December 2016, Project Management Professional, Project Management Institute
• November 2014, Museum Management Certificate, University of Maine

Associations

Member of the Maine Historical Society since January 2014

• Co-authored the official Maine Tourist Guidebook in 2020 and 2021.
• Guest speaker at the Modern Heritage Management conference in November 2019.

This candidate clearly knows how to use their free time to improve their qualifications and build business relationships.

Expert Hint: Even the best resume can’t guarantee an interview. But a cover letter can significantly improve your chances. Once you finish polishing your project management resume, focus on writing a cover letter that highlights your best qualities.

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Key Points

Here are a handful of tips for your project manager resume:

• Use the project manager resume template up top. It presses all the right buttons to get employers on your side.
• Write bullet points in your resume to show measured accomplishments. Make them fit the job like a unified process.
• Don’t waste an inch on a project management resume. Even your education section should show project manager achievements.
• Write a project manager cover letter. It’s the proposal that gets your project manager resume a careful read.

Got questions on how to write a great resume for project manager jobs? Not sure how to show project management skills on a resume? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply.

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