Product Manager resume examples & templates

Product managers are used to looking at the big picture. They are responsible for the lifecycle of products. You should use this skill to manage your career as well. 

When creating your product manager resume, step back and get an overview of your work history from start to finish. Then, you can focus on the details. Those details can be the difference between getting the interview or getting passed over. 

With your eyes on that dream job, you will need a great resume to get there. 

Resume guide for a product manager resume

You can increase your success with Resume.io. Our resume examples cover over 500 professions, and our resume builder makes creating a compelling product manager resume easier than ever.

This resume writing guide and product manager resume example will take you through the following:

• How to write a project manager resume that tells the story of your career
• The best format for a product management resume
• How to add your contact information
• Advice on the summary section
• Tips for including your product management experience
• Listing your education and certifications
• Creating a legible and inviting layout and design
• A view into the product management job market and what salary you can expect

How to write a product manager resume

The first step in writing your product manager resume is knowing what sections to include. These are the necessary aspects:

• The resume header
• The resume summary (also known as profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The resume skills section
• The education section

It’s important to personalize your resume for each advertised job position, since every company defines this role a little differently. Investigate everything you can about the job you are applying for: the place and the people. Try to put a name and a face to the hiring manager and whoever will be your boss if it’s not the same person. Write your resume as if you are answering interview questions that haven’t been asked yet. 

Stick to this formula to craft the best product manager resume:

• Focus on your accomplishments rather than your responsibilities. Anyone can list tasks they were assigned, but the way to show your true value is by sharing specific achievements. This applies to every section of your resume.
• Customize your resume for every application you submit. The style, tone, and message should be geared to the employer.
• Present yourself professionally with a resume template that's polished and attractive without being formal or stuffy.

Choosing the right resume format for product management

The most commonly used resume format, chronological, works well for job seekers in almost any occupation, particularly if their work history has followed a linear path. It would be a good fit for product manager job applicants who have experience in the field or in related areas.

Using the chronological resume format, the employment history section displays your job experience from your most recent to the earliest, organizing achievements and accomplishments by employer. 

Alternative resume formats are sometimes appropriate for those new to the workforce or changing careers, or those with a more varied occupational background. That includes some self-employed professionals with a project-based background well suited to a “ functional” resume format. Other functional resumes emphasize specialized technical skills, rather than work history. In some instances, a hybrid (combination) work history makes sense, as it blends elements of both chronological and functional formats.

Regardless of the format you choose, make sure the design is streamlined and easy to read. 

Include your contact information

Product management is all about corralling resources and staying on top of the details, so leverage that skill here and make sure your resume covers everything it needs to. That means implementing a strong header that makes it clear the resume is yours. 

Consider the following:

• Full name & title. You should list your first and last name. You can also use the title of the role you are pursuing.
• Professional email address. Use a simple format like firstname.lastname@gmail.com. Avoid silly or unprofessional email addresses.
• Phone number. List a number you're easily able to answer, then make sure your voicemail box is set up and not full.
• Location. List only your city and state, not your street address or zip code. It’s both outdated and unsafe. Note 'Willing to Relocate' here if applicable.
• LinkedIn. If your LinkedIn profile is active and showcases your relevant experience, include a link here.

Don’t include:

• Date of birth: This is not necessary and could potentially lead to age discrimination.
• Personal details: Marital status, social security number, passport number, etc.

Make use of a summary

Should you take the space in your product manager resume to write a profile? Yes, because since you will be working with customers as well as colleagues, you should show off your professional personality as an asset. of 

Your resume summary, also known as a profile, is the only place on your resume you will have a chance to loosen up a bit and write freeform. You have one short paragraph — 2-3 sentences — to get a little creative in describing yourself. This is the spot to tell recruiters about your biggest successes, so be bold (without overstating your accomplishments). Don't just reiterate what exists in other parts of your resume. 

Working with a variety of people, some of whom may have opposing goals, is a challenge. Tell recruiters right upfront that you're up for that challenge and make sure your profile is hitting the important points mentioned in the job listing. Also highlight any industry expertise you have since product management spans so many different businesses.

Since every word counts, use words rich in meaning; start with strong verbs that illustrate your action-oriented work style. 

You can find adaptable summaries from product manager examples below:

Outline your product manager work experience

There are many paths to becoming a product manager, so use this section to map yours. The employment history section of your product manager resume gives you the opportunity to tell a story of progressive achievement and growth within your career.

You may have begun your career out of college as a product manager, or you may have come to it from marketing, project management, design, or software development. You may be entering the job market for the first time or trying to move into product management from another area. No matter your situation, the employment history section is where you make the case for your potential. You can do this by illustrating your career growth, accomplishments, challenges, and successes. If you have a passion for, or expertise in, a specific product area, make sure you show it here.

Your employment history should not just recount the responsibilities you had at each job. You need to impress with success. Don’t forget those strong action verbs.

Instead of bullet points like these:

• Met with customers to get feedback on products
• Managed product from start to finish
• Leveraged technical skills

Try:

• Collaborated with enterprise clients to develop product requirements, strategy, and design in an Agile environment
• Spearheaded strategy and execution of product lifecycle, achieving 100% on-time releases
• Leveraged technical expertise (JavaScript, Java) to provide code reviews and technical advice

Add to your descriptions by getting as specific as possible. Use data and details to back up your assertions. Ask yourself:

• Did I bring the project in on, or under, budget?
• Was the product delivered on time?
• What challenges did I overcome to complete the project?
• Do I have any customer-satisfaction metrics to highlight?
• How can I best show the skills required by the job listing?

If you're currently a product manager, detail your biggest achievement, how you accomplished it, and the challenges you overcame. If your career began in a different area, focus on the successes that will make you a great product manager. 

Product managers spend most of their time developing strategy or process design, creating product roadmaps, and conducting user research. They also set financial goals and manage development teams. In this section, show how you have already done these tasks or how your skills will allow you to take them on.

Take a look at the product manager resume sample employment history section below:

Include the relevant key skills that make you a great product manager

The skills section of your product manager resume is a concise overview of your professional abilities. While it may seem redundant, this is where recruiters can easily spot sought-after job skills and gain insight into what you think is important. 

From understanding what people want to technical savviness, you must have it all. The skills section allows room for listing 5-10 key abilities, so choose wisely and differentiate for each job application. To get started, brainstorm a master list for your overall career using these categories:

• Successes
• Accomplishments
• Personality traits and professional qualities

In addition to being a basis for writing your resume, this master list is also a resource you can continually update as your experience grows.

Product managers are often thought of as soft skills-focused, but they must have hard skills, too. The right combination will be your key to opening career doors! Soft skills are the interpersonal and organizational skills necessary to succeed in many jobs. For a product manager, those include:

• Understanding of customer experience and needs
• Negotiating with stakeholders
• Developing product vision
• Arranging product testing groups
• Marketing or promoting products
• Creating priority lists for processes and activities
• Building and following a product roadmap
• Writing concisely
• Communicate among different groups

Because the job posting will probably call for experience with specific software, hard skills, or detailed knowledge, those should also be part of the mix. Hard skills sought by recruiters and employers include:

• Technical expertise
• Knowledge of software innovations
• Data analysis
• Research

Include a mix of these types of skills to impress recruiters with the breadth of your abilities. Try to weave them throughout your resume to truly show them in action. 

Also, remember that some of the soft skills listed above may turn into hard skills if they're based on specific knowledge or methodology. For example, knowing how to organize Agile/Scrum procedures is a teamwork-oriented ability, but it’s based on specific guidelines so it can also be considered a hard skill. To get you started, our resume builder offers a selection of pre-populated skills you can choose from. You can include your own as well. 

Here's what the skills box looks like in our sample product manager resume template:

Detail your education & relevant product management certifications

Product managers come from a variety of backgrounds, so be proud of your education in your resume. While this position typically requires a bachelor’s degree, it does not necessarily have to be in a specific field. 

Even if you don’t have a business degree, you can still have a career in product management. If you feel you are lacking skills in a given area or want to boost your desirability as a candidate, colleges and universities are beginning to offer product manager certifications and courses. 

If you're looking to bolster your existing product management experience, one key skill you should add to your resume is coding. If you have taken coding classes, this is the place to list them. 

You don’t need an MBA, but if you have one, or any other master’s degree, be sure to include it. Whether you have a bachelor's or master's degree, you can drop your high school diploma from this section. 

Do include any certifications you have earned or professional association memberships. For example:

• Certifications you've earned in coding, project management, Agile/Scrum, or others.
• Internships, if you held relevant ones during your educational days. Especially if you have internship experience in engineering or design, it can be useful here.
• Professional development like continuing education courses or memberships in groups like AIPMM or The Association of Product Professionals.

Pick the right resume layout and design for a product manager resume

Display an image of efficiency and design-savvy. A recruiter’s first visual impression of you comes from your product manager resume, so show your design skills here but don’t get too artsy. Products must be user-friendly and get the job done without clutter. That goes for your layout, too. 

That means keeping your resume legible, easy to read, and pleasant to look at. It's fine to show a bit of creativity or a pop of color, but don't go overboard with graphics or be heavy-handed with fonts. Focus on providing the best user experience possible. You'll increase your success with our field-tested resume templates, particularly a modern or creative version. 

Here are a few tips and considerations.

Product manager job market and outlook

Software companies are proliferating, and so is their need for people to take ownership of their products. If you are a product manager, you picked a great high-growth career. In fact, Glassdoor put product management in its top 10 best jobs in America. 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not separate product management as a separate career, but places it in the broad category of advertising, promotions, and marketing managers. The BLS projects a 6% employment growth in these occupations by 2032.

So why is this career booming? One reason is that many industry segments are adopting new technologies to combine their brick-and-mortar and online businesses. That requires someone to oversee the modification or creation of new products and make sure all the software involved works seamlessly together.  

What type of salary you can expect in product management

Product managers typically earn a base salary for their work, and at many companies they are also eligible for bonuses and equity. 

On average, product managers may start out making about $73,000 per year, but more experienced PMs can earn as much as $173,000. 

Product manager resume text-only

Key takeaways for building a product manager resume

A career in product management can be lucrative, challenging, and exciting. For those looking to enter this field, important skills include technical know-how, a passion for serving users, and an ability to communicate effectively with many types of people. These are skills that will serve you well when creating or updating your product manager resume. 

If you don't know where to start or want the added support of a product manager resume template, use our online resume builder. Built with jobseekers in mind, it streamlines the process, making it more efficient and enjoyable.