Project Manager Resume Examples and Tips

Our project manager resume examples and how-to guide will help create a resume that shows off your best abilities and achievements in project management.

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Table of Contents

  1. Project management resume examples
  2. Project Manager Resume
  3. How to format your project manager resume
  4. How to write a project manager resume
  5. More resume examples and tips
  6. Write a project manager cover letter to accompany your resume
  7. The big takeaways
  8. FAQ: Project Manager Resume

Project management resume examples

Use the following project manager resume samples as inspiration to write your resume. You can easily create a resume using these examples with the ResumeHelp Resume Builder, which gives you step-by-step instructions for writing each section of your resume.

Project Manager Resume Example
Project Manager Resume Example
Project Manager Resume Example
Project Manager Resume Example

Project Manager Resume

Project managers — also known as project management professionals (PMP) — are an essential part of nearly any business. They successfully plan, organize and streamline projects to complete them on time and within budget. They successfully break down projects into smaller and more manageable tasks before delegating them to team members.

Project managers need a number of qualifications and required skills to do the job, so you must include them on your resume to allow yourself to stand out against other applicants. To help you create a great resume, this page offers:

  • Examples of project manager resumes that can be used to create a strong resume
  • Tips for writing each section of your project manager resume and formatting it
  • Resources you need to create a cover letter that goes with your resume, as well as links to other major resume tips
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How to format your project manager resume

Choose one of the three standard resume formats to create your project manager resume:

  • Chronological resume: This is the most common resume format. It’s best for job seekers with more than nine years of work experience. The chronological format focuses on career progression to show professional growth in a single industry.
  • Functional resume: This format is better for candidates with little to no work experience or who just graduated from university. Instead of focusing on work history, it focuses on relevant skills, making it a great option for job seekers who don’t have professional work experience.
  • Combination resume: As the name suggests, the hybrid resume combines the chronological and functional formats. It’s ideal for mid-level candidates with three to eight years of work experience, as it gives equal importance to your years of experience and skill set.

Here’s some resume formatting tips you should keep in mind when writing your resume:

  • Choose a professional font. Stick to fonts that are easy to read like Arial, Times New Roman and Helvetica.
  • Maintain margin consistency. Your resume should have 1-inch margins all around but if you need extra space, you can take them down half an inch.
  • Size your font correctly. Make sure your font size is large enough for recruiters and hiring managers to read. Keep the body text between 11 or 12 points, the headings 14-15 and your name 16 or 18.
  • Select the right spacing. The spacing between lines should be single or 1.5.
  • Download in the right format. Unless the job description states otherwise, most prospective employers prefer to receive a project manager resume as a PDF or MS Word document, so save it accordingly.
  • Save time with a template. Our resume templates are made by professionals to pass applicant tracking systems (ATS) that filter through resumes and already come formatted, so you don’t have to worry about margins or spacing.

How to write a project manager resume

Here’s what you need to know about writing a professional resume for a project manager job.

1. Header and contact information

In the header section, include your name and contact information, including your phone number, email address and a link to your LinkedIn profile.

2. Resume summary/resume objective

Write your project manager resume summary or objective, where you explain why you’re the best candidate for the job.

A resume summary is a two-to-three-sentence introduction that highlights your years of experience and top skills relevant to the job. It’s best for job seekers with more than two years of work experience. For example:

Solutions-driven project manager with four years of experience in community development. Able to work across departments and with contractors to prepare compliance reports and meet deadlines. Skilled communicator, critical thinker and problem solver comfortable working under pressure.

A resume objective also provides a brief summary of your qualifications but it’s geared towards people with less than two years of experience or candidates changing careers, as it states your career goals. For example:

Highly organized project management professional with two years of experience seeking government position. Skilled at mitigating large-scale programs within housing and infrastructure sector. Well-versed in public speaking and facilitating focus groups with excellent written and verbal communication skills.

3. Skills section

When you move on to your skills section, use bullet points to write your most relevant skills. Make sure to read the job description to tailor your resume to what the company is looking for. Include a mixture of 8-10 hard skills and soft skills, such as:

Hard skills

  • Technical skills
  • Project budget management
  • Managing project timelines and initiatives
  • Cost and risk management
  • Negotiation
  • Evaluating project performance metrics
  • Proficient in project management software or methodologies such as Agile, Scrum and Waterfall
  • Microsoft Office

Soft skills

  • Communication skills
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Leadership skills
  • Teamwork
  • Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
  • Time management
  • Organizational skills
  • Conflict management

4. Work experience section

When you list your previous work history, start with your most recent project manager role and work backward toward older project management experiences. Include your job title, years of experience and the company name, and provide a few brief examples of your project manager job responsibilities and accomplishments.

In addition to the tips mentioned above, make the most of your work experience section by:

  • Using bullet points to highlight achievements rather than mundane tasks.
  • Starting each statement with an action verb like planned, organized, coordinated, programmed or oversaw.
  • Quantifying your achievements and using numbers to portray your work achievements better.
  • Taking keywords from the job description and including them wherever they fit in your resume.

Use this example project manager resume work history section as a template:


Senior Project Manager / May 2018 – Nov. 2022
Better Designs, Miami, FL

  • Coordinated resources for more than 20 remodeling and construction projects.
  • Reviewed construction estimates to determine better budgeting options, reducing expenses by 20%.
  • Prepared project schedules and delegated tasks to successfully complete jobs before or by assigned deadlines.

5. Education

List your top educational credentials in the education section. If you have a bachelor’s degree, include your university and graduation year (if you graduated more than 10 years ago, you don’t have to include the date). If you didn’t go to college, then you can list the name of your high school.

Project managers with licenses or PMP certifications can also list their other credentials in this section. Some relevant project management certifications include:

  • Project Management Professional (PMP)
  • Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
  • PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)
  • Disciplined Agile Scrum Master (DASM)
  • Disciplined Agile Coach (DAC)
  • Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)
  • PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP)
  • PMI Project Management Ready

6. Additional sections

Aside from including certifications below the education section, you have the option of creating additional sections to highlight these credentials. You can add sections for awards, publications, grants and other accomplishments relevant to project management.


More resume examples and tips

ResumeHelp has dozens of articles with career advice and resume writing tips, as well as resume samples for other management positions.

Write a project manager cover letter to accompany your resume

No project manager job application would be complete without a cover letter. Use our cover letter writing resources to craft a professional cover letter in a few minutes:


The big takeaways

To wrap up, here’s a summary of what we covered in this article:

1. Choose the resume format that best aligns with your needs and professional experience.
2. Make sure the contact information is up-to-date and professional.
3. Highlight your top skills in your resume summary or resume objective.
4. List a mix of 8-10 hard skills and soft skills that are relevant to the project manager job.
5. Focus your work history on accomplishments and not mundane tasks.
6. Use quantifiable metrics to highlight your work achievements better.
7. Select keywords from the job description to include in your resume.
8. Include important certifications in your education section.
9. You can create additional sections to highlight other important credentials and milestones.
10. Every resume needs a cover letter to complete the job application.

FAQ: Project Manager Resume

Q: How can I improve my project management skills?

You can improve your project management skills by utilizing the right project management tools and software. For example, Trello or Basecamp are great tools for managing projects. Additionally, you can improve your skills by focusing on effective communication among team members while establishing firm goals and objectives. It’s important to choose the right people to complete a project while staying on track with budget and timeline goals.

Q: Why is a project manager's resume important?

A project manager’s resume is important because hiring managers look over countless resumes, and a well-crafted project manager’s resume instantly stands out and creates a good impression. A well-written resume should showcase your competencies in completing projects by organizing, prioritizing and delegating tasks. Your resume can also highlight your ability to productively lead a team while utilizing both soft and hard skills to achieve company goals.

Q: What are the qualifications for a project manager resume?

Typically, project manager positions will require some experience in a related role or formal PMP training. The specific requirements for each position will depend on the company and the type of project manager the employer is looking for, but some prime skills that are considered attractive for a project manager resume include:

  • Delegation
  • Negotiation
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Active listening
  • Public speaking
  • Conflict resolution
  • Process improvements

Q: What is the ideal candidate for a project manager?

The ideal candidate for a project manager job should be able to clearly scope a project, determine deliverables, effectively delegate tasks across the project team and be able to solve problems that arise. Project managers are the force that makes project success possible, so they should also be motivational, responsible and incredibly organized individuals.

Q: What is the difference between a project manager and a project coordinator?

The project manager is responsible for planning, initiating and overseeing all project plans until completion. They communicate regularly with team members, contractors, stakeholders and clients. It’s a leadership role that involves delegating tasks to others and trusting them to do their jobs responsibly to have a successful project.

On the other hand, a project coordinator may work under a project manager with administrative responsibilities. They assist with organization, client and internal communications and by setting meetings to make sure that the project lifecycle is running smoothly.

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