Management skills are an important part of applying for a high-level position. What do you need to know about featuring management skills in your resume?
Management skills, which include people management skills, are key soft skills that make a person a good leader. A good manager must combine the technical skills required to do the job of the people they are managing as well as the leadership and communication skills to effectively manage their team members and the department they are in charge of. Of course, displaying good management skills at work and communicating them on a resume are two different things.
These are just some of the effective management skills that can be included on a resume. Always review the job description to see if there are any other management-related skills that will be important to include them on your resume.
Passive language is one of the easiest ways to kill an otherwise great resume. When you use a phrase like, “Was responsible for,”you put distance between you and your role and miss an opportunity to show off your skills. Instead, try phrases like “Achieved,” “Developed,” or “Managed.” Active language shows that you take ownership of your role.
Tie your work section to your skills section by giving brief examples of your work in a way that displays managerial skills. For example, if you managed a team in a call center, you might say, “I developed a card system that allowed call handlers to flag me for problem-solving while in a tough call. Over the next two months, formal complaints dropped by 20%.”
When discussing your skills, try to avoid generalities. Don’t just say “interpersonal skills” or “good communication skills.” Instead say “conflict resolution skills” or “motivational speaking skills.” Better yet, give work examples of how you’ve used these skills.
Your resume presents an opportunity to display good communication skills, so do your best to be clear and honest about the skills you have. Showing self-awareness is as important as showing confidence.
If you are invited to a job interview, you are likely to be asked about your managerial skills in some way. This may be in the form of a behavioral question, such as, “Tell me about a time when you managed a difficult situation?” If you are asked a question like this, you should be able to give an example that backs up your skills. When asked a question like this, you should give a specific answer using the STAR method, which breaks down as Situation – Task – Action – Result.
You can also prove your management skills in your resume by listing any relevant certifications and awards you have earned. These can be proven academic awards like a BA in business management, for example, or even company training programs or awards for performance received from previous employers. When paired with the right professional references, these kinds of qualifications and awards can help prove that you have the right managerial skills.
If you are applying for a management position, it goes without saying that you should focus on your managerial skills, but these skills are also valuable for most positions. For example, if the job you’re applying for is more customer-centered, important management skills such as project management and conflict resolution are good to feature.
Check the job description and pinpoint management skills that the job emphasizes; then match them with the skills you have. In most cases, it’s best to highlight the four or five skills that are strongest and most relevant to the job posting.
When you are asked about your managerial skills in your interview, it’s time to put your communication skills to good use by giving experience-based examples that support the skills on your resume. These examples should follow the STAR method of answering questions: provide a situation, a task, the action you took, and the result of your actions.
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