Write the ideal account manager resume with this quick guide
As an account manager, you are responsible for maintaining strong relationships with customers and ensuring their needs are met. When applying for this position, this means that your resume must highlight a wide range of abilities, from technical to interpersonal.
To write a perfect account manager resume, you must find ways to make yourself stand out from the competition.
In this article, you will learn about:
- The best resume format to use as an account manager
- How to make a lasting first impression with your resume summary
- Ways to optimize your work experience section to showcase your greatest skills and accomplishments
- How to properly list your account manager education and training
- Including a skills section with both technical and interpersonal skills to give your resume extra pizazz
1. Showcase your expertise with the reverse-chronological resume format
When applying for a position as an account manager, employers want to see a proven track record of success in your previous jobs. As such, you want to use a resume format that emphasizes work experience above all else.
The reverse-chronological resume places the main focus on work experience, listing your most recent job first and working backward from there. In this resume format, the work experience will take up the majority of the document, with the other sections being as short and sweet as possible.
This is the ideal format for account managers with multiple years of experience, especially those who have held several positions or moved up within a company over time.
But what if you are new to the field of account management or are coming back from a break in your career? Let’s briefly look at the alternatives for you to consider if this question describes your situation.
When to use alternative resume formats as an account manager?
Not every account manager will have years upon years of experience to highlight on their resume. Likewise, some professionals will be entering the field for the first time after working in related or relevant positions beforehand.
If this is true for your own situation, you may want to use a functional or combination resume format.
Functional resumes emphasize other sections besides work experience, such as skills or education. For instance, if you come from a background of customer service and are changing careers to become an account manager, a functional resume will help you to highlight your relevant skills.
Comparatively, combination resumes join together elements of both the functional and reverse-chronological formats. This is ideal for account managers who may have some work experience or gaps in their work history.
2. Make a lasting first impression with your account manager summary
Your resume summary is the initial introduction you provide to hiring managers. Not only should it plainly state your desired job title and experience level but it should also be used as an opportunity to show off your account management skills and achievements.
Think of your account manager summary as your hook – the sharper it is, the more likely you are to catch the attention of employers.
Incorrect account manager resume summary example:
"Successful Account Manager with strong communication and customer service skills. Seeking a long-term position with a major company to build relationships with clients."
What's wrong with this example? While this example starts strong with the “successful” adjective, it fails to give context around that adjective. The skills listed are a bit too vague, and the second sentence is more of an objective statement rather than a professional summary.
Corrected account manager resume summary example:
"Successful Account Manager with more than 8 years of experience working directly with corporate clients to increase and generate revenue. Awarded IIAT’s Account Manager of the Year Award for 2020 for distinct excellence in bettering the agency and community."
Why is this better? In this example, the “successful” adjective is given greater context through the inclusion of an award, as well as an exact number of years of experience. Rather than plainly listing skills, the skills of communication and customer service are highlighted by stating they worked “directly with corporate clients”.
3. Optimize your work experience section with accomplishments
Your work experience section should be the crown jewel of your account manager resume.
As an account manager, you have many different responsibilities and opportunities for achievements within your job. Your work experience section should take full advantage of this by showcasing your greatest accomplishments in previous positions.
Even if you have only held one prior position as an account manager, you can make the work experience section work for you by listing each of your accomplishments with as much quantifiable detail as possible.
Here is an example of an effective work experience entry
Account Manager
Snap, Inc. | June 2016 – August 2020 | New York, NY
- Collaborated with a team of 20+ Account Managers to improve onboarding and retention rates by more than 30%.
- Established partnerships with global companies, expanding the company’s network to more than 15 different regions.
- Exceeded all quotas and reached 120% of initial revenue goals month to month.
4. List your education and certifications succinctly
Education is an important factor when it comes to applying for account manager positions. While it is not as significant as actual work experience, employers want to see that you have the proper credentials and educational background for the job.
Additionally, most account managers will complete additional training or certification programs to master different specializations. These should be listed with or directly beneath your education section.
Here is an example of an optimized account manager education section
Education
Boston University | Boston, MA
- M.A. in Management Accounting | Completed 2019
- B.S. in Business Administration | Completed 2016
Certifications
- Certified Strategic Account Manager
- Earned 2020 | Strategic Account Management Association
5. Give your account manager resume extra flair with a skills section
To be a successful account manager, you need a wide variety of different skills – both technical and interpersonal. Adding a skills section will help you to highlight your many areas of expertise and will give you a much greater competitive edge.
Best soft skills for your account manager resume
- Written and Verbal Communication
- Leadership
- Strategic Perspective
- Negotiation
- Client Relationship Nurturing
- Networking
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Problem Solving
- Time Management
Best hard skills for an account manager resume
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Google Workspace
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- CRM Software (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.)
- Account Acquisition
- Cold Calling & Prospecting
- B2B Sales
- Risk Evaluation
- Presentation and Proposals