General Manager Resume Tips and Samples

General management is one of the most traditional and in demand positions held by managers throughout the world. Just about every mid-size to large corporation employs general managers. General managers ensure business operations run smoothly, they recruit new employees, help to reduce workload for owners, manage finances and oversee various administrative tasks--in short, they're an all-purpose manager. While the duties of a general manager vary slightly from one business to another, all good general managers possess certain qualities, skills and characteristics.

Qualifications, skills and qualities of a good general manager include:

As you develop your resume, consider the qualifications, skills and qualifities of a good manager listed above.

As you develop your resume, emphasize your key skills and qualifications as they relate to the specific general management position you're seeking. For example, if you're applying for a general management position with a retail outlet, you'll want to focus on skills relating to retail sales, product marketing, financial management and team building. If you're applying for a general manager position in the restaurant industry, you'd probably want to focus more on customer service, hospitality and recruitment.

We recommend introducing your key job qualifications, including skills and accomplishments, in your summary statement. The summary statement is similar to a career objective. However, where the career objective focuses on the career goals and objectives of the job seeker, the summary statement focuses on the needs of the employer. The summary statement should be no more than a few lines and is placed at the top of the resume just below the contact information. The following is an example of a powerful summary statement for an individual seeking the position of General Manager for a hotel chain.

General Manager
General management professional with with over 10 years progressive experience in strategic planning, improving operational efficiency, team building and project management for hospitality industry. Able to quickly understand complex concepts, indentify and solve problems, turn ideas into logical strategies, and implement systems that optimize productivity, decrease vacancy rates and increase bottom line.

Following the summary statement we recommend including an "Areas of Expertise" or "Highlights" section that lists your key skills and qualifications for the specific position you're seeking. While this section is optional, it's an effective way of making sure recruiters, hiring managers and prospective employer can quickly identify that you have the skills required for the position. This section should also include any professional certifications, licenses or specialized training you've acquired.

General managers are leaders, organizers, team builders, project managers and financial specialists, but most of all they are achievers. General managers are hired to produce results. While formal education and training are often required, prior work experience is what an interviewer or hiring manager is looking for. The best way to demostrate that you will get results for your prospective employer, is by showing how you've produced results for past employers. The key to successful general manager resume is emphasizing your achievements.

Following your summary statement and area of expertise sections, the rest of your resume should focus on your professional experience and achievements. When presenting your work history, use the reverse chronological resume format. Start by listing your most recent employer and move backwards. Under each employer listed, include your position, location and date of employment. Under this, include a brief (3-4 line) summary of your job responsibilities (optional) followed by a bulleted list of achievements.

The following is a sample resume for a seasoned General Manager seeking employment opportunities in the hotel management sector of the hospitality industry.

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The following are additional resume development resources we highly recommend for general management job candidates.