Operations Manager Resume: 10+ Examples + How-to

Operations Manager Resume (Text Version)

Contact Info:

Claudia Taylor
[email protected]
1 (219) 555-5500
Indianapolis, IN 46077

Summary Statement:

Operations Manager: Effective operations manager with over 10 years of experience. Strong sense of ethics and an interpersonal management style that lends itself easily to promoting a positive work culture. Proven leadership skills in communicating a vision, implementing business strategy, managing performance, developing the skills and abilities of team members, team building, and conflict management.

Key Accomplishments/Areas of Expertise

• Microsoft Office
• PC Proficiency
• WMS
• LMS
• OSHA
• Access
• Leadership
• Problem Solver
• Leadership
• Communication
• Cost Reduction
• Budgeting
• Critical Thinking

Professional Experience:

Northern Automotive | Indianapolis, IN
Operations Manager | Apr 2016 – Present

• Manage, upgrade, and streamline the operation of the automotive distribution facility
• Interface directly with customers to ensure on-time deliveries, improving satisfaction ratings by 15%
• Increase employee productivity by 10% through implementation of incentives and review procedures
• Monitor and exceed distribution standards for efficiency and quality by 20%

Fullbeauty Brands | Indianapolis, IN
Operations Manager | Nov 2013 – Apr 2016

• Minimized and eliminated safety hazards to maintain a safe work environment
• Addressed violations of company work policies while providing training to improve  compliance
• Effectively monitored staffing of the facility to ensure all operational targets were met or exceeded
• Ensured supervisors adequately trained hourly associates decreasing turnover by 25%

GEODIS | Indianapolis, IN
Assistant Operations Manager | June 2010 – Nov 2013

• Coordinated distribution and warehousing in a cross-dock operation
• Evaluated and promoted improved and expanded services in the area
• Reviewed costs and made recommendations to maintain and enhance profitable operations
• Supervised several warehouse positions

Education/Certifications

Bachelor’s Degree | Supply Chain Management
Indiana University | Bloomington, IN
Graduated 2010

Warehousing Qualifications (Certificate & Diploma)
eBSI Export Academy

Making a good first impression starts with appearances.

Before a hiring manager reads one word of your resume, the first thing they are going to notice is the format.

Any resume can maintain a professional and neat appearance by following just a few simple and basic guidelines.

To start, make sure that you have selected a straightforward and legible font that is easy on the eyes.

While it is important to make eye-catching formatting decisions, it is more important to make sure your operations manager resume is easy to read.

The overall appearance of your resume should be inviting, so make sure that you allow for enough spacing between lines and sections to guide your readers’ eyes down the page.

Even spacing is a key component that often gets neglected when a candidate is trying to pack in too much information for one page – don’t let your resume fall into that trap.

Utilizing bullet points will assist you in having enough separation between talking points to let more impactful information stand out.

Just make sure that you list your most impressive details for each section first.

Typically, following reverse chronological order will allow your most recent and relevant details to surface first.

Hiring managers only spend about 6 seconds reviewing each resume they receive, so never save the best for last.

Now that you have a better idea of how you want your resume to appear overall, it is time to introduce yourself properly.

A resume summary should be kept short and sweet, so keep this section between two to three sentences.

Despite the brevity of this section, however, don’t be afraid to include a few key talking points or specific details to engage your audience right away.

You want to describe yourself as an operations manager in a way that is relatable, yet unique enough to separate yourself from other candidates.

Let’s look at an example.

The first example gives enough detail to pique the interest of a hiring manager without over-describing the candidate.

The second example lends little to no detail about the candidate and what their management style is like.

PRO TIP: If you are not sure what details are essential to include in this section, try skipping it and writing it after you have written your other resume sections. Often, trying to sum yourself up in just a few sentences can be tough. Giving yourself some context to start with by writing your work experience and qualifications first can give you a better idea of what details should be included in your summary.

Now that you have laid out some initial details to pique your reader’s interest, it is time to really grab their attention.

Hiring managers don’t have a whole lot of time to spend on each resume they review, so they want to know fairly quickly if you match their requirements or not.

Many job requirements come down to a certain amount of key skills and qualifications that are necessary to function in the position you are applying to.

When a hiring manager reads your operations manager resume, they want to be able to see if you match up to what they are looking for at a glance – that means bullet points.

This section of your resume should include a list of both the hard and soft skills required to be an operations manager.

If you are unfamiliar with the terms hard skills and soft skills, rest assured that you are likely still familiar with the skill types they refer to.

Hard skills are more commonly known as technical skills because they need to be taught and practiced in order to master them.

Most of the time, hard skills are more job-specific based on your field or position.

Soft skills are more commonly known as people skills because they are the kind of skills that help you communicate and work well with others.

While soft skills are often applicable to more than just one field or position, they are still vital, especially in a management position.

Your list of skills and qualifications should include a decent amount of both skill types to ensure that your resume proves you are a well-rounded and competent candidate.

Key Accomplishments/Areas of Expertise:

• Microsoft Office
• PC Proficiency
• WMS
• LMS
• OSHA
• Access
• Leadership
• Problem Solver
• Leadership
• Communication
• Cost Reduction
• Budgeting
• Critical Thinking

PRO TIP: Make sure that you consult any job postings for the position you are applying to as you write your resume. Often, companies will include some crucial skills they are looking for a candidate to have in order to be considered for hire. Your resume should include any and all applicable skills that you have that are listed in the job posting to prove you are exactly the candidate they are looking for.

Your work experience section should typically take up the bulk of your resume, and for good reason.

A person’s job history shows a hiring manager what kind of work the candidate is familiar with, and where their various skills and qualifications come from.

While everyone has a unique job history, and some candidates might have more or less to work with than others, you can still make or break this section based on how you word and format it.

To start, make sure that you are only including jobs in this section that are relevant either to the industry you are applying to, or the job position.

For example, it is acceptable to include previous work as an operations manager in a separate field or list non-management work from the same industry, while you try to work your way up the ladder into an operations management position.

What is not acceptable is to include work that is entirely unrelated to either the field or the position you are applying to (provided you have better or more relevant experience to go off of).

As a general rule of thumb, listing your work in reverse chronological order will generally allow your most relevant and related work to come first.

Once you have selected the previous positions you would like to include in your operations manager resume, take the time to list three to five bullet points describing each one.

Make sure that each bullet point covers a separate accomplishment, job duty, or experience that is related to the job you are trying to obtain.

The first example lists the accomplishments and tasks the candidate conducted with clear and precise results and details.

The second example lists job tasks that the candidate conducted without any specifics or details that would create an impactful description of their abilities as an operations manager.

PRO TIP: When writing your job descriptions, always quantify and qualify your details. If you decreased employee turnover rates, lend a specific percentage, and give details as to what you implemented to do so. Particulars are what separate you from the competition.

(If you lack work experience, see below for a helpful section.)

What Are Bots?

If you are new to the workforce or you haven’t applied to a new job in the last few years, you might need to brush up on the most current hiring processes.

Mainly, you’ll need to be aware of the use of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), otherwise known as bots.

Bots are programs used by companies to sort through resumes before the review of a hiring manager.

When a bot reviews a resume, it searches it for specific keywords (distinct adjectives) and power words (action verbs) that are associated with prime candidate potential.

When a bot finds a resume that shows potential, it will flag the resume to be reviewed further by a hiring manager.

When a resume does not pique the interest of a bot, it is unlikely to be given another chance.

Some resume experts believe that writing your job descriptions in paragraphs allows for the use of more keywords, so they suggest writing in this format to impress bots.

However, it is still possible to use a sufficient amount of keywords while formatting your job descriptions with bullet points.

Bullet points are also more optimal when it comes to catching the attention of human reviewers – which is why we recommend this method of formatting here at Big Interview.

Standard bullet point format:

Fullbeauty Brands | Indianapolis, IN | Operations Manager | Nov 2013 – Apr 2016

• Minimized and eliminated safety hazards to maintain a safe work environment
• Addressed violations of company work policies while providing training to improve staff compliance
• Effectively monitored staffing of the facility to ensure all operational targets were met or exceeded
• Ensured supervisors adequately trained hourly associates, decreasing turnover by 25%

Paragraph format:

Fullbeauty Brands | Indianapolis, IN | Operations Manager | Nov 2013 – Apr 2016

Minimized and eliminated safety hazards to maintain a safe work environment. Disciplined and addressed violations of company work policies while providing training to improve staff compliance. Effectively monitored staffing of the facility to ensure all operational targets were met or exceeded by up to 13%. Ensured supervisors adequately trained hourly associates in a safe and efficient manner, decreasing turnover by 25%.

Paragraph format w/ bullet points:

Fullbeauty Brands | Indianapolis, IN | Operations Manager | Nov 2013 – Apr 2016

Minimized and eliminated safety hazards to maintain a safe work environment. Disciplined and addressed violations of company work policies while providing training to improve staff compliance. Effectively monitored staffing of the facility to ensure all operational targets were met or exceeded by up to 13%. Ensured supervisors adequately trained hourly associates in a safe and efficient manner, decreasing turnover.

• Increased annual profit by $3.2 million
• Reduced turnover by 25%

When writing your education section, it is important to list the most recent and impressive details first then work your way down (e.g., Master’s, bachelor’s, associates, etc.).

If you have a bachelor’s or high degree of education, it isn’t always necessary to include your high school diploma.

For each item, write out the full title of your degree, the year you graduated, and the name of the school you attended.

You can also include any certifications or licences in this section as well.

Example:

Education/Certifications

Bachelor’s Degree | Supply Chain Management

Indiana University | Bloomington, IN
Graduated 2010

Warehousing Qualifications (Certificate & Diploma)

eBSI Export Academy

Possible Sections to Include

If you have additional accomplishments and qualifications to discuss, you can always accommodate those details by adding in a section to cover them.

Some sections to consider including are:

• Awards and honors
• Publications
• Noteworthy Projects
• Social Media Influence
• Speaking Engagements
• Hobbies/Interests
• Volunteer Work

What if You Have no Experience?

If you are either a recent graduate or are switching career fields, you might be wondering what adjustments you should make to your resume in regards to becoming an operations manager.

When you have management experience that is in a separate industry, it is important to focus on the details that are still applicable in both your previous position and the position you are trying to obtain.

When writing your job descriptions, make sure that you discuss the job responsibilities and accomplishments that will be impressive and relatable to the job you want.

Details like reducing employee turnover rates, safety, customer satisfaction, and profits are crucial in nearly all businesses.

For candidates who lack management experience, it is important to list your experience in a similar fashion.

When listing skills, qualifications, or writing job descriptions, focus on details that apply to the industry you work in or any opportunities you’ve had to supervise employees or projects.

The main goal here is to play to your strengths, don’t try to stretch the truth and compensate with experience that doesn’t exist.

Keep it brief

When writing your resume, it is important to keep things to the point and not repeat the same information. A resume should never go on to the second page no matter how much experience you have. Highlight your most impressive and relevant details and move on.

Power, power, power

When you are writing your resume, always utilize power words (action verbs) to start bullet points and sentences describing your work ethic. Never repeat the same power word and keep things fresh.

Relevant and recent

When deciding what details are most important to include on your resume, always list things that are relevant to the job you want and always list your most recent accomplishments first. Hiring managers only want to see details that apply to the position you want, and they want to know what you have been up to most recently.

Overlooking the small stuff

When you are reviewing your resume (always review your resume), make sure that you pay attention to the simple details like your name and contact information. Sometimes the easiest things of all are the details that get overlooked and forgotten.

“I” and “me”

When writing your resume, it is sometimes tempting to write the words “I” and “me” when discussing yourself. Avoid the use of these two words as their inclusion sounds awkward on a resume.

Crazy formats

While formats can be fun to play around with, make sure that you aren’t selecting a format that is over the top just for the sake of being eye-catching. Your format should be functional first, meaning every visual decision you make should relate to the information you are trying to convey.

(See below for a helpful table of some suggested power words.)

Operations Manager Resume Power Words

• Administered
• Founded
• Adept
• Formulated
• Built
• Implemented
• Created
• Improved
• Consolidated
• Initiated
• Coordinated
• Launched
• Developed
• Pioneered
• Designed
• Organized

Operations Manager Resume Skills List