Branch Manager Resume Example
A career as a branch manager typically involves overseeing daily operations and implementing company policies. For a successful branch manager application, you'll want to submit a professional resume that showcases your relevant skills. In this article, we'll outline how to write a winning resume to boost your chances of success in your branch manager applications.
The aim of this article is to equip you with all the knowledge required to create a resume that positions you to succeed in your branch manager applications. You'll learn how to show employers you've got the relevant qualities, skills and experience for the job, all presented in a format that employers prefer to see. The article also includes tips for formatting your resume according to your experience and strengths. Read on to access expert insights from Jobseeker that will help you create a winning branch manager resume.
Main elements of a branch manager resume
It's essential to include a few core sections in your branch manager resume, while there are also a few optional sections.
For junior and entry-level branch manager positions, you may be short on work experience to include in your resume. Select a resume layout that emphasizes your skills and qualifications, such as a functional format. Likewise, an entry-level resume might focus more on soft and transferable skills, as well as details about internships, voluntary work or relevant training you've completed.
Work experience is typically the most important resume section for branch manager applicants with some prior experience. As such, it's best to use a traditional, reverse-chronological resume format. Use your work experience section to highlight your career achievements and show how you meet the job description. Offer evidence of the impact you had on successful outcomes for the company.
For senior branch manager applications, concentrate on your work experience and any accolades or achievements that prove your status as a highly experienced candidate. Use a reverse-chronological resume format with additional sections. Some elements to include in a senior resume for maximum impact might include awards, publications, conference presentations or professional memberships. By adding these sections, it's likely that your resume will be longer than a junior resume.
You will have some choice over your resume layout and structure, but be sure to include these sections as the core of your document:
Resume Header and Personal Information
The resume header is the place to add your name and contact details, along with your LinkedIn URL if you have a profile, so employers can find more information about your career journey and skills. You don't typically need to add a photo, or any other personal information to this section. Create a clear, well-structured header that acts as the headline of your resume. Use color accents and blocks to help this section stand out and catch the eye of the reader.
Make sure the email address you list in your header is professional-looking and doesn't contain any inappropriate content such as nicknames or unsuitable language. Opt for an email address based on your name or profession, or a combination of both. Finally, check your contact details before sending your resume, to ensure everything's up-to-date.
Skylar Martinez
skylar.martinez@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
280 South Verde Street, Los Angeles, CA
linkedin․com/in/skylar–martinez123
Resume Summary
Your resume personal profile is a short, concise paragraph to highlight two or three key skills and achievements in branch manager roles. You may also see this section named as 'resume summary' or 'resume objective'. Resume summaries tend to focus on your career experience, while resume objectives cover your ambitions and plans for the future. Additionally, make sure your resume summary reflects the job description and focuses on qualities that are relevant to working as a branch manager.
Alternatively, use this summary to introduce your personal career ambitions and explain why branch manager roles are a good fit for you at this stage of your career.
A great resume summary should highlight why you're an ideal candidate for branch manager roles by showing key skills and qualities that reflect the job description and provide evidence to support them. It should also introduce your personality and unique qualities to the reader, to help them start to form an opinion about you as a candidate. You can see some positive examples of a resume summary for branch manager jobs below.
Dynamic and results-driven Branch Manager with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and extensive experience as a Regional Operations Manager. Proven expertise in overseeing branch operations, driving sales growth, and enhancing customer satisfaction. Adept at developing and implementing strategic plans to optimize efficiency and profitability. Strong leadership skills with a track record of building and leading high-performing teams. Excellent problem-solving abilities and a commitment to delivering exceptional service
Branch manager with some background in business and operations. Worked in areas related to managing branches and improving sales. Involved in making plans to help things run smoothly and profitably. Have led teams and worked on solving problems while aiming to provide good service
Conversely, an ineffective resume summary would include generic, unspecific information on your skills and experience, while failing to provide any useful information on what makes you a unique and interesting candidate. The graphic above shows some of the pitfalls to avoid when creating your resume summary.
Work Experience
In your work experience section, list any previous relevant roles you've worked in, as well as your key achievements as a branch manager. Mention only the most appropriate and relevant jobs you've had in reverse-chronological order, starting with your most recent and working backwards. Add your job title, the name of the employer, the location of the role and your dates of employment.
In addition, include a few bullet points under each job, highlighting your key achievements so the hiring manager can see how they led to successful outcomes. Back up each point with evidence to show how you meet the job description.
A good work experience section pulls the reader in with clear examples of where you've put the skills necessary for the job into good use in your career to date. This typically includes evidence of how your skills and activities contributed to positive outcomes for the organization. See below for some good examples of what to include in your resume work experience section.
Regional Operations Manager, January 2022 - Present
Aurora Financial Services, Detroit
- Increased regional sales by 25% year-over-year through strategic planning and execution
- Successfully managed a team of 50+ employees, reducing turnover by 15% through improved training and retention programs
- Implemented cost-saving initiatives that reduced operational expenses by 20% while maintaining service quality and customer satisfaction
Regional Operations Manager, January 2022 - Present
Aurora Financial Services, Detroit
- Enhanced sales performance through effective strategies and teamwork
- Led a large team to achieve improved employee satisfaction
- Streamlined operations to optimize efficiency and maintain quality
In the graphic above you can see a great example of what to avoid when writing your resume work experience section. Ineffective work experience sections tend to focus too much on everyday responsibilities over skills and achievements. If you use vague descriptions of activities and fail to back up your achievements with evidence, you're likely to fail to make an impact on the reader.
Educational Achievements
In your education section, include details of your most relevant branch manager qualifications and educational achievements.
If you're applying for branch manager positions you'll typically need to have a degree. A Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) will usually help your chances of success. You could also list any qualifications that demonstrate your team leadership skills or sales strategy development.
List every relevant qualification, including the name and level of the course, the name of the school, college or university, its location and your graduation date. You can also add some bullet points outlining any high grades, awards you won or specialist subjects you studied. Adding this information will show the employer your dedication to learning and your areas of specialist knowledge.
If you were a member of any clubs or societies, or volunteered for any causes while studying, you could also mention these in your education section.
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), 2017 - 2020
University of Houston, Houston, TX
Hard and Soft Skills
The skills section of a branch manager resume is a chance to list any skills you have that match those of the job description. You could include team leadership skills, effective communication skills or any other skills that show you're a suitable candidate. Again, refer to the job description and make sure you include skills that the employer has listed as essential or desirable for employment as a branch manager.
How to include hard skills on your branch manager resume
Hard skills are specific skills related to the job you're applying for. They include particular abilities, technical skills and industry knowledge that relate directly to jobs as a branch manager. Furthermore, your hard skills list helps to show employers how competent and experienced you are at key branch manager duties and responsibilities. If possible, add four or five hard skills that reflect the requirements of the job description. These will boost your chances of success in your applications.
The best resume hard skills sections focus on specific technical skills necessary for the job, showcasing skills that you have particular expertise in. There are some examples of valuable hard skills for a branch manager resume below.
- Financial statement analysis
- Sales strategy development
- Team leadership skills
Adding soft skills to your branch manager resume
Your soft skills are the core qualities and personal characteristics that make you a good employee. They tend to apply to multiple professions and jobs, though the soft skills you'll require may change as you move from junior to senior positions. In fact, as technology develops, soft skills are growing in importance for recruiters and employers, so be sure to add several of these to your resume. In this section, add four of five transferable skills that match the job description.
An effective branch manager resume soft skills section should be targeted to include skills that reflect your personality and unique characteristics, while also matching the job description. The graphic below includes some examples of good resume soft skills.
- Leadership and management
- Effective communication skills
- Problem-solving abilities
Licenses and Certifications
Your certifications section is the place to mention any relevant professional branch manager certifications, licenses or qualifications. These might be licenses that show you're qualified to operate certain equipment, or certifications that give you the edge over candidates with otherwise similar career history. Therefore, make sure you list the dates of your certifications and licenses so employers can see they're up-to-date and valid.
Review the list below for some suitable certifications for a branch manager resume:
- PMP Certification, 2022
- CFA Charterholder, 2022
- Six Sigma Black, 2022
Optional Sections
As well as the main sections of a branch manager resume, optional sections can help you prove your credentials to employers. Choose optional sections from the list below, if they help to showcase your relevant skills and experience.
Personal Interests
Including your hobbies and interests can be a valuable way of showing your key skills and qualities. Your hobbies and interests are useful for a branch manager resume if you want to show a different side to your personality, or to stand out among other candidates. They can also be valuable if you're a junior candidate without much relevant work experience. Don't include hobbies and interests in your resume unless they showcase a specific interest or aspect of your personality. You'll want them to add something to your application that you can't add elsewhere.
Volunteer Work
This section can be valuable for a branch manager resume, if you've done any voluntary work that showcases your relevant skills. Add your volunteer job title or role, the name of the organization, its location and the dates you were involved.
References
It's relatively unusual to include references in a standard branch manager resume, but they are required occasionally. Check the job advert to see if you'll need to add references to your resume. Before adding any referees to your resume, ask them for their assistance and prepare them for contact by the employer.
References can be provided upon request.
Best strong verbs for your a branch manager resume
Using strong action verbs in your work experience bullet points can make a stronger impression on employers and show the value you added to your previous roles. Choose verbs from the suggestions below that highlight your key skills or those mentioned in the job description.
- Manage
- Lead
- Coordinate
- Supervise
- Strategize
- Optimize
- Mentor
- Analyze
- Execute
- Develop
If you need help creating a resume that impresses HR managers, take a look at Jobseeker's professional resume templates. You can also access beautiful cover letter templates that help your application stand out.
Example resume for branch manager applications
The branch manager resume example below includes all the sections above, so you can see how a completed resume looks:
280 South Verde Street, Los Angeles, CA
•
skylar.martinez@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/skylar–martinez123
Dynamic and results-driven Branch Manager with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and extensive experience as a Regional Operations Manager. Proven track record in optimizing branch performance, driving sales growth, and enhancing customer satisfaction. Adept at leading teams, managing budgets, and implementing strategic initiatives to achieve organizational goals. Highly skilled in operational efficiency, process improvement, and cross-functional collaboration.
Regional Operations Manager
2020
-2022
Aurora Logistics Solutions (Tucson)
- Increased regional sales by 25% within one year through strategic market expansion and targeted promotional campaigns
- Reduced operational costs by 15% by implementing lean management techniques and optimizing supply chain logistics
- Enhanced customer satisfaction ratings by 30% by spearheading comprehensive training programs for frontline staff and streamlining service processes
Financial statement analysis
Sales strategy development
Team leadership skills
Leadership and management
Effective communication skills
Problem-solving abilities
PMP Certification
CFA Charterholder
English - Fluent
Spanish - B2
Tips for branch manager resumes
- Read your resume carefully before sending it, to avoid errors that could prove costly to your chances.
- List your relevant work experience in reverse-chronological order, starting with your current or most recent job.
- Use action verbs to showcase how you've put your branch manager skills to use in your career (e.g. 'manage', 'lead', 'coordinate').
- Add key skills throughout your resume that match the job description, along with a dedicated 'skills' section.
- Mention your key educational achievements, such as degrees and professional qualifications, along with grades such as your GPA, if they're high.
- Don't fill your resume with unnecessary details. Focus everything on showing you're right for the job.
- Don't use passive language because it can switch off the reader. Adapt phrases like 'the work was completed' to 'I completed the work'.
- Don't use jargon or business-speak. It can make your resume appear clichéd and harder to read.
- Don't list work experience that has no relation to the role you're applying for. It wastes space and is unlikely to impress hiring managers.
- Don't use complex and elaborate formatting that can make your branch manager resume less readable and more difficult for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to scan.
Tips on creating an ATS-optimized resume
Applicant tracking systems (ATS) help recruiters and employers to manage their hiring process. They can handle some of the more time-consuming and resource-intensive jobs, such as initial screening of resumes. Employers often receive hundreds of applications per vacancy, and ATS software can quickly and accurately scan and rank resumes based on their likely suitability for any role. When drafting your branch manager resume, there are a few guidelines to follow to give you the best chance of passing the ATS screening stage and progressing with your application.
Here are a few quick tips for creating an ATS-friendly resume:
- Adopt a traditional structure for your resume, such as a reverse-chronological format or a functional format. These are likely to be the easiest layouts for ATS software to scan.
- Include keywords throughout your resume that align with the job description. ATS software tends to compare your resume to the job description for points of similarity, so careful, considered use of keywords should help your chances of success.
- Include clear headings in each section that match the traditional resume structure and format. This will make it easier for the ATS software to scan your resume.
- Utilize a clean, clear resume design that helps make your content more readable. Use simple fonts and subtle color accents and design elements that don't detract from the written content.
- Adopt simple, professional language to keep your resume as concise as possible. This tends to make your document more readable, and easier for ATS software to scan.
For advice and guidance on creating the perfect resume, read our expert career blog and check out our detailed resume examples.
Frequently Asked Questions about a branch manager resume
After writing your branch manager resume, you'll want to write an accompanying cover letter that helps your application stand out.
Before you write your cover letter, think about whether you need a formal, professional letter or if a brief, less formal email might be more suitable.
If you decide you want to write a traditional cover letter, follow the standard letter-writing conventions around layout and structure. In the main body of the letter, write an opening paragraph to introduce yourself and explain why you're applying for the branch manager role. Your second paragraph is typically where you highlight your key relevant skills and achievements. Finally, close by expressing your enthusiasm for the role and leave a call to action to encourage the hiring manager to make contact with you.
Jobseeker's HR-approved cover letter templates can help you produce a cover letter that really catches the eye of employers.
If you have no experience, it's still possible to write a professional branch manager resume that makes a positive impression on hiring managers. Opt for a skill-based resume format instead of a traditional layout. This places your skills and education in a more prominent position on your resume. Use the additional information sections at the end of your resume as a showcase for relevant skills and achievements. These can be a particularly useful way of proving you have the skills necessary for the job.
You can use a resume headline to introduce your document and set the tone for your branch manager applications. Resume headlines are also helpful for the ATS stage of the recruitment process, as they can help you reference the job title and one or two keywords for the role. Write a few words to set the tone for your resume, including the job title, your experience or track record and one or two key skills that make you stand out.
You can use this example resume headline as a template for creating your own:
- Aspiring Branch Manager Seeking Opportunities
- Dynamic Branch Manager Driving Success
- Senior Branch Manager with Expertise
The top resume format for your applications will vary according to a couple of factors. First, how much professional experience you have. Second, what type of job you're applying for and its seniority level. For applicants without much relevant work experience, a functional resume format tends to be best. This places the emphasis on your key skills and relevant qualifications. Once you have some relevant work experience, and for senior positions, a reverse chronological resume format is typically best. This emphasizes your work experience, which will probably be the key thing employers want to know about.
Key takeaways for your branch manager resume
If you want to catch the eye of employers and recruiters, you need a professional resume that showcases your best skills and career achievements. Use a suitable resume format and tailor your resume for every application you submit.
Remember, Jobseeker resume templates and other tools make it easy to create a resume and cover letter that leaves a positive impression on hiring managers. Sign up now to start building your perfect resume. A stylish, professional cover letter can make all the difference to your job prospects. See Jobseeker's cover letter examples, written by careers experts, to help you craft an eye-catching application.
Sources:
(1) Tips for Writing a Federal Resume, U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/tips-for-writing-a-federal-resume
(2) Resume Tips, Duke University: https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/resume-tips/
