Workforce Management Resume Example
Pursuing a career as a workforce manager provides opportunities for career progression and responsibilities involving analyzing productivity metrics and managing staff schedules. If you want to stand out with your workforce manager applications, you'll need to create a professional resume that makes a strong impression on employers. In this article, we'll discuss how to create a workforce management resume that catches the eye of employers, with tips and examples to help you write your own.
This comprehensive guide will give you all the tools you need to craft a workforce management resume that positions you strongly against other candidates. The guide will show you practical examples of how to structure your resume to show off your best and most relevant skills and career achievements. It will also show you how to tailor your resume according to the job description and your unique skill set. Read on to learn how to write a perfect workforce management resume, from the advice of careers experts at Jobseeker.
What to include in a workforce management resume
The key sections to include in a workforce management resume are similar to those for any role or profession.
If you're applying for junior, entry-level or graduate workforce manager positions and you lack work experience, consider using a skills-based resume format to emphasize your skills and education. 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.
When applying for mid-level workforce manager positions, it's typically best to opt for a reverse-chronological resume format. This is because work experience tends to be the most important resume section for this level. Your resume should focus on your career achievements, and the role you've played in successful projects and activities for your employers. Consult the job description for guidance on what to showcase, and provide evidence to support your claims.
If you're applying for senior workforce manager positions, you'll want to list career achievements and successes that emphasize your senior status. Use a reverse-chronological format and add extra sections to show key career highlights. Senior resumes are often longer than resumes for junior roles. This is because you may choose to include extra sections, such as awards, professional memberships, publications, conferences or certifications on your resume.
How you choose to present your resume is up to you. There are plenty of options for a professional resume layout and format, but every application should include the following:
Resume Header
Your workforce management resume header is the place to add your contact details. Start by adding your full name and underneath, include your email address, phone number and location. Adding your LinkedIn profile, if you have one, can help the employer get a better insight into your skills and industry expertise. You don't need to include any additional personal information or a photo. Make sure your resume header is as brief as possible and doesn't take up too much valuable space. Choose a clear, professional design that sets the tone for your application.
Opt for a professional-looking email address based on your name. If your email address could be construed as unprofessional or inappropriate because it contains nicknames or unsuitable language, create a new, more professional email address for your job applications. Always check your contact details to make sure they're up-to-date before you send your resume.
Randy Mitchell
randy.mitchell@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
221B Baker Street, New York, NY
linkedin․com/in/randy–mitchell123
Resume Summary
Next, write a short paragraph to introduce yourself. You could also call this section 'resume summary' or 'personal profile'. In two or three sentences, explain your professional background, achievements and key skills. If you choose to write a resume summary, this focuses on your career experience to date. On the other hand, a resume objective addresses your future plans and career ambitions. However, make sure you keep your resume summary short and snappy, and focused on the skills and experience listed in the job description.
Alternatively, write a paragraph that concentrates on your career objectives and how this role fits with your wider ambitions and progression.
The best resume summaries reflect the job description and focus on qualities that are relevant to working as a workforce manager, while highlighting elements of your personality that make you an ideal candidate. They also quantify the information provided with evidence. See below for some great examples of how to approach your workforce management resume.
Good example:
Results-driven Workforce Manager with a BBA in Human Resource Management and extensive experience as a Workforce Optimization Manager. Proven expertise in strategic workforce planning, process optimization, and performance management. Adept at leveraging data analytics to enhance productivity and reduce operational costs. Strong leadership skills with a track record of successfully managing cross-functional teams to achieve organizational goals
Bad example:
Worked in managing people and teams, with some background in business and human resources. Have experience in planning and improving processes. Used data to try and make things run smoother and cheaper. Led teams from different areas to help reach goals
On the other hand, a resume summary can be ineffective if it lacks specific information about how your skills align with the job description, or fails to paint a picture of your unique qualities and talents. The visual above includes some examples of what not to do with your workforce management resume summary
Work Experience
Next, list your relevant employment history and any key achievements that show you're suitable for a workforce manager position. List each relevant role in reverse-chronological order starting with your current or most recent role. Add your job title, the organization name, its location and the dates you worked there.
For each job listed in this section, add some bullet points so the employer can understand the skills you developed, and your achievements. Focus on showcasing the impact you made on the organization, and show evidence of how you made a difference.
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. Take a look at the examples below for some guidance on what works best for your work experience section.
Good example:
Workforce Optimization Manager, January 2022 - Present
SynergyWorks Solutions, Bakersfield
- Implemented a data-driven scheduling system, reducing labor costs by 15% and improving shift coverage by 20%
- Spearheaded a comprehensive training program, resulting in a 25% increase in team productivity and a 30% decrease in turnover
- Led a cross-functional project to automate reporting, cutting administrative time by 40% and enhancing decision-making speed by 50%
Bad example:
Workforce Optimization Manager, January 2022 - Present
SynergyWorks Solutions, Bakersfield
- Improved team efficiency through various strategies and initiatives
- Enhanced operational processes to optimize resource allocation
- Developed and executed plans to boost employee performance
Above, you can see a weaker example of a resume work experience section to best avoid. 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.
Education
The education section provides space to list your highest and most recent academic achievements that are relevant to working as a workforce manager.
To work as a workforce manager, employers tend to require candidates to have a specialist degree, such as a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA). If you have this degree, focus on it in your education section, while also mentioning any educational achievements that show your KPI performance tracking or budget management experience.
List your relevant qualifications in reverse-chronological order. Add the name and level of the award, the institution, its location (if this isn't obvious from the name) and your dates of study. If you have space, include some bullet points outlining any specialist areas of study, awards or high grades, so the employer can learn more about your unique skill set and knowledge.
Membership or leadership of any societies, clubs or causes while studying can also make a positive impression on hiring managers. Consider adding these to your education section for more insight into how you used your time as a student.
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Human Resource Management, 2017 - 2020
University of Delaware, Newark, DE
Skills
Listing your key skills can help to prove your suitability for workforce manager jobs. These could be KPI performance tracking, time management skills or various other relevant skills. Additionally, read the job description to make sure your skills match those required for workforce manager positions. You could also include some unique skills that help you stand out as a candidate.
Highlighting your hard skills
For your hard skills list, include any technical abilities or specific industry knowledge that's essential to working as a workforce manager. These could be skills gained through work experience or qualifications. Furthermore, your hard skills list helps to show employers how competent and experienced you are at key workforce manager duties and responsibilities. Aim to include four or five key hard skills. If you have space, explain how and where you've used that skill to create successful outcomes in your career. These skills will demonstrate your credentials and show how you meet the job description.
If you want to make a strong impression with your hard skills list, focus on hard skills that align with your specific industry expertise, and that reflect the job description. For inspiration on the right type of hard skills for a workforce manager resume, see below.
- Data analysis proficiency
- HRIS software expertise
- Project management skills
Soft skills on your workforce management resume
In your soft skills list, include any personal characteristics that make you a good fit for a workforce manager job. Soft skills tend to be more universal than hard skills, but they're no less important. Indeed, without soft skills, you may struggle to adapt to workforce manager roles or meet the standards expected of you. So make sure you include several key soft skills on your resume. In this section, add four of five transferable skills that match the job description.
Your soft skills section should make the most of your unique personal qualities and strengths, while also reflecting the requirements laid out in the job description. See below for some examples of useful soft skills for a workforce manager resume.
- Communication and collaboration
- Problem-solving abilities
- Emotional intelligence (EQ)
Certifications
In your certifications section, list any professional certifications or licenses that are relevant to working as a workforce manager. Add any official certifications or accreditations that increase your level of qualification and suitability for working as a workforce manager. Therefore, add any professional licenses or certifications, along with valid dates that show they're still valid.
Review the list below for some suitable certifications for a workforce management resume:
- PMP Certification, 2022
- Six Sigma Black Belt, 2022
- SHRM-SCP, 2022
Additional Information
As well as the main sections of a workforce 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.
Hobbies and Interests
Hobbies and interests can be a useful way of showing your skills and experience beyond your work and education. They also help to show a different side of your personality, and can help your resume create a more memorable impression on hiring managers. If you're short on real world work experience, hobbies and interests can be a useful way of providing more information about your qualities. Just make sure any hobbies and interests you include in your resume add genuine insight into your personality, in ways other sections of the resume can't.
Volunteer Experience
Listing volunteer work is another useful way to prove your relevant experience for workforce manager roles. Add any voluntary roles, including your position, the name of the organization, the dates of your voluntary work and a brief explanation of your responsibilities and achievements.
References
It's not typical to include references in a workforce management resume, but some employers might ask for them. Don't add references unless requested by the employer. Only include referees that you've had prior approval from, and notify them to expect contact from the employer.
Please contact me for a list of references.
Best strong verbs for your a workforce manager resume
Start each bullet point in your work experience section with a strong verb to show actions you took. Choose from the list of words below to increase the impact of your work experience section.
- Supervise
- Coordinate
- Implement
- Strategize
- Delegate
- Optimize
- Mentor
- Evaluate
- Streamline
- Facilitate
If you want to create a resume that stands out from the crowd, use Jobseeker's expert-designed resume templates. You can also find cover letter templates that work to get you noticed by employers.
Example of a workforce management resume
Now that you know everything that needs to go into your workforce management resume, let's review an example resume that you can use as a guide when creating your own:
221B Baker Street, New York, NY
•
randy.mitchell@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/randy–mitchell123
Dynamic and results-driven Workforce Manager with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and extensive experience in workforce planning and optimization. Proven track record in developing and implementing strategic workforce plans, optimizing resource allocation, and enhancing operational efficiency. Adept at data analysis, forecasting, and utilizing workforce management tools to drive performance and meet organizational goals. Strong leadership and communication skills with a focus on team collaboration and process improvement.
Workforce Planning and Optimization Manager
2020
-2022
OptiWork Solutions (Denver)
- Enhanced workforce efficiency by 30% through strategic scheduling and resource allocation
- Implemented advanced analytics tools, reducing staffing costs by 15%
- Achieved 95% employee satisfaction rate via optimized workload distribution and training initiatives
Data analysis proficiency
HRIS software expertise
Project management skills
Communication and collaboration
Problem-solving abilities
Emotional intelligence (EQ)
PMP Certification
Six Sigma Black Belt
English - Fluent
Spanish - B2
Quick tips for a workforce manager resume
Tips to write the best resume
- Use strong verbs to help show the actions you've taken in different workforce manager roles (e.g. streamline, facilitate, supervise).
- Use a clear, professional resume format to make your document as accessible as possible, including a readable font and appropriate headings, margins and line spacing. This will make your resume easier for recruiters and hiring managers to read.
- Showcase your key workforce manager qualities with a strong resume summary or objective to catch the attention of the reader.
- Include any relevant work experience in reverse-chronological order, starting with your current or most recent role, for maximum readability.
- Keep your workforce management resume as brief as possible. A single page is ideal for junior applicants, while two sides is acceptable for senior jobs.
Things to avoid on your resume
- Don't use jargon or acronyms when you can use simple, straightforward language to say the same thing.
- Don't exaggerate, lie or hide details about yourself as these can all undermine your chances of success with workforce manager applications.
- Don't add personal information such as your age, gender, a photo or marital status, as these can lead to bias in the hiring process.
- Don't use an unprofessional email address. Instead, opt for a simple email address based on your name.
- Don't include hobbies unless you're light on work experience and they help you prove a skill required for the job.
Making an ATS-friendly resume
An applicant tracking system (ATS) is just one of the tools employers and recruiters can use to streamline their hiring practices. This typically includes screening candidates by scanning and ranking their resumes based on their likely suitability for any vacancy. There are several things you can do when writing your workforce management resume, to give yourself the strongest chance of ranking highly in the ATS stage and progressing through the recruitment process.
Create an ATS-optimized resume by following these quick tips:
- Opt for an established, traditional resume format such as a reverse-chronological or functional structure. These will ensure your resume includes all the necessary details ATS systems scan for.
- Use of job description keywords throughout your resume will help it rank higher in the ATS scanning stage, as it will more closely match the requirements laid out in the job description.
- Use clear headings that break your resume up into readable, scannable sections that match the standard content employers expect from a resume.
- Use design elements that help make your resume more readable. These might include white space, clear, professional fonts and subtle color accents to help certain elements stand out.
- Use simple, concise language to keep your resume to a maximum of one to two pages in length. This will make it easier for ATS software to read.
If you need help creating a professional resume, take a look at our expert career articles and variety of resume examples created by careers experts.
Frequently Asked Questions about a workforce manager resume
After writing your workforce management 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 choose to write a full cover letter, follow traditional letter-writing conventions surrounding greetings, sign-offs and use of professional language. The body of the cover letter tends to be three paragraphs. The first introduces yourself and the role you're applying for, giving reasons for your application. The second briefly covers your key skills and achievements that are most relevant to workforce manager roles. Finally, the third paragraph re-emphasizes your interest in the role and leaves a call to action, encouraging the employer to reach out to you.
You can create a professional cover letter in just a few simple, easy-to-follow steps using Jobseeker's tried and tested cover letter templates.
Even if you have no work experience, following a few simple tips for your workforce management resume can ensure you make a strong impression on employers. 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. Optional sections at the end of your resume can play a stronger role if you're lacking relevant work experience. Use certifications and training, hobbies and interests, volunteer roles and internships to show you've got the necessary skills for the job.
A strong resume headline can give the reader an immediate idea of your suitability for workforce manager jobs. Resume headlines are also a powerful way of increasing your resume's chances of passing the ATS stage. They reference the job title and some of the keywords that match the job description. Write a short, concise resume headline incorporating the job title, one or two key skills that match the job description and a reference to your reputation or track record.
See an example resume headline below:
- Junior Workforce Management Specialist
- Expert Workforce Optimization and Leadership
- Strategic Senior Workforce Management Leader
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. If you don't have much experience, for example if you're applying for a graduate role or changing careers, you might consider a functional resume format. This focuses on your skills and education above your work experience. If, however, you have relevant work experience in the industry, it's typically best to use a reverse chronological resume format. This highlights your achievements in work, which is probably the most important factor for hiring managers to consider.
Key takeaways for your workforce management resume
An effective resume is a concise, professional summary of your relevant skills and career achievements, showcased through a chronology of your career history. Select a resume format that suits your experience levels and the job you're applying for, and make sure you tailor your resume for each application.
Use Jobseeker's resume templates, other tools and resources to create an application that impresses employers. Sign up today to access a wealth of valuable resume and cover letter resources. Whatever job you're applying for, a professional cover letter can make all the difference to your chances. Use Jobseeker's HR-approved tools and cover letter examples to inspire your applications.
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/
