Business Manager Resume Examples and How to Write

Are you struggling to land interviews for business manager positions despite having solid experience? You’re not alone. Many talented professionals find themselves overlooked because their resumes don’t effectively showcase their leadership capabilities and business acumen. The good news is that with the right approach, you can create a compelling business manager resume that opens doors to exciting opportunities across Australia’s diverse business landscape.

Whether you’re transitioning from a different field, stepping up from a senior analyst role, or re-entering the workforce after a break, this comprehensive guide will help you craft a resume that resonates with Australian employers. We’ll show you exactly what hiring managers look for, provide real examples, and give you the tools to present your experience in the most compelling way possible.

Business managers are the strategic backbone of Australian organisations, responsible for driving growth, managing teams, and ensuring operational excellence. From SEEK to boutique consultancies, employers are seeking candidates who can demonstrate both strategic thinking and hands-on execution skills.

Business Manager Resume (Text Version)

What is The Best Format for a Business Manager Resume?

For business manager positions in Australia, the reverse chronological format is your best choice. This format highlights your career progression and demonstrates the leadership journey that employers want to see. Start with your most recent role and work backwards, showing how you’ve grown into increasingly responsible positions.

Font Selection and Sizing:
Choose professional fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Helvetica. Use 14-16pt for your name and main headings, 11-12pt for section headings, and 10-11pt for body text. Consistency is key – stick to one or two fonts maximum throughout your resume.

Layout and Spacing:
Maintain 2.5cm margins on all sides to ensure readability and professional appearance. Use adequate white space between sections to prevent your resume from looking cluttered. This breathing room helps hiring managers quickly scan your information.

File Format:
Always submit your resume as a PDF unless the job posting specifically requests otherwise. PDFs preserve your formatting across different devices and operating systems, ensuring your carefully crafted layout remains intact.

Essential Resume Sections:

Header: Include your full name, phone number, professional email address, city and state, and LinkedIn profile URL. Avoid including your full street address for privacy reasons.

Professional Summary: A 3-4 sentence overview highlighting your years of experience, key achievements, and core competencies relevant to business management.

Professional Experience: Your work history in reverse chronological order, focusing on achievements and quantifiable results rather than just job duties.

Education: Your formal qualifications, including degree type, institution, and graduation year. For experienced professionals, this can be brief.

Skills: A mix of technical and soft skills relevant to business management, tailored to the specific job requirements.

Other Sections: Depending on your background, consider adding certifications, professional associations, languages, or relevant volunteer experience.

What Experience Should Be on Your Business Manager Resume?

Your experience section is the heart of your business manager resume. Focus on roles that demonstrate your ability to lead teams, drive strategic initiatives, and deliver measurable business results. Include positions from the last 10-15 years, emphasising those most relevant to business management.

• Quantify your achievements with specific numbers, percentages, and dollar amounts
• Highlight leadership responsibilities including team sizes and scope of authority
• Showcase strategic impact through process improvements and business growth initiatives
• Demonstrate cross-functional collaboration with various departments and stakeholders
• Include budget management experience showing fiscal responsibility and financial acumen
• Show progression in responsibility and complexity of roles over time

Entry-Level Business Manager Resume Samples [Experience]

For entry-level business manager positions, focus on transferable skills from previous roles, leadership potential, and any supervisory or project management experience. Highlight academic projects, internships, and volunteer work that demonstrate business acumen.

How to Write the Education Section for your Business Manager Resume

Education is particularly important for business manager roles, as it demonstrates your foundational knowledge in business principles, strategic thinking, and analytical skills. Australian employers often look for candidates with relevant business qualifications, particularly for mid to senior-level positions.

For experienced professionals, keep your education section concise but include relevant degrees, certifications, and professional development. If you’re a recent graduate, you can expand this section to include relevant coursework, academic achievements, and thesis topics that relate to business management.

Include your degree type, institution name, graduation year, and any honours or distinctions. For MBA graduates, consider mentioning your specialisation or key subjects if they’re particularly relevant to the role you’re targeting.

Business Manager Resume Example [Education]

How to Write the Skills Section for your Business Manager Resume

The skills section of your business manager resume should showcase both the technical competencies and soft skills that make you effective in a leadership role. Aim for 8-12 skills total, balancing hard and soft skills. Tailor this section to match the specific requirements mentioned in the job posting, using similar terminology where appropriate.

Focus on skills that demonstrate your ability to drive business results, lead teams, and manage complex projects. Include both industry-standard tools and methodologies as well as the interpersonal skills that enable effective leadership and collaboration.

Business Manager Resume Skills (Hard Skills)

• Strategic Planning & Business Development
• Financial Analysis & Budget Management
• Project Management (Agile, Waterfall methodologies)
• Data Analysis & Business Intelligence (Power BI, Tableau)
• CRM Systems (Salesforce, HubSpot, Dynamics 365)
• Process Improvement & Lean Six Sigma
• ERP Systems (SAP, Oracle, NetSuite)
• Advanced Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Access)
• Contract Negotiation & Vendor Management
• Risk Management & Compliance

Business Manager Resume Skills (Soft Skills)

• Leadership & Team Management
• Strategic Communication & Presentation
• Stakeholder Relationship Management
• Problem-Solving & Critical Thinking
• Change Management & Organisational Development
• Cross-Cultural Collaboration
• Time Management & Prioritisation
• Conflict Resolution & Negotiation
• Emotional Intelligence & Team Motivation
• Adaptability & Resilience

How to pick the best Business Manager skills:

1. Analyse the job description carefully and identify the specific skills mentioned or implied in the requirements
2. Match your experience to the employer’s needs, selecting skills you can genuinely demonstrate through examples
3. Balance technical and soft skills to show you’re both strategically capable and people-focused
4. Prioritise relevant skills by placing the most important ones first in your list
5. Use industry terminology that Australian employers recognise and value
6. Avoid generic skills like “hard worker” or “good communicator” unless you can make them specific and measurable

Business Manager Resume Examples [Skills]

Should I Add Bonus Sections to My Business Manager Resume?

Additional sections can significantly strengthen your business manager resume by showcasing your commitment to professional development and industry engagement. These sections help differentiate you from other candidates and demonstrate your dedication to staying current with business trends and best practices.

Licences & Certifications: Professional certifications like PMP, Lean Six Sigma, or industry-specific qualifications show your commitment to continuous learning and validate your expertise in key areas.

Languages: In Australia’s multicultural business environment, additional languages can be a significant advantage, particularly for roles involving international business or diverse customer bases.

Professional Associations: Membership in organisations like the Australian Institute of Management (AIM) or industry-specific associations demonstrates your professional network and commitment to industry standards.

Conferences & Professional Development: Attending relevant conferences or completing executive education programs shows you stay current with industry trends and invest in your professional growth.

Volunteer Work: Leadership roles in volunteer organisations can demonstrate your management skills and community commitment, particularly valuable when changing careers or for early-career professionals.

Awards & Honours: Recognition for professional achievements, academic excellence, or community contributions can set you apart from other candidates.

Business Manager Resume Examples [Other Sections]

Tip: Focus on achievements and qualifications that directly relate to business management. Personal hobbies should only be included if they demonstrate leadership (coaching sports teams), relevant skills (treasurer of a community organisation), or industry connections (member of business networking groups).

How to write a Business Manager Resume Objective or Resume Summary

Your professional summary is your elevator pitch – a powerful 3-4 sentence statement that immediately communicates your value proposition to potential employers. For business managers, this section should highlight your years of experience, key achievements, and the specific value you bring to an organisation.

• Start with your experience level and primary area of expertise
• Quantify major achievements with specific numbers and percentages
• Highlight key competencies that align with the target role
• Include industry-specific keywords that applicant tracking systems will recognise
• End with a forward-looking statement about what you can contribute to the new organisation

Business Manager Resume Summary Examples

For entry-level positions, focus on your potential, relevant education, transferable skills, and any leadership experience from university projects, internships, or part-time roles.

Entry-Level Business Manager Resume Summary Examples

How to Update Your LinkedIn Profile When Updating Your Business Manager Resume

Your LinkedIn profile should complement and expand upon your resume, particularly in the Australian job market where recruiters extensively use LinkedIn for candidate sourcing. According to recent data, over 85% of Australian recruiters use LinkedIn as their primary recruitment tool, making profile optimisation crucial for business manager roles.

When updating your resume, simultaneously refresh your LinkedIn profile to maintain consistency across all platforms. Your LinkedIn profile allows for more personality and detail than your resume, so use this space to tell your professional story more comprehensively while maintaining the same core message and achievements.

LinkedIn Headline Optimisation for Business Managers

Your LinkedIn headline is prime real estate – it appears in search results and gives viewers their first impression of your professional brand. Make it compelling and keyword-rich for business manager roles.

LinkedIn Summary vs Resume Summary: Key Differences

While your resume summary is concise and achievement-focused, your LinkedIn summary can be more conversational and include your professional journey, motivations, and personality. Australian professionals tend to appreciate authenticity, so let your professional personality shine through.

Your LinkedIn summary can be 3-5 paragraphs compared to your resume’s 3-4 sentences. Use first person (“I led” rather than “Led”) and include your career aspirations, professional values, and what drives you in business management roles.

Showcasing Business Manager Experience on LinkedIn

LinkedIn allows you to expand on your resume bullet points with more context and storytelling. For each role, you can include:

• Detailed project descriptions with outcomes and lessons learned
• Media uploads like presentations, reports, or project summaries
• Team photos from successful project completions or company events
• Links to company articles or press releases about initiatives you led
• Video testimonials from team members or stakeholders (if available)

Transform your resume’s concise bullet points into paragraph-style descriptions that provide more context about your achievements and their impact on the organisation.

LinkedIn Skills and Endorsements for Business Managers

LinkedIn allows you to list up to 50 skills, but focus on your top 15-20 most relevant competencies. Prioritise skills that:

• Match job descriptions for roles you’re targeting
• Reflect current business trends like digital transformation or agile management
• Demonstrate measurable expertise that colleagues can genuinely endorse
• Include industry-standard tools and methodologies

Actively seek endorsements from colleagues, clients, and team members. Consider taking LinkedIn Skill Assessments for key competencies – passing these assessments adds credibility to your profile and can improve your visibility in recruiter searches.

LinkedIn Profile Tips for Australian Business Managers

Local Networking: Connect with professionals from Australian Institute of Management, industry associations, and local business networks. Australian business culture values relationship-building and personal connections.

Geographic Optimisation: Include your location and be open about your willingness to relocate if applicable. Many Australian business roles require interstate or international mobility.

Content Sharing: Regularly share insights about Australian business trends, comment thoughtfully on industry posts, and publish articles about your expertise. This demonstrates thought leadership and keeps you visible to your network.

Recruiter Accessibility: Ensure your profile settings allow recruiters to contact you, and consider adding a professional email address to your contact information for easy outreach.

Professional Photography: Invest in quality headshots that reflect Australian business culture – professional but approachable, reflecting the country’s relatively informal yet competent business environment.

Creating a compelling business manager resume is just the first step in your job search journey. Your resume should work in tandem with a tailored cover letter that expands on your most relevant experiences and demonstrates your understanding of the specific company and role. Remember to customise both documents for each application, highlighting the experiences and skills most relevant to each position.

As you progress in your business management career, regularly update your resume to reflect new achievements, certifications, and responsibilities. The Australian job market rewards professionals who can demonstrate continuous growth and adaptation to changing business environments.

For additional resources on Australian business career development, consider exploring opportunities through the Australian Institute of Company Directors and stay updated with business trends through publications like the Australian Financial Review and Business Insider Australia.

Your business manager resume is more than a document – it’s a strategic tool that opens doors to leadership opportunities across Australia’s dynamic business landscape. With the examples and guidance provided in this comprehensive guide, you’re well-equipped to create a resume that showcases your unique value and lands you that next great role.