One specific resume challenge you might face as an IT service manager is effectively showcasing your technical expertise while also highlighting your leadership and project management skills. Our guide can help you balance this by providing strategies to articulate your technical accomplishments and leadership experiences in a way that clearly demonstrates your comprehensive capabilities to potential employers.
- Incorporate IT service manager job advert keywords into key sections of your resume, such as the summary, header, and experience sections;
- Quantify your experience using achievements, certificates, and more in various IT service manager resume sections;
- Apply practical insights from real-life IT service manager resume examples to enhance your own profile;
- Choose the most effective IT service manager resume format to succeed in any evaluation process.
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Formatting the layout of your IT service manager resume: design, length, and more
When it comes to the format of your IT service manager resume , you've plenty of opportunities to get creative. But, as a general rule of thumb, there are four simple steps you could integrate into your resume layout.
- If you have plenty of experience, you'd like to showcase, invest in the reverse-chronological resume format . This format focuses on your latest experience items and skills you've learned during your relevant (and recent) jobs.
- Don't go over the two-page limit, when creating your professional IT service manager resume. Curate within it mainly experience and skills that are relevant to the job.
- Make sure your IT service manager resume header includes all of your valid contact information. You could also opt to display your professional portfolio or LinkedIn profile.
- Submit or send out your IT service manager resume as a PDF, so you won't lose its layout and design.
Different regions expect different formats – Canadian resumes, for example, may look unique.
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The more trusted the organization you've attained your certificate (or degree) from, the more credible your skill set would be.
Essential sections that should make up your IT service manager resume include:
- The header - with your contact details (e.g. email and telephone number), link to your portfolio, and headline
- The summary (or objective) - to spotlight the peaks of your professional career, so far
- The experience section - with up to six bullets per role to detail specific outcomes
- The skills list - to provide a healthy mix between your personal and professional talents
- The education and certification - showing your most relevant degrees and certificates to the IT service manager role
What recruiters want to see on your resume:
- Demonstrated experience in IT service management and familiarity with ITSM frameworks such as ITIL or COBIT.
- Proven track record in managing IT teams and delivering IT services that meet business needs.
- Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.
- Strategic thinking and ability to align IT services with overarching business goals and objectives.
- Expertise in service level agreement (SLA) negotiation, vendor management, and performance metrics analysis.
What is the resume experience section and how to write one for your past roles
The experience section in a IT service manager resume is critical for your profile and overall application. It should not only display your work history, but also highlight your achievements in previous roles.
Many candidates either simply list their duties or provide excessive details about past, irrelevant jobs. A more effective approach involves first examining the job advertisement for keywords - specifically, skills essential for the role. Then, demonstrate these key requirements throughout different parts of your resume, using accomplishments from your roles.
Format each bullet point in your experience section by starting with a strong action verb. Follow this with a description of your role and its impact on the team or organization.
Aim to include three to five bullet points for each role.
Finally, gain insights into how professionals have crafted their IT service manager resume experience sections by exploring some best practice examples.
- Leader of a 20-person IT Services team, achieving a 15% decrease in system downtime through the implementation of a proactive maintenance schedule.
- Successfully negotiated a new $1.2M contract with a leading software provider, enhancing overall service capabilities by integrating contemporary AI-driven support solutions.
- Pioneered a company-wide ITIL framework adoption that increased process efficiency by 30% and significantly improved client satisfaction scores.
- Revamped the company's IT service delivery model, introducing automation that saved over 2000 man-hours annually.
- Orchestrated the migration of over 500 workstations to a cloud-based environment, enhancing security and remote work capabilities.
- Cultivated a high-performance culture that improved team morale and reduced staff turnover by 25%.
- Implemented a new incident management system that cut response time by 40%, substantially increasing customer satisfaction levels.
- Directed the successful integration of a merger's IT systems in under 6 months, ensuring seamless service continuity during the transition.
- Developed and oversaw a $500K annual budget, focusing on cost-effective solutions without compromising service quality.
- Managed daily IT operations across 4 international offices, effectively supporting over 2000 end users in a high-demand environment.
- Led a cross-functional team to deliver a network infrastructure overhaul within a tight 9-month timeline, boosting system reliability by 35%.
- Proposed and executed a strategic plan to outsource non-core IT services, resulting in an annual saving of $300K.
- Implemented a company-wide cybersecurity protocol that reduced security breaches by 60% within the first year.
- Coordinated and oversaw the seamless transition of IT support to a follow-the-sun model, ensuring 24/7 service availability.
- Introduced advanced performance metrics that provided actionable insights, contributing to a 20% improvement in service delivery speeds.
- Developed and managed a robust IT service catalog, aligning IT services with business needs and facilitating a 10% growth in overall efficiency.
- Optimized resource allocation by introducing a skill-based routing system in the IT service desk, which increased first-call resolution by 18%.
- Fostered strong relationships with vendors, negotiating contracts that cut IT expenses by 15% while enhancing service offerings.
- Masterminded the standardization of IT service processes across all departments, which enhanced inter-departmental cooperation and efficiency.
- Drove a company-wide digital transformation initiative that increased overall productivity by integrating cutting-edge collaboration tools.
- Designed a service improvement plan that was credited with a 22% increase in end-user satisfaction ratings.
- Led a highly successful server consolidation project that reduced hardware costs by 25% and improved energy efficiency.
- Initiated a comprehensive training program that upskilled the IT team in cloud technologies, future-proofing the organization's IT capabilities.
- Chaired the IT service continuity planning committee, delivering a robust disaster recovery plan that reduced potential downtime risk by 50%.
- Championed the adoption of a bespoke ITSM platform, which automated key service management tasks and improved team productivity by 20%.
- Managed strategic vendor partnerships that led to the successful deployment of an enterprise-wide unified communication system.
- Enhanced the IT service desk's capabilities by incorporating AI-driven chatbot technology, which enabled the handling of an additional 500 queries per month.
- Directed the deployment of an enterprise mobile device management solution that secured over 1500 employee devices and mitigated data loss occurrences.
- Executed a strategic staff augmentation plan that tripled the capacity of the IT support team within two years, enhancing service response times.
- Achieved an annual reduction in IT operational costs by 20% through strategic process optimization and judicious management of the department's budget.
Quantifying impact on your resume
- Include the number of IT projects managed and the percentage of projects delivered on time and within budget to demonstrate efficiency and effectiveness.
- List the size of the teams you've supervised and the levels of staff within those teams to show management experience and scope of leadership.
- Specify the amount of budget you are responsible for to highlight your financial acumen and trustworthiness with significant company resources.
- Mention the percentage of system uptime achieved under your management to showcase your commitment to reliability and operational excellence.
- Showcase the reduction in incident response times achieved to illustrate your focus on improving service levels and customer satisfaction.
- Report any cost savings achieved through vendor negotiations or process improvements to display your contributions to the company's financial health.
- Detail the number of user support tickets resolved and any improvements in resolution time to emphasize customer service and problem-solving abilities.
- Present any industry-appropriate certifications, such as ITIL or PMP, with the date of certification to establish your commitment to professional development and industry standards.
Action verbs for your IT service manager resume
Guide for IT service manager professionals kicking off their career
Who says you can't get that IT service manager job, even though you may not have that much or any experience? Hiring managers have a tendency to hire the out-of-the-blue candidate if they see role alignment. You can show them why you're the best candidate out there by:
- Selecting the functional skill-based or hybrid formats to spotlight your unique value as a professional
- Tailoring your IT service manager resume to always include the most important requirements, found towards the top of the job ad
- Substituting the lack of experience with other relevant sections like achievements, projects, and research
- Pinpoint both achievements and how you see yourself within this specific role in the IT service manager resume objective.
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If you happen to have plenty of certificates, select the ones that are most applicable and sought-after across the industry. Organize them by relevance to the role you're applying for.
Popular IT service manager hard skills and soft skills for your resume
Apart from assessing your professional expertise, recruiters are on the lookout for whether your skills align with the job.
Your profile would thus be assessed in regard to your:
- Hard or technical skills - your ability to perform on the job using particular technologies or software
- Soft skills - how you adapt, communicate, and thrive in different environments.
Both types of skills - hard and soft skills - are important for your resume, so make sure to create a dedicated skills section that:
- Lists up to five or six skills that align with the job advert.
- Integrates vital keywords for the industry, but also reflects on your personal strengths.
- Builds up further your skills with an achievements section within which you explain what you've achieved thanks to using the particular skill.
- Aims to always quantify in some way how you've used the skill, as it's not enough to just list it.
What are the most sought out hard and soft skills for IT service manager roles?
Check out the industry's top choices with our two dedicated lists below:
Top skills for your IT service manager resume:
ITIL Framework
ServiceNow
JIRA
Microsoft Azure
VMware
Network Management Tools
Active Directory
SQL Database Management
Incident Management Software
Monitoring and Reporting Tools
Leadership
Communication
Problem-Solving
Time Management
Team Collaboration
Adaptability
Customer Service Orientation
Critical Thinking
Negotiation
Conflict Resolution
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Showcase any ongoing or recent educational efforts to stay updated in your field.
Maximizing your IT service manager resume: education and certification sections
To effectively showcase your industry knowledge in your IT service manager resume, it's important to properly list your education and certifications.
For the education section, ensure you include:
- Higher education degrees pertinent to the industry or those at a postgraduate level;
- The start and end dates of your education, along with the name of the institution you graduated from;
- Your GPA and relevant coursework, but only if they are impressive and applicable to the role.
Additionally, create a separate certifications section to spotlight your most notable recognitions. Another excellent place to feature a leading industry certificate is in your resume header, right after your name.
Below is a list of key industry certifications that are often sought after by recruiters
The top 5 certifications for your IT service manager resume:
- ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) - AXELOS
- PMP (Project Management Professional) - PMI (Project Management Institute)
- CSM (Certified ScrumMaster) - Scrum Alliance
- PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) - AXELOS
- COBIT 5 (Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies) - ISACA
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Showcase any ongoing or recent educational efforts to stay updated in your field.
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Choosing between a IT service manager resume summary or objective
Many may argue that, in recent times, the IT service manager resume summary or objective has become completely obsolete.
But the reality is different as both of these resume sections provide you with an opportunity to :
- integrate IT service manager-vital keywords
- showcase your accomplishments
- answer why you're applying for this particular role.
The difference (between the summary and the objective) is that the:
- Resume objective puts your career goals in a more prominent position.
- Resume summary focuses more on career milestones.
We recommend you select the summary if you happen to have plenty of experience you'd like to spotlight from the very start of your IT service manager resume.
Meanwhile, the objective is ideal for those candidates who'd like to further prove their suitability for the role with their goals and soft skills.
We've featured some industry professional IT service manager resume samples to the best resume summary and objective structures:
Resume summaries for a IT service manager job
- Seasoned IT service manager with over 12 years of hands-on experience in directing the provision of IT services, optimizing operational processes, and leading high-performing teams. Expertise in ITIL frameworks and technologies such as cloud computing and cybersecurity. Championed the digital transformation initiative that increased operational efficiency by 30% at TechGlobal Solutions.
- Dedicated Professional with extensive background in customer service and project management, now seeking to apply a decade of organizational and leadership skills within the IT service realm. Proficient in process optimization and team collaboration, eager to leverage vast problem-solving skills to enhance IT service delivery and client satisfaction metrics.
- Accomplished Financial Analyst transitioning into IT Service Management, bringing forth robust analytical skills and a passion for technology solutions. Proficient in data analysis and experienced in managing complex projects, seeking to utilize these strengths to drive technology service excellence and achieve unprecedented user satisfaction rates.
- Proactive individual looking to transition from a successful 7-year career in sales to IT Service Management. Highly skilled in client relationship building and strategic planning, with a keen interest in leveraging technology to solve business problems. Eager to combine sales acumen with technical knowledge to contribute to service management effectiveness.
- Eager to embark on a professional journey as an IT service manager, possessing a strong foundational knowledge in computing systems and networking from academic coursework. Aspiring to apply organizational and analytical skills to manage IT services effectively, driven to learn and grow within a dynamic tech-focused environment.
- Determined graduate with a degree in Information Technology and relevant internship experience, aiming to utilize learned theoretical principles and practical skills in an IT Service Management role. Enthusiastic about contributing fresh insights and harnessing emerging technologies to deliver superior service quality and support business growth.
Other relevant sections for your IT service manager resume
Apart from the standard IT service manager resume sections listed in this guide, you have the opportunity to get creative with building your profile. Select additional resume sections that you deem align with the role, department, or company culture. Good choices for your IT service manager resume include:
- Language skills - always ensure that you have qualified each language you speak according to relevant frameworks;
- Hobbies - you could share more about your favorite books, how you spend your time, etc. ;
- Volunteering - to highlight the causes you care about;
- Awards - for your most prominent IT service manager professional accolades and achievements.
Make sure that these sections don't take too much away from your experience, but instead build up your IT service manager professional profile.
Key takeaways
- Your IT service manager resume is formatted professionally and creates an easy-to-read (and -understand) experience for recruiters;
- You have included all pertinent sections (header, summary/objective, experience, skills, certifications) within your IT service manager resume;
- Instead of just listing your responsibilities, you've qualified them with skills and the results of your actions;
- Within your IT service manager resume, you've taken the time to align specific job requirements with your unique expertise, showcasing the value you can provide as a professional;
- Technologies and personal skills are featured across different sections of your IT service manager resume to achieve the perfect balance.
