One significant CV challenge you might encounter as a facility manager is effectively maintaining seamless operations across diverse building systems and services. Our comprehensive guide offers practical strategies and innovative solutions to streamline your facility management processes, bolstering efficiency and reducing downtime.
- Applying the simplest CV design, so that recruiters can easily understand your expertise, skills, and professional background;
- Ensuring you stand out with your header, summary or objective statement, and a designated skills section;
- Creating your CV experience section - no matter how much expertise you have;
- Using real life professional CV examples to enhance the structure and outline of your profile.
If you still have no muse to write your professional CV, find some more industry-leading examples.
Structuring your facility manager CV layout: four factors to keep in mind
There are plenty of best practices out there for your CV layout and design. At the end of the day, a clear format and concise CV message should be your top priority. Use your CV design to enhance separate sections, bringing them to the forefront of recruiters' attention. At the same time, you can write content that:- Follows the reverse chronological order in the experience section by first listing your most recent jobs;
- Incorporates your contact information in the header, but do skip out on the CV photo for roles in the UK;
- Is spotlighted in the most important sections of your CV, e.g. the summary or objective, experience, education, etc. to show just how you meet the job requirements;
- Is no longer than two-pages. Often, the one-page format can be optimal for your facility manager CV.
Before submitting your CV, you may wonder whether to export it in Doc or PDF. With the PDF format, your information and layout stay intact. This is quite useful when your CV is assessed by the Applicant Tracker System (or the ATS) . The ATS is a software that scans your profile for all relevant information and can easily understand latest study on the ATS , which looks at your CV columns, design, and so much more.
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For certain fields, consider including infographics or visual elements to represent skills or achievements, but ensure they are simple, professional, and enhance rather than clutter the information.
The top sections on a facility manager CV
- Facility Management Experience showcases your direct role relevance.
- Technical Skills and Certifications indicate your capability to handle facility systems.
- Project Management Achievements highlight your ability to oversee facility projects.
- Health, Safety, and Environmental Compliance reflects your commitment to regulatory standards.
- Budget Management Expertise demonstrates your financial stewardship in facility operations.
What recruiters value on your CV:
- Highlight your expertise in overseeing building operations by mentioning your proven track record in maintaining facilities to high standards and ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations.
- Demonstrate your prowess in budget management and cost-efficiency by detailing examples of how you have successfully reduced expenses or managed large-scale facility budgets.
- Emphasise your communication and leadership skills, showcasing instances where you have coordinated with various departments, managed a diverse team of staff, or led projects to successful completion.
- Showcase your technical skills by listing certifications or experience with industry-specific software, energy management systems, or building automation systems, which are critical in the role of a facility manager.
- Mention any innovative facility improvements or sustainability initiatives you have implemented, reinforcing your commitment to environmental stewardship and your forward-thinking approach to facility management.
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Our checklist for the must-have information in your facility manager CV header
Right at the very top of your facility manager CV is where you'd find the header section or the space for your contact details, headline, and professional photo. Wondering how to present your the name of the city you live in and the country abbreviation as your address;
- are tailored to the role you're applying for by integrating key job skills and requirements;
- showcase what your unique value is, most often in the form of your most noteworthy accomplishment;
- select your relevant qualifications, skills, or current role to pass the Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessment. Still not sure how to write your CV headline? Our examples below showcase best practices on creating effective headlines:
Examples of good CV headlines for facility manager:
- Senior Facility Manager | Certified FM Professional | Sustainability & Efficiency | 15+ Years Experience
- Head of Facility Operations | NEBOSH Certified | Risk Management | Strategic Planning | 10 Years Leadership
- Facility Management Specialist | MSc in Building Services | Energy Solutions | 5-Year Track Record
- Deputy Facilities Director | BIFM Member | Project Delivery Expert | Health & Safety Focus | 8 Years
- Lead Facilities Coordinator | Space Optimisation Innovator | IAM Accredited | Budgeting & Procurement | 6 Years Experience
- Facilities Maintenance Supervisor | HVAC Excellence | Asset Management | Continuous Improvement | 12 Years in Field
Choosing your opening statement: a facility manager CV summary or objective
At the top one third of your CV, you have the chance to make a more personable impression on recruiters by selecting between:
- Summary - or those three to five sentences that you use to show your greatest achievements. Use the CV summary if you happen to have plenty of relevant experience and wish to highlight your greatest successes;
- Objective - provides you with up to five sentences to state your professional aims and mission in the company you're applying for
CV summaries for a facility manager job:
How to meet job requirements with your facility manager CV experience
We've now reached the essence of your actual CV - your experience section. This is the space where you can list your career roles and on-the-job successes. Many candidates tend to underestimate just how much time and effort they should put into writing this CV section. Your experience shouldn't be a random list of your responsibilities, but instead:
- Match the job description with your skills, values, and accomplishments;
- Start each bullet with a strong action verb, followed up with one key skill and your outcome of applying this skill;
- Spotlight parts of your career history that are relevant to the job you're applying for.
Before we move on, make sure to check out some professional CV experience sections.
Best practices for your CV's work experience section
- Managed a facility of 50,000 square feet, successfully reducing operational costs by 15% over two years through strategic vendor negotiations and energy-saving initiatives.
- Implemented a computerised maintenance management system (CMMS), increasing the efficiency of maintenance operations and cutting down response times by 25%.
- Coordinated the successful relocation of company headquarters, involving layout design, contractor liaison, and minimising downtime to ensure seamless business continuity.
- Developed and enforced health and safety protocols, resulting in a 30% reduction in workplace accidents and consistently exceeding compliance with OHSAS regulations.
- Supervised a team of 20 maintenance personnel, providing training and development to enhance skill sets and promoting a culture of high performance and accountability.
- Led the sustainability initiative to attain LEED certification for the facility, incorporating eco-friendly practices and materials, leading to a 20% reduction in carbon footprint.
- Conducted routine inspections and audits to maintain high standards of facility appearance and functionality, whilst also adhering to all regulatory requirements.
- Authored comprehensive emergency preparedness plans, conducting regular drills to ensure staff were well-trained for potential emergency situations, thus reducing risk.
- Negotiated and managed contracts with service providers and vendors, ensuring the provision of high-quality services and maintenance support while maintaining strict cost control.
- Led a cross-functional team in the implementation of a new energy management system at a multinational manufacturing facility, reducing energy usage by 15% within the first year.
- Coordinated the £2.5m refurbishment project of office space and manufacturing areas, ensuring all works were completed on time and to budget while minimising disruption to operations.
- Managed the facility's compliance with health and safety regulations, achieving a record low of zero reportable incidents over a two-year period through proactive risk assessments and employee training.
- Developed and maintained strategic partnerships with vendors, negotiating contracts that led to a 20% cost reduction in facility management services without sacrificing service quality.
- Spearheaded the transition to a cloud-based facility management software that increased operational efficiency by 30% and improved data accuracy.
- Initiated a waste reduction programme within the facility that diverted 60 tonnes of waste from landfills annually through recycling and repurposing initiatives.
- Oversaw the security operations for the corporate campus, reducing security incidents by 40% through the implementation of a state-of-the-art surveillance system.
- Enhanced employee satisfaction by managing workplace environment improvements, resulting in a 25% increase in staff retention over a three-year period.
- Directed the logistical planning and execution of consolidating multiple warehouses into a centralised distribution centre, improving inventory management and reducing overhead costs.
- Implemented an integrated building management system across all facilities, which optimised resource allocation and resulted in a 20% increase in operational efficiency.
- Coordinated across departments to ensure seamless planning and execution of company-wide events and conferences, accommodating up to 2,000 participants.
- Collaborated with the sustainability team to achieve a Gold LEED certification for the headquarters by adopting eco-friendly practices and technologies in facility management.
- Championed the development and execution of the facility's first comprehensive business continuity plan, improving resilience to business disruptions.
- Masterminded a customer-focused redesign of the public access areas, leading to a 35% increase in visitor satisfaction through improved signage and amenities.
- Negotiated multi-year maintenance contracts with critical equipment suppliers, assuring uptime and reducing unplanned maintenance costs by 22%.
- Delivered a comprehensive space optimisation project that increased available workstations by 15% while maintaining compliance with ergonomic standards.
- Orchestrated an energy audit that identified inefficiencies, leading to investment in new HVAC systems that cut energy consumption by 18% per year.
- Developed and implemented training programs for facilities staff, focusing on technical skills and customer service, increasing team productivity by 25%.
- Pioneered a company-wide recycling initiative that reduced waste costs by 30% by educating employees on best practices and the importance of sustainability.
- Evaluated and upgraded facility infrastructure, ensuring High Occupational Standards in Safety (HOS) compliance and reducing workplace incidents by 20%.
- Managed and executed a successful office relocation project for 500 employees, ensuring minimal downtime and 100% business functionality from day one.
- Spearheaded the acquisition and fit-out of new office space to accommodate a 40% increase in staff, managing the entire process from lease negotiation to move-in.
- Conducted regular employee engagement surveys to identify and react to issues with the facilities, maintaining an average employee satisfaction rate of 90% throughout my tenure.
- Leveraged Internet of Things (IoT) technology to develop a predictive maintenance schedule for critical facility equipment, reducing downtime by 25% and maintenance costs by 15%.
Swapping your professional experience (when you have none) with skills and more
Never underestimate the importance of relevancе when it comes to your facility manager CV. Even if you don't happen to have much or any standard (full-time contract) professional experience, this doesn't mean you shouldn't apply for the role. Instead of a bespoke CV experience section:
- Showcase more prominently any internships, part-time roles, and volunteer experience that are applicable to the role and have taught you job-crucial skills;
- Feature a strengths or achievements section with your transferrable skills or talents you've obtained thanks to your work or life experience;
- Write an objective statement that clearly outlines your values as a candidate and defines your career ambitions;
- List your education or certificates that match the job profile closer to the top of your CV.
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If you have experience in diverse fields, highlight how this has broadened your perspective and skill set, making you a more versatile candidate.
Key facility manager CV skills: what are hard skills and soft skills
Let's kick off with the basics. You know that you have to include key job requirements or skills across your CV. For starters, take individual skills from the job description and copy-paste them into your CV, when relevant. Doing so, you'll ensure you have the correct skill spelling and also pass the Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessment. There are two types of skills you'll need to include on your CV:
- Hard skills - technical abilities that are best defined by your certificates, education, and experience. You could also use the dedicated skills section to list between ten and twelve technologies you're apt at using that match the job requirements.
- Soft skills - your personal traits and interpersonal communication skills that are a bit harder to quantify. Use various CV sections, e.g. summary, strengths, experience, to shine a spotlight on your workspace achievements, thanks to using particular soft skills.
Remember that your job-winning CV should balance both your hard and soft skills to prove your technical background, while spotlighting your personality.
Top skills for your facility manager CV:
Facilities Management
Project Management
Building Maintenance
Health & Safety Compliance
Budgeting and Financial Management
Contract Negotiation
Energy Management
Space Planning
Emergency Preparedness
Sustainability Initiatives
Leadership
Problem-Solving
Communication
Organisational
Attention to Detail
Flexibility
Time Management
Teamwork
Decision-Making
Adaptability
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Order your skills based on the relevance to the role you're applying for, ensuring the most pertinent skills catch the employer's attention first.
Further professional qualifications for your facility manager CV: education and certificates
As you're nearing the end of your facility manager CV, you may wonder what else will be relevant to the role. Recruiters are keen on understanding your academic background, as it teaches you an array of hard and soft skills. Create a dedicated education section that lists your:
- applicable higher education diplomas or ones that are at a postgraduate level;
- diploma, followed up with your higher education institution and start-graduation dates;
- extracurricular activities and honours, only if you deem that recruiters will find them impressive.
Follow a similar logic when presenting your certificates. Always select ones that will support your niche expertise and hint at what it's like to work with you. Balance both technical certification with soft skills courses to answer job requirements and company values. Wondering what the most sought out certificates are for the industry? Look no further:
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If there's a noticeable gap in your skillset for the role you're applying for, mention any steps you're taking to acquire these skills, such as online courses or self-study.
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Key takeaways
Here are five things you need to remember about writing your facility manager CV for success:
- Sort your experience based on the reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent career items, to showcase how you've grown your career;
- Include within your CV header your relevant contact details, a headline that could spotlight your unique value, and a photo - if you're applying for roles outside the UK or US;
- Decide to use the CV summary, if you happen to have more professional experience, and an objective, if you want to showcase your career goals;
- Within the experience section, write your bullets using action verbs, skills, and success, instead of just merely listing your on-the-job responsibilities;
- Prove your technical skills, using your education and certificates, and your soft skills, with your achievements and strengths sections.
