Crafting a CV that effectively showcases your strategic leadership and broad-ranging management expertise is a considerable challenge for any general manager. Our guide provides clear, actionable steps and expertly tailored language that will help you distil your diverse skill set into a compelling narrative, ensuring your application stands out to prospective employers.
- Create an attention-grabbing header that integrates keywords and includes all vital information;
- Add strong action verbs and skills in your experience section, and get inspired by real-world professionals;
- List your education and relevant certification to fill in the gaps in your career history;
- Integrate both hard and soft skills all through your CV.
Discover more industry-specific guides to help you apply for any role in the links below:
Structuring your general 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 general 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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Use bold or italics sparingly to draw attention to key points, such as job titles, company names, or significant achievements. Overusing these formatting options can dilute their impact.
The top sections on a general manager CV
- Professional summary reflects leadership qualities, to give a snapshot of career achievements and management prowess.
- Key management skills demonstrate strategic thinking and people management, vital for effective leadership.
- Professional experience showcases accomplishments and experience, highlighting the growth and successes in managerial roles.
- Education and qualifications indicate foundational knowledge and relevant certifications, essential for credibility.
- Achievements and awards section to display recognition in the field, signalling excellence and distinction as a leader.
What recruiters value on your CV:
- Highlight your leadership experience, stating specific instances where you successfully drove company vision, overcame complex challenges, and managed cross-functional teams, emphasising any significant improvements in operations or profitability.
- Demonstrate a strong commercial acumen by quantifying your achievements in previous roles, such as revenue growth percentages, cost reduction measures, or market share expansion.
- Showcase your strategic planning skills by mentioning how you've developed and executed business plans, including new market penetration, product launches, or successful mergers and acquisitions.
- Include details of your proficiency in operational management, such as streamlining processes, enhancing supply chain efficacy, or implementing quality control measures that resulted in increased customer satisfaction and retention.
- Focus on your communication and interpersonal skills, providing examples of how you have built and sustained high-performance teams, negotiated key contracts, or effectively managed stakeholder relationships.
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Our checklist for the must-have information in your general manager CV header
Right at the very top of your general 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 general manager:
- General Manager | 10 Years Experience | Strategic Planning | Business Growth Champion | MBA
- Senior General Manager | Hospitality Specialist | Revenue Optimization | Staff Development Expert | 15+ Years
- Seasoned General Manager | Retail Operations Guru | Customer Satisfaction Leader | P&L Management | 20 Years
- Dynamic General Manager | Tech Start-Up Innovator | Agile Methodologies | Scaled Growth | 5 Years
- Experienced General Manager | FMCG Sector | Supply Chain Mastery | International Markets Exposure | CIMA Qualified
- Progressive General Manager | Healthcare Administration | Efficiency Improvements | Risk Management | 18 Years Experience
What's the difference between a general manager CV summary and objective
Why should it matter to you?
- Your general manager CV summary is a showcasing your career ambitions and your unique value. Use the objective to answer why your potential employers should hire you based on goals and ambitions. The objective is the ideal choice for candidates who happen to have less professional experience, but still meet some of the job requirements.
Before you select which one will be more relevant to your experience, have a look at some industry-leading CV summaries and objectives.
CV summaries for a general manager job:
- Seasoned general manager with over 12 years of experience spearheading operational excellence in the hospitality industry. Adept at reducing costs by 25% through strategic procurement and lean management practices, previously managing a team of 50+ across multiple high-end hotels.
- Dynamic executive with a 15-year track record in retail management, transforming underperforming stores to achieve a 40% increase in sales revenue. Expertise in merchandising, staff development, and financial oversight, with a profound ability to elevate customer service standards.
- Accomplished sales professional transitioning to general management, with a solid 10 years in the pharmaceutical industry. Proven skills in strategic planning and market expansion having successfully launched innovative products, looking to bring a competitive edge and fresh perspective to a new sector.
- Dedicated educator eager to pivot to a general management role, carrying over 8 years of experience in academic administration. Recognised for implementing cutting-edge curriculum development, keen to apply analytical skills and a collaborative leadership approach to drive operational success.
- Aspiring to leverage diverse experience in project coordination and team leadership within the tech startup environment to excel in a management capacity. Passionate about developing scalable business solutions and committed to continuous learning to advance organisational initiatives.
- Energetic recent business graduate intent on applying academic knowledge and positive work ethic to contribute to the success of a fast-paced management environment. Enthusiastic about embracing challenges and employing a fresh, data-driven approach to problem-solving and team leadership.
Narrating the details of your general manager CV experience section
Perhaps you've heard it time and time again, but, how you present your experience is what matters the most. Your CV experience section - that details your work history alongside your accomplishments - is the space to spotlight your unqiue expertise and talents. So, avoid solely listing your responsibilities, but instead:
- adverts' keywords and integrate those in your experience section;
- Use your CV to detail how you've been promoted in the past by including experience in the reverse chronological order.
Before you start writing your general manager CV experience section, dive into some industry-leading examples on how to structure your bullets.
Best practices for your CV's work experience section
- Implemented strategic planning initiatives, resulting in a 20% increase in overall company efficiency and a 15% growth in annual revenue.
- Managed a team of over 100 employees, fostering a collaborative working environment and reducing staff turnover by 25% through effective leadership and training programs.
- Led the expansion of business operations into three new international markets, coordinating market research and adapting business strategies to meet diverse customer needs.
- Secured a major partnership with a leading industry firm that boosted the company’s market presence and generated an additional £2M in sales within the first year.
- Directed the development and roll-out of a new customer relationship management (CRM) system that improved customer retention rates by 30%.
- Optimised operational processes to reduce waste and enhance productivity, saving the company over £500K in operational costs annually.
- Successfully negotiated contracts with suppliers and vendors, which resulted in a 10% reduction in material costs and strengthened supply chain reliability.
- Championed the implementation of a Green Business Strategy, cutting carbon emissions by 40% and positioning the company as a leader in sustainability practices.
- Regularly analysed financial statements, budgets, and performance metrics to identify trends and devise solutions that boosted profits and reduced unnecessary expenditure.
- Led the transformative rollout of an innovative inventory management system that reduced stock discrepancies by 30%.
- Oversaw a team of 150+ employees over various departments, achieving a 10% increase in overall team productivity.
- Piloted a customer loyalty program which boosted repeat business by 35% and significantly increased referral rates.
- Streamlined operational processes which increased efficiency by 25% through the adoption of lean management principles.
- Negotiated and secured profitable contracts with key suppliers, resulting in a cost reduction of 15% for raw materials.
- Spearheaded an expansion strategy into three new regional markets, resulting in a 20% growth in company revenue.
- Implemented a data-driven sales strategy that identified new market opportunities, leading to a 40% sales increase.
- Managed budget allocations for projects in excess of $5M while cutting down operational costs by 10% without sacrificing quality.
- Cultivated a robust workplace culture that improved staff retention by 25% over a 3-year period.
- Orchestrated the successful merger of two major product lines which expanded the brand's market reach by 50%.
- Enhanced customer service protocols to elevate customer satisfaction scores by 20% across all hotel services.
- Championed the development and launch of two flagship properties, overseeing all stages from construction to operational readiness.
- Led a cross-functional team to deliver a cutting-edge e-commerce platform that increased online sales by 150%.
- Initiated a sustainability program that decreased the company's carbon footprint by 18% over a two-year period.
- Masterminded a comprehensive employee training system that contributed to a reduction in operational errors by 40%.
- Forged strategic partnerships with technology providers to enhance the guest experience, raising the net promoter score by 15 points.
- Directed the launch of a new line of boutique hotels which attracted a younger clientele and increased occupancy rates by 18%.
- Realized $2M in annual savings by restructuring the supply chain management strategy and optimizing vendor relationships.
- Increased operational efficiency by initiating a program to upgrade IT infrastructure, leading to a reduction in system downtime by 22%.
- Deployed a revenue management system that optimized pricing strategies and increased annual revenue by 12%.
- Played a key role in a crisis management team that effectively navigated challenging economic conditions, maintaining profitability.
- Coordinated property renovation projects with a budget of over $3M, improving guest feedback ratings by 30% post-completion.
- Drove a technology integration project that involved upgrading room automation systems, enhancing guest convenience and control.
- Implemented an analytical approach to employee performance, boosting productivity by aligning individual goals with company objectives.
- Introduced a multi-tier marketing campaign that repositioned the brand and captured a 10% larger share of the local hospitality market.
- Reduced overhead costs by $500K annually by renegotiating service contracts and optimizing staffing schedules.
- Pioneered a comprehensive staff development plan that equipped employees with the skills needed to enhance guest experiences.
- Developed an aggressive sales strategy that targeted corporate accounts, boosting B2B revenues by 28%.
- Played a pivotal role in launching an innovative guest feedback system that led to the refinement of standard operating procedures.
- Coordinated with event planners to increase the booking of high-profit corporate events by 20%.
Swapping your professional experience (when you have none) with skills and more
Never underestimate the importance of relevancе when it comes to your general 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 applicable, briefly mention a situation where things didn’t go as planned and what you learned from it, demonstrating your ability to learn and adapt.
Hard skills and soft skills to showcase your unique skill set on your general manager CV
Did you know that your CV will mostly likely be assessed by recruiters based on skill alignment? And that means that the way you feature your key skills across different CV sections will play a crucial role in landing you that first interview. We recommend you add your:
- technical capabilities or hard skills in your CV experience, certificates, projects, etc. Use your past accomplishments to prove your technical capabilities. List up to a dozen different software or hardware in your dedicated skills section to match the job keywords;
- personal and communication skills or soft skills in your CV strengths, achievements, summary/ objective, etc. Soft skills are a bit more difficult to prove. How do you define your aptitude in active listening? So, instead of just listing the skill name, include a tangible metric to show your success.
On a final note, when you're in a hurry to create your profile, you may misspell a particular technology or soft skill. That's why we suggest you copy and paste the particular skill name (or keyword), directly from the job advert. This would also help you to pass any initial Applicant Tracker System (ATS) tests.
Top skills for your general manager CV:
Business Development
Financial Acumen
Operations Management
Strategic Planning
Performance Monitoring
Sales and Marketing
Human Resources Management
Supply Chain Management
Project Management
Data Analysis
Leadership
Communication
Problem-Solving
Decision-Making
Teamwork
Stress Management
Adaptability
Time Management
Negotiation
Conflict Resolution
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Focus on describing skills in the context of the outcomes they’ve helped you achieve, linking them directly to tangible results or successes in your career.
Education and more professional qualifications to include in your general manager CV
If you want to showcase to recruiters that you're further qualified for the role, ensure you've included your relevant university diplomas. Within your education section:
- Describe your degree with your university name(-s) and start-graduation dates;
- List any awards you've received, if you deem they would be impressive or are relevant to the industry;
- Include your projects and publications, if you need to further showcase how you've used your technical know-how;
- Avoid listing your A-level marks, as your potential employers care to learn more about your university background.
Apart from your higher education, ensure that you've curated your relevant certificates or courses by listing the:
- name of the certificate or course;
- name of the institution within which you received your training;
- the date(-s) when you obtained your accreditation.
In the next section, discover some of the most relevant certificates for your general manager CV:
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Focus on describing skills in the context of the outcomes they’ve helped you achieve, linking them directly to tangible results or successes in your career.
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Key takeaways
What matters most in your general manager CV-writing process is for you to create a personalised application. One that matches the role and also showcases your unique qualities and talents.
- Use the format to supplement the actual content, to stand out, and to ensure your CV experience is easy to comprehend and follows a logic;
- Invest time in building a succinct CV top one third. One that includes a header (with your contact details and headline), a summary or an objective statement (select the one that best fits your experience), and - potentially - a dedicated skills section or achievements (to fit both hard skills and soft skills requirements);
- Prioritise your most relevant (and senior) experience closer to the top of your CV. Always ensure you're following the "power verb, skill, and achievement" format for your bullets;
- Integrate both your technical and communication background across different sections of your CV to meet the job requirements;
- List your relevant education and certificates to fill in gaps in your CV history and prove to recrutiers you have relevant technical know-how.
