How to Write an IT Manager Resume

Stephen M. King

Certified Resume Writer & Career Coach

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The good news for someone looking to be an IT manager is that you are connected to one of the quickest-growing fields. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the job outlook will increase by 11 percent in the coming decade. Another estimate projects computer and information systems managers, including IT managers and IT project managers, will grow by more than 12 percent between 2016 to 2026. Therefore, if you are looking to take the next step in your IT career, the first thing you’ll have to do is create an IT manager resume.

What Does an IT Manager Do?

IT managers are responsible for leading, coordinating, and maintaining the development, implementation, and production activities of different information systems. They propel program management, content creation, and strategy through multiple work streams. In addition, information technology managers assemble and guide a team made up of software engineers and analysts to ensure that IT systems meet the organization’s needs and business objectives.

To accomplish those tasks, managers need to be adept in dealing with IT support, managing IT projects, and supporting different engineering departments with IT tools and applications. Therefore, superior IT manager resumes should demonstrate a motivated outlook and ability to create strong and mutually productive relationships with other organization members. 

In order for a company to operate successfully, information technology managers must be behind the scenes making sure systems are running efficiently. Being superior in this role means you possess technical skills, and you can comprehend the complexities of numerous IT platforms and software programs. 

IT Manager Resume Samples

As with many job titles, an information technology manager is an umbrella term for a range of job titles and positions. Because of this, you will need to make sure your resume is as closely related to the job title you are applying for. You can find an Information Technology manager resume sample for the following different types of IT positions: 

Writing the Resume of an IT Manager

When writing an IT senior manager resume, you should follow IT manager resume templates. Certain sections are required but some extra sections can be included. It is important to remember that you are dealing with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) which employ algorithms to scan resumes for keywords and rank them against the other job applicants. The bottom line is if an applicant does not include enough job-specific data, your resume may not ever be read by a person. To ensure that this does not happen, here are some tips:

1. Peruse the job description very carefully and note any skills, duties, or knowledge that the company has prioritized.
2. Employ those same keywords in the correct resume sections for the IT manager’s CV.
3. Come up with a format that is well organized and easy for both the ATS and the hiring manager to locate what they are looking for.

Creating the Best IT Manager Resume

Looking at IT manager resume examples, the best format for IT managers is usually the reverse chronology format. A reverse chronology format starts with your most recent position. Then, it proceeds backward until you have listed all of your relevant IT experience. 

IT Manager Resume Summary

However, before you get to the professional experience section, IT management resume examples demonstrate that an IT manager resume summary is crucial for an IT lead resume. 

Your professional summary is the section to display your most impressive attributes and accomplishments. The objective of the professional summary is to stimulate the interest of a hiring manager and make them read the rest of your resume. One way of doing this is to employ many powerful adjectives, verbs, and job-specific information. Because IT managers have such a massive amount of responsibilities in organizations, it is critical to showcase your key accomplishments and abilities. If it is requested in the job description, you can include key certifications in this section. 

Looking at a sample IT manager resume, we can discern the following excellent information technology manager resume sample for a couple of high-level IT positions.

For an Executive Vice-President, the resume professional summary reads:

Solid reputation for delivering forward-thinking technology initiatives that efficiently meet diverse business, operational, and industry needs. Top leadership and strategic planning capabilities that serve well in fast-paced environments experiencing rapid change through internal growth, acquisition, and turnaround. Characterized as talented mentor and coach with ability to nurture excellent working relationships with senior executives, management teams, customers, vendors, and employees. 

For an even higher position, CTO-CIO-VP of IT, the summary reads:

Success-driven IT professional with a record of accomplishment driving increases in productivity, profitability, and customer satisfaction in wide-ranging business environments. Collaborative leader with entrepreneurial can-do attitude and a highly effective management style that promotes a shared vision and positive working relationships. Intellectual aggressive in identifying core problems and setting strategic vision. Thrive on new complicated assignments through passion and demonstrated expertise. 

Some people employ an Objective section on their resume, but opinions are divided on this idea. Some believe the Objective section is passe. Also, it is not required that you write the summary section first.

The Professional History Section

Regarding an IT manager resume sample and an IT manager resume template, the professional or employment history section is really the heart of the resume. It is here that you list all positions relevant to the IT management field or job assignments that possess transferable duties and required skills. Your objective with the resume is to briefly highlight your experience and summarize what you are seeking in your next IT manager role. 

After studying sample IT manager resumes, it seems that employers are looking for are these sorts of contributions from employees:

• Increase – profits; sales/turnover; working capital; market share; efficiency
• Decrease – costs; waste; excess stock; timescales; complaints; staff turnover
• Improve – cashflow, procedures; performance; teamwork; reputation; PR
• Arrange – change; innovation; events; results

Hiring managers, when reviewing senior IT managers, are looking for an increase in the level of responsibility you have assumed throughout your career. It is also preferable to discuss high-level projects rather than smaller, one-off projects.

For this section for each company, you list the name of the organization, your position, years or months/years of employment, and then duties. Regarding duties, you can make a distinction between regular, required job tasks, and particular accomplishments best served with quantifiable information. The following are examples of particular accomplishments.

Example Professional History Accomplishments

IT Project Manager: 

EAS Project—Planned, implemented, and completed 4-year rollout of identity resolution system that eliminated 35,000 duplicate identities and significantly reduced the potential for redundant claims.

An advanced Linux Systems Administrator: 

Lead team of 12 technicians, managing up to 30,000 domains, including manufacturing, eCommerce, advocacy, and private sites, to ensure client problem-solving, and 24/7 uptime.

A Global Software Executive: 

Transformed a product-oriented point solution to an enterprise solution consultive sales organization in just 15 months, 2 years ahead of goal.

The Executive Vice-President:  

Championed Datashield security initiative—involving mortgage, banking, insurance, and servicing business units and 82 employees, and requiring expert management of $8 million project budget.

The CTO-CIO-VP of IT: 

Supported business expansion by negotiating $500K in employment contracts to obtain 100% of required staffing.

As you can see from the IT manager example resume summaries, quantifiable data is present throughout.

IT Manager Sample Resumes

Different resumes make the distinction between regular job tasks and distinctive accomplishments differently. One style is for the candidate to list the more mundane duties in text form and then transition to bullets for the particular quantifiable accomplishments. 

Sample #1:

Disney Research – Los Angeles, CA                                                     6/2014 – Present R&D Director – Media Labs (Center of Excellence)

Machine Learning • IoT • Wearable Technology • Blockchain • AR/VR • Digital Media Platform • NLP

Defined product strategies to strengthen the company’s position in intensely competitive consumer markets. Made regular reports to the organization’s CEO.

• Managed 10 direct reports and $25M annual budget to design and build emerging technology concepts.
• Transformed the way Disney developed strategy, processes, and products to strengthen business performance. Collaborated with business leaders to distill trends and insights into strategic direction.
• Built and empowered a team and forged a human-centered workplace culture that helped staff think strategically about customers. Shifted focus from one-vendor solutions to wide-ranging partnerships.
• Served as Technology Head of Patent Committee, collaborating on the innovation vision and establishing the innovation stack. Approved 60 IP disclosures in 2018, 55 in 2017, and 45 in 2016.

Sample #2

Nokia Bell Labs– Sunnyvale, CA                                                            3/2010 – 5/2014

Principal Member of Technical Staff

Digital Media Platform • Cybersecurity

Led a team of developers to build enterprise-grade security software for the company’s Content Distribution Network (CDN) and U-Verse managed platforms, enabling global growth while securing data from cyberattacks.

• CDN Cybersecurity. Architected and developed a scalable, fully integrated software solution that secured inbound data streaming and outbound white-labeled data services. Met requirements for load balancing, internal traffic monitoring, monetization, and international content distribution.
• U-Verse Set-Top Box Security. Combatted network intrusions and supported innovation by working with network teams on security test planning and implementation. Succeeded in thwarting attack scenarios that included TB hacks and VHO/SHO (Video Hub Office/Super Hub Office) targeted attacks.

The Education Section

Regarding an IT manager resume example, the education section can hold extra importance particularly if specific certifications are required by the employer. An IT manager sample resume reveals that if the candidate has a higher university degree, you do not have to list your high school. If you have both a master’s and a bachelor’s degree, list the master’s degree first. 

However, be sure to list any certifications, organizations, or training you have completed. This demonstrates your commitment to continuing education. You can also delineate relevant coursework. Include the classes that you took that fit best with an IT management job. Do not include a basic class such as IT 101 because you are no longer basic.

The following is an example of an Education Section listing:

BS in Information Systems Management

University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA

Relevant Coursework: IT Project Management, Business Administration, Business Administration, IT Innovation, Strategy & Operations, Ethical Hacking, Database Management.

According to IT Career Finder, “IT managers are required to have at least a bachelor’s degree education in IT, preferably with a well-rounded major such as computer science, information technology, or management information systems.”

The Skills Section

The skills section of your resume is a way to demonstrate to a hiring manager that you have both the specialized IT project management knowledge to perform the job effectively and the people skills to oversee a team. It is important to reflect this balance of hard and soft skills to form an impression that you are a well-rounded candidate who can effectively relate to other team members.

For example, “Creating alignment with executive leadership” demonstrates that you can communicate and work alongside leadership teams to reach desired outcomes through the projects that you manage. A prospective IT manager must be a strong strategic thinker who enjoys dealing with complexity and works well with others.

Here are skills listed for the same CTO-CIO-VP of IT referenced previously:

• Business Process Automation & Improvement
• Datacenter Design & Construction
• Network Design / Implementation
• Startups / Consolidations / Divestitures
• Team Recruitment / Development / Deployment
• Cross-Functional Collaboration / Leadership
• Integrating Technology & Business Solutions
• Outsourcing / Contracting Negotiations
• Strategic Planning / Tactical Execution
• Client Relations / Solutions Development

As you can see, not all of these skills are hard technology items. 

Additional Resume Sections To Add

The information technology field tends to be one that emphasizes continuing education and has a plethora of certification opportunities. Therefore, one section that can be added to your resume is IT Management Certifications. Some examples of these are:

• Project Management Professional (PMP)
• Cisco Certified Architect (CCAr)
• VMware Certified Professional (VCP)
• ITIL Master Certification (IT Service Management)
• Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS)
• CompTIA Security
• CompTIA Network

Volunteer Work

Another section that can be included is Volunteer Work. Although it might strike some that volunteer experience is not particularly relevant to a management IT resume, assisting the community is a major part of successful startups and millennial organizations. This is especially true if you were part of a volunteer STEM program.

Languages

Languages are another valuable section to IT managers. Adding more languages will only make your resume more powerful.

Hobbies, Activities, Interests

Hobbies, Activities, and Interests can add value to your resume, especially if they can reflect on your leadership qualities.

Other Sections

An Extra section can typically be consolidated into one section. It can include extracurricular activities such as:

• Honors and Awards
• Public Speaking
• Publications
• Technological Skills and Qualifications
• Teacher and Training Experience
• Committees and Task Forces
• Professional Affiliations
• Civic Affiliations
• Personal Information such as being multilingual.

Conclusion

As for key takeaways for an IT manager resume, know that there is a lot of growth potential in the industry, but it is also highly competitive. Employ the job description keywords and boost your odds with hiring managers. Use action adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and statistics to strengthen your resume. Follow these tips and make your IT  manager resume the very best it can be!