Agile Project Manager Resume Step-by-Step Writing Guide (w/ Resume Sample)

Agile project manager is a relatively new job compared to other manager positions. However, in the IT industry, this strategy has been implemented for a long time. Before making an Agile project manager resume, you need to know that this job requires a person who is agile, adaptable, and also able to build and collaborate with various teams.

The advantage of Agile project management in doing work is its ability to capture changes in the project being worked on. Agile methodologies apply a short iteration system (usually 1-4 weeks) to see what changes, adjustments, or improvements need to be applied in the next project.

Managing Agile projects is the main task. From establishing two-way communication with the team and stakeholders, ensuring that Agile principles and practices are applied, attending many meetings, organizing sprint planning, reviewing project progress, and even being a mentor and coach to younger members.

In the iterative approach, the project is divided into small parts. The most commonly used methodologies are Scrum and Kanban. And here is the good news for you: demand for Agile professionals is on the rise, after declining the previous year. A stable and high-paying job, it’s a great time to create an Agile project manager resume. In this article, Cake provides 7 examples of Agile project manager resumes that you can use as a guide!

Key Sections in Agile Project Manager Resume

Let’s Start with Contact Information and Other Details

Contact information contains personal information that must be included in the Agile project manager's resume. In addition to the resume, contact information must also be included in the cover letter.

• Full name
• Email address
• Phone number
• LinkedIn
• Portfolio 

However, you should avoid including the following information in Agile project manager resume. Apart from data security issues, writing too much detailed information can also potentially lead to discrimination.

• Social security number
• ID number
• Bank account information
• Previous status
• Your date of birth
• Complete address
• Race

Make A Professional Resume Summary

Agile project manager is a position that requires long experience, so the format used is a professional resume summary and not a resume objective (which is usually used by recent graduates). The resume summarycontains concise information (about 3 sentences) that includes: the applicant's background, accomplishments in previous jobs, and also mastery of tools related to the Agile project manager position.

List Your Work Experience In Agile Project Manager Resume

Work experience is the soul of an agile project resume. Avoid using the same action verbs in a resume. Use a variety of words to make your information more enjoyable to read. Don't forget the little details such as last position, company name, and dates of employment. Try not to exaggerate the information so that recruiters don't overestimate your abilities. Believe us, it will all come out in the interview process.

Recruiters have seconds to minutes to scan an application. For easy reading, always use bullet points in your work experience.

Add Key Skills and Certifications for Agile Project Managers

How important is it to include hard and soft skills in an Agile project manager resume? It all depends on your work experience. If you are a recent graduate, information about soft skills is very important because it is part of your negotiating power when applying for a job.

Try to have a balance of both skills. In addition to the ability to master certain tools, an Agile project manager must be able to build good interactions with the team and stakeholders. Here are some skills that hiring managers look for:

However, for those with years of experience, the list of skills can be replaced with certifications. Aspiring Agile project managers need to list certifications for several reasons:

• Demonstrate skills and expertise
• Increase your credibility
• Increase your chances of being hired
• Demonstrate progress in using Agile development practices

Project management certifications that should be considered in an Agile project manager resume:

• Lean Six Sigma Certification
• Agile Certified Coach (ICP-ACC)
• Kanban Management Professional (KMP)
• Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe Agilist)
• Professional Scrum Master (PSM)
• PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)
• Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO)
• Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)

List References

Does a resume with Agile experience need a list of references? Many people disagree on this point. Some think that including a list of references on a resume is too early and that recruiters may not be interested. Besides, a list of references will only take up space in a resume that is only 2 to 3 pages long.

However, some say that such a list will make the Agile project manager's resume stand out. Cake has some tips for writing a reference list that you can follow:

• Ask permission first. Not everyone likes to have their information shared, so ask for permission by explaining which companies the references will be used for.

• It's best to avoid including this information if you're applying through a job portal. That is because the people with access to your Agile project manager resume are more numerous and harder to track. Remember, you're holding someone's personal information, so always be careful.
• References are usually requested during the interview process. You can write ‘references available upon request’ at the bottom of your resume to indicate that you are willing to provide a list of references if the hiring manager requests.

Top 7 Agile Project Manager Resume Samples

Agile Project Manager with Scrum Master Certification

Agile Project Manager with PMI-ACP Certification

Agile Project Manager Resume with CSM Certification

Agile Project Manager With Experience in Software Development

Agile Project Manager With Experience In IT

Agile Project Manager With Experience In Project Management

Agile Project Manager With Experience In Business Analysis

Extra Tips for When Crafting a Agile Project Manager Resume

Use Keywords and Tailor your resume

The rise of the Agile project manager role is great news, but it doesn't mean the challenges have gone away. The position is becoming increasingly competitive, and that means your competition could number in the hundreds or even thousands.

Tailoring your resume can help you stand out from the crowd. The essence of tailoring your resume is to tailor your application to the requirements, demands and needs of the company.

This means that the content of the resumes you send to different companies may be different. Wait, that doesn't mean you have to manipulate the information, but you do have to choose which information to emphasize. 

If a job opening at one company requires candidates to be proficient in Scrum, then that's the skill you highlight on your resume. However, another company may require candidates to have a broad understanding of the Kanban concept.  So what should you do to ensure that your resume reflects your mastery of Agile methodologies?

• Understand the job requirements and find the right keywords.
• Emphasize relevant skills and experience. 
• Make sure your resume is easy to read by the Applicant Tracking System (ATS).

In the example above, you can see how two companies advertising for the same position can have very different requirements, and that’s why you need to customize your Agile project manager resume.

You can also find several keywords such as agile practices, agile environment, sprint planning, asset management, Scrum Master, project teams, etc.

Use action verbs

Action verbs are a group of words often used in resumes to emphasize achievement and performance. Action verbs are used in the cover letter, letter of recommendation, self-description, list of work experience, list of volunteer experience, and list of internship experience.

Examples of action verbs that you can use include

• Successfully managed
• Increased team productivity
• Increased customer satisfaction
• Managed projects
• Reduced inefficiency
• Ensure smoother project execution
• Assisted
• Helped
• Built
• Improved

Let's take an example sentence:

Quantify Your accomplishments 

It is kind of a red flag if you just wrote your responsibilities in the work experience section. The hiring manager knows better because the job responsibilities are used to compile Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the employee. Plus, they are the ones who make the job available. So why bother writing them down?

What you should do is quantify your accomplishments by including metrics and statistics. These numbers will help hiring managers understand your contributions to the previous company.

You can include quantifiable accomplishments in your cover letter, resume summary, and work experience. Here are some examples:

Conclusion

1. An Agile project manager is responsible for overseeing work progress, communicating with various stakeholders, ensuring that all Agile principles and practices are implemented, and acting as a mentor and coach to junior staff.
2. After experiencing a decline, the position of Agile project manager is predicted to continue to increase, considering that many companies are starting to adapt to Agile methodologies.
3. The Agile Project Manager resume is intended for at least mid-level professionals, not recent graduates. Therefore, the resume summary and work experience must be able to highlight accomplishments and technical and non-technical skills.
4. Keywords, quantifying accomplishments, and action verbs are a combination that will make your Agile project resume stand out to recruiters. That's why it's important to research the company and read the job posting carefully. Don't forget to make sure your resume is properly formatted, free of typos, and free of misinformation before submitting it.

The Agile project manager resume samples is just one of hundreds of resume samples available on Cake. We also provide cover letters, resume and CV templates from a variety of professions, plus the free online resume builder. All of this is free to access by simply registering. Join us and discover more career tips!

— Originally written by May Luong & Erika Rizqi —