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Want a stronger resume? Use our extensive library of professional resume examples as practical starting guides. You’ll also find ready-made content with our helpful Resume Builder – simple click, customize, and download.

Looking for cover letter ideas? See our sample Change Manager Cover Letter.

Find out what is the best resume for you in our Ultimate Resume Format Guide.

How to Format a Change Manager Resume

Most candidates seeking a position as a change manager should use the chronological resume format. This classic format stresses work history as the most critical information. It’s become so popular because it’s useful, easy to understand and passes applicant tracking systems (ATS) without an issue.

However, a few job seekers may find the functional format more accommodating to their circumstances. Functional resumes, also known as the skills-based resume, are an alternative format that emphasizes skills instead of workplace experience. Others may prefer the combination resume, which splits the difference between the other two formats.

Let’s compare the candidates below. Candidate A has been a change manager for an uninterrupted 15 years, making him a prime candidate for a chronological resume. Candidate B left the workforce after a strong decade in the business and returned about six months ago, aiming to pick up where he left off. He hopes a functional resume will draw attention away from his employment gap. Let’s see how the resume approaches differ (any shared language is in bold).

Chronological Resume

Candidate A

  • 15 years in workforce
  • 2 years at current job
  • BABusiness Administration

Work Experience

09/2020–Current, Birmingham, AL

  • Worked with senior management to develop a three-pronged strategy for addressing top concerns in client satisfaction surveys, resulting in a 15% increase in ratings.
  • Acted as the client liaison for three large technology firms,analyzing their needs/requests and recommending appropriate solutions to drive better results and address compliance issues.
  • Helped develop standardized change materials for internal finance partners, including a resistance management plan.

Functional Resume

Candidate B

  • 10 years in workforce
  • 6months in current job
  • BA Business Administration

Areas of Expertise

Communication

  • Acted as the client liaison between two larger external consulting firms, ensuring critical actions were aligned on several large-scale technology projects.
  • Analyzed client needs/requests to determine underlying problems and recommended appropriate solutions, improving client satisfaction by 20%
  • Collaborated with senior management including the director of compensation, on plan updates,compliance issues, client satisfaction surveys and rules/regulation changes.

Leadership

  • Developed standardized change materials,including sponsor roadmap and resistance-management plan, for internal finance partners and external consultants to leverage when executing projects.
  • Chaired weekly change management task force meetings, recommending approaches to address urgent issues.

Change Manager Resume FAQ.

How do you say change management on a resume?

These change management-related keywords are among the most common in our resume database:

  • Restructure
  • Analysis
  • Strategy
  • Training and development
  • Consulting
  • Program management
  • Mitigation

Including some of these words on your resume will make you a more formidable candidate.

What is the role of a change manager?

Change managers are brought into an organization to encourage employees to adapt quickly and effectively to necessary changes. One of the most critical functions of a change manager is to create a strategy for overcoming the employee resistance all companies face during transitional periods. If they do their job well, change managers will improve an organization’s value and ROI.

What are change management skills?

Change managers must use their skills to gracefully help a company and its employees get through a transitional period. Some of the top skills change managers use daily are:

  • Conflict resolution
  • Strategic planning
  • Leadership
  • Business acumen
  • Active listening
  • Project management

What are the 6 features of change management?

The six essential features of change management are:

  • Leadership alignment. Making sure all top-level executives are on the same page.
  • Stakeholder engagement. Creating a communication plan to keep everyone who has an interest in a project duly informed and engaged.
  • Communication. Setting up the channels where meaningful conversations can happen.
  • Change impact and readiness. Gauging the impact change will have on key stakeholders and planning for contingencies.
  • Training. Establishing training programs and educational materials to fill knowledge gaps and encourage adoption.
  • Organizational design. Being prepared to suggest organizational restructuring as needed.

What makes a successful change manager?

Successful change managers must be adaptable and creative in dealing with the countless challenges organizations encounter during a significant transition. The best ones will have a high tolerance for conflict, sensitivity to an organizations nuanced dynamics, and the ability to build and execute a complex strategy to achieve the desired outcome.