How to write an account manager CV (including an example)

Updated 12 April 2023

An account manager is someone who maintains relationships between a business and its clients, which can be a core component of any company's success. If you're looking to go into this particular role, it helps to have an array of specific skills, including critical thinking, active listening and problem-solving. Knowing how to write a CV that communicates these skills and your suitability for the position you apply for can often be beneficial for securing the job. In this article, we explain how you can write a strong CV for account manager positions, with a template and example.

How to write an account manager CV

Knowing how to write an account manager CV might seem quite complex at first, but if you plan correctly and assemble your relevant experience, you can avoid problems, proving your validity for this role or any other. The simple steps for writing your account manager CV commonly include:

1. Have a high standard of writing

Before you begin writing your account manager CV, it helps to reiterate the importance of good writing. If a hiring manager receives a high volume of applications, they may instantly discard CVs that display a poor grasp of literacy or improper structure. To avoid this, check your writing and employ a spell-check before submitting. Something as simple as a lack of punctuation might easily affect your chance at this role.

2. Understand your strengths and weaknesses

Your CV can often form the foundation for any interview you have, as this is the document that informs the interviewer on where to take the discussion and exactly what questions to ask. The CV prompts certain topics of conversation and it's useful to know how to navigate this. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses helps you to understand the skills and talents you include, while also preparing you for common interview questions about your limits. Having the confidence to assert your skills and strengths also helps you write about these abilities with passion and a level of self-assuredness.

3. Inspect the job descriptions

The specifics of an account manager role can vary between companies, but there are clear commonalities that you may notice when looking at job descriptions. This research, even before you're ready to submit your CV, is helpful for determining what businesses look for in their account managers; you can tailor what you write, so it matches the job postings perfectly. Even if you demonstrate the right skills, you might notice certain keywords in these descriptions that are worth adding to your CV. Through this, you show you're paying attention to the listings and can appear as the perfect candidate.

4. Optimise your use of keywords

Similarly, it's vital you use keywords efficiently due to the prominence of applicant tracking systems in the hiring process. These systems let an employer streamline the many applicants and CVs they get in response to job listings, with automatic filters that allow them to prioritise certain criteria, including education, experience and skills. By employing certain keywords, including those you see in the job descriptions and tying the words to your experiences and skills, you may stand out as an exemplary candidate.

5. Choose how to format your CV

Once you know the approach you're taking and the points you intend to make with your CV, choose the format. This can include a chronological, functional or hybrid. Some list their experience chronologically as a way of showing their progression over time and some CVs specifically focus on skills, usually if an applicant has limited employment history. Hybrid CVs blend the two formats together. All three are valid options for account manager jobs, but a clear focus on both skills and experience can be particularly helpful.

6. Include relevant contact information

Contact information is absolutely essential for a CV, as this is how employers get in touch if the application is successful. Make sure to put it at the top of your document, which typically includes your name, address, email and phone number. Double-check your details for every CV you write to make sure they're always up to date. For example, if your phone number recently changed, ensure the CV reflects this. On top of this, a professional-looking email address (preferably one clearly showing your name) also helps the chance of an employer getting in contact with you.

7. Write a CV summary

CVs condense your skills and employment into a single document for easy reading, typically with bullet points and short sections that let employers readily scan their content. Some CVs have summaries that quickly explain the applicant's background and experience in a single paragraph. For an account manager role, this is a good opportunity to show yourself as the ideal candidate; you can even choose to alter your CV for each exact application to better match the company and its priorities. This is an exercise in being concise, as a summary is typically only around five sentences long.

8. List your education and experience

Your schooling and previous positions are key factors in account manager recruitment, as firms want to ensure they select a candidate with the right experience. When describing both your qualifications and any past jobs, specify the duration of your education, including any business-related degrees, if applicable, and how long you worked in these prior roles. This is especially important if you have experience linking to the work that account managers do. If you don't have much work experience, you can still note extracurricular activities that showcase your existing skills.

9. Emphasise your skills

Account managers employ a variety of skills to do their job, ranging from hard skills such as mathematics to soft ones including listening, communication and multitasking. You can also name special software relating to accounts you've used in the past, as the company might use this same software or technology. Even skills from outside of roles that relate to account managing may be transferrable to this position. To prove your skills, mention them while detailing your experience, as this is a chance to demonstrate how you used or developed certain abilities to solve problems.

Account manager CV template

This simple template can provide you with a strong outline to begin your account manager CV.

[Your full name]
[Postal address]
[Phone number]
[Email address]

Professional Summary

[A concise paragraph about your experience and background]

Professional Experience

[Job Title] [Organisation name, including location] [Start date – end date]

[Succinct elaboration upon professional responsibilities and achievements]

Education

[School or university name]
[Duration of attendance]
[Type/level of qualification]

Skills

[Skill: Description of a time you demonstrated this skill]
[Skill: Description of a time you demonstrated this skill]
[Skill: Description of a time you demonstrated this skill]

Account manager CV example

Here is an example of a possible account manager CV from the perspective of a recent graduate who may not have extensive practical experience:

Joseph Harton
DN4 9JZ
07522 836917
joe.harton@email.com

Professional Summary

A motivated, dedicated and goal-oriented graduate with a first-class honours bachelor's degree in marketing. I have experience in sales and marketing that I hope to showcase as part of an account manager position. In my previous roles, I have been able to build strong professional relationships with clients and customers, and I was an active executive member of my university's marketing and advertising society. I can overcome challenges and work within a team or independently to provide creative solutions to any problems that emerge.

Professional Experience

Vice-president, University of South Yorkshire Marketing and Advertising Society, October 2020 – August 2021

In this position, I worked closely with the society's president to determine the group's direction, also filling in for them when necessary to run events or meetings.

Retail Assistant Boots, York, March 2019 – August 2021

In this position, I worked in a customer-facing position four days a week, promoting various deals and offers when applicable and maintaining a strong rapport with each and every customer.

Education

University of South Yorkshire
September 2018 – August 2021
BA (Hons) Marketing

Skills

Business acumen: Over the course of my degree, I developed a robust and intimate knowledge of business operations and the hurdles companies can face, both inside and outside the marketing realm.
Leadership: As vice-president of the Marketing and Advertising Society at the University of York, I filled in for the president on numerous occasions, chairing several team meetings and running multiple events.
Communication: As a retail assistant, I was in a customer-facing job where I successfully promoted various deals and built rapport with staff and customers alike.
Problem-solving: The Marketing and Advertising Society would often run events centred around identifying and circumventing common marketing or business issues; I partook in these events.

How to write an account manager CV (including an example)