Communications Manager CV Example

Adding contact details to your communications manager CV

One of the biggest mistakes applicants make is forgetting to add their most up-to-date contact details at the top of the page. It might sound obvious, but it’s easy to do in the excitement of applying for your dream job. We recommend noting your information in the header and using a slightly larger or bolder font so it’s easy to find and read. Remember to include:

• Full name – first name and surname
• Location – including county and postcode
• Phone number – mobile is preferable
• Email address – keep it work-appropriate

Example of contact section for a communications manager CV

Start your communications manager CV with a personal statement

The communications industry is highly competitive, and you’ll be up against multi-talented candidates. As such, you must write an eye-catching personal statement summarising why you’re the best person for the job. You only have three to four sentences to highlight your most valuable achievements, skills, and qualifications, so every word counts. Confused? Use our trusty formula below to get started.

Sentence one introduces who you are, including career focus and years of experience. Sentence two is your bait – drop in a dazzling statistic and encourage the hiring manager to learn more. Lastly, sentences three and four underline your unique skills and specialisms. Perhaps, you’re a whizz on advertising law or speak multiple languages? Shout about whatever gives you the edge over your competitors.

As for the dazzling statistic, this is a fact or figure that cements your capabilities. For instance, you might have “managed 50 marketing professionals” or “launched a high-profile media campaign that gained over 50,000 social media followers”. Whatever you choose, be as specific as possible – vagueness is every employer’s pet peeve!

Here are some additional pointers to keep you on track:

• Write in the third person to sound more professional
• Stick to the word count – 50 to 100 words is ideal
• Only include the most relevant and impressive information
• Use scannable keywords – you can find these hard and soft skills in the job advertisement
• Don’t discuss your career ambitions – save this for the cover letter

Example of personal statement for a communications manager CV

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How to present your work history on a communications manager CV

Arguably, the work history section is the most crucial part of a communications manager CV. Employers typically spend the most time here, unpicking your strengths, weaknesses, and accomplishments. Plus, they can see how long you usually stay with a company – a key consideration for brands that value loyalty and consistency.

Start from your current or most recent role and list up to six responsibilities for each. We advise adding more detail for relevant positions that reflect the job advertisement. Outline the following:

• Job title
• Employment start and end dates
• Company name
• Company location
• List of duties
• Workplace achievements
• Note references are available on request.

Hiring managers receive hundreds of applications for each post, so how do you make yours stand out? Like the personal statement, provide concrete evidence of what you can achieve. Otherwise, the reader might think you’re full of hot air. Let’s say you “mentored staff” – can you expand on this? You might have “trained over 100 employees” or “created an industry-leading communications handbook that won a national award”. Basically, substantiate as many duties as possible to earn the employer’s respect!

There’s nothing worse than a repetitive CV that states the obvious without offering anything exciting. To combat this, cover a diverse range of responsibilities to show the employer the scope of your talents. If you’ve mentioned “placing advertising campaigns” underneath one position, discuss “preparing monthly progress reports” in another. Leave out banal details like “answering telephone calls and emails” – this is junior-level stuff.

The cherry on top? Sprinkle in plenty of positive adjectives and action verbs to elevate the tone. The former reveal more of your personality – you might be “creative”, “energetic”, and “thoughtful”. Action verbs are powerful alternatives to “responsible for”. Our favourites for communications managers include “directed”, “pitched”, and “publicised”.

Example of work experience for a communications manager CV

Great skills to add on your communications manager CV

CV skills set you apart when you’re up against equally experienced and qualified candidates. Alongside making it easier for hiring managers to assess your suitability for the role, ATS software loves scannable keywords and phrases. Grouping your top talents together is the safest way to squeeze past the algorithm. We advise noting up to 12 skills in total, split equally between hard skills and soft skills.

What’s the difference? Hard skills are technical and learnt on the job. Examples include “editing press releases”, “using Google Analytics”, and “writing detailed communications reports”. In contrast, soft skills are character-based and much harder to learn – think “leadership”, “conflict resolution”, and “decision-making”.

You need both to secure a coveted interview spot. You might be the most experienced candidate on paper but lack the people skills to collaborate effectively. On the other hand, it doesn’t matter how friendly you are if you don’t have the practical tools to turn ideas into action.

Need a little more help? Check out the following lists:

Outlining education on a communications manager CV

Qualifications are the building blocks of your CV, supporting your experience and CV skills sections. You can discuss school, college, and university degrees, extracurricular training, and memberships to governing bodies. Ultimately, spotlight anything that proves you can get the job done!

There are a few things to remember when outlining your education. Firstly, you don’t need to give bucket loads of detail for older qualifications, like GCSEs and A levels, especially if you’ve gone to university. Next, there’s no point in mentioning bad grades – while you should never lie, you might want to omit this information unless specifically asked.

How do you become a communications manager? You’ll need to complete an undergraduate or postgraduate course in a relevant subject, such as “Communications”, “Journalism”, or “Public Relations”. During your studies, you’ll have the opportunity to learn on the job via placements.

When summarising your education, cover the following:

• Name of school, college, university, or other awarding body
• Study start and end dates
• Subject title
• Qualification level – e.g. bachelor’s degree or A level
• Qualification result

Example of education for a communications manager CV