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How to Write an Inventory Manager Resume

Learning how to write your resume and choose the right resume format to prioritize your qualifications and downplay potential flaws is essential. To help hiring managers quickly scan your qualifications, use a standard resume layout with standard 1-inch margins, bullet points and resume headings for the following chronological resume sections.

how-to-format-resume
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6

  • Professional header and contact info

    • Add your name, phone number and professional email address.

  • Compelling summary statement

    • A three-sentence intro to pitch up to three inventory management skills, experience or accomplishments near the top of your resume.

  • Highlight your skills

    • Create a dedicated section to showcase hard and soft skills specific to inventory management, like supply chain management or forecasting.

  • Emphasize your work history

    • List your work experience in reverse chronological order. Include job titles, company names, dates of employment and key responsibilities and achievements for each role in a bullet list.

  • Supporting education section

    • Highlight relevant education like business management degrees, inventory certifications or appropriate training.

  • Additional sections

    • You can create additional resume sections for licenses, certifications, career memberships, awards, volunteer experience or languages.

1

How to Write an Inventory Manager Resume Summary

With hiring managers spending an average of six to seven seconds on a resume, the top half of your inventory management resume needs to make a quick, professional argument for why you’re the strongest candidate. Use a summary statement or resume objective to highlight two or three core inventory management accomplishments.

Be direct

This introduction should be a brief two or three-sentence paragraph describing your skills and notable achievements.

Use evidence

Focus on quantifiable accomplishments and specific skills that relate directly to the role you are applying for. Use tangible information like shrink reduction, on-time shipments, or inventory volumes.

Focus on the job

Scan the job description for keywords for inventory management resumes, like repeated phrases or changes in fonts to indicate importance, and reflect those critical terms in your summary.

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Good inventory manager resume example

“Dynamic inventory manager with over 10 years of experience optimizing supply chain processes and reducing costs for multiple retail chains. Proven track record in implementing innovative inventory management software and policies that reduced stock-outs by 30% and increased operational efficiency. Strong leadership skills, data analysis skills and forecasting.”

Why this resume summary works:
This job seeker quickly focuses on a critical win — implementing an accurate inventory program that reduced stock-outs so the warehouse could meet demand. They address a crucial concern for hiring managers and describe how they’ll be effective inventory managers.

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Poor inventory manager resume example

“Expert inventory manager with experience in warehouse settings. Familiar with stock rooms, procedures and leading teams.”

How this summary statement fails:
Although this is an excellent first draft, this summary needs more specific information or measurable achievements. You can improve this by adding your specific years of experience, specifying the number of employees you lead, the number of assets you stock and the process or the square footage of the warehouse you oversee.

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PRO TIP:

Use the resume summary if you have over three years of relevant experience in the industry — this intro focuses on the potential benefits you bring to the role. Use the resume objective if you have less than three years of experience or are changing careers.

2

How to Add Your Inventory Manager Work History

Your resume work history will be the most critical and detailed resume section, depending on your resume format. Create detailed subsections for each job that includes the job title, employer, location, dates of employment and bullet points with core responsibilities and accomplishments. Let’s cover how to describe inventory management on a resume:

Quantify achievements

Use numbers, such as percentages, dollar amounts or productivity metrics, to show the impact of your work.

Use relevant keywords

Add keywords for inventory management resumes that align with the job description to make your resume more attractive to applicant tracking systems (ATS) and hiring managers.

Showcase inventory management skills on resume

Highlight scenarios where you identified potential problems like disorganized stock, overcomplicated pathing or dangerous work conditions and proposed solutions like optimized organization or designated storage spaces.

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Good inventory management resume sample

Inventory Manager | Sonoco Inc.
Denver, CO | June 2019 to present

    • Implemented a cross-shift initiative to streamline the inventory process and reduce overhead costs by 20% within the first year.
    • Introduced a new inventory management software that decreased stock discrepancies by 35, improved reporting accuracy and increased shipping capability by 13%.
    • Managed a team of 15 inventory clerks, fostering a collaborative environment that improved team productivity by 25%.
    • Negotiated better terms with suppliers, saving the company $100K annually on procurement costs.

This inventory management resume example uses data and professional wins to persuade a hiring manager. They highlight their knowledge of optimized inventory software and ability to improve existing inventory processes for profit and maintain a healthy work environment for their productive team.

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Poor inventory management resume sample

Inventory Manager | Sonoco Inc
Denver, CO | June 2019 to present

    • Managed inventory
    • Handled supplies
    • Worked with staff

This vague inventory management work history fails to share anything other than vague skills related to the industry. A hiring manager can learn anything about how many team members this job seeker oversaw, what systems or software they’re familiar with or how effectively they maintain shipping/receiving records.

3

How to Write an Inventory Manager Education Section

Although most stock and inventory jobs don’t require more than a high school diploma or GED, you can boost your application by adding relevant degrees, training or certifications as are necessary for most daily responsibilities. Key information you might add as an inventory manager include:

1Degrees

List any degrees you have earned, starting with the most recent. Include your major and minor if relevant.

2Certifications

Highlight certifications that are industry-recognized and directly applicable to inventory management, such as Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) or Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP).

3Relevant training

Include any seminars, workshops or courses that covered effective warehouse setup, streamlined operations, automating shipping/receiving logs and scheduling staff.

Inventory management resume example:

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration | Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI | Graduated: April 2017

Supply Chain Management Professional (SCMP)
Supply Chain Canada | Completed: December 2021

Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP)
APICS Certification | Completed: March 2020

Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM)
APICS Certification | Completed: June 2019

4

15 Skills for Your Inventory Manager Resume

Most resumes feature a dedicated skills section with six to eight bullet points. Still, you can incorporate an informative list of soft skills, hard skills and technical skills throughout your resume for inventory management. Remember to focus on listening skills from the job descriptions.

Here’s a helpful starting list of commonly requested inventory management skills for resumes.

soft skills

Soft skills

  • Adaptability
  • Attention to detail
  • Communication
  • Leadership
  • Problem-solving
soft skills

Hard skills

  • Inventory forecasting
  • Procurement
  • Stock control
  • Supply chain management
  • Vendor management
soft skills

Technical skills

  • Barcode scanning technology
  • Data analysis tools, e.g., Excel, SQL
  • ERP software, e.g., SAP, Oracle
  • Inventory management systems, e.g., Fishbowl, NetSuite
  • RFID systems

5

20 Inventory Manager Action Verbs

With most job openings averaging over 100 applications, your resume can use dynamic action verbs and power words to influence and interest hiring managers. Here’s a helpful list of starter phrases to consider adding to your inventory management resume.

  • Allocate
  • Analyze
  • Collaborate
  • Coordinate
  • Develop
  • Enhance
  • Forecast
  • Implement
  • Improve
  • Innovate
  • Lead
  • Manage
  • Negotiate
  • Optimize
  • Oversee
  • Plan
  • Reduce
  • Streamline
  • Supervise
  • Synchronize

6

Additional Resume Sections

Consider adding the following sections to your inventory management resume based on your specific circumstances to enhance your qualifications:

  • Certifications:

    If you have more than two certifications, create a dedicated section to showcase relevant credentials like Certified in Planning and Inventory Management (CPIM,” Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP,) or Certified in Logistics, Transportation and Distribution (CLTD) from the Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM).

  • Professional Development:

    To replace or supplement your education section, create a professional development section featuring workshops, seminars or inventory management programs.

  • Awards and Achievements:

    If you have received recognition or awards for your performance, productivity or safety record, include a section to showcase these accomplishments.

  • Volunteer Experience:

    If you have less than three years of experience, replace your work history section with a volunteer section. Use this space to demonstrate relevant skills or attributes, like organizational skills, analytical skills or team management skills.

  • Language Proficiency:

    Since stock rooms and warehouses employ a diverse range of employees, hiring managers may prioritize your application if you can speak more than one language.

  • Memberships:

    Let hiring managers know about your membership to industry-specific organizations or unions.

Use a Cover Letter to Express Yourself

A resume is a concise overview of your skills and experience — a cover letter expands on this foundation. Add a cover letter to share one or two examples of how you excelled in similar roles or how your skills match a company’s needs. Use this sample as a guide, or visit our helpful resources to boost your application.

Inventory Manager Resume FAQ

Should I add references to my resume?

You should only add your resume references to your inventory management resume if the job description asks for them. Most hiring managers will only look at this information at the final stages of the interview process, so you can dedicate this space to your skills and work history sections.

How do applicant tracking systems (ATS) affect my resume?

ATS scans resumes for keywords from the job description. Carefully monitor the open job advertisement for relevant keywords related to inventory management expectations, identify where you have matching experience and prioritize that in your resume summary and work history.

What is the average salary for an inventory manager?

According to O*Net, the average salary for a manager in transportation, storage and distribution falls between $47.69 hourly or $99,200 per year. Remember that various states and counties have unique employment trends, so your inventory management pay will look different.