Prepress Manager Resume Guide

Prepress Managers are responsible for overseeing the preparation of materials for printing. They coordinate and manage projects, review proofs, ensure quality control standards are met and provide technical support to designers, printers and other staff in order to ensure a successful print job.

Your management and production experience make you an ideal candidate for the pre-press manager role. To get noticed by potential employers, writing a resume that highlights your expertise is essential.

This guide will walk you through the entire process of creating a top-notch resume. We first show you a complete example and then break down what each resume section should look like.

The guide is divided into sections for your convenience. You can read it from beginning to end or use the table of contents below to jump to a specific part.

Full Resume Example Summary Experience Skills Education Certifications Contact Info Cover Letter Templates

Prepress Manager Resume Sample

Watson Kohler
Prepress Manager

[email protected]
463-931-9620
linkedin.com/in/watson-kohler

Summary

Talented Prepress Manager with 5+ years of experience in the printing industry. Adept at providing innovative solutions to optimize workflow and increase production efficiency while maintaining a high degree of accuracy and quality control. At XYZ, managed a team of 10 graphic designers who produced over 200 print projects each year for major clients across multiple industries. Awarded “Employee of the Year” for exceptional performance during my tenure there.

Experience

Prepress Manager, Employer A
Colorado Springs, Jan 2018 – Present

Reorganized the prepress department to improve workflow, reducing turnaround time by 50% and increasing customer satisfaction.
Spearheaded the implementation of an automated proofing system for all jobs that reduced errors in production by 40%.
Prepared a comprehensive job budget report each month, tracking costs across 400+ projects with accuracy and efficiency; saved company $10K annually due to more precise cost control measures.
Diligently monitored quality assurance standards throughout the entire prepress process, ensuring no defects escaped detection before printing began; increased precision rate from 75% to 95%.
Expedited pre-press activities while maintaining strict adherence to industry safety guidelines; completed tasks up to 4 hours ahead of schedule without compromising on quality or risk exposure.

Prepress Manager, Employer B
Glendale, Mar 2012 – Dec 2017

Reduced prepress costs by 25% through the implementation of new processes and procedures.
Advised a team of 5 department members on best practices for pre-press quality assurance, ensuring that all design specs were met before printing.
Mentored 3 junior staff in graphic layout and page setup techniques, improving their knowledge base within 4 months time frame.
Structured efficient digital workflow between production departments to ensure timely completion of projects; saved 10 hours/week on average due to improved coordination among teams.
Actively monitored overall production process from proofing stage to press release, identifying potential issues early on and offering solutions where needed; reduced print errors by 22%.

Skills

Digital Printing
Offset Printing
Color Management
Print Management
Adobe Creative Suite
Graphic Design
Graphics
Variable Data Printing
Wide Format Printing

Education

Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design
Educational Institution XYZ
Nov 2011

Certifications

Certified Prepress Manager
Graphic Arts Education and Research Foundation
May 2017

1. Summary / Objective

Your resume summary/objective should give the hiring manager a snapshot of your qualifications and experience as a prepress manager. In this section, you can highlight key skills such as working with Adobe Creative Suite, managing workflow processes for large projects, and troubleshooting technical issues. You could also mention any awards or certifications you have earned in the field to demonstrate your expertise.

Below are some resume summary examples:

Passionate prepress manager with 10+ years of experience in document production, print management and pre-press operations. Skilled at streamlining processes to reduce costs while ensuring quality standards are met. Successfully managed the preparation of over 300 documents for a global printing project involving multiple stakeholders within tight deadlines. Seeking an opportunity to utilize my skills as a Prepress Manager at ABC Print Solutions.

Energetic and experienced Prepress Manager with 10 years of experience in the printing industry. Adept at managing a diverse team, providing technical support to clients, and ensuring that all projects are completed on time and within budget. Demonstrated success in optimizing workflow processes for a 20% increase in productivity while reducing costs by 12%. Skilled at troubleshooting complex issues quickly through excellent communication skills.

Dependable pre-press manager with 8+ years of experience in the printing industry. Offering an expert knowledge of pre-flighting, proofreading and production processes for print media projects delivered within tight deadlines. Skilled at managing a team to ensure successful project completion and maintaining high quality standards throughout all stages of production. Seeking to utilize my expertise as Prepress Manager at ABC Press Inc.

Diligent prepress manager with 10+ years of experience overseeing and managing projects from initial design to final production. Highly knowledgeable in the Adobe Creative Suite, with a proven track record for meeting deadlines while maintaining high quality standards. Looking to leverage my skillset at ABC as the next prepress manager, where I can help ensure efficient workflow processes and on-time delivery of print products.

Detail-oriented Prepress Manager with 9+ years of experience in all areas of pre-printing production, from design to press check. Adept at managing a 20-person team while ensuring projects are completed on time and within budget. At XYZ Corporation, improved workflow efficiency by 25% through process optimization and automation initiatives. Looking to bring my expertise to ABC Corp’s innovative printing solutions department.

Skilled prepress manager with 10+ years of experience in the printing industry. Possesses a record of success in leading teams, streamlining processes and optimizing workflow to maximize productivity. At XYZ Inc., successfully managed projects from start to finish while consistently meeting tight deadlines. Expertise includes digital file conversion, proofing and color management for offset presses and large format printers.

Well-rounded prepress manager with 8+ years of experience leading a successful prepress team in a production environment. Expertise includes preflighting and trapping artwork, proofreading/editing digital files for accuracy, and managing client deadlines. Proven ability to train new staff members quickly and efficiently while ensuring quality control standards are met at all times.

Enthusiastic and experienced prepress manager with 8+ years of experience managing production processes in the printing industry. Adept at streamlining operations to improve turnaround time, reduce costs, and meet customer expectations. Seeking to join ABC Printing as a Prepress Manager to drive continuous improvement initiatives for efficient workflow optimization.

2. Experience / Employment

The employment (or experience) section is where you provide details about your work history. It should be written in reverse chronological order, meaning the most recent job goes at the top.

Stick to bullet points when writing this section; it makes it easier for readers to quickly take in what you have to say. When writing each point, think of quantifiable results and explain them as clearly as possible.

For example, instead of saying “Managed a team,” you could say, “Managed a 10-person pre-press department by providing clear direction on tasks and deadlines while ensuring quality standards were met.”

To write effective bullet points, begin with a strong verb or adverb. Industry specific verbs to use are:

Other general verbs you can use are:

Achieved
Advised
Assessed
Compiled
Coordinated
Demonstrated
Developed
Expedited
Facilitated
Formulated
Improved
Introduced
Mentored
Optimized
Participated
Prepared
Presented
Reduced
Reorganized
Represented
Revised
Spearheaded
Streamlined
Structured
Utilized

Below are some example bullet points:

Compiled and optimized digital artwork, images, audio and video files for offset printing; improved accuracy by 24% while reducing the time spent on prepress processes by 45%.
Assessed client needs to provide optimal solutions that met their job specifications in terms of color quality and resolution; reduced customer complaints regarding image issues by more than 60%.
Represented company at trade shows throughout the year to showcase services provided while promoting new products & features; generated $35,000 worth of sales leads as a result.
Improved workflow efficiency through automation techniques such as scripting and employing automated imposition software systems; decreased turnaround times from 48 hours to 12 hours on average for large print jobs with minimal errors/rework required.
Thoroughly inspected plates before pressing in order to ensure compliance with ISO standards or other industry regulations governing color accuracy, registration mark alignment etc.; increased pressroom productivity by 25%.

Formulated and implemented cost-effective solutions to improve production efficiency in a fast-paced print shop environment, resulting in an average 30% reduction of turnaround time for all projects.
Coordinated the workflows of 10+ graphic designers, editors & operators daily to ensure that multiple high priority jobs were completed on schedule with minimal errors; achieved 100% client satisfaction rate over two consecutive quarters.
Presented clients with detailed information regarding digital printing processes while offering creative suggestions on improving color accuracy, layout design & paper quality; generated additional revenue by upselling services worth $6K during this quarter alone.
Streamlined prepress operations through automation which eliminated manual data entry tasks from the workflow and increased productivity by 25%.
Consistently monitored job progress/status using various software programs such as Adobe Creative Suite & InDesign to check for any inconsistencies or flaws before final delivery deadline was reached each day.

Demonstrated expertise in pre-press operations and technologies, ensuring the accurate production of over 500+ print jobs per day with a 99.9% accuracy rate.
Participated in daily press checks to review color quality, registration & ink saturation of projects; reduced printing errors by 25%.
Introduced new processes that improved turnaround times while reducing costs on all prepress services; achieved an average savings of $6,000 monthly across 10+ clients.
Facilitated training sessions for 15+ staff members to keep them updated on latest technology advancements and best practices related to digital pre-press services; lowered idle time by 20%.
Proficiently operated different types of imaging devices such as scanners, cameras & spectrophotometers; maintained maintenance logs and calibrated equipment routinely resulting in minimal downtime due to malfunctions or repairs.

Revised and proofread more than 500 digital files, print designs, logos and other artwork to ensure accuracy prior to printing each day; reduced printing errors by 35%.
Utilized pre-press software such as Adobe Creative Suite & InDesign to prepare documents for offset lithography press production with precise color control specifications.
Optimized workflow processes related to file format conversions, image manipulation/retouching and trapping of colors in order to maximize efficiency while minimizing costs.
Developed a system that automatically uploads design files from the cloud directly into prepress systems improving overall turnaround time by 45%.
Effectively managed 10+ employees in the preparation department ensuring all projects were completed on schedule; ensured quality standards were met at every stage of production resulting in zero customer complaints within the last 6 months.

3. Skills

Skill requirements will differ from employer to employer – this can easily be determined via the job advert. Organization ABC may need someone who is an expert in Adobe Creative Suite while Organization XYZ may be looking for a candidate with experience in QuarkXPress.

For this reason, it’s important to tailor the skills section of your resume to each job you are applying for. This will help ensure that any applicant tracking systems used by potential employers can quickly identify relevant keywords and pass on your application as a high-quality match.

It’s also beneficial to elaborate further on these skills throughout other areas of the resume such as the summary or experience sections.

Below is a list of common skills & terms:

Account Management
Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Creative Suite
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
Advertising
Banners
Bindery
Brochures
Catalogs
Color Correction
Color Management
Desktop Publishing
Digital Printing
Direct Mail
Direct Marketing
Flexo
Graphic Arts
Graphic Design
Graphics
Illustrator
Image Editing
Image Manipulation
InDesign
Inkjet
Labels
Layout
Logo Design
Mac
Offset Printing
PDF
Packaging
Packaging Design
Photography
Posters
Print Management
Print Production
Print Production Management
Print on Demand
Proof
QuarkXPress
Typography
Variable Data Printing
Wide Format Printing

4. Education

Mentioning your education on a resume is dependent upon how far along you are in your career. If you recently graduated and have limited work experience, include the education section below your resume objective. However, if you have extensive work experience that demonstrates your qualifications for the job, an education section may not be necessary at all.

Including an education section can be beneficial to highlight courses or assignments related to prepress management if applicable.

Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design
Educational Institution XYZ
Nov 2011

5. Certifications

Certifications are an important way to demonstrate your expertise and knowledge in a particular field. They can be especially beneficial when applying for jobs that require specific skills or qualifications.

When including certifications on your resume, make sure to include the name of the certification body, as well as any relevant dates associated with it. This will help potential employers verify the validity of your credentials and show them that you are committed to staying up-to-date with industry standards.

Certified Prepress Manager
Graphic Arts Education and Research Foundation
May 2017

6. Contact Info

Your name should be the first thing a reader sees when viewing your resume, so ensure its positioning is prominent. Your phone number should be written in the most commonly used format in your country/city/state, and your email address should be professional.

You can also choose to include a link to your LinkedIn profile, personal website, or other online platforms relevant to your industry.

Finally, name your resume file appropriately to help hiring managers; for Watson Kohler, this would be Watson-Kohler-resume.pdf or Watson-Kohler-resume.docx.

7. Cover Letter

Providing a cover letter when applying for a job can give you an edge over other candidates. It’s usually made up of 2 to 4 paragraphs and is separate from your resume, allowing you to explain why you are the best person for the role in more detail.

Cover letters provide recruiters with insights about who you are as a professional. By writing one, not only do they get to know what makes you unique but also how passionate and qualified for the position that you really are.

Below is an example cover letter:

Dear Samara,

I am writing to apply for the Prepress Manager position at XYZ Corporation. With more than 10 years of experience in the printing and publishing industry, I have a deep understanding of all aspects of prepress production. In my current role as Prepress Production Manager at ABC Company, I oversee a team of 15 employees and manage all aspects of the prepress production process.

During my time at ABC Company, I have streamlined the prepress production process, which has resulted in significant cost savings for the company. I have also implemented quality control measures that have reduced rework and waste. My strong project management skills have helped me to successfully complete projects on time and within budget.

I am confident that I can bring my knowledge and expertise to XYZ Corporation and contribute to your bottom line. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this position with you further. Please do not hesitate to contact me at [your phone number] or [your email address]. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Watson