Principal Product Manager Resume Guide

Principal Product Managers are responsible for leading product development efforts, from concept to launch. They identify customer needs and develop strategies that will meet those needs through the creation of new products or enhancements to existing ones. They collaborate with cross-functional teams such as engineering, marketing, sales and finance to ensure successful execution of their product plans.

You have the experience and leadership skills to be an outstanding product manager for any company. But employers won’t know about you unless you write a resume that highlights your qualifications and credentials in a compelling way.

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

Principal Product Manager Resume Sample

Cedrick Graham
Principal Product Manager

[email protected]
601-870-6191
linkedin.com/in/cedrick-graham

Summary

Driven principal product manager with 8+ years of experience leading product development from concept to completion. Proven ability to develop and execute comprehensive strategies that bring products to market quickly, efficiently, and on-budget. Received “Product Manager of the Year” award for introducing a new user interface design that reduced customer support calls by 40%. Seeking an opportunity at ABC Company where I can continue driving successful product launches.

Experience

Principal Product Manager, Employer A
Reno, Jan 2018 – Present

Mentored and supervised a team of 10+ product managers, ensuring that all goals and deadlines were met on time; reduced total product development timeline by 35%.
Assessed customer feedback to identify areas for improvement in existing products and services, resulting in increased user satisfaction ratings by 20%.
Improved efficiency across the entire product life cycle with streamlined processes, including design reviews & prototyping; improved overall production cycles by 78%.
Consistently monitored market trends to develop new strategies and approaches while assessing potential risks associated with each project; achieved 8 successful product launches over the past 2 years.
Reorganized the functional structure of teams to increase collaboration between departments and facilitate cross-functional projects; optimized resources utilization by 45% within 6 months.

Principal Product Manager, Employer B
Boise, Mar 2012 – Dec 2017

Participated in the development of innovative product strategies that generated over $10 million in revenue and increased customer satisfaction by 30%.
Efficiently managed a team of 10+ product specialists, providing guidance and support throughout all stages of design, production and marketing for 5 new products.
Demonstrated strong leadership skills when implementing new processes which decreased time to market by 40% while ensuring quality standards were met at all times.
Advised senior management on effective ways to maximize cost-savings across multiple projects through careful analysis and strategic planning; realized savings up to 20%.
Streamlined workflow with software automation tools resulting in improved efficiency among project teams as well as reduced labor costs by 25%.

Skills

Product Management
Agile Methodologies
Strategy
Cloud Computing
Cross Functional Team Leadership
Enterprise Software
Software Development
Business Analysis
Product Development

Education

Bachelor’s Degree
Educational Institution XYZ
Nov 2011

Certifications

Certified Product Manager (CPM)
Product Management Institute (PM
May 2017

1. Summary / Objective

A resume summary for a principal product manager should be an elevator pitch that outlines your experience, skills and accomplishments. Include key details such as the number of years you have been in the industry, any certifications or awards you may have earned, and how many products you’ve successfully launched. You can also mention any innovative strategies or processes that helped increase customer satisfaction or reduce costs at previous companies.

Below are some resume summary examples:

Reliable and detail-oriented Principal Product Manager with 10+ years of experience in product management, development, and operations. Proven track record of launching successful products from concept to market. Skilled at developing customer relationships and working cross functionally within a company to ensure success for the organization’s goals. Experienced in gathering user feedback and translating it into actionable insights for product teams.

Diligent and experienced Principal Product Manager with a proven track record of leading large-scale product initiatives from concept to launch. 8+ years of professional experience in the high-tech industry, successfully launching over 15 products with an average customer rating above 4 stars. Seeking to join ABC Tech as their next Principal Product Manager and leverage my expertise driving innovation and growth within complex organizations.

Dependable and experienced product manager with 7+ years of experience in developing and executing complex product strategies across various industries. Proven track record of driving customer satisfaction, increasing revenue growth, and creating successful products that meet business objectives. Looking to join ABC Tech as their Principal Product Manager to help the organization scale its products through strategic market planning.

Amicable and results-driven principal product manager with 8+ years of experience developing successful products for Fortune 500 businesses. Proven track record in creating a unified customer experience across multiple channels, as well as driving product growth by leveraging user feedback. Experienced in using Agile methodologies to develop high-quality solutions that meet customer needs while staying on budget and schedule.

Proficient principal product manager with 5+ years of experience driving strategic planning and execution across large-scale, high visibility projects. Proven track record in managing cross-functional teams to deliver successful products on time and within budget. Passionate about leveraging Agile methodology at ABC Tech to develop innovative solutions that meet customer needs and exceed business goals.

Enthusiastic principal product manager with 8+ years of experience developing and launching digital products. Proven track record in driving customer engagement through data-driven decision making and creative problem solving. At XYZ, developed a successful strategy to increase monthly active users by 15%. Skilled at building cross-functional relationships, leading teams, and delivering results on time.

Skilled principal product manager with 10+ years of experience leading cross-functional teams in the development and launch of successful products. Proven track record in setting strategic direction, developing roadmaps, managing budgets and resources, and working with stakeholders to ensure customer satisfaction. Experienced in all aspects of delivering innovative products from concept to delivery.

Accomplished product manager with 8+ years of experience leading cross-functional teams to develop, launch and manage web products for global markets. At XYZ Corporation, managed the successful launch of a new digital product that increased customer engagement by 38%. Eager to join ABC’s team as Principal Product Manager and drive innovative solutions in support of business goals.

2. Experience / Employment

Next comes the work history section, where you provide details on your employment history. This should be written in reverse chronological order, meaning the most recent role is listed at the top.

When stating what you did, stick to bullet points as much as possible. Doing so allows the reader to quickly digest what you have to say and understand how it relates back to product management roles. You want to take some time when writing these bullets; think about the specific tasks and results that were achieved during each job.

For example, instead of saying “Managed a team,” you could say, “Successfully managed a cross-functional team of 15 employees across 3 continents while developing new products for international markets.”

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:

Developed and implemented a comprehensive roadmap for products, resulting in 50+ successful product launches with an average of 20% market share growth year-over-year.
Achieved the highest customer satisfaction rating among all competitors by introducing innovative features that reduced time to value by 25%.
Proficiently analyzed competitive landscape, identified key trends and formulated strategies to ensure company’s position as leader in the industry; increased overall revenue by $7 million annually through strategic decision making.
Represented organization at various conferences and events while engaging customers & stakeholders on new solutions; successfully closed 10 high profile deals worth over $1 million each within 6 months span.
Spearheaded numerous initiatives aimed at improving operational efficiency which resulted in cost savings up to 15%, allowing resources to be reallocated towards other projects accordingly.

Facilitated the development of over 40 new products, resulting in a 20% increase in revenue and an average 25% reduction in time-to-market.
Compiled customer research data from multiple sources to inform product roadmap decisions; implemented successful strategies that led to a 15% improvement in user satisfaction scores.
Presented organized product briefs, feature requests & bug reports at quarterly executive meetings; secured project funding for 3 flagship initiatives worth $1 million+ each year on average.
Structured monthly sprints for the engineering team which included prioritizing tasks based on market trends and customer feedback; reduced backlog by 50%.
Actively collaborated with cross-functional teams such as design, marketing & sales to ensure all stakeholders were informed and up to date regarding progress made towards meeting goals and objectives throughout the lifecycle of projects assigned under his/her purview.

Coordinated the launch of 10+ products from inception to market release, ensuring that all timelines and requirements were met within budget; increased customer satisfaction by 25%.
Independently managed product life cycles for over 30 SKUs in multiple industries, leading the development of new features and enhancements as required.
Utilized data-driven analysis to identify gaps in product performance across three divisions, resulting in a reduction of operational costs by 20%.
Expedited product feature rollouts through effective collaboration with engineering teams; reduced time-to-market by 15% compared to previous releases while maintaining quality standards.
Prepared detailed specifications documents outlining user stories and functionalities for new products; enabled efficient cross-team communication between developers & designers on a variety of projects.

Optimized product design and development process, reducing time to market by 25% for 10+ new products.
Introduced innovative product strategies that increased user engagement by 15%, resulting in an increase of $500K in revenue over 6 months.
Revised existing software architecture models to create a streamlined development workflow; reduced project delivery timeline by 50%.
Formulated comprehensive pricing plans with competitive market analysis data, leading to the successful launch of 5 new products on schedule and within budget parameters.
Thoroughly researched customer feedback from focus groups and surveys, implementing changes which resulted in a 20% improvement in customer satisfaction ratings across all product lines.

3. Skills

Even though two organizations are hiring for the same role, the skillset they want an ideal candidate to possess could differ significantly. For instance, one may be on the lookout for an individual who is well-versed in Agile methodology, while another may be looking for someone who has experience with Lean Six Sigma.

Therefore, it is important to tailor the skills section of your resume according to each job you are applying for. This will help ensure that applicant tracking systems (which scan resumes for certain keywords) deem yours a good match and pass it on to human recruiters.

In addition, by listing relevant skills here, you can then elaborate further on them in other sections such as the summary or work experience section.

Below is a list of common skills & terms:

Account Management
Agile Methodologies
Agile Project Management
Analysis
Analytics
Business Analysis
Business Development
Business Intelligence
Business Process
Business Process Improvement
Business Strategy
C++
CRM
CSS
Change Management
Cloud Computing
Competitive Analysis
Consulting
Cross Functional Team Leadership
Data Analysis
Databases
Digital Marketing
Digital Media
Enterprise Architecture
Enterprise Software
Entrepreneurship
Go To Market Strategy
HTML
IT Strategy
Integration
Java
JavaScript
Linux
Management Consulting
Market Research
Microsoft SQL Server
Mobile Applications
Mobile Devices
Online Advertising
Online Marketing
Oracle
Pre Sales
Process Improvement
Product Design
Product Development
Product Launch
Product Lifecycle Management
Product Management
Product Marketing
Product Strategy
Professional Services
Program Management
Project Planning
Python
Quality Assurance
Requirements Analysis
Requirements Gathering
SDLC
SOA
SQL
SaaS
Salesforce.com
Scrum
Security
SharePoint
Social Media Marketing
Software Design
Software Development
Software Development Life Cycle
Software Engineering
Software Project Management
Software as a Service
Solution Architecture
Strategic Partnerships
Strategy
Team Leadership
Team Management
Telecommunications
Testing
Unix
User Experience
User Interface Design
Vendor Management
Virtualization
Web Analytics
Web Applications
Web Development
Web Services
XML

4. Education

Including an education section on your resume will depend on how far along you are in your career. If you graduated recently and lack work experience, it’s best to mention the degree below your resume objective. However, if you have years of professional experience as a product manager or related roles, including an education section may be unnecessary since employers would likely focus more on that than what school you attended.

If adding an education section is necessary for the role, make sure to include relevant coursework and subjects studied that relate directly to the principal product manager job description.

Bachelor’s Degree
Educational Institution XYZ
Nov 2011

5. Certifications

Certifications are a great way to demonstrate your expertise in a particular field. They can also show potential employers that you have taken the initiative to stay up-to-date on industry trends and best practices.

If you are applying for a job that requires specific certifications, make sure they are prominently featured on your resume so hiring managers know right away that you meet their qualifications. Additionally, include any other relevant certifications or professional development courses as well to further showcase your knowledge and experience in the field.

Certified Product Manager (CPM)
Product Management Institute (PM
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 Cedrick Graham, this would be Cedrick-Graham-resume.pdf or Cedrick-Graham-resume.docx.

7. Cover Letter

Including a cover letter with your job application can give you the edge over other candidates. It’s a great opportunity to showcase your personality and explain why you’re an ideal candidate for the role in question.

Cover letters are usually made up of 2-4 paragraphs that should be tailored towards the company or organization you’re applying to. You don’t want it to appear generic, as this won’t create a good impression with potential employers. Instead, focus on highlighting specific skills and experience related to the position at hand, which will demonstrate how well suited you are for it.

Below is an example cover letter:

Dear Orland,

As a senior product manager with 7+ years of experience in the software industry, I am confident that I have the skills and experience you are looking for in your next principal product manager. In my current role, I manage a team of 9 product managers and am responsible for overseeing all aspects of our flagship software product. During my time at [company name], I have been instrumental in increasing our customer satisfaction scores by 15% and reducing churn by 10%.

I am extremely passionate about building great products that solve real customer problems. This has been evident throughout my career as evidenced by the numerous awards and recognition I have received from both customers and peers. In addition to being an excellent communicator, I also have strong technical skills which allow me to quickly understand complex problems and come up with creative solutions.

I would love to bring my experience, knowledge, and passion for building great products to your company. Please find attached a copy of my resume for your review. If you have any questions or would like to discuss further, please do not hesitate to contact me at [phone number] or [email address]. Thank you for your consideration!

Sincerely,

Cedrick