Highlight your benefits administration experience

Employers want to see that you have hands-on experience managing employee benefits programs. On your resume, include specific examples of:

• Benefits plans you've administered, such as health insurance, 401(k), FSA, life insurance, etc.
• Number of employees you supported, e.g. "Managed benefits for 500+ employees across 3 locations"
• Vendors you've worked with like Cigna, Fidelity, ADP, etc.
• Systems you used to administer plans, like Workday, PeopleSoft, or Benefitfocus

Avoid simply listing responsibilities without context, like this:

• Administered health plans
• Managed open enrollment
• Processed new hire enrollments

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   Quantify your impact on costs and participation

Benefits Managers are responsible for controlling benefits costs while driving employee participation. Hiring managers look for candidates who have a proven track record in these areas. Use numbers and percentages to show your impact:

• Reduced benefits expenses by 15% through strategic plan design and vendor negotiations
• Increased 401(k) participation rate from 62% to 87% by implementing an auto-enrollment feature
• Saved $250K annually by moving to a self-insured health plan while maintaining quality of coverage

Don't just state your responsibilities without highlighting outcomes:

• Managed annual benefits budget
• Oversaw 401(k) plan
• Led open enrollment initiatives

   Showcase your communication and employee education skills

A key part of a Benefits Manager's role is educating employees about their benefits and helping them make informed choices. Employers value strong communication skills. Provide examples of how you engage and educate employees:

• Created and delivered 20+ benefits presentations to educate employees on plan options
• Wrote monthly benefits newsletter sent to 2,500 employees with 35% average open rate
• Conducted 15 benefits webinars with 90% average attendance rate

Vague, unquantified statements like these are less impactful:

• Presented benefits information to employees
• Wrote employee communications
• Hosted benefits meetings

   Demonstrate your analytical and problem-solving skills

Benefits Managers often analyze plan data to identify cost-saving opportunities and member pain points. Showcase your analytical skills with specifics:

• Analyzed claims data to identify $500K in potential savings from adding a chronic disease management program
• Reduced out-of-network claims by 28% by educating employees on in-network providers
• Identified top 3 causes of employee benefits dissatisfaction through survey analysis; implemented solutions to improve scores by 20%

Compare those to weaker statements like:

Analyzed benefits data to find cost savings and solve problems for employees.

   Highlight your compliance and regulatory knowledge

Benefits are heavily regulated, so employers look for candidates with up-to-date compliance knowledge. Showcase your expertise in federal and state regulations:

• Ensured plans complied with ACA, ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA and relevant state laws
• Filed 5500s, SBCs, and other required documents accurately and on time
• Served as lead contact for DOL audit; no major findings

Broad statements like this lack proof of your knowledge:

Managed regulatory compliance of benefits plans.

   Show your progression and leadership

Hiring managers want to see your career progression and leadership skills. As you list your jobs, provide examples of how you've grown and taken on more responsibility over time:

• Promoted from Benefits Specialist to Benefits Manager within 2 years
• Grew from managing benefits for 75 to 1,200 employees
• Led a team of 3 Benefits Analysts and a $2M annual budget
• Chosen to lead company-wide benefits transformation project

Avoid simply listing your job titles without demonstrating growth:

• Benefits Coordinator
• Benefits Specialist
• Benefits Manager