The role of continuous improvement professionals is to constantly interrogate the way a company operates and try to find new ways to improve products or operational systems. Well-known strategies that these professionals employ to serve their function include Six Sigma and Kaizen. If you have experience with strategies or ideologies like these, make sure you list them clearly in your resume.
This role is heavily male-dominated with over 80% of the professionals being male. The average salary is around $90k so it is a fairly well-paying position. It is also a position that will expect for you to have a further education degree. Over 90% of professionals in this industry have a degree listed in their resume.
This resume guide comprises several resume samples, recruiter tips, and relevant skills and action verbs you can use to elevate your resume.
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A continuous improvement manager is tasked with leading a team that will identify points of improvement in a company’s operations, develop solutions to make their operations more efficient, and operationalize those solutions. In a manager's position, you may hire and train your team/department members, oversee their work, and provide guidance and direction for the team.
Recruiters will be expecting to see at least a bachelor’s degree in process management, operations, or a related field. If you have an MBA or master’s in this field, that would be very welcome. You will also be expected to have years of experience in process optimization and great management and communication skills. Here is a successful resume sample.
Different managers use different management methods or ideologies. Popular ideologies/methods include Lean Six Sigma and Agile methodology. It would be useful to list your management style and any certifications you may have in that style.
Recruiters want to get a better idea of the size of the teams you have led in the past so include figures when discussing your previous experience as a leader of various teams. Recruiters also need to see that the teams you lead perform well so include metrics and figures when discussing your previous teams’ successes.
The goal of a continuous improvement specialist is to optimize a company’s operations. You may work as a consultant for multiple companies or you may work as a full-time employee for one company. Tasks you can expect include identifying problem areas or areas of improvement, developing and suggesting improvements, and assisting in the implementation of those suggestions.
You will be expected to have a bachelor's degree in business, operations, or a related field, and some companies will require a master’s in the same. Take a look at this recruiter-approved resume sample.
Certifications show recruiters that you are passionate about your profession and are willing to go the extra mile to improve your skill set. That drive and effort are very impressive to recruiters so if you have any continuous improvement-related certifications like this applicant has, make sure you include them in your resume.
Your job is to streamline operations; if you do your job properly, there should be a positive result on the bottom line. Use figures like percentages or dollar amounts to show how your efforts resulted in less wastage and/or more revenue. This applicant has used metrics very successfully.
Continuous improvement engineers work specifically with companies in the industrial or manufacturing industries. Your goal in this role will be to optimize the manufacturing process for your employer. This will require in-depth knowledge of the manufacturing process and a strong engineering or operational optimization background. Many recruiters will expect at least a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering or a related field so make sure you clearly list all your degrees and/or related certifications. Take a look at this successful resume sample.
Make sure your skills list includes skills specific to the manufacturing sector. Popular skills for this position and sector include lean manufacturing and engineering design. Go the extra step to find out what tools or methodologies are used in the company you are applying to and include them in your resume. Do a crash course on any that are unfamiliar to you.
The manufacturing process differs depending on the products you are producing. Give recruiters an idea of the products and industries you have worked with by indicating it in your experience section for each listed previous position. Make sure you include any history in the industry of the company you are applying to.
When we spoke to hiring managers at companies like Boeing, Johnson Controls and GE, they emphasized the importance of showcasing your continuous improvement experience in your resume. The tips below will help you stand out from other applicants and demonstrate your ability to drive process improvements and cost savings.
Hiring managers want to see measurable results from your continuous improvement efforts. Use specific metrics to quantify the impact of your projects:
Avoid vague statements that lack context, like:
A resume summary for a Continuous Improvement role is optional, but it can be a valuable addition if you want to provide context or highlight details not already covered in your resume. It's particularly useful if you're changing careers and your past experience doesn't directly align with your desired role, or if you're an executive with extensive experience. However, avoid using an objective statement, as it's outdated and ineffective. Your summary should be concise, objective, and include metrics when possible.
When crafting your Continuous Improvement resume summary, focus on your most relevant skills, experience, and achievements. Tailor it to the specific role you're targeting and avoid duplicating information already in your resume. While it's important to showcase your soft skills, don't mention them directly. Instead, demonstrate them through your accomplishments and the language you use. Keep your summary to a maximum of one paragraph and avoid using corporate buzzwords like "proven track record."
The work experience section is the most important part of your resume as a continuous improvement professional. It's where you showcase your relevant skills, accomplishments, and impact in previous roles. Here are some key tips to make this section stand out to employers.
The education section of your resume for a continuous improvement role should be concise and relevant. It's important to highlight your academic achievements and any specialized training or certifications that are relevant to the position.
Action verbs set the tone for a resume and help guide your experience section. Each of the achievements that you list in your experience section should begin with a strong action verb. Here is a list of action verbs that you can use for a continuous improvement resume.
As a professional in this career, you will want to use both optimization and communication action verbs. Optimization action verbs can include ‘analyzed’ and ‘generated’, while communication action verbs can include ‘collaborated’ and ‘nurtured’. Do not repeat action verbs if possible. When in need of similar action verbs, refer to this list or look up synonyms and pick the most appropriate one.
For a full list of effective resume action verbs, visit Resume Action Verbs.
This position is not the most technical, so your skills section should be populated with tasks and functions that you are experienced in. For a continuous improvement professional, relevant tasks and functions could include root cause analysis, process optimization, and value stream mapping. As for your tools section, include industry-standard software and/or hardware such as TeamCity and Code Ship. Because technology is fast-paced and always evolving, go over your resume to ensure it represents the most recent and commonly used software. To give yourself an edge, go a step further and try and find out what technology the company of your choice uses and make sure you include that technology in your resume.
We have compiled some industry-standard skills for this position. Take a look and include any skills that you feel represent you well, in your resume.
You can include the above skills in a dedicated Skills section on your resume, or weave them in your experience. Here's how you might create your dedicated skills section:
This word cloud highlights the important keywords that appear on Continuous Improvement job descriptions and resumes. The bigger the word, the more frequently it appears on job postings, and the more 'important' it is.
Thank you for the checklist! I realized I was making so many mistakes on my resume that I've now fixed. I'm much more confident in my resume now.
