Inventory management is a function that happens in every organization. Companies purchase materials and equipment to enable them to operate optimally. These could be raw materials, office stationery, food products, finished goods, etc. So naturally, every organization has processes and practices to control its inventory holding levels. The goal is to remove bottlenecks, minimize costs, sustain required service levels, and manage present and future stock requirements.
The key to successful inventory management is capturing data accurately throughout all operational processes. Due to the diversity of business activities and an increasingly complex business environment, there is no ‘best way’ to manage inventory. The techniques used in inventory management, e.g., MRP, JIT, EPQ, and EOC, have merits and demerits. An organization chooses the most suitable approach based on current and future demand/supply requirements.
The projected job growth is 3% overall. However, some sectors like transportation, storage, and distribution are expected to witness higher demand for inventory management professionals. Transport is a major economic driver and therefore has a huge impact on employment. With the opening up of the global market post-COVID-19, the transport industry is expected to grow significantly.
A career in inventory management starts with a bachelor’s degree in Economics, Business, Supply Chain Management, or Management. Further knowledge in logistics operations, database management, accounting, and inventory flows gives you an added advantage. Career growth comes with acquiring relevant experience and skill set.
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An inventory manager records and orders products, supplies, and other materials and equipment for the organization in a timely fashion. This job typically requires a person with strong organizational and record-keeping skills. Getting an inventory manager job typically requires a bachelor’s degree. Completing graduate courses and earning certification is recommended.
This inventory manager resume example highlights the job applicant’s accomplishments and responsibilities across different organizations. The candidate has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration supported by in-demand technical skills like Oracle JD Edwards, Barcode labeling, and Bill of lading software.
An inventory manager job is a top-tier position. Therefore, your employer will want to know the impact you will have on their organization if you’re hired. There’s no better way of doing this than using numbers and percentages to show the impact you’ve had over the years. For example, say, “Conducted weekly and monthly KPIs, raising accountability levels by 69%.”
Sometimes, it's not enough to simply enumerate your achievements over the years. In most cases, a hiring manager is looking for that particular goal that you want to achieve. One of the most desired outcomes in inventory management is loss prevention. So, find ways to quantify how experienced you are in preventing losses to impress the hiring manager.
An inventory clerk performs entry-level duties such as recording purchases, maintaining databases, performing physical counts of inventory, reconciling stock, generating reports, receiving new stock, labeling shelves and writing invoices. You’ll need mathematical and analytical skills to succeed in this role.
This inventory clerk resume example highlights the job applicant’s responsibilities and skill set. As always, the applicant has a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and has earned certification. This demonstrates the applicant’s strong foundational knowledge in inventory management.
The skills section is where you highlight the skills most relevant to the position you’re applying for. In most cases, this is where you list those skills you’ve not covered in the education or work experience section. A major aspect of working in inventory management is organization. So, ensure that your list of skills displays your strength in record-keeping, logistics, and organization.
An inventory lead is more or less an inventory manager. Their job is to oversee the business’s inventory level and lead warehouse/inventory employees in record-tracking new stock coming in and going out. This person also records daily deliveries, assesses new shipments, and analyzes suppliers. They may also manage employees’ schedules, deliveries, and shipments to optimize operations.
An inventory lead is a top-level position. So, hiring managers want someone with extensive experience and a proven track record. This inventory lead resume template focuses on the job applicant’s experience in various inventory management positions. The applicant’s foundational degree (Business Management) is also well aligned with inventory management.
So, now you know that hiring managers and recruiters seldom spend more than 7 seconds going through your resume. Unfair as it may sound, the truth is these people usually have a lot of resumes to go through for every single job posting. They are likely to miss your top accomplishments. Avoid this by highlighting your most coveted achievements in a summary statement. Briefly explain how you will benefit the employer in 2-3 short and snappy sentences.
An inventory lead is a senior role. Therefore, hiring managers will prefer someone who can mentor, train, coach, and guide others. Demonstrate this capability by showing your promotions in previous jobs and showcasing the ability to take the initiative and commitment to professional growth.
An inventory specialist is a top-tier professional whose job description entails checking inbound and outbound company shipments and ensuring that all are delivered correctly. They are tasked with identifying issues in the inventory management system and reporting to relevant departments for action.
One of the top requirements for this position is proven work experience. So, naturally, the inventory specialist resume focuses on experience and impact. A graduate degree (MBA), certifications, and excellence awards are significant for applicants at this level because they show you have compelling inventory management expertise.
Tailor your resume to the exact position for which you’re applying. For example, if you’re applying for an Inventory Specialist position, mention this job title at the top of your resume. This will help your resume get past ATS. Further, use specific keywords relevant to the industry, e.g., logistics management, inventory management, stocking, warehousing, etc.
Hiring managers love accomplishments that actually impact the company’s bottom line directly. So, demonstrate how you contributed to raising revenue for your previous organizations. For example, in this inventory specialist resume sample, the applicant states, “Spearheaded a comprehensive redesign of the shipping and receiving process, which resulted in an increase of 15% in conversion and a $50 increase in average order value.”
This professional’s job involves collecting various kinds of data (e.g., sales, inventory, and purchases), identifying and analyzing inconsistencies, creating and improving inventory control systems, verifying inventory counts, and maintaining transaction records. The top three skills these people need are inventory control, cycle counting, and accuracy.
This inventory control analyst resume example showcases the job applicant’s experience checking inventory quality. These are highlighted in bulleted statements that begin with strong, active verbs. The applicant’s responsibilities are presented in 2-3 short and snappy bulleted statements.
This resume template demonstrates how to use action verbs to list your responsibilities and accomplishments. The best way to do this is by beginning your sentences with action verbs such as “conducted,” “designed,” “organized,” and so on. Bullet every sentence. As a rule of thumb, your sentences should not be longer than two lines.
Having been in an industry for long (10+ years) come with many soft and hard skills. As is evident from this resume sample, there is no need to list all of them. Instead, prioritize those skills that the employer is interested in or those directly related to the particular job you’re applying for. Focus more on hard skills than soft skills.
We reached out to hiring managers and recruiters at top companies like Amazon, Walmart, and UPS to find out what they look for in an inventory manager resume. The following tips incorporate their advice and will help your resume stand out.
Hiring managers want to see that you have strong skills in inventory control. Provide specific examples of how you:
Quantify your impact where possible. Instead of simply listing responsibilities, show the results you achieved.
Implemented new inventory management system, reducing stockouts by 25% and improving inventory accuracy to 99.5%.
A resume summary for an inventory manager position is an optional section that, when done right, can grab the attention of hiring managers and contextualize your experience. While your work history and skills are already listed throughout your resume, a summary allows you to highlight your most relevant qualifications at the top of the page.
Use your summary to provide a brief overview of your inventory management experience, mention a key accomplishment or two, and touch on the specific skills that make you an excellent candidate for the role. Tailor your summary to the job description to show employers you're the perfect fit.
In the work experience section, your goal should be to show hiring managers how you've directly impacted the companies you've worked for. Inventory managers need to demonstrate their ability to optimize inventory levels, reduce costs, and improve efficiency. Here are some key ways to make your work experience section stand out.
The education section of your inventory manager resume should be concise and highlight your relevant qualifications. It's important to tailor this section to the job you're applying for and showcase your most impressive achievements. Here are some tips to help you write an effective education section:
Use action verbs in your inventory management resume to highlight your achievements, skills, and responsibilities. Focus on your word choice when describing what you’ve done. The idea is to persuade the hiring manager to give you an interview.
Remember that a strong resume needs strong language. It demonstrates your professionalism and makes the statements in your resume believable. Your language should convince a hiring manager, so ensure that you use fresh action verbs. The best way to do this is by using bulleted statements that start with action verbs.
Here is a list of inventory management-related active verbs to start you off.
For a full list of effective resume action verbs, visit Resume Action Verbs.
When writing the Skills section in your inventory management resume, always highlight the hard skills the employer is looking for. This gives your resume a better chance of going past the ATS screening stage. Most inventory management job postings want candidates who understand ADR and IATA regulations, quality management systems (e.g., GMP, FDA, and ISO9001), in addition to having IT and advanced Excel skills.
Nonetheless, here are some high-value skills you can include in your inventory management 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 Inventory Manager job descriptions and resumes. The bigger the word, the more frequently it appears on job postings, and the more 'important' it is.
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