Account Manager CV Sample & Writing Guide for 2024
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Imagine a boardroom.
It's crammed with 200 account managers. They're all wearing pyjamas.
You're there at the front, in a crisp new Zenga wool-blend.
That's what your account manager CV must do.
It's got to show you can slay dragons. Grant wishes like you came out of a lamp.
It has to prove you can keep clients happier than Robin Williams in his prime.
So, how can a CV for an account manager do all that?
By showing accomplishments that fit the job description like a Hong Kong tailor.
The good news? Anyone can do it. You just need the right map.
This guide will show you:
- An account manager CV example better than 9 out of 10 other CVs.
- How to write an account manager CV that lands more interviews.
- Tips and examples for how to put skills and achievements on an account management CV.
- How to describe your experience on a CV for an account manager to get any job you want.
Here's a sample CV for an account manager made using our CV builder.
Want to save time and have your CV ready in 5 minutes? Try our CV builder. It’s fast and easy to use. Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 18+ CV templates and create your CV here.
Sample Account Manager CV—See more CV examples here.
Targeting other jobs in marketing, sales, or general management too? See our other guides:
- Marketing CV: Sample & Complete Guide
- Sales CV: Sample & Complete Guide
- Project Management CV: Sample & Complete Guide
Plus a selection of CV guides for hundreds of jobs:
1. What's the Best Format for an Account Manager CV?
When you get right down to it, account managers connect.
So, your account management CV must do that right away.
How?
By using the right account manager CV format.
The reverse-chronological CV layout sends the message fast.
It puts your most recent successes first.
That's ideal, because the average hiring manager skims each CV in just six seconds.
Want to put yours in the David Ogilvy zone?
Add perks like the best CV fonts and strategic white space. Include generous headings to keep your message crisp.
Last, should you send a PDF or MS Word CV?
Applicant Tracking Software used to skip old-style PDFs.
Modern PDFs are machine-readable. So, send a key account manager CV PDF unless the ad says not to.
Pro Tip: Switching careers from customer service or sales? Use the combination CV format. It'll help you show key achievements from non-account-manager jobs.
2. How to Write an Account Manager CV Objective or Summary
Imagine the juiciest account manager job on Earth.
It's got stock options. Full dental and medical. An expense account so plush you could play golf on it.
Between you and that job sits a hiring manager named Alan.
He's busy. He's got 30 clients climbing up his chair legs and a to-do list like War and Peace.
Meanwhile, your account manager CV is buried in a pile of others on his desk.
Get his attention with a CV summary or a CV objective.
A CV summary shows accomplishments. Use it if you've got more experience than Roger Sterling from Mad Men.
A CV objective shows your passion. It works best for rookies and career changers.
Stuff either with enough achievements to make Billy Mays say, "Wow!"
These senior account management CV examples show how:
Account Manager CV Examples [CV Summaries]
The first of these accounts manager CV examples fails to please:
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Enthusiastic account manager seeks new position. Skilled in building relationships, Salesforce, and communication. I think my 7 years of experience give me a solid footing to grow your customer base. |
That's not Willy-Loman-bad, but it won't haul in a pile of interviews.
The next senior account manager CV summary will:
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CSAM IT Account Manager with 7+ years' experience. Seeking to leverage proven relationship-building and problem-solving skills to grow ROI for Heaney Ltd. Managed 5 associate account managers and 25 accounts at Johns Group. Slashed customer complaints 20% in 1 year and grew revenue by 32%. |
That's whalebait. Remember our hiring manager, Alan? If he's not looking for your contact info, he's got issues.
When making a CV in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building your CV here.
When you’re done, Zety’s CV builder will score your CV and tell you exactly how to make it better.
But what if you don't have those kind of chops? In that case, check out these entry-level account manager CV examples:
Two Entry-Level Account Manager CV Objectives
Are you a junior account manager with no experience?
Many experts say, show passion with a CV objective:
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Passionate junior account manager. Will take entry-level job. I haven't yet held an account manager title, but I'm very skilled in communication, collaboration, and problem solving. |
That reads like a cleaned-out desk.
You need detailed achievements to make a customer account manager CV objective like this:
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Energetic account manager, aiming to raise customer retention for Becker PLC. As a customer rep at Lehner LLC, boosted retention 25% through attention to client needs. Commended 5 times by management for skill at handling difficult clients. |
Pow. Don Draper's in the house, and he'll soon be sleeping on a bed made out of money.
Where did a fledgeling account manager find experience like that? I'll show you the steps next.
Pro Tip: Write your sales account management CV objective or summary last. That'll give you plenty of accomplishments to pick from.
Want an account manager CV summary Larry Ellison would love? See our guides: How To Write A CV Summary: 21 Best Examples You Will See
3. How to Describe Your Account Manager Experience
Let's get back to our hiring manager, Alan.
As he gently bounces on his yoga ball, he has one question: Can you make his clients happy?
Answer "yes" with your experience. List your most recent job first.
Add 3-5 achievements that fit the account manager job description like a key account fits revenue creation.
Let these technical account management CV examples guide you:
Account Manager Job Description for a CV
The first of these key account manager CV examples do it well:
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Johns Group Account Manager 2015–2018
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Nice. The hiring manager just dropped his copy of The Trusted Advisor. Your technical account management CV just blew his gold toe socks off.
But don't do this:
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Johns Group Account Manager 2015–2018
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That's like an empty client account list. All hope and no delivery.
A strategic CV for an account manager has to show achievements.
But what if your CV is in the no work experience zone?
See the two customer account manager CV examples below.
How to Write a CV for Account Manager with no Experience
If you don't have experience, can you still write a great CV for account management?
Well, what does an account manager do?
She builds relationships, serves customers, and does a little project management.
So, even if you've never held an account manager title, add achievements in those areas.
For instance, see the entry-level account management CV examples below.
Two Account Manager CV Samples [No Experience]
The first of our sample accounts management CV experience sections will get dumped:
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Account Manager Experience: Haven't held the title yet, but I'm a rapid learner. Other Experience:
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Feels phoned-in, doesn't it? How would you judge that applicant at serving clients?
But add details, and you've got an account manager CV sample like this:
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Account Management Experience Lehner LLC Customer Service Rep 2017–2018
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That's an account management CV Dale Carnegie could love. Yet the applicant has never been an account manager.
She just found account manager responsibilities from past non-account-manager jobs.
With a little digging, you can write bullet points like those right now.
Pro Tip: Are you fresh out of school? Stuff your CV for account management with academic achievements. Those can include fellowships or just kudos from professors.
The hiring manager is your biggest key account. Perk him up with CV action words.
4. Is Your Education Section Selling You Out? It Might Be
For account managers, experience is everything.
But your educations section is key real estate.
Start with:
- College Name and Location.
- Years in School.
- Degree.
Then add accomplishments that show you fully understand the job.
The next two marketing account management CV examples show how:
Account Manager CV Examples [Education]
These two sample account manager CV sections are vastly different. Yet both target a job requiring communication, marketing, and interpersonal skills.
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BS in Business Administration University of London, 2007–2011
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Wow. The hiring manager feels like he's known you all his life.
The next of our account executive CV examples is too generic:
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BS in Business Administration University of London, 2007–2011
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That's the account management CV equivalent of, "I'm sorry, I forgot your name."
But add details, and you're speaking the hiring manager's language again.
Pro Tip: Do you need a bachelor's degree on a CV for account management? In most cases, an associate's degree plus experience works just as well.
Should you show your GPA on a CV for an account manager? What about pending diplomas? See our guide: How to Put Your Education on a CV [Tips & Examples]
5. How to Put Skills on a CV for an Account Manager
Remember our hiring manager, Alan?
He wants to know if you can walk the talk.
Prove it in your account manager CV bullet points. They should tie you to the job like repeat business to ROI.
Our next national account manager CV examples fit a job that wants requirements gathering, relationship building, and HubSpot skills.
Account Manager CV Examples [Skills]
This sample account manager CV skills list works like putting a key client on hold for half an hour:
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Account Management Skills: Interpersonal Skills, Communication, MS Office, MS Excel, SalesForce, Leadership, Problem Solving, Negotiation, Speed, Detail Oriented, HubSpot, Account Planning, Everything Under the Sun Skills... |
Huh. That applicant has every skill since the invention of the wheel.
She should have focused on the ones shown in the account manager job description.
Then she should have proven them, like this:
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Wow, right? You can almost hear your Lifetime Value getting bigger.
Use the sample account manager CV skills list below to get your CV off and running.
List of Skills to Put on an Account Manager CV
The account management skills below aren't comprehensive.
They all make great account manager CV keywords, but don't use them all at once.
Plus, seek more in job offers online.
Soft Skills | Hard Skills |
Interpersonal Skills | Salesforce |
Relationship Building | HubSpot |
Communication | MS Office |
Collaboration | Account Planning |
Problem Solving | Data Analytics |
Negotiation | Social Media Skills |
Creative Thinking | Phone Skills |
Time Management | Email Skills |
Efficiency | Spreadsheets |
Organization | Industry-Specific Skills |
Use the strategy above with your insurance or advertising account management CV. You'll look like Jerry Maguire, back on the job hunt.
Pro Tip: How long should a CV be for an account manager? One page? Two? See our guide: How Long Should a CV Be? Ideal CV Length (+Tips)
Want your account manager CV skills to wine and dine the hiring manager? See our guide: +99 Best Examples of What Skills to Put on a CV (Proven Tips)
6. How to Add Other Sections for an Effective CV
All the hiring manager wants is experience and education, right?
Wrong.
A great account manager CV shows so much more.
It shows your passion.
It proves you're all the best parts of Spock and Ron Popeil, not to mention J.A.R.V.I.S.
How? By showing "other" achievements that stand out like a 99% margin.
See how that's done in the next two technical account management CV examples.
Account Manager CV Examples [Other Sections]
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Interests
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Hey, more power to you, but do those interests make you a great account manager?
The ones in the next account manager CV example do:
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CertificationsCSAM Account Manager Certification - SAMA CCNA - Cisco Additional ActivitiesMember, Strategic Account Manager Association. Volunteer public relationship manager, Boone County Animal Shelter. Take 6 hrs/year of continuing ed in technical topics. President, Lutherville Kayaking Club. Conferences2017 SAMA Account Management Conference 2015 Hadoop Summit Publications2017 Article on Cloud Computing appeared in BizTechMagazine 2016 Article on Security appeared in Enterprise Irregulars |
The hiring manager will knock down his bronze bust of Tommy Boy to get to your contact info.
But with a little digging, you can probably write a CV for an account manager like that.
Pro Tip: Do you need a certification on a CV? Senior applicants don't need them. Still, they look great on an entry-level account manager CV.
Do you have lots of volunteer experience? Are you bilingual? Sweeten the deal in your account management CV.
7. How About a Cover Letter for an Account Manager?
Everybody "knows" you don't need a cover letter.
That's why you'll get the interview, while "everybody" is still waiting for the phone to ring.
Most account manager cover letters are too generic.
Make yours personal and passionate by:
- Using the hiring manager's name
- Showing you understand the need
- Proving you can fill that need
That's all it takes to start a cover letter, and then sew it up.
This sample account manager cover letter shows how:
Account Manager Cover Letter Example
I'd love to work for a team that puts clients first like Heaney Ltd. Your Customer Relationship Management Excellence Award win in 2017 was well-deserved.
I boosted key client retention 15% at Johns Group, and grew revenue by 32%. I firmly believe the interpersonal and problem solving skills that got me there would serve Heaney Ltd needs exceptionally well.
End your cover letter with a request. Try, "Could we discuss growing Heaney Ltd revenue by 25% in the coming year?"
Pro Tip: What's the most powerful way to keep your clients happy? Become an authority in your industry. That means classes, trade shows, networking, and publishing. As luck would have it, all look great on an account manager CV.
Plus, a great cover letter that matches your CV will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:
See more cover letter templates and start writing.
Need more specifics to write a great account manager cover letter for your CV? See our guide: How to Write a Cover Letter: A Complete Guide
8. How to Add Contact Info to Your CV
Adding contact info to an account manager CV is easy, isn't it?
Well, not so fast.
Everybody knows to list:
- Full Name
- Updated Phone Number
- Professional Email Address
Like this:
Tracy Collins, Account Manager, tcollins@email.com, 01632 960728
But to land a fat key account manager salary, add your LinkedIn address too.
These days, nearly 9 out of 10 hiring managers hire from LinkedIn.
Plus, a LinkedIn profile adds a personal touch.
That's key in a field where "personal" is everything.
Pro Tip: Add plenty of account manager CV keywords to your LinkedIn profile.
Get more great tips to build a crowd-pleasing CV for account management. See our guide: How to Write a CV: Complete CV Writing Guide with Examples
Key Takeaway
Does making a great CV for an account manager seem tricky? Just remember:
- The best account manager CVs focus on achievements. List relationships you've built and other metrics you've improved.
- Link your account management CV to the job description like a key client to a direct phone line. Do that with accomplishments that match the account manager job description.
- Use "other" sections to show you're more than just a sheet of paper. Fill them with certifications, publications, and association memberships.
Do you have questions on how to write a great CV for an account manager? Not sure how to describe your skills or achievements? Give us a shout in the comments! Let's start the conversation.
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