Advice > Product management

40 product manager resume keywords recruiters look for

By Max Serrano on July 24, 2023 How we wrote this article
Product manager resume keywords

Writing a killer product manager resume is challenging. Should you really include that work experience from five years ago? And does this bullet point capture what you achieved as neatly as it could?

Get expert feedback on your resume with an ex-FAANG product manager

A good way to make sure your PM resume gets selected by companies like Google, Meta, or Amazon is to focus on the skills they want their product managers to have. And to use keywords which signal that you possess these competencies (e.g. Analysis skills => "Analyzed large datasets to ...").

That approach will both force you to use relevant keywords in your resume and help you write a balanced list of bullet points covering the full spectrum of PM skills. As mentioned in our PM resume and PM cover letter guides, recruiters essentially look for the following attributes in your application:

Technical skills

  • Strategy: Building products starts with identifying and prioritising business opportunities. Good PMs therefore need strategy skills to make product decisions.
  • UX / UI design: Once an opportunity has been validated the next step is to turn it into a user experience (UX) and a user interface (UI). Good PMs aren't necessarily former designers but they need to be able to contribute to that design phase.
  • Coding: Once the product is designed, the engineering team will start building it. Good PMs aren't necessarily former developers but they are technical enough to discuss how the product will be built with engineers. 
  • Digital marketing: The product is ready, it’s now time to launch it. Good PMs aren't necessarily former marketers but are familiar with a range of digital marketing practices and channels.
  • Data analytics: Once a product has been launched, PMs are in charge of assessing whether it's a success or not. They therefore need to be comfortable setting success metrics, analysing data and writing reports for the other project stakeholders.

Soft skills

  • Leadership: Shipping products requires a broad range of skills and teammates (e.g. designers, engineers, marketers, etc.). Good PMs are comfortable leading groups of people over which they don't have direct authority.
  • Communication: Product managers spend a good part of their day in meetings and writing emails / instant messages. Good PMs are strong communicators both verbally and in writing.
  • Organization: Finally, PMs are usually somewhat involved in making sure the project they work on is delivered on time. Good organizational skills are therefore critical.

Do you need to improve on key product manager skills?

Our PM coaches can help you develop your skills, tackle problems at work, help you get promoted, and turbo-charge your career. Click here to book a 1-to-1 product management coaching session.

Keywords

Your resume should highlight that you possess the skills we listed above. And here is a list of keywords that will easily enable you to achieve this:

  • Strategy keywords
    • Developed a product vision and strategy
    • Created product personas
    • Built a product roadmap
    • Conducted a strategic review
    • Recommended strategic initiatives
    • Etc.
  • UX / UI design keywords
    • Designed initial wireframes
    • Gathered UX feedback from users
    • Researched competitors' UX
    • Provided feedback to design team
    • Contributed to the development of a design system
    • Etc.
  • Coding keywords
    • Wrote detailed user stories for engineering team
    • Made initial tech difficulty assessments for features
    • Negotiated timelines with Lead Engineer / CTO
    • Helped make engineering trade-off decisions
    • Built front-end / back-end features for app XYZ
    • Etc.
  • Digital marketing keywords
    • Created value props with marketing team
    • Provided feedback on copywriting
    • Coordinated launch with marketing team
    • Tested five acquisition channels
    • Scaled a channel to X number of users
    • Etc.
  • Data analysis keywords
    • Set key success metrics
    • Measured metrics' improvement
    • Performed analysis on large datasets
    • Generated actionable insights
    • Summarized data findings
    • Etc.
  • Leadership keywords
    • Lead a team
    • Aligned stakeholders
    • Managed a project
    • Took an initiative
    • Set a vision
    • Etc.
  • Communication keywords
    • Communicated next steps
    • Summarized a complex situation
    • Ran product meetings / reviews
    • Presented in front of a large audience
    • Wrote product requirement documents
    • Etc.
  • Organization keywords
    • Delivered a project
    • Ran two-week agile sprints
    • Organized an event
    • Improved shipping cadence
    • Optimized a process
    • Etc.

You will probably have noticed that all the key phrases above start with an action verb. Using that format consistently for all your bullet points will make it easy for your resume screener to quickly identify that you have the right PM skills. And if you make your resume screener's life easy they are definitely more likely to give you an interview!

To see these different keywords in action, you can download our sample resume as well as our checklist.

PM resume example - download free.

PM resume checklist - download free.

Increase your interview chances in one hour

The example resume and checklist in the form above will be really helpful, but if you really want to increase your chances of being in that small minority of applicants who are called for an interview, consider using our resume review service. Get immediate feedback on what to focus on, how to polish your bullet points, etc.

 

 

Keep reading: How to get into big tech companies in 7 steps

Related articles:

close up of notebook with scribbled outline on how to answer product design questions
Product managementAug 27, 2024
10 Product Design Questions for PMs (with Sample Answers)
Product design questions are asked in product management interviews at Google, Meta, and Amazon to test your ability to design products. We give you a list of proven practice questions as well as a full framework used to solve them.
Read more
LinkedIn App on an iPhone
Product managementFeb 10, 2023
LinkedIn Product Manager Interview (questions, process, prep)
Comprehensive list of preparation facts and tips for the LinkedIn product manager  interviews. From the basics to the best success strategies.
Read more
Meta analytical thinking interview
Product managementOct 18, 2024
Meta Analytical Thinking Interview (product execution) for PMs
Everything you need to know about Meta analytical thinking interviews, previously called "product execution"'. Learn answer frameworks and practice with example questions.
Read more
a product owner points to a product roadmap on whiteboard
Product managementNov 30, 2023
Product owner interview questions (and prep)
A list of 33 product owner interview questions, including deep dives into five of the most common questions and links to free prep materials.
Read more
Meta RPM interview (questions, prep, process)
Product managementSep 30, 2024
Meta RPM Interview (Process, Questions, Prep)
Comprehensive list of preparation facts and tips for the Meta (formerly Facebook) Rotational Product Manager (RPM) interviews. From the basics to the best success strategies.
Read more
Estimation questions in product manager interviews
Product managementSep 02, 2024
Estimation Questions for Product Managers (How-to Guide + Examples)
Learn to answer estimation questions in Product Manager interviews using a repeatable 4-step approach. Then practice with a list of 16 example questions.
Read more
Amazon Echo Dot
Product managementMay 01, 2025
Amazon Product Manager Interview (questions, process, prep)
Comprehensive guide to the Amazon product manager interview in 2025. Includes detailed information about the interview process, questions, leadership principles, answer frameworks, plus links to more resources. Everything you need to help you prepare.
Read more
Young man smiles at camera as he works on his product manager resume while sitting in a coffee shop
Product managementJun 27, 2024
8 Product Manager Resume Examples (Google, Meta, Amazon, etc.)
Step-by-step guide to writing a product manager resume to get offers at Google, Meta, Amazon, etc., in 2025. Includes 8 real product manager resume examples, template, tips, and checklist.
Read more