← All resourcesWhat recruiters look for first
A marketing manager resume gets ranked in seconds. These are the five signals a recruiter (and an LLM-ranked ATS) checks before deciding whether to keep reading.
- Specialty named: brand, growth, product, content, lifecycle, demand gen
- Channels owned (search, social, email, partnerships, etc.)
- Budget owned and outcome ("managed $400k/quarter")
- Real metrics: pipeline contribution, CAC, conversion, retention
- Tooling named: HubSpot, Marketo, Iterable, Customer.io, Looker, etc.
Bullet patterns that work
Every strong marketing manager bullet follows the same shape: action verb → what you built → who it was for → a number that proves the impact. Use these patterns as a scaffold, not a script.
Pattern
Owned [channel] generating [outcome] over [period]Example
Owned the paid search channel generating $1.8M in pipeline and 612 SQLs over 6 months, with a blended CPL of $312
Pattern
Launched [campaign] driving [metric] for [audience]Example
Launched a 3-touch lifecycle re-engagement campaign driving a 14% reactivation rate among 9-month-dormant users
Pattern
Reduced CAC by [N] through [channel mix change]Example
Reduced blended CAC by 22% over a quarter by reallocating spend from broad-match Google to Reddit + LinkedIn lookalikes
Skills section — what to keep
Recruiters skim skills sections for the keywords the JD mentioned by name. Lead with the hard skills, group your tools, and keep soft skills short.
Hard skills
- Campaign strategy
- Channel mix planning
- Funnel analytics
- Lifecycle marketing
- Brand positioning
Tools
- HubSpot
- Marketo
- Customer.io
- Iterable
- Google Ads
- Meta Ads
- Looker
- Figma
Soft skills
- Cross-team partnership with sales + product
Pitfalls that get marketing managers filtered
- Calling yourself marketing manager without naming a specialty
- Listing channels without metrics
- Vague verbs ("helped grow") instead of specific deltas
- Padding with "executed" — you ran it or you didn't
Frequently asked
Should I include LTV / CAC numbers?
Yes if you actually owned them. They're the gold-standard signal for marketing seniority. Don't fabricate — recruiters can spot it.
How do I differentiate from a marketing generalist?
Pick one channel or function and lead with depth there. "Marketing manager who owned all of paid search" beats "marketing manager who touched everything."
Should I name the marketing automation tool I used?
Yes — recruiters filter on HubSpot vs Marketo vs Customer.io. If you've used several, name the one closest to the JD's stack.
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