Contract Specialist Resume Example & Writing Guide
Use this Contract Specialist resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.
Contract specialists are the driving force behind some of the most successful businesses. They help organizations find the right contractors to complete projects on time and on budget. And they manage the process of putting those contracts into place—from drafting the scope of work to negotiating rates and deadlines.
Contract specialists are often called upon to establish new relationships between their organizations and outside vendors. They build trust with new partners by sharing their company’s vision and goals, and by demonstrating their ability to meet the needs of their customers.
Because contract specialists often work with different contractors on an ongoing basis, they’re well-versed in the nuances of different industries and the unique needs of their clients. They’re also skilled at identifying opportunities where two parties can work together to create something great.
Here are some tips and an example to help you write a fantastic contract specialist resume that hiring managers will love.
How to Write a Contract Specialist Resume
Here’s how to write a contract specialist resume of your own.
Write Compelling Bullet Points
The best way to make your resume stand out is to include quantifiable details about your past experience. That means rather than saying you “managed projects,” you could say you “managed projects across five different departments, leading to a 15% increase in productivity over six-month period.”
The second bullet point is much stronger because it provides specific details about what you did, how long it took, and the outcome of your work. That sort of information will make any hiring manager take notice!
Identify and Include Relevant Keywords
When you apply for a job as a contract specialist, your resume is likely to be scanned by an applicant tracking system (ATS) for certain keywords. This system will search for terms related to the job, like “contract negotiation” or “purchase order processing.” If your resume doesn’t include enough of the right terms, the ATS might automatically reject your application.
To increase your chances of getting an interview, use this list of common contract specialist keywords as a starting point and then add in other relevant terms that are specific to your experience:
- Contract Management
- Contract Negotiation
- Contract Law
- Negotiation
- Contract Research
- Contract Analysis
- Purchasing
- Microsoft Access
- Contractors
- Procurement
- Construction
- Legal Advice
- Supply Chain Management
- Cost Management
- Government Contracts
- Commercial Contracts
- Strategy
- Microsoft Project
- Customer Service
- Change Management
- Strategic Planning
- Construction Management
- Contracted Services
- Risk Management
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
- Team Leadership
- Contracted Research
- Strategic Partnerships
- Business Strategy
- Business Development
Showcase Your Technical Skills
A contract specialist is responsible for reviewing and approving contracts, so they need to be familiar with the various types of software and systems used in the contract management process. Additionally, contract specialists need to be able to use technology to communicate with other members of the team, including lawyers, buyers, and sellers.
Some of the programs and systems that contract specialists are typically expected to be proficient in include: contract management software, enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, and document management software.