Team Leader CV Example & Writing Guide

An effective team leader has the power to drive staff forward to reach – and exceed — their goals. However, before you can land a team leader role, you’ll need to perfect your team lead CV. That’s where we come in!

cvapp.nz is an expert career platform with more than 30 CV examples for job seekers and professionals. 

With an easy-to-use builder and customisable CV templates, showcasing your leadership skills doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, we’re here to make the team leader CV creation process easy, efficient and engaging. 

How to craft a compelling team leader CV

As a team lead, your responsibilities include overseeing staff, scheduling shifts, delegating tasks, motivating employees, and resolving conflicts. Employers are looking for candidates who can drive team success and achieve KPIs. Communication skills are crucial, as team leads manage diverse professionals. 

Before you can get moving and write your team lead CV, you need to understand what to include. Here are the key elements you’ll need to include:

• The CV header
• The CV summary
• The employment history section
• The CV skills section
• The education section

Customising your team lead CV to each employer is crucial, especially since team lead positions can differ significantly between industries. When preparing for a job application, thoroughly research the company to understand its operations, target clients, and core values. 

Analyse the team lead job description for keywords and phrases. Using the same words can increase your chances of passing the Applicant Tracking System (ATS). 

Here are some more important tips to keep in mind: 

• Highlight your key talents: these may include communication, leadership, and dispute management.
• Tailor your language to suit the employer. Don’t use a one-size-fits-all approach.
• Create a clean and concise CV that an employer can easily understand.
• Quantify your accomplishments, adding extra weight to your application.

Choosing the right CV format for a team lead CV

Team lead CVs should typically be formatted in reverse chronological order, with the most recent experience first. 

If you’re lacking field experience, be sure to focus on skills and training. It’s best to prioritise the most valuable information and to really consider what employers are looking for. 

Include your contact information

No team lead CV would be complete without accurate and adequate contact information! Be sure to include the following: 

• Full name: Be sure to include your first and last name, as well as any relevant titles
• Email Address: Your email address should be appropriate and up-to-date
• Phone Number: It’s important that your phone number is correct. There’s nothing worse than including incorrect information and missing out on a golden opportunity!
• Location: You don’t have to include your mailing address, but it’s important to include your city, town or region so employers can be sure you’re the right candidate for the job
• Relevant websites: If you have an online presence on platforms such as LinkedIn or a personal website highlighting your leadership skills, include the appropriate URLs or links to these sites here.

Crafting an effective team lead summary: lead the way

The CV summary is a crucial part of the team lead CV, located below the header. It should consist of 4-5 sentences, highlighting why you are the right candidate for the job. Use valuable CV space wisely and avoid irrelevant information. 

If your education section is extensive, you may consider crafting a shorter summary. Use engaging sentences showcasing your skill set and professional strengths. Be creative and use strong adjectives like 'effective', 'motivated', and 'driven' to capture hiring managers' attention. 

Need inspiration? Refer to our flexible team leader CV sample summary below, or check out our project manager CV example to help get you started!

Outline your work experience: Show off your story

In the work history section of your team lead CV, it’s important to list your most recent team lead experience using the reverse chronological method. 

Start with your current or most recent role at the top and order your previous positions from most recent to least recent. It’s important to include details such as your previous job title details and any key responsibilities you held, but avoid unnecessary details and focus on the key responsibilities of each position. 

You can quantify your experience with numbers or statistics whenever possible, e.g. “Managed a team of over 40 people” or “Increased customer satisfaction by over 65%.” 

Check out our example below: 

The best skills to include on a team lead CV

There’s an art to crafting your team lead CV. To land that all-important interview, you’ll need to show employers that you have the perfect mix of both soft and hard skills. The skills you include will depend on your existing skill-set and how these align with the skills in the job description, but either way, you’ll want to incorporate keywords from the job description where relevant and appropriate.

When it comes to a team lead CV, the soft skills are just — if not more — important than the hard skills. It’s likely that potential employers are looking for a wide range of interpersonal skills! 

After all, It’s your job to inspire and engage your team. It’s also great if you’re well-schooled in managerial processes, risk management, and measuring performance metrics. Some other additional skills may include project planning, budget management, risk management and conflict resolution skills. 

Below, you’ll find the skills section for our team lead CV sample.

Detail your education & relevant team leader certifications

In addition to formal education, highlighting additional training and certifications in your CV can effectively showcase your dedication to professional growth and development. This includes placing emphasis on any online leadership courses you have successfully completed. 

By including courses, management or leadership training you may have completed, you demonstrate your proactive approach in acquiring specific skills relevant to team leadership. For example, do you possess a PMI professional certification? Or have you completed executive leadership training from a reputable organisation? Be sure to include these details here!

Furthermore, it is essential to mention any on-the-job training you have received, as well as any relevant certificates or awards you have earned. 

This allows potential employers to see the practical knowledge and expertise you have gained through hands-on experience. Presenting this information in a clear and concise bullet-point format ensures that hiring managers can quickly identify and appreciate your accomplishments within the field.

Take a look at our CV example below!

CV layout and design: first impressions

Looks aren’t everything, but they may matter more than you think, especially when crafting a team lead CV. The first impression matters, and you want to ensure your layout and design make a strong impact. 

As hiring managers have limited time, they tend to prefer visually appealing and uncomplicated resumes. It is crucial to adopt a reader-friendly approach, incorporating ample white space to separate different sections. As alluring as it may seem, an overly colourful and flashy CV is unlikely to get you hired faster. We recommend using a modern or professional CV template to help you get the job done! 

Instead, focus on presenting information in a clear and accessible manner. Keep things simple, concise, and organised. Choose a visually appealing yet minimalist design, ensuring that hiring managers can easily extract the necessary details. 

At cvapp.nz, we're on a mission to make professional career resources accessible to everyone. With a diverse range of captivating CV templates for team leads and career advice endorsed by the experts, we simplify the CV creation process so you can focus on what really matters. Visit the cvapp.nz online CV builder to kickstart your job-hunt today!