General Manager Jobs in the United States

General Manager Jobs Overview

General managers manage the day-to-day running of a business or government agency, sometimes across numerous locations. Their duties and responsibilities are generally too broad to categorize them under a specific subset of management but often include policy formation, purchasing management, hiring staff, and various other administrative tasks. General manager jobs are available in every industry, with enterprise management, computer system design, restaurant, and merchant wholesaler industries having the highest levels of employment.

You can find general manager jobs at a wide range of companies, ranging from multinational conglomerates to mom-and-pop shops and even small and large startups. Depending on the exact role that you fill as a general manager, you may have to stand on your feet or sit at a desk all day. You may work mostly indoors, outside, or a combination of both.

General managers often serve in executive or managerial capacities. The basic tasks required by general managers in almost every industry are:

• producing accounting records
• personnel administration
• managing the day-to-day activities
• minimizing costs
• releasing funds
• approving individual divisions' budgets
• personnel selection and hiring
• planning for expansion and carrying it out
• analyzing and enhancing efficiency
• sales and marketing strategy execution
• conducting employee performance evaluations

General Manager: Salary Range

As a result of their elevated status, general managers' salaries tend to mirror those of other executive-level professionals. The annual income of a general manager in the United States ranges from $43,184 to $120,917, with the typical compensation being $66,414 per year.

General manager jobs tend to pay the most in cities where there is the most demand for such professionals. In the three major cities of the United States—New York, Chicago, and San Francisco—the average annual salary ranges from $81,236 to $95,067.

To explore just how much money you can make as a general manager in your chosen field, use Monster's Salary Tool. Here you'll also find salary information for related jobs such as:

• managing director (general) - $94,488
• director of operations - $90,887
• vice president (general) - $123,099
• vice president of operations - $113,089
• assistant general manager - $44,872

Finding the Right General Manager Jobs for You

Establishing specific long-term objectives is essential to your search for general manager jobs that lead to a satisfying career. Some of the top career goals commonly pursued by general managers are:

• leadership positions
• coaching positions
• increasing productivity
• team management

Ask yourself these questions as you check out job postings for general manager jobs to see whether a position fits in line with your career goals:

• Is there room for leadership in this position?
• What kind of education am I going to need for this position?
• Will this position provide me with the tools I need to become more productive and efficient?
• What kind of software will I use, and will I get any kind of training on it?
• How many employees will I have to manage?

Application Advice for General Manager Jobs

On Monster you can easily apply to general manager positions by clicking the "apply now" button. Make sure to read the application thoroughly to find details about the application process.

Prepare Your Application

Personalize your application for each job you apply for. Make sure your application, resume, and cover letter highlight all the abilities and experience listed in the job posting. Provide the hiring manager with three references they can speak with to verify your employment experience and integrity. Before sharing an application, take steps to keep it error-free by running the whole document through a spelling and grammar checker.

Consider adding the following skills and talents to emphasize your abilities as a general manager:

• leadership
• problem solving
• conflict resolution and management
• project management
• decision-making
• strategic planning
• time management
• business development
• risk management

Organize Your Resume

There are three main categories for resumes: chronological, functional, and mixed. Chronological resumes display your employment history in reverse chronological order, beginning with the most recent job. A functional resume emphasizes your talents and abilities above your employment experience. A mixed resume showcases a strong work history along with specific skills and credentials.

In the resume that you create for general manager jobs, use these tips:

• General managers should always use a mixed or chronological resume format to demonstrate their extensive experience leading teams of workers and overseeing operations.
• Quantify the outcomes of your professional successes in terms of money and other indicators to pique the interest of potential employers.
• Provide context and depth for your successes as a general manager to attract the employer's attention.
• Pay special attention to producing bullet points that sum up your extensive management background.
• Appeal to hiring managers by listing the job's required duties and by highlighting your ability to foster productive work environments and build effective teams.
• Discuss your work relating to fostering diversity, equality, and inclusion.

Include the specific terms used in the application and how they relate to the duties and responsibilities of the position. You can use these concepts as resume keywords to differentiate your application from other applicants, satisfy the requirements of applicant tracking systems, and improve your chances of getting an interview.

When applying for a position as a general manager, some good keywords to include in your resume are:

• profit and loss management
• financial planning
• multi-tasking
• punctuality
• inventory control
• compliance
• recruiting
• mentoring
• vendor management

Need help creating executive-level resumes for general manager jobs? Use Monster's Resume Writing Service to receive personalized resumes for each general manager role you apply for.

Prepare a Cover Letter

Cover letters for general manager jobs explain the experience and education you have for filling managerial roles, which helps hiring managers understand that you're a qualified candidate. Keep these tips in mind when creating your next cover letter for a general manager position:

• Put your first and last name, together with your address, telephone number, and electronic mail address, all on separate lines in the upper left corner of the cover letter for a more polished look.
• Include a formal greeting.
• Use separate paragraphs to describe your qualifications, work history, and any relevant education or certifications you may have.
• Talk about your customer service and people abilities whenever you can.
• At the end of the letter, say that you're eager to learn more about the hiring process and that you're available for an interview to further discuss your credentials.

Submit Your Application

Sign up for a free Monster membership and apply online for general manager jobs now. To increase your chances of getting hired as a general manager, follow these steps to improve your use of Monster:

• Sign up with your email.
• Fill out your profile by providing all relevant work experience.
• Double-check your profile's content, resume, and cover letter for typos with proofreading tools.
• Upload your cover letter and resume.
• Click the Submit button to make your profile go live.
• Make sure that recruiters and potential employers can send interview requests and job offers by verifying the email and phone number shown in your profile.
• Use the job search feature to apply for general manager jobs with one click.

Application Follow Up

Learn more about a company's hiring practices by getting in touch with its HR department or looking over its website. Some employers provide specific numbers to call for application status updates.

Ways to Follow Up

There is no hard-and-fast rule about how quickly after sending your resume you should hear back from an employer. However, if you haven't heard anything within a week, it's smart to reach out by phone or send a follow-up email for an update.

Review the job description once again before following up. There are cases in which potential employers express that they would prefer you not to contact them about the progress of your application. In other circumstances, the job posting will list a specific deadline for applications and exactly how to follow up.

Interview Tips for General Manager Jobs

Since general managers often fill upper- and executive-level roles, there's a good chance you may have to go through multiple interviews. Use the information below to improve your performance in your next interview and enhance the likelihood that you will get an offer from the company.

Before the Interview

If you're interested in a managerial career in restaurants, retail, sports, or automobiles, it's a good idea to subscribe to relevant trade publications so you can stay informed of industry news and any changes to applicable regulations or standards.

Before agreeing to an interview, it's a good idea to research the company's management philosophy, internal processes, and overall goals. If you've found a job that seems like a good fit for you, use these strategies to ease your worries and get ready for the interview.

• Set up mock interviews with a friend.
• Think of ways to highlight your skills and credentials as a general manager, like telling a story about times when you stepped up and helped your colleagues as a leader, even if you've never led a team before.
• Keep in mind whatever questions you have regarding the position.

During the Interview

General managers often go through multiple interviews, including panel interviews. During a panel interview, many employees will discuss your credentials and work history to reach a unanimous decision on whether to extend you a job offer.

A panel interview, a behavioral interview, or a competency-based interview are all possible formats you can come across. Use the STAR approach for interviews that will assess your conduct and teamwork skills. Use this competency-based interview guide for interviews that will concentrate on your skills and professional background.

Consider these practical general manager interview questions to help you prepare:

• Have you ever performed any type of mentoring or coaching?
• In what way would you address a coworker about poor performance?
• Describe an occasion when you took charge of a crucial meeting.
• What kind of collaborative efforts have you helped with that have yielded positive results in the workplace?
• Have you ever had to complete a project with limited funds or manpower?

After the Interview

You should always write a thank-you note to the interviewer(s) after an interview to express your gratitude for considering you for the job. Expressing thanks in writing to the person who interviewed you for a job is proper etiquette. It also provides another way to present yourself as the most qualified applicant for the job.

Evaluating General Manager Job Offers

When reviewing job offers for general manager positions, there are a number of variables to take into account. When deciding whether to accept, counter, or reject the offer, keep the following in mind as you read it:

• brand identity and organizational culture
• summary of duties
• pay, benefits, and perks
• how much it will cost you to travel back and forth to work
• work-life balance
• required hours
• flexibility
• 401(k) Plans
• professional growth opportunities

Career Options for General Managers

General managers find employment in sectors as diverse as manufacturing plants, recreational resorts and parks, technology firms, and gourmet restaurants. Career paths in these areas may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Hotel manager. Manage the operations of one or more hotels, including hiring and training new employees, assisting with marketing initiatives, fostering commission-based upselling, keeping financial records, scheduling maintenance and guest reservations, negotiating with suppliers, and monitoring the establishment's reputation.
• Restaurant general manager. Oversee the day-to-day operations of one or more restaurants, including recruiting and supervising kitchen staff and waiters, helping with food and drink orders, developing and revising menus, ensuring adherence to industry standards, opening and shutting the store each day, assisting servers at peak times, and keeping track of revenue and costs.
• Technology manager. Study cutting-edge innovations to provide insightful counsel to businesses on how best to use them; this includes researching and analyzing potential new technologies, as well as testing, diagnosing, and updating information systems, as well as managing IT teams, budgets, and security standards.

General Manager: Related Professions

Since general managers are responsible for so many different things, they can typically find work in several related fields. Some general manager-related job titles include:

• marketing operations manager jobs
• water resources manager jobs
• airport operations jobs
• business operations jobs
• head of operations jobs