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Kanban and Flow Lead résumé keywords
Kanban and flow roles look for measurable flow: lead time, delivery rate and WIP, the Kanban Method's core metrics. Use these terms where they're true, and show the numbers moving.
Kanban résumé keywords to use
WIP limits
Experience
Set WIP limits for [N] teams; lead time fell from [X] to [Y] days
Lead time, cycle time
Experience
Cut cycle time from [X] to [Y] days
Delivery rate (throughput)
Experience
Raised delivery rate from [X] to [Y] items a week
Cumulative flow diagram
Experience
Used CFDs to find [bottleneck]
Explicit policies
Experience
Made pull criteria, WIP limits and classes of service explicit for [N] teams
Classes of service
Experience
Introduced [N] classes of service for [work type]
STATIK
Experience
Ran a STATIK workshop with [N] people to design the [service] Kanban system
TKP, KMP, KCP or PK I
Certifications
Exact name as issued
Before → after rewrites
Before: Implemented Kanban.
After: Moved [N] teams to Kanban with WIP limits; lead time fell from [X] to [Y] days.
Before: Tracked team metrics.
After: Built CFDs and throughput charts for [N] teams; found [bottleneck] and cut wait time [X]%.
Before: Helped with forecasting.
After: Forecast dates with Monte Carlo from [N] weeks of data; [N] of [N] forecasts hit.
Red flags hiring managers screen for
Less than 70% of bullets contain a metric
Flow roles are all about numbers. Every bullet can carry one.
Tools list hidden, generic or missing
Name your board and analytics tools.
Bullets start with weak verbs
'Helped implement Kanban' hides your role. Say what you changed.
Job titles to target
Kanban Coach
Flow Manager
Agile Coach (Kanban)
Flow Lead
Service Delivery Manager
FAQ
Which Kanban certifications exist?
Kanban University: TKP (entry), KMP (Kanban System Design plus Kanban Systems Improvement or KDI), KCP for coaches, and the newer Flow Manager, Delivery Manager and Demand Manager credentials. ProKanban.org: PK I. List exactly what you hold.
Is a Kanban résumé different from a Scrum one?
Yes. Lead with flow metrics, not sprints.
What if I only used a Kanban board?
Say so honestly, and show any change it made: fewer blocked items or shorter waits.
Related guides
Agile Coach postings look for change you caused across teams, not frameworks you know. Use these terms where they're true, and show the before and after.
Scrum Master postings filter for delivery results, not a list of events. Use these terms where they're true, and pair each one with what changed.
By Abel Mendez, Agile Career Forge