5 Insider Tips You Must Know for Writing Your Executive Resume
By Laura Smith-Proulx
If you’re an executive searching for your next
opportunity in today’s hotly competitive market, you’ve
probably found that the task of marketing yourself is unlike any
other.
How do you sum up a long, storied career in just a few
paragraphs? What is the best way to differentiate yourself on
paper—and to get others to focus on this
value?
Standing out among the pack requires an intense emphasis on
your natural leadership abilities, the impact you have on your
employer’s businesses, the feedback you get from colleagues,
and the hard skills that you bring to the table.
This information comprises what is known as a “personal
brand,” and it has become the cornerstone of a successful
executive resume in the employment arena.
Here are 5 insider tips that can help bring out your personal
brand—and get your resume to open more doors for
you:
1 – Hone Your Message.
Many executive resumes contain too much detail, which is quite
understandable given the long tenure that many candidates
possess.
However, it’s asking a lot of hiring authorities to wade
through more than 2 or 3 pages of information.
My recommendation? Sharpen the intensity of your branding
message by zeroing in on your top 3-5 main qualifiers, including
success stories and keywords that back these up.
In addition, focus on one career goal and skill set at a time.
This may mean that you will create one resume targeting a role as
COO, and another that describes your skills for a VP of Sales
position.
2 – Don’t Bury the Lead.
As we used to say in journalism, get your critical information
all up front and ready for the reader to absorb.
Just started a high-level MBA program? Get it on the front
page. Held roles of increasing scope that lead to your destination
as CEO? Make it obvious.
Don’t bury this type of key information on page 2 of
your resume. The top half of the first page is prime “resume
real estate,” and your main qualifications deserve center
stage here.
In addition, many executives benefit from a branding
statement, which is a short sentence that serves as a marketing
tagline. You can develop this sentence by jotting down some ideas
on what you bring to the table, and how you achieve it.
A great branding tagline will tap into the heart of what you
offer, such as these examples culled from the front-page position
on executive resumes:
“COO Who Leverages Business Competencies to Create
Profitable Ventures with Exceptional ROI”
“Strategic & Operational Leader for Real
Estate Investment/Master Planning”
3 – Tell Your Story.
Most executives are able to spout figures and facts about
their achievements, but it’s the story behind these
accomplishments that will add weight to the resume.
Consider looking at your results in light of the C-A-R
(Challenge-Action-Result) strategy, which asks you to describe the
situation you faced at work (Challenge), what you did when faced
with it (Action), and of course, the outcome (Result) that
occurred.
The C-A-R formula is popular for a reason—these
anecdotes can also form the basis for success stories that you can
also use as a basis for your next executive interview.
4 – Carefully Format Your
Presentation.
When creating an executive resume, it’s important to
differentiate yourself from both your direct competition, plus
distinguish yourself from lower-level applicants—and this
means that it is best to make your document DIFFERENT from all the
others.
Searching the Internet for executive resume samples will show
you that there are many choices for font, format, and graphics that
give flair to an executive resume presentation.
Above all, refrain from using the classic Microsoft Word
template for your resume. Doing so will make your qualifications
blend in rather than stand out, and lay the foundation for
less-than-stellar results.
5 – Use Those Glowing References.
Got testimonials? If so, you’re in good shape, as these
form a key part of a successful personal brand.
Better yet, including this information on your executive
resume will allow you to back up the stories you’ve told
about your achievements.
Many executives are able to use a quote or letter of reference
as a striking addition to their leadership resume, especially when
it reflects what they’ve already noted about their skills and
competencies.
If you don’t have access to this information, be sure to
seek out colleagues, supervisors, customers, and even suppliers as
a source of positive feedback. Then, take a shorter version of the
most powerful testimonial to use as an endorsement.
As an example, a COO targeting a lateral move might be able to
include a quote such as “Ted’s resourcefulness
and ingenuity are without equal. I have witnessed his ability to
grow a startup into a maturing business and develop a
multimillion-dollar venture in a difficult economic
environment,” from a corporate officer onto the executive
resume—thereby verifying performance from a key reference
source.
In summary, there are many ways to develop a masterpiece
executive resume. It’s important to ensure that
hiring authorities can quickly cut to the heart of your
qualifications—and consider you for prime opportunities that
closely match your talents.
