Posted under Resumes on April 1st, 2008
The standard achievement-focused executive resume we’ve come to accept isn’t cutting-edge anymore and doesn’t differentiate you the way it used to. New strategies have come to the forefront, so take advantage of them before they mainstream and everyone’s using them.
If you want to land at the top of decision makers’ lists, generate more quality leads, and incite more interest in you, consider how the following elements will improve your executive resume:
Put yourself in the reader’s place.
Too many executive job searchers fail to take into account the ever-changing needs of hiring decision makers reviewing their resumes. They want and need to see concise statements of value that immediately communicate who you are, what you have to offer, how you’ll improve bottom line, and whether you’ll be a good fit for the company. Make it easy for them to quickly access and digest what they need to know about you. When this information is supplied in a vivid, compelling way, it will capture the reader’s attention and encourage them to read the entire document. That can only increase your chances to be considered for the position they are trying to fill.
Keep it brief and value-driven.
Their need for brevity and precise writing is driven by a number of factors, including a lack of sufficient time to fully read every resume in front of them and the fact that more and more of them are reading resumes on BlackBerry-type devices, while they’re on the move. A tedious resume laced with repetitive lists of obvious responsibilities and densely-packed information can bog them down, or worse yet, bore them.
Position yourself above the rest with tight, brand-focused statements of value and ROI surrounded by enough white space to make each one stand out.
Next time: Part 2 – Start Building Your Personal Brand in Your Executive Resume
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Karen P. Katz on 01 Apr 2008 at 1:16 pm #
Welcome to the Alliance Community Blog, Meg and thank you for being a proponent of the Executive or Networking Profile.
Executives are not frequently not well-served by conventional 2-page reverse chronological resumes. Their name and marketing documents are circulated among their peers and perhaps a few recruiters who need only the “appetizer,” not the whole meal.
Furthermore, there is something undignified about presenting a senior-level person with 20-30 years experience inside the confines of a format suitable for an entry- or mid-level professional or manager.
I look forward to reading Part 2…
Meg Guiseppi on 01 Apr 2008 at 4:51 pm #
I appreciate your kind comments, Karen. Since my job is to put together documents that will truly differentiate my executive clients, relying on the newest trends in formatting and content can best achieve this.
I’ll also appreciate your comments as the other parts of this topic unfold.