Crafting a viable executive-level resume is important for making a great first impression with a search committee. Even though you have the right connections and networking contacts, you still have to create the right resume to elevate your personal brand and impress the right people with your skills, experience and qualifications. Check out these tips for writing a great resume for an executive position.
1. A Sales Tool
Think of your executive-level resume as a sales tool, such as a glossy brochure that shows off a new product or detailed product description that showcases all of the features and benefits of a particular item. Your resume must demonstrate the value you have for a prospective employer much in the same way, because the company has specific needs to fill and you must prove you fit the bill.
2. Not About You
Sure, you fill an executive-level resume with tons of experience, skills and qualifications that got you to where you are today. You worked hard at each of those jobs. However, you must understand that a resume isn't about you, but rather it's about how you fill the needs of an employer. Every word on your resume should show how you can help the company succeed. Make sure to tailor your document to the company at hand.
3. Contact Information
Your contact information should be professional, especially when it comes to an email or portfolio website. Your email should eschew cutesy names or hobbies, because this is for a professional position.
4. Value-Driven Objective or Career Summary
In place of an objective statement at the top of the page, include a value-driven career summary that shows your top selling points. These should be professional milestones that prove you're more than qualified to take on the job of a company executive.
5. Showcase Leadership Skills
Leadership skills are vitally important as a company executive, which is why your executive-level resume must include how you can bring the company together under the umbrella of your leadership plan. Highlight how you intend to move the company forward with your vision, ideas and strategic plan based on the needs of the employer. Then, highlight your leadership skills necessary to bring this plan to fruition.
6. Quantify Your Achievements
Your previous experience takes up a large part of your executive-level resume because of your extensive background and job history. Each position should outline tangible results you achieved, such as how a company grew incrementally per quarter or how your business plan led to higher market share.
7. Attractive Design
A top-level resume stands out thanks to an attractive, easy-to-read font and enough white space in between sections that draws the eye. Recruiters need to find information quickly when scanning each document, and the right format and spacing make that happen.
8. Invest in a High-Quality Resume
At the executive level, you should invest in a company that can polish your document. A professional resume company looks for typos, eliminates superfluous information and proofreads your document while making it into a readable format.
Your executive-level resume must make a lasting impression on a recruiter and hiring manager. If you seek a higher position with a great company, these tips can help make that happen.
Photo Courtesy of WinnipedResumeTarget at Flickr.com
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