How to craft your executive resume
Credit to Author: Murali Murthy| Date: Mon, 23 Sep 2019 19:40:57 +0000
Five steps to build your edge with a compelling executive-level resume
Many ‘A-Players’ run into a familiar brick wall in their job search strategy. Each time they send out their executive resume, they are either ignored, told they are over-qualified, asked to minimize their qualifications or offered lower-paying positions that are below their capabilities.
If the above scenarios sounds familiar, it may be time to re-look at the format and contents on your executive resume. At your previous jobs, you may have spent many waking hours spearheading corporate change, handling enterprise-level projects or leading large teams.
But writing about your executive career can be difficult without a strategic plan on how to showcase your personal brand and represent your stellar accomplishments to others.
Here are five time-tested strategies to convey information about your distinguished career through a compelling executive resume.
1. Open with a dramatic introduction
Your executive resume is your personal brand, and the brand you are marketing is YOU. Executive-level recruiters are primarily interested in learning more about what you can do for the organization. And the best way to illustrate that is through your qualifications, expertise, depth of experience, and quantifiable, bottom-line impact.
Weak: Scott Martin: Senior Marketing Director. Actively seeking opportunities.
Strong: Scott Martin: Senior Marketing Director. Specialized Expertise in Driving Operational Initiatives. Enhancing Revenue Growth, Market Share, and Competitiveness for Fortune 500 Organizations.
2. Establish your authority in six seconds.
At first glance – especially in the top one-third of your resume in the first six seconds – they should know immediately know who you are, the value you can bring to the table, and what differentiates you from the rest of the pack. Focused, targeted executive resumes are the way to go forward. This also helps you to stand out from peers who have a similar career background and offer the same strengths to potential employers.
Weak: 10+ years experience supporting corporate IT operations and application development in complex environments.
Strong: Primary Architect in pioneering groundbreaking, technology initiatives that re-position companies for long-term sustainability and continued financial success.
3. Showcase a Branding Statement That Sizzles
Win the attention of potential employers with tangible motivators. Incorporate brand-focused statements of value that show employers how they can gain from bringing you on board. A strong personal brand and sizzling brand statement concisely captures your strengths, value, talents, and performance drivers.
Weak: Seeking a challenging leadership position in manufacturing and product operations.
Strong: Seasoned Project Manager with proven success in devising manufacturing and plant operating strategies that eliminate redundancies, increase output, and deliver measurable outcomes.
4. Always Share Quantifiable Details
When you share the scope of your leadership and management responsibilities, be brief and succinct so your unique value proposition still shines. Condense your valuable achievements to three to five phrases – and pepper with vibrant action verbs and industry keywords.
Weak: Managed daily activities for global finance organization plus supervised staff members in investment management company.
After: Led a global investments team to deliver 10% return on $700 million investment portfolio in a competitive, evolving finance organization.
5. Add Sizzle to the Steak
Demonstrate your “uniqueness” and how you are suited to the role through strong, high-impact achievement statements. Remember, it is very critical to communicate the context in which your career achievements were realized. Beyond highlights of revenue generated, projects completed, or costs saved, always have a signature theme of your career evident to the reader.
Weak: Saved the company thousands of dollars during the first year on the job.
Strong: Achieved zero lost time and 100% staff productivity during 12 consecutive months for first time in company’s operating history—saving the company $500,000.