More than likely, it’s been a while since you’ve needed to dust off your executive resume. If you’re considering advancing to a C-suite role, there are 5 key tips you need to keep in mind that will help you lay the groundwork for a C-suite worthy resume.
Review your executive resume to ensure you have performed the following transformational strategies:
Your Executive Value is Clear
You’ve worked hard to gain the knowledge, skills, and the experience you need to move into a C-suite role; therefore, your career marketing documents (Resume, Cover Letter, Professional Biography, LinkedIn profile) need to communicate your value in alignment with the role you are pursuing.
– The best way to get noticed is by being clear on who you are and the value you offer. Employers want to know how you are going to help them progress amid so much change.
– Begin your executive resume with a focused summary + personal branding statement that provides a 10-second overview of who you are and how your experience will make an impact.
– Optimize your LinkedIn profile with a headline that reinforces your candidacy using this formula: Target Title + Value Offer + Keywords = SEO-Optimized Headline.
Clarity of Communication a Priority
Be willing to honestly assess what you’ve written. Every word should help frame your professional career history and executive-level career successes.
– Does the top fold (first one-quarter to thirty percent) of your executive resume provide the reader with a snapshot of who you are and provide proof of what you can do for your next employer?
– Have you made a clear and compelling case for your candidacy by highlighting why you are the best person for the role?
Make the Connection Between Your Past and Your Future
Have you converted the experience section of your C-suite resume from a passively written document filled with past responsibilities to an active document that places the focus on the results you’ve delivered? Is the information aligned with what your next employer is looking for in their next hire?
– The key to an executive resume that gets results is to transform your leadership narrative into short, value-rich statements + bullet points that reveal how your unique skills, experiences, and accomplishments set you apart from other candidates with similar experiences.
– Each bullet point should show the impact you’ve made on the business by providing proof of your qualifications in action.
Made Keywords an Essential Component. To decide what keywords you should include, review job descriptions for the role you are seeking, highlight keywords that are in alignment, and integrate the words throughout your narrative.
– Keywords in your C-level resume + LinkedIn profile help with your findability and are the passkey for resume scanning technology.
– Use a narrative style with active verbs + keywords to highlight how your experience is in alignment with the organization’s needs.
Is Your Executive Resume Easy to Read
Often, your executive resume is your first impression to a potential employer, and it is vital to your success that your presentation is visually impactful and your content is compelling. Color schemes and font choices can have a major impact on helping your resume outshine others.
– Make your document visually inviting by balancing content with white space.
– Add a splash of color to help your executive resume stand out but be aware that if you use more than one color, you need to make sure the hues go together and are professional.
– Define sections via enhancements (bolding / colorized font) to make it easier for the reader to find specific information or draw attention to areas of importance.
– Include a chart, table, or graphic to help convey your value at a glance.
– A bulleted list is not an attractive way to present your career narrative or success stories. The better strategy is to reserve bullet points to convey your most pertinent information. To avoid turning your resume into a list, use no more than five or six bullet points under each job description. You want your copy to be clear, concise, and compelling.
– Don’t forget to format any additional pages. Your second (or third) page needs to have the same formatting style as your first.
Your executive resume needs to tell the story of your career and the value you bring to the table. A clear and concise summary, the right keywords, proof of your ability to deliver via metrics / quantifiable achievements, and a modern design will help you get one step closer to landing your next C-level role.
If you are having trouble checking all of these boxes, CareerSteering can help you create a resume that will ensure you stand out from the crowd.