You’ve finally dusted off your executive resume just in case you need it. Things are moving fast in light of COVID-19 pandemic and so you ask yourself if it might be a good idea to prepare for a possible job search. You know you are valuable to your organization, but, let’s face it, these are uncertain times.
If that sounds like you, you are right. It is never a bad idea to be prepared. Yet, so many executives find themselves unprepared. Contact us if you are interested in partnering with an executive resume writer to help you update, modernize, and refresh your executive brand.
Yet, if you find that you need to makeover your executive resume quickly for an unexpected opportunity, the resume updating tips below will help.
How to Help Your Executive Resume Look Better
One of the things you can do is revamp and rejuvenate your executive resume so that it’s attractive and professionally branded. Please know, however, that while I’ll be equipping you with formatting/visual techniques, your resume’s content is the bottom line, and it needs to be
1. RELEVANT
2. MARKETING-ORIENTED
3. ACCOMPLISHMENT-DRIVEN
4. SUBSTANTIATED and 5. QUANTIFIED.
The following will immediately improve your executive resume’s visual appeal…
Expert Techniques to Make Your Executive Resume Sparkle
Dynamic Heading – A few things can help your resume’s heading pop. You can bold, change the font size, and create a logo. The point is to ensure it is tastefully done and relevant to the industry. Note: I do not recommend anything other than bolding and changing font size for conservative industries (i.e., engineering, law, accounting, insurance, etc.).
Summary / Profile – Brand yourself a professional. You can begin to do so easily by adding a job title before your Profile/Summary and underlining your new section with a colored border.
White Space –One of the most neglected visual techniques is including white space. Including white space makes the reading inviting and easier on the eyes.
Cleanup Sentences –I am a concise kind of gal. For me, conciseness is key. Keep paragraphs short. Personally, I don’t like to say more than five to six sentences together. Nice crisp and clean, but power hitting!
Color –I mentioned color above, but please elaborate and emphasize that you must use color carefully. If you use more than one color, keep it coordinated, subtle, and professional. If you do not know color theory, keep to the same color and just mix two shades.
Charts, Tables, and Graphs – If you are in sales, marketing, any numbers-driven field, you can add a visual reference to demonstrate spiraling revenues.
Borders/Dividers—Sectioning off the areas of your executive resume with either borders, dividers, or extra white space is an excellent way to keep things organized and neat. Give each section a strong and bold title. Make it easy for your employer to skip to the desired areas.
Bullets Limited – A sea of bullets is not attractive– no matter how you adorn them. I try to keep bullets to no more than six under each job description. There a few things you can do here like inserting space of .02 to .04 in between bulleted sentences; create a paragraph and then bullet only extraordinary achievements; a bit trickier, but effective, is grouping bullets/achievements based on skill.
The Second Page Matters –When you create a second page, remember to format it also. Many will focus on the first page, and the second page looks pretty plain. Use the same techniques I listed above. It is even more difficult to guide your reader’s eyes through the entire second page, as most employers don’t even read that far into your resume. If they have, ensure it is an easy and information-driven read.
Extra Visual and Marketing Power—Adding an endorsement or a quote is an excellent eye-catcher. Just ensure you have followed the white space rule; otherwise, your endorsement will seem like unnecessary adornment. Lastly, adding a branding statement is an outstanding charmer and an excellent marketing tactic.
LinkedIn—Be sure to add your LinkedIn profile to your resume so that employers can continue to learn more about you.
For some visual assistance, please see our resume designs.
If you need ghostwriting services, don’t hesitate to contact us.
As always, if you have any questions, please email me at writer@careersteering.com
Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Master Resume Writer Credentialed
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