As an executive resume coach, I find these potential leaders are aware that their resume must be attractive & appeal to high level recruiters, C-suites & sometimes even board members. They also understand that they need to show how they can solve the company’s pain-points/problems.
What are their biggest struggles?
- How to showcase their experience that makes them a perfect fit for an executive role?
- They find it difficult to communicate their strength on a piece of paper( resume).
- They are not able to portray relevant skills to make an industry shift.
Addressing these concerns in their resume that will help them showcase their value & relevancy as an executive/ potential executive
The following paragraphs discuss how to connect the dots to overcome these challenges.
- Your resume does not sound “C-suite” enough: Your resume should scream leadership not worker. Your executive resume should communicate that you are suited for to lead a team, organisation, projects or an initiative. It starts with an executive summary/branding statement just below your name & contact information. The purpose of this branding statement is to give the reader preview about their skill set, expertise, assignments/job functions undertaken, what roles they are targeting & how they have created & implemented winning strategy.
- Branding Statement: Ditch generalised statements such as “seasoned professional”, “rich experience”, “ proven success record” etc. & replace it with details unique to you such as “ Successful stories of driving 200% business growth in highly competitive FMCG market in Sri Lanka” or “ Build and nurturing teams of 25 plus product managers across 3 continents.
- Job Description: When describing roles, think of your resume as brochure & not blueprint. Worker/manager level resume consist of blueprint of all the job responsibilities however brochure shows reader/hiring manager your accomplishments/achievements.
Example of blueprint: Designed marketing strategy to manage sales of televisions & mobiles across South East Asian markets.
Example of Brochure: Crafted go to market strategy & positioned XYZ as a distinctive brand to drive 200% business growth across Singapore & Hong Kong Markets.
A well written resume spells out for the reader/hiring manager what you can do for them by showcasing the examples of what you have achieved before.
2. I find it difficult to communicate my strength on piece of paper( resume)
“ Numbers speak louder than words” perfectly applies to executive resumes. To land up an interview, you must be able to present proof that you added value/solved pain point & should be able to quantify it. If your initiatives results in sales/business growth, cost savings, time savings, productivity, efficiency mention how & about how much. If you are bound by confidentiality rules, convert dollar figures into percentages. If you are finding it difficult to quantify it, ask yourself what were the most proudest deliverables/successful achievements of each role.
3. I want to change industry: Whether making a giant industry to an unrelated industry or returning to an old, make sure that your branding statement & job description communicates how your skills, expertise & experience are aligned with industry you are looking to join. Highlight career achievements those relevant with the role/industry you target to join & write them along with each job title when mentioning your work experience. Every industry has its own language & terminology. Showcasing the reader/hiring manager that you speak the language of Industry fluently tells decision makers that you understand their ecosystem. Learn that lingo by communicating with professionals working in the industry, go through industry websites, publications, blogs written by industry influencers/decision makers. Make sure that your resume & LinkedIn profile speaks the same language.
As the founder and executive resume coach at Sushant Kumar Ventures, I offer customized executive resume and LinkedIn profile writing services for modern day job seekers. Sign up here for our services/free consult.
