Resume & Cover Letter Writing: Executive

Showing posts with label Executive. Show all posts

11/5/12

How Far Can Executive Resume Writing Take You?

I've always been hearing about one common dilemma that job applicants, who have already held a managerial position, usually become problematic about-it's their problem in creating their own resume. What bothers them so much is their inability to make their outputs more appealing to the eyes of the hiring managers. This is, indeed, a big problem. However, don't be discouraged for there are ways to overcome such dilemma.

Being a manager who looks for a new job is another story from those of the job aspirants seeking low-level positions. It's tough and becomes tougher by the fact that they need to exert much effort in order to showcase the proofs that they're really high-caliber people and are wanting to hold same position but with another company. Fret no more. You can solve it through executive resume writing.

Disclosing the problems

There is truth to the saying, "life is full of ironies." I say this so because managers, who are expected to be good in handling company operations, are also the ones experiencing troubles in marketing themselves. Though, it is possible, people tend to think that high-ranking officials do not experience such thing. Don't forget that they are also human beings. They also have shortcomings and imperfections.

Here are the usual problems encountered by applicants seeking high-level positions:

- Compared with vacancies in some other positions, managerial level positions and the like are not widely publicized. By the time they are advertised, ads can pull some 500 responses. This suggests that applicant should submit a compelling resume.

- High-ranking officials are frequently the busiest persons in various organizations. They often have limited time to look for potential job openings and to create their application documents.

In every problem, there is a solution. If you're in such situations, don't lose hope. Here are the answers:

Solutions revealed

Finding the right time for executive resume writing can actually help in reaching for their desired career with a different company. Since they are people who have held top positions, their application papers should be far different from ordinary individuals' marketing tools. A "genuine" application document can shorten one's job search, can help achieve one's high career aspirations, and can bring the applicant on top of the competition.

Take note of these things that a resume of this type can do:

- Place the aspirant on top of the game.

This becomes possible only by giving emphasis to one's abilities and qualifications that can help company through delivering a strong return on investment.

- Prove hopeful's understanding of the recruiter's need.

This high-impact resume highlights one's superior abilities to be of help in solving the company's business problem.

- Convey a convincing value proposition.

This means that the application paper should let the hiring manager to speedily grasp a deep understanding of the applicant's distinctive value offered.

- Convince the recruiter.

The effectiveness of a resume can only be measured when it inspires the reader and when it persuades him to give the job candidate a call for an interview.

Learning to apply the proper executive resume writing techniques can really take high-rank officials to or even far beyond their dream jobs. If all the efforts didn't work at first, however, there are online professional resume writers who are willing to do the task for them.

Nelson Mullins is a former corporate hiring and recruitment expert who regularly writes articles on resumes, resume writing, personality development, and career in general. He is a father of three who also enjoys photography and biking. Nelson believes that while the employment world continues to be a rat race for applicants, it is important to always be equipped with new ideas on sustaining career growth and opportunities.

10/1/12

The 5 Must-Have Components of a Winning Executive Resume

If you've reviewed executive resume samples lately, you might realize there's something missing from your own document.

Does your executive resume fail to convey your value clearly - and in a matter of seconds? If so, you'll find that a few, straightforward changes can transform you from overlooked to sought-after.

Increase your chances of being considered for the coveted corner office by reviewing this list of must-have components for a cutting-edge executive resume:

1 - Impressive Metrics.

Nothing - absolutely nothing - you can say about your leadership performance will resonate as much as dollar figures that represent revenue, cost savings, or margin improvement.

In today's economy, employers are doing more with less, while expecting executives to deliver near-immediate results!

What does this mean for you? A strong brand message for your executive resume no longer translates into "25 years of experience," but "50% rise in revenue within 6 months" or "rapid identification of $25K OPEX savings."

Not sure how to pull out quantifiable information for your leadership resume? Try assessing the value you've produced against that of a previous incumbent in the same job, especially if you've reworked vendor contracts or retrained the sales force.

In addition, you can review past performance appraisals for projects you've championed or initiatives you've led, then estimate the effect (more sales, increased customer volume, better profits) produced from your efforts.

2 - Testimonials.

Accolades for a project completed under budget, commendations from senior leadership for a profitable new idea, and kudos from colleagues are all valuable pieces of information that belong in your executive resume.

Yet, many candidates fail to realize that a commendation from a C-level leader or parent company executive can be a solid testament to the strength of their achievements.

Quotes or kudos can either be placed on the first page of your resume, or set in a text box next to the related job (as in this sample Vice President of Business Development resume).

In any case, be sure to note the source of the testimonial ("Joe's standards are the reason for our record profits in Q4." - CEO, ABC Company), and ensure that it supplements, not replaces, your brand message.

3 - Descriptive Job Titles.

So, you've moved up the career ladder to that high-ranking position, and you're now running the show… but your company hasn't issued the title you deserve.

So how do you write an executive resume without a leadership title? You'll need to back up your level of authority with both a factual title, plus a descriptive one, in order to present credentials at the right level.

As an example, a Vice President of IT can add "CIO-Level Charter" to point out higher-level duties on a resume (especially if the company doesn't have a CIO), and a Manager of Accounting can add "Direct Report to CFO" to show how he fits in at the Controller level.

4 - Leadership ROI.

Created revenue unmatched by others at your company? Returned your salary 10-fold in profits? Don't hide these facts beneath a sea of mundane trivia.

Executive resumes don't have to be written in a particular format; yet, many resumes start with a tired summary that resorts to generalities.

If your leadership resume summary still describes you as a "proven leader" who is "self-motivated," it's time to take things up a notch! Put your ROI front and center with a tagline proclaiming your peak achievement, right at the top of your resume.

Some examples are:

23% Year-Over-Year Growth Since 2008 - Despite Economic Downturn

Technology Leader Creating Market Edge in Cloud Computing Industry

Attaining Consistent #1 Market Share at Consumer Packaged Goods Company

5 - Brevity.

While 2- and 3-page executive resumes are in vogue, a 7-page narrative is sure to kill your shot at an interview.

Recruiters and hiring authorities don't have time to absorb all the twists and turns of your career, however interesting or relevant they may be to your goal. Instead, it's best to shorten and tighten your resume into a potent representation of your career.

Finding it difficult to trim your executive resume to an acceptable length? Try writing short descriptions of achievements using the C-A-R formula, which stands for Challenge, Action, and Result.

Then, limit your C-A-R stories to 5 peak achievements per job - which will force you to be selective and cut your resume length considerably.

In summary, your executive resume must present a more compelling case than a mere list of job titles and budgets, or you'll be pushed aside by others with a more persuasive brand message.

Use these tips to put your resume in alignment with best executive resume writing practices - and you can expect a stronger level of interest from employers.

Executive resume writer Laura Smith-Proulx is an award-winning resume expert and former recruiter whose work has earned a 98% success rate opening doors to top jobs at Google, Citibank, Apple, and Cisco, among others. The Executive Director of An Expert Resume, she has been featured in more than 200 careers industry articles, bestsellers, and media outlets.

Executive Resume Samples for High-Level Professionals

Looking for a vacancy in high-level management positions has never become easy. Apart from the fact that job openings for these top positions are rarely advertised because most companies implement in-house hiring to occupy the vacancy, applicants are also afraid to be rejected. Yes, this is true. Many executives, who prefer to leave a current job and look for another one, confess that their fear of rejection comes from the belief that they can't satisfy the recruiter with their "ineffective" resume.

As we all know, these people have reached their current positions because of the length of their employment, which can be translated into being a seasoned professional with an impressive professional experience in handling top-level position(s). Working for a long span of time may cause them to be unaware of the latest trends on job hunt writing. Having said this, it is understandable why they feel incompetent or unconfident about their applications.

Remember this: Everything starts with nothing!

In this age of modern technology, there are so many ways to make things that seem impossible to happen. Don't you worry. Why not take advantage of the resources readily available from the Internet?

Getting a "virtual" help

Computers and laptops are really great contributions to the humankind. Connecting them through another significant modern-day discovery-the Internet-will surely produce an almost impossible output.

Go online and you'll see a lot of executive resume samples from various sites. You just have to explore the World Wide Web and look for some helpful references and sources. For sure, half of your burden will be solved because of the help from the so-called "virtual world."

Learning the current trends

By browsing through different online sites, you'll be able to know the changes in writing, from the time you entered the corporate world until the current time. Knowing these changes and applying them in crafting your own application document will surely keep you away from an embarrassing situation or worse, rejection.

After you gathered all the needed materials, such as sample application documents, patterns and templates, it's now time to create your own application tool.

Crafting your own document

Make use of those materials that can really help you. For example, if you're interested in applying for a senior finance executive position, then, you should use the ones with the same targeted job position. This is to ensure that your terminologies will still be in-line with the socially-accepted ones for that particular position.

What do executive resume samples contain?

What makes this type of application tool different from some other kind is its content. The specific sections of the document that can bring impact to your application as the CEO, CFO, President, or Director of an organization, are the three sections written below your career tag. These sections include summary of qualifications, areas of expertise, and professional experience.

Here are my points:

- Summary of Qualifications

Include 4 to 5 phrases (in narrative form). Each should start with strong adjective to describe your qualifications.

- Areas of Expertise

This section lists all the skills, abilities, or core competencies that you have. This can be written using bullet points.

- Professional Experience

This is another important part of your application tool because it cites the highlights of your progressive career history. List all your work experiences from the latest down to the oldest ones. You may consider writing only those within the latest 10-year period of time. Start each job description with a powerful verb. Do not forget to include your key accomplishments for every job held.

Making use of the available executive resume samples will surely help in acquiring new ideas to craft an outstanding application document that could bring you back to the manager's desk.

8/14/12

The 5 Must-Have Components of a Winning Executive Resume

If you've reviewed executive resume samples lately, you might realize there's something missing from your own document.

Does your executive resume fail to convey your value clearly - and in a matter of seconds? If so, you'll find that a few, straightforward changes can transform you from overlooked to sought-after.

Increase your chances of being considered for the coveted corner office by reviewing this list of must-have components for a cutting-edge executive resume:

1 - Impressive Metrics.

Nothing - absolutely nothing - you can say about your leadership performance will resonate as much as dollar figures that represent revenue, cost savings, or margin improvement.

In today's economy, employers are doing more with less, while expecting executives to deliver near-immediate results!

2 - Testimonials.

Yet, many candidates fail to realize that a commendation from a C-level leader or parent company executive can be a solid testament to the strength of their achievements.

Quotes or kudos can either be placed on the first page of your resume, or set in a text box next to the related job (as in this sample Vice President of Business Development resume).

3 - Descriptive Job Titles.

So, you've moved up the career ladder to that high-ranking position, and you're now running the show… but your company hasn't issued the title you deserve.

4 - Leadership ROI.

Created revenue unmatched by others at your company? Returned your salary 10-fold in profits? Don't hide these facts beneath a sea of mundane trivia.

Executive resumes don't have to be written in a particular format; yet, many resumes start with a tired summary that resorts to generalities.

Some examples are:

23% Year-Over-Year Growth Since 2008 - Despite Economic Downturn

Technology Leader Creating Market Edge in Cloud Computing Industry

Attaining Consistent #1 Market Share at Consumer Packaged Goods Company

5 - Brevity.

While 2- and 3-page executive resumes are in vogue, a 7-page narrative is sure to kill your shot at an interview.

Finding it difficult to trim your executive resume to an acceptable length? Try writing short descriptions of achievements using the C-A-R formula, which stands for Challenge, Action, and Result.

Then, limit your C-A-R stories to 5 peak achievements per job - which will force you to be selective and cut your resume length considerably.

In summary, your executive resume must present a more compelling case than a mere list of job titles and budgets, or you'll be pushed aside by others with a more persuasive brand message.

Use these tips to put your resume in alignment with best executive resume writing practices - and you can expect a stronger level of interest from employers.

8/10/12

The 5 Must-Have Components of a Winning Executive Resume

If you've reviewed executive resume samples lately, you might realize there's something missing from your own document.

Does your executive resume fail to convey your value clearly - and in a matter of seconds? If so, you'll find that a few, straightforward changes can transform you from overlooked to sought-after.

Increase your chances of being considered for the coveted corner office by reviewing this list of must-have components for a cutting-edge executive resume:

1 - Impressive Metrics.

Nothing - absolutely nothing - you can say about your leadership performance will resonate as much as dollar figures that represent revenue, cost savings, or margin improvement.

In today's economy, employers are doing more with less, while expecting executives to deliver near-immediate results!

2 - Testimonials.

Yet, many candidates fail to realize that a commendation from a C-level leader or parent company executive can be a solid testament to the strength of their achievements.

Quotes or kudos can either be placed on the first page of your resume, or set in a text box next to the related job (as in this sample Vice President of Business Development resume).

3 - Descriptive Job Titles.

So, you've moved up the career ladder to that high-ranking position, and you're now running the show… but your company hasn't issued the title you deserve.

4 - Leadership ROI.

Created revenue unmatched by others at your company? Returned your salary 10-fold in profits? Don't hide these facts beneath a sea of mundane trivia.

Executive resumes don't have to be written in a particular format; yet, many resumes start with a tired summary that resorts to generalities.

Some examples are:

23% Year-Over-Year Growth Since 2008 - Despite Economic Downturn

Technology Leader Creating Market Edge in Cloud Computing Industry

Attaining Consistent #1 Market Share at Consumer Packaged Goods Company

5 - Brevity.

While 2- and 3-page executive resumes are in vogue, a 7-page narrative is sure to kill your shot at an interview.

Finding it difficult to trim your executive resume to an acceptable length? Try writing short descriptions of achievements using the C-A-R formula, which stands for Challenge, Action, and Result.

Then, limit your C-A-R stories to 5 peak achievements per job - which will force you to be selective and cut your resume length considerably.

In summary, your executive resume must present a more compelling case than a mere list of job titles and budgets, or you'll be pushed aside by others with a more persuasive brand message.

Use these tips to put your resume in alignment with best executive resume writing practices - and you can expect a stronger level of interest from employers.

8/3/12

The 5 Must-Have Components of a Winning Executive Resume

If you've reviewed executive resume samples lately, you might realize there's something missing from your own document.

Does your executive resume fail to convey your value clearly - and in a matter of seconds? If so, you'll find that a few, straightforward changes can transform you from overlooked to sought-after.

Increase your chances of being considered for the coveted corner office by reviewing this list of must-have components for a cutting-edge executive resume:

1 - Impressive Metrics.

Nothing - absolutely nothing - you can say about your leadership performance will resonate as much as dollar figures that represent revenue, cost savings, or margin improvement.

In today's economy, employers are doing more with less, while expecting executives to deliver near-immediate results!

2 - Testimonials.

Yet, many candidates fail to realize that a commendation from a C-level leader or parent company executive can be a solid testament to the strength of their achievements.

Quotes or kudos can either be placed on the first page of your resume, or set in a text box next to the related job (as in this sample Vice President of Business Development resume).

3 - Descriptive Job Titles.

So, you've moved up the career ladder to that high-ranking position, and you're now running the show… but your company hasn't issued the title you deserve.

4 - Leadership ROI.

Created revenue unmatched by others at your company? Returned your salary 10-fold in profits? Don't hide these facts beneath a sea of mundane trivia.

Executive resumes don't have to be written in a particular format; yet, many resumes start with a tired summary that resorts to generalities.

Some examples are:

23% Year-Over-Year Growth Since 2008 - Despite Economic Downturn

Technology Leader Creating Market Edge in Cloud Computing Industry

Attaining Consistent #1 Market Share at Consumer Packaged Goods Company

5 - Brevity.

While 2- and 3-page executive resumes are in vogue, a 7-page narrative is sure to kill your shot at an interview.

Finding it difficult to trim your executive resume to an acceptable length? Try writing short descriptions of achievements using the C-A-R formula, which stands for Challenge, Action, and Result.

Then, limit your C-A-R stories to 5 peak achievements per job - which will force you to be selective and cut your resume length considerably.

In summary, your executive resume must present a more compelling case than a mere list of job titles and budgets, or you'll be pushed aside by others with a more persuasive brand message.

Use these tips to put your resume in alignment with best executive resume writing practices - and you can expect a stronger level of interest from employers.

7/7/12

The 5 Must-Have Components of a Winning Executive Resume

If you've reviewed executive resume samples lately, you might realize there's something missing from your own document.

Does your executive resume fail to convey your value clearly - and in a matter of seconds? If so, you'll find that a few, straightforward changes can transform you from overlooked to sought-after.

Increase your chances of being considered for the coveted corner office by reviewing this list of must-have components for a cutting-edge executive resume:

1 - Impressive Metrics.

Nothing - absolutely nothing - you can say about your leadership performance will resonate as much as dollar figures that represent revenue, cost savings, or margin improvement.

In today's economy, employers are doing more with less, while expecting executives to deliver near-immediate results!

2 - Testimonials.

Yet, many candidates fail to realize that a commendation from a C-level leader or parent company executive can be a solid testament to the strength of their achievements.

Quotes or kudos can either be placed on the first page of your resume, or set in a text box next to the related job (as in this sample Vice President of Business Development resume).

3 - Descriptive Job Titles.

So, you've moved up the career ladder to that high-ranking position, and you're now running the show… but your company hasn't issued the title you deserve.

4 - Leadership ROI.

Created revenue unmatched by others at your company? Returned your salary 10-fold in profits? Don't hide these facts beneath a sea of mundane trivia.

Executive resumes don't have to be written in a particular format; yet, many resumes start with a tired summary that resorts to generalities.

Some examples are:

23% Year-Over-Year Growth Since 2008 - Despite Economic Downturn

Technology Leader Creating Market Edge in Cloud Computing Industry

Attaining Consistent #1 Market Share at Consumer Packaged Goods Company

5 - Brevity.

While 2- and 3-page executive resumes are in vogue, a 7-page narrative is sure to kill your shot at an interview.

Finding it difficult to trim your executive resume to an acceptable length? Try writing short descriptions of achievements using the C-A-R formula, which stands for Challenge, Action, and Result.

Then, limit your C-A-R stories to 5 peak achievements per job - which will force you to be selective and cut your resume length considerably.

In summary, your executive resume must present a more compelling case than a mere list of job titles and budgets, or you'll be pushed aside by others with a more persuasive brand message.

Use these tips to put your resume in alignment with best executive resume writing practices - and you can expect a stronger level of interest from employers.

5/5/12

CIO/CTO Branding Strategies: 3 Primary Differentiators for the Executive IT Resume

For IT leaders looking to distinguish themselves in today's job market to capture the attention of executive technical recruiters and CEOs, it's important to communicate a personal brand. The personal brand must be several things:

1. It needs to communicate something of value
2. It must be specific and focused
3. It must resonate with your audience
4. It absolutely must be substantiated by your experience and accomplishments

I read a lot of articles from career services professionals talking about personal branding (whether you like the term "branding" or not, it simply means the manner in which you are positioning yourself in the job market). Most posts neglect to tell the reader about the importance of being able to put some meat behind your claims.

Perception "seems" to be reality, but eventually frauds get exposed. So I don't recommend trying to make yourself something you are not. Branding is about bringing out the unique you for people to see, not creating an illusion.

Let's take a closer look at #1 listed above, as it's effectiveness will drive #2 and #3 as well. For IT Directors, VPs, and Senior-Level Managers, you're going to need to deliver a message that is not a 1:1 correlation with your present job duties. In all likelihood, you are now more "hands-on" than you will need to be in a CIO role. For current CIOs or CTOs, you've been removed from the "hands-on" stuff for a period of time. So the question is, how do you focus your resume or profile to communicate this value to the reader?

You should have 3 main areas of focus in the following order of priority:

1. IT & Business Transformation
2. Revenue Growth
3. Productivity & Cost Savings

Leveraging technology systems, services, and new business models to fuel revenue growth and reduce operating costs is important too. There is a renewed focus on using technology to generate top-line growth, so projects with revenue generation at the core should be more important than cost-cutting solutions.

Transformation is the most difficult to achieve, as you must work across the enterprise to drive systemic change. If you've been involved in business transformation initiatives, you know that many are highly resistant to change, especially other senior leaders. Finding IT executives with this ability in abundance is rare, so if you have it, tout it! It's the best approach you can take to build an effective brand image and prepare you for a competitive job market.

Stephen is the ITtechExec, a "Go To" Personal Branding Strategist for IT, engineering, manufacturing, telecommunications, call center, medical device, and other STEM/technical specialty professionals. By translating technical activities and leadership achievements into a clear, consistent message that's meaningful to business executives and recruiters, Stephen generates at least a 5x return on investment on job seeker resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, bios, and other online platforms. The ITtechExec offers a proprietary job search lifecycle management approach to guide technical candidates through brand strategy development, documentation, interviewing preparation, job search strategy development, and online brand management. Contact Stephen today at (866) 755-9800, http://www.ittechexec.com/, or stephen@ittechexec.com.

4/6/12

CIO and CTO: Executive IT Resume Writing Tips

The CIO - CTO Resume Challenge

The biggest challenge most executive-level IT candidates are confronted with when creating a resume is in what approach to take. The CIO or CTO is not really a technical role. It is a strategic role. So how do you structure the resume in a manner that positions you well for these technology leadership positions?

CIO Resume Strategy

The fundamental questions to ask and answer are "who is my target audience?" and "what information will they review to make a decision as to which candidates to interview?" Your response to the questions will dictate the approach you take. Inevitably, the answer to the second question boils down to how you were able to create business value.

Resume Tip: Communicating Business Value

Conveying the value you and your IT teams brought to an organization is not impossible, but it does require some thought and perhaps some data mining on your part. Some of the things you want to keep in scope when trying to define business value include:
Revenue Growth - Most companies direct the IT function to cut costs, but more and more are realizing that technology can help to fuel top-line growth. The ROI is typically much stronger for these types of technology initiatives. In addition, there is usually more data from which you can pull.
Cost Reduction - Cutting costs is usually the first value-added item folks think of when talking about how IT helped a business. Any time you can reference hard-dollar cost savings or a percentage savings on the resume, that will be a benefit.
Productivity Gains - The idea of technology is to enable the business to perform at a higher level, right? So for many of the technological advancements in a company, there should be some type of efficiency gain for the employees doing the work. These gains should enable a reduction in headcount or the transitioning of resources to other value-added activities.
Process Improvement - Many people often overlook simple things like reductions in cycle time, process improvement, or automation through integration of enterprise systems. Don't sell these short on your resume.
Leadership Development - Although you may not be able to quantify leadership development, it is important to communicate the success of those in the IT organization that you have mentored to leadership or up-and-coming types of roles. After all, without the right team members in the right place, a CIO or CTO is limited in the success they can personally achieve.

The CIO - CTO Personal Brand

Finally, you want to wrap all of these great value drivers up and summarize it by crafting a strong, consistent brand message. This brand should be constant across all traditional and social media platforms, including LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, a blog site, or any other forum in which you participate.

The "Go To" Personal Branding Expert for executives and professionals in the IT, engineering, manufacturing, telecommunications, STEM, call center, and other technical specialty areas. We understand how to translate your technical activities and leadership achievements into information that's meaningful to the business and recruiters. We help you generate a 5x return on your investment (or more!) offering resumes, cover letters, online profiles and bios, interviewing preparation, job search strategy development, and online brand management. Contact me today at (866) 755-9800, go to http://www.ittechexec.com/, or email me at stephen@ittechexec.com.

3/30/12

Accentuate Your Best Assets With Executive Resumes

An executive job is not easy at all. Those who intend to get this job must have excellent management skills and a solid grasp of how the office, department, or the company operates. Most of all, they should know something about executive resumes.

Adding an executive into the management team is a necessary option when the business or company is at the growing stage, human resources are expanding, and the office requires daily upkeep. Job seekers targeting executive and managerial positions, therefore, should understand the basic duties and responsibilities of running an office, a department, or a company.

This job may also include other tasks, such as supervising overall operations, delegating work to subordinates, recruiting and hiring new employees, promoting employees, administering employees' salaries, reviewing current work conditions, and organizing file systems.

An executive position is actually a crucial position to apply for. At some point, the job entails serving as a channel of communication between the higher management and employees. Some employers, however, are looking for professionals with backgrounds in accounting, human resources, finance, supervision and maintenance, as well as in marketing and sales.

The job is strategically important because it also involves sorting out conflicts and problems and maintaining order and discipline in the workplace, depending on the job description provided by the employer. Thus, it is best for job seekers to become familiar with executive resumes. This can help them make a serious self-assessment, to find out if they are the qualified persons for the job.

Each application document should be built using a carefully prepared writing plan. It should be based on contents that are tailored for a specific job post. Although some parts are similar to other types, special techniques may be required. When writing the contact information and career objective, you need to show that you are serious, thoughtful, and mentally alert, too.

Regularly check your e-mail account and, if possible, avoid using e-mail addresses that sound like a joke (i.e. gigglelips72) into your contact information. Use your complete name instead to make it more professional-looking.

When you write your career objective, on the other hand, focus on the specific needs of the prospective employer, rather than your own personal career goals.

What will be the employer's benefits if he or she hires you? The "career achievements" section is where job seekers make a calculated personal sales pitch to get the job they want. It determines whether the application document has served its purpose or not. This section should not be used to make claims that seem too good to be true. You should support or backup your claims, because if not, you're going to be in trouble for telling a lie.

Before, this section merely describes assigned tasks. But now, it demonstrates what and how successes are achieved. Can you recall an incident where you successfully handled a transaction with a dissatisfied or disgruntled client? This section is a crucial point of executive resumes because it is where applicants ultimately show their best assets to date.

Kate Ross-Myers works for a New-York based human resources magazine. She has a broad experience in preparing resource materials on hiring, recruitment, and training. Kate also speaks on forums and conventions on employee wellness and growth.

3/16/12

3 Reasons Why Your Executive Resume Isn't Getting Results

Frustrated and confused by the response to your executive resume?

With so many executives in the job market, your resume must grab attention quickly. If you want to land the RIGHT interviews, personal branding that clearly positions you as a leader is a requirement - especially when distinguishing yourself among other executives!

Keep in mind that an executive career story if often difficult to capture, with numerous job changes and a complex brand message that must be conveyed in just a few pages.

Read on for 3 common executive resume writing problems that can prevent you from gaining attention in your search - along with straightforward tips for correction:

1 - You've chosen mid-career language to describe yourself.

By the time you've reached the Director or C-suite level, "highly motivated," "proven ability," or "results-oriented" aren't going to cut it anymore.

Not only are you up against candidates that are portrayed in stronger terms, but this type of language shows that you're struggling to articulate your personal brand and executive qualifications.

A better strategy? Wrap a signature achievement into each statement or paragraph-allowing you to clearly assert your value proposition.

BEFORE: Here is classic, mid-career phrasing within a CTO resume summary:

"CTO with strong track record in technology software product development and proven ability to build high-performance teams in international locations. Work closely with executives on strategies for entering new markets."

AFTER: Here is the same information, but with an executive slant:

"CTO and executive team collaborator supplying technical and new-market insight behind 240% growth in 18 months. Foster tight-knit cultures (despite globally dispersed teams), increasing productivity while retaining 100% of technical talent."

The second example includes just one additional word, but the metrics and strength of the language clearly position the candidate as an executive leader.

Need some ideas and examples of executive-level terminology? Try a Google search on "executive resume samples" to see cutting-edge trends in executive resumes, with wording, tone, and presentation styles that win interviews.

2 - Your leadership impact on the company is missing.

Reaching an executive or Director-level role is a career game-changer. Now, you'll be required to shift your focus from the department to the strategic direction of the overall company.

Yet, many executives write their resumes as if their function is isolated - with little effect on the rest of the firm.

Case in point: This "Before" version of a CFO resume describes taking on the IT functions of a company, spelling out only tactical details:

"Maintained facilities, offsite storage, and software licensing to support company investment in IT and communications systems."

In reality, these systems played a crucial part in accelerating the company's growth, and the AFTER (more relevant) statement looks like this:

"Set stage for growth with IT automation solutions; managed first infrastructure, vendor, and solutions used in HR, tax accounting, and regulatory filings."

BEFORE: Consider this phrase on another example of an IT Director resume:

"Held responsibility for the strategic direction and leadership of the enterprise architecture."

AFTER: A whole-company perspective changes the tone of the sentence:

"Headed IT enterprise architecture strategy that positioned company for expansion, leading infrastructure improvements and upgrades supplying 34% additional network capacity."

These changes illustrate ways your executive resume can show strategic impact, rather than merely focusing on the tactical duties required of your position.

3 - You didn't provide metrics on your achievements or span of authority.

Your executive resume NEEDS quantifiable achievements and figures! Without them, hiring authorities can't discern the difference between your experience and that of a lower-level candidate.

Not sure where to start in adding figures? Look for phrases used in lieu of a number, such as "significantly" or "substantially." These words can often be replaced with a dollar amount, percentage, or range of numbers.

At a minimum, ensure your resume contains these metrics:

> Size of teams or budgets managed

> Division or company specifications in terms of volume of employees or revenue

> Market rank for your employer in a particular segment (if prominent)

> Increases in EBITDA or profit margins

> Contract or cost savings

If you've made changes to operational efficiency or productivity, for example, you can specify the time savings gained. Roles in major projects, such as data center consolidations or Six Sigma initiatives that cut expenses, can also verify your ability to create impactful change.

If you can't recall (or don't wish to disclose) specific dollar figures, consider using percentages to quantify accomplishments. For example, you may have led teams that produced 82% of the overall company revenue, or drove a change in hiring practices that saved 15% per employee.

Overall, taking a fresh look at your executive resume - and comparing it to documents used by other leadership candidates - can be one of the most valuable exercises in your job search.

These straightforward changes can strengthen the tone and presentation of your resume, enabling you to project more confidence and expedite the process of landing the right leadership role.

Executive resume writer Laura Smith-Proulx is an award-winning Executive Resume Writer, biography writer, and former recruiter with a 98% success rate winning top jobs through personal branding. The Executive Director of An Expert Resume, she partners exclusively with CIO, CTO, COO, CEO, CFO, VP, VP, and Director candidates.

12/13/11

The Magic of An Executive Biography in Your Job Search

If you're an executive or rising leader looking for your next choice opportunity, you've probably shined up your resume and cover letter in anticipation of calls from recruiters.

But have you considered using a biography as well?

A narrative of your career designed as a short, yet powerful summary of your accomplishments, a career biography can help different members of your target audience (such as CEOs, networking contacts, or Boards of Directors) grasp your value proposition and personal brand.

In fact, you'll find that some interviewers will react more positively to an executive biography than they will to your resume, favoring the bio because of its brevity and narrative flow.

Here are 3 reasons to add an executive biography - as well as your resume - into your leadership job hunting portfolio:

1. A biography is more succinct than a resume and this works to your benefit.

Who has time to read a full resume? Many HR professionals, recruiters, and CEOs don't.

The next time you're in an interview, notice the interviewer's finger tracing down the second (or perhaps third) pages of your executive resume because they haven't fully digested the contents of it yet!

Most biographies are a just page in length (although very senior executives may have a multi-page bio); making them simpler to skim for pertinent detail. However, just like a resume, a career bio can incorporate keyword and achievement details that demonstrate your skills in action.

2. Your professional bio can be a powerful networking tool.

In cases where a multi-page resume is too cumbersome, a career biography makes for a door-opening, concise introduction.

A bio is a perfect fit during networking events, expanding upon the traditional elevator pitch by outlining your brand message in more detail.

If you are meeting (or conversing online) with someone other than the hiring decision-maker, try presenting your professional bio instead of your resume. It's less likely to overwhelm your contacts, and provides just enough data for someone who isn't calling the shots... but who might be impressed enough with your background to carry it to an employer.

An executive biography is also a great leave-behind document after the interview. When written strategically, it can offer a slightly different perspective on your leadership value, as well as an indelible impression.

3. Executive biographies often captivate different audiences.

Many of the people you'll meet during a job search will form an opinion, positive or not-so-great, of your resume, especially if they believe it should be formatted or written differently. Executive resumes are often filled with analytical detail, which can also be information overload for some interviewers.

A professional bio, on the other hand, employs a different, softer tone, while still delivering a compelling story. This is why a Board member might find your biography intriguing, but skim over your resume just to hit the high points.

To decide if you should present an executive biography at each stage of the job hunt process, first identify the parties that you're likely to interface with, and then gauge their tolerance for technical detail. As a general rule, the higher-up and more strategic the decision-maker, the more likely your biography will suffice as a welcome introduction.

In summary, consider including an executive biography as part of your job search plan, not to replace your resume, but in addition to it.

A well-written, powerful professional bio can showcase your personality and career achievements, all crucial parts of the brand value that you offer prospective employers.

11/30/11

The Magic of An Executive Biography in Your Job Search

If you're an executive or rising leader looking for your next choice opportunity, you've probably shined up your resume and cover letter in anticipation of calls from recruiters.

But have you considered using a biography as well?

In fact, you'll find that some interviewers will react more positively to an executive biography than they will to your resume, favoring the bio because of its brevity and narrative flow.

Here are 3 reasons to add an executive biography - as well as your resume - into your leadership job hunting portfolio:

1. A biography is more succinct than a resume and this works to your benefit.

Who has time to read a full resume? Many HR professionals, recruiters, and CEOs don't.

2. Your professional bio can be a powerful networking tool.

In cases where a multi-page resume is too cumbersome, a career biography makes for a door-opening, concise introduction.

A bio is a perfect fit during networking events, expanding upon the traditional elevator pitch by outlining your brand message in more detail.

3. Executive biographies often captivate different audiences.

In summary, consider including an executive biography as part of your job search plan, not to replace your resume, but in addition to it.

A well-written, powerful professional bio can showcase your personality and career achievements, all crucial parts of the brand value that you offer prospective employers.

11/1/11

Writing Your Executive Resume

Writing an executive resume has become an extremely complex art. Executive resumes generally are far more detailed than regular resumes. To compete for the high paying, high-powered positions, you need to create a resume that doesn't just inform, but excites, entices and extends the invitation to learn more about your skills, competencies and all the right reasons why you should be the next CEO, CFO or President.

Begin by remembering that very few of the executives in charge of hiring will actually read your resume in full. These days, with the high level of competition and well qualified applicants, even executive resumes need a special polish to attract those hiring. The idea is that this will lead you to the interview, where your other skills will then be examined. To get that interview, your resume needs to be sharp, direct, and catch the eyes of those in charge early.

You want to come across as a well-rounded, exceptionally professional and highly skilled applicant who is the best choice for the job. Don't be afraid to outline all the skills and experiences that make you so desirable. Still, keep the summary brief, concise and up front, but allow for more details of some of the more important skills and experiences that will prove you are the best.

Perhaps one of the most important aspects of your executive resume is establishing your value. Since the corporation or company will be paying you top dollar, you need to prove that you are of the greatest worth and unique attributes that are rare and can only be found in you (sell yourself!). Your specific talents for solving complex problems can be outlined, but describing the challenges you faced and the actions you took to solve the problems as well as the results of those actions will convey your worth in clear and undeniable ways.

Your focus needs to very targeted and clear. As an executive-a leader- you need to show the reader what you've done and what you can do for them. I have my clients get very detailed and accomplishment-focused. It may take some time to gather all the facts of what you've done, but it is 'homework' worth doing. Nothing says, 'I'm hesitant about my skills' like a vague, unfocused resume. These kinds of details will show them you didn't just step off the truck, but that in fact you have been building your skills all along. Examine all your experiences carefully and pick the ones that best show the timeline of how you learned what you learned that will make you the best choice for this job.

Be very thoughtful about what personal information you include. While board memberships and professional associations might be relevant, certain religious or free time activities might not be pertinent (i.e. less is more). Some personal information can be used as an ice breaker (rock climbing as a hobby?), but be aware that some personal information may work against you and be used to screen you out of the running.

Erin Kennedy, CMRW, CPRW, BS/HR, is a Certified Professional & Executive Resume Writer/Career Consultant and President of Professional Resume Services, Inc. She is a nationally published writer and contributor of 12 best-selling career books. She has achieved international recognition following yearly nominations and wins of the prestigious T.O.R.I. (Toast of the Resume Industry) Award. Erin has written thousands of resumes for executives and professionals.

As a proud member of CDI, NRWA, PARW, and AORCP, Erin also sits on CDI's Credentialing Committee for new certification candidates and serves as a Mentor for CDI's Member Mentoring Committee. She also is a featured blogger on several well-known career sites. Reuse of this article is encouraged but must include a link to http://exclusive-executive-resumes.com/.

Want to know more about Erin Kennedy, CPRW? Read her LinkedIn profile at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/erinkennedycprw

3 Strategies for Writing a Bold, Branded Executive Resume

Launching a strategic executive job search - and hoping to make a splash?

In previous years, listing the size of budgets managed, divisions run, or revenue generated might have been enough resume verbiage for a recruiter to hunt you down, but no more.

Today, executives are being asked to deliver more and brand themselves as well-rounded leaders prepared to tackle industry challenges and obstacles to growth.

It's important to look at your executive resume with a fresh perspective. Have you missed opportunities to market yourself? Do hiring authorities fail to understand what you bring to the table?

Are you being passed over for jobs, even though you're well-qualified?

If so, these 3 strategies can help you reassess the strength of your executive resume - with ideas for powerful content and leadership storytelling:

1 - Demonstrate strategic, not tactical, value.

Employers are not only looking for your leadership skills - they're intent on finding an executive champion that will impact growth, retain top talent, and impress their competitors.

Therefore, your executive resume has to take your brand message a step further than just results, and talk about context.

Consider whether the following situations apply to your background:

~ Heading a new growth strategy

~ Conceptualizing and leading the release of new products

~ Reacting to the threat of competition in the industry

~ Addressing the effect of the economic downturn

Next, write a short success story that pulls in the challenge and explains the reasons you got involved, plus the outcome, as shown in this example for a COO resume:

"Produced 142% increase in net income by transforming focus to life sciences markets; won contracts at AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, and Johnson & Johnson."

Repeat this exercise for different situations, and create condensed summary versions of each story for your executive resume.

2 - Merely mentioning the scope of your duties isn't enough.

So you've managed the P&L and helped create revenue growth. You'll be up against numerous leaders with similar achievements—making it harder for you to stand out.

Distinguishing yourself on an executive resume requires that you specify the setting behind each of your accomplishments.

To mine your background for this context, answer the following questions:

~ Did you take on challenges within the company, such as frequent turnover, negative PR, or market volatility?

~ Were your roles broader than what was typically required? In other words, did you take on the role of CFO and CIO simultaneously, or step into a Manager-level position to help out subordinates?

~ Was the company experiencing rapid growth - putting pressure on you to hire or standardize procedures?

~ Were you required to turn around a challenging situation or address looming obstacles that threatened profits?

This example of a CFO resume achievement demonstrates the candidate's ability to take on a wider level of authority:

"Served as CFO and COO administering $23M annual revenue and sustaining operations during restructuring, with 18% drop in facilities costs from newly renegotiated vendor contracts."

If any of these situations apply to your career, be sure to describe background detail when noting the scope of your achievements. The ability to gain results in these scenarios is highly sought after within the executive suite.

3 - Compare yourself to leadership peers.

Comparative analysis is one of the best ways to frame and express executive achievement, which helps to highlight your leadership brand value vs. that of your competition.

For example, you might have brought in changes that were critical to company growth or customer perception - with bottom-line results.

Look at each job for evidence of the following:

~ New operational procedures that saved time or money

~ Comparisons to your predecessor in the same role

~ Performance measurements against colleagues with the same job title and function

~ Industry comparisons for others in a similar role

Here, you'll want to ensure that the comparisons made are clearly conveyed on your resume, as in this example of a CEO in the pharmaceutical industry:

"Revitalized product sales with 65% growth after taking over sales team—despite lackluster results during preceding 2 years."

If you were specifically recruited because of the results you could deliver (and surpassed other candidates in the hiring process), be sure to note this in your executive resume.

The bottom line? Putting yourself out there in the leadership job market requires careful thought and analysis of your brand value - an exercise that will help before you even start to write your executive resume.

Take the time to assess what you offer against your competition, and you could not only shorten your leadership job search, but wind up with a better fit in your next executive role.

Executive resume writer Laura Smith-Proulx is an award-winning resume authority and former recruiter whose work has earned a 98% success rate opening doors to top C-suite, IT, and executive jobs at companies including Google, Citibank, Apple, and Cisco. The Executive Director of An Expert Resume, she has been featured in more than 200 careers industry articles, bestsellers, and media outlets.

Does Your Executive Resume Miss Out On the Latest Trends?

Writing your executive resume for the first time in years - or struggling to get a response with it?

Whether you're aware of it or not, resume trends have changed substantially, and the document you send out WILL compete with custom-designed, focused resumes for other executives.

Ignoring these changes in resume format and writing style can make it harder for you to catch a hiring manager's eye. The way your leadership message is delivered can be as important as the message itself!

So, what's changed in recent years and months? Besides the fact that an objective isn't workable anymore, many resumes now contain a splash of color, a branding headline, or a metrics- and detail-packed summary that replaces tired, overused phrases.

Consider implementing these trends into your own executive resume as a way to distinguish your leadership skills:

1 - A touch of color.

While color can seem like a huge stretch for a resume, it can also be a valuable tool that makes certain elements stand out.

For example, a dash of red used in the borders of a resume for a financial professional (such as a Finance Director) can help set off different sections of the document. This technique is especially helpful for resumes that are packed with detail, as it can promote easier readability.

Should you decide to incorporate color in your executive resume, start with just a border or headline to get a feel for the fit against your achievements.

Of course, you'll want to ensure that the color is used very sparingly, especially if you're not used to applying it in other documents.

If it seems like too much, back off and review the resume in black and white for a comparison.

2 - A branding statement.

One of the best-kept secrets of professional resume writers, a headline or branding statement allows you to put one of your top strengths front and center in your resume - allowing employers to quickly see the impact of hiring you.

As an example, the branding headline "Driving Multimillion-Dollar Revenue - in Aggressive Markets - With Advanced Distributor Support" was used to distinguish a Sales leader who had gained ground against competitors that constantly tried to infiltrate his accounts.

Rather than spelling this all out in detail, the opening statement was used to set the tone of the resume, with numerous examples of revenue achievement that followed.

If you're trying to write a branding statement for yourself, first identify and flesh out your top 3-5 executive strengths, such as cost control, process efficiency, global team direction, and so on.

Next, look at which of these skills has the most impact on your employers, and then formulate a concise and focused sentence that you can use to introduce your skills.

If you end up with more than one sentence from this exercise, use both! Set off your headlines from each other in a slightly different font size (or with another color).

3 - A metrics- and achievement-driven summary.

Employers and HR professionals must have seen thousands of "team players" by now… those that are "dynamic" and "motivated" included. Since your summary lives in prime resume real estate, why not add your most notable achievements and qualities there?

For example, this summary for a CIO and CTO candidate contains descriptions of achievements, career level, and distinctions, while loading up on keywords:

"Trusted IT executive advisor and confidant; pivotal leader for long-horizon business assessments, integration support, and delivery of targeted technical improvements. Strategic business partner and global technology strategist engaged in ongoing C-level advisory roles of 1-10+ years. Fluent in leveraging open source, analytics, modeling, ETL, database, and business intelligence solutions. Notable honors include InfoWorld 100, Computer World 2009 Laureate, & Federal Computer Week Knowledge Management awards."

When putting your resume together, consider moving some of your strongest achievements and career highlights up into the first few words and phrases, rather than saving them for later on in the resume.

You'll find that employers appreciate the opportunity to review the high points of your experience, rather than digging deep into your executive resume to find them.

In summary, your best bet - even if you're just getting started with your job hunt - is to incorporate a few cutting-edge elements that can help to distinguish your credentials in a sea of resumes.

Should your resume fail to leverage these and other trends, you'll run the risk of looking out-of-date against your competition.

Executive resume writer Laura Smith-Proulx is an award-winning Executive Resume Writer and former recruiter with a 98% success rate opening doors to prestigious jobs through personal branding. The Executive Director of An Expert Resume, she partners exclusively with CIO, CTO, COO, CEO, CFO, SVP, VP, and Director candidates.

9/3/11

4 Ways to Develop Your Resume Like an Executive Resume Writer

Writing an executive resume is challenging; tough decisions must be made along the way, including which career information should and should not be included. If you're perplexed by how to push forward, you could always adopt the mentality of an executive resume writer. Here are some tips for taking this approach:

Quantity Speaks Volumes

An executive resume writer works diligently to position you and your resume in a way that is consistent with your career objective-and in a manner that will secure interviews. Securing interviews is one reason why they work so hard to quantify your achievements.

How can you do the same? By sharing how many projects you initiated and/or managed in how many days, while leading how many team members, and bringing in how much revenue, etc. These are general examples, but how you quantify the experience in your resume should be related to two points: First, the requirements of the position/needs of the company-and second, it should be consistent with your career goals. For example, if your goal is to stop managing people and start managing processes, then don't focus on numbers related to your management of employees; instead, quantify your experience on the processes side.

Ask the Right Questions

Executive resume writers are great data miners. They can go past the surface of your career to really draw attention to achievements that you may not initially remember, didn't think were important, or may be vital to the position and meeting the needs of the organization. In order to do this, they ask you a lot of questions.

For instance, have you ever asked yourself what contributions you have made to the companies for which you've worked? Are they better companies now because you have worked for them? What initiatives did you bring to the table that made you stand out from other executives who had previously worked in your position?

These questions are often difficult to answer but are necessary in setting you apart from your competition. Your contributions are probably greater than you think, but it's up to you to identify the difference you've made and then express this difference in your resume.

Walk Away for a While

Everyone needs some perspective and some time to clear their head. Take time to get a little distance from the resume. When you come back with a fresh mind, you have the opportunity to read and edit your resume from a third-party perspective-or you may have remembered critically important details that you'd initially left out.

Call in Another Team Player

Even some of the best executive resume writers in the industry will have another set of eyes review the resume for errors or inconsistencies. Some writers even rely on very meticulous and detail-oriented copy editors to review each client's project before the client ever sees the document, thereby ensuring its flawlessness. At the very least, you should have one person review the resume for you prior to sending it out, but a second or third person can never hurt.

Executive resume writers are great at what they do because they know about current trends, have written thousands more resumes in their lifetime than you ever have, and they have an objective, third-party view of you and your qualifications. Ever heard the phrase, "It's easier to write about someone else than it is yourself"? A phenomenal executive resume writer will invest time and effort getting to know your career history and your current career goals. They'll strategize with you on how to overcome any obstacles your resume may face and will collaborate with you to develop a strategy to effectively tackle these challenges and garner you interviews. You are a hard-working executive with a proven track record, so be sure to work as hard on your resume as you would expect a professional writer to. Or, if you can use some third-party objectivity, consider hiring an executive resume writer to develop your brand, strategize your action plan, and craft an interview-winning resume.

For additional tips and advice on resumes and cover letters, follow @GreatResume or visit our blog.

Global resume authority Jessica M Holbrook of http://www.greatresumesfast.com/ is a former HR Manager who partners with professional- and executive-level candidates to create authentic, branded resumes and cover letters. An international resume columnist and resume expert for JobTalkAmerica radio, her work opens doors to lucrative positions at Fortune 500 companies.

From Entrepreneur to Executive: Key Resume Writing Tips to Get You a Job

There are a lot of well-educated, hard-working professionals who, for a time, choose to strike out on their own as entrepreneurs. Undoubtedly, there are great lessons that can be learned from being either self-employed or from taking the initiative to start a company that employs others.

Unfortunately, unless the company was immensely successful, it's often difficult to translate the wonderful lessons learned onto a resume when attempting to reenter the work force at the executive level. But of course, this doesn't mean it can't be done.

Quantify Your Entrepreneurial Worth

Being an executive is all about quantifying your results-showing through numbers that you know how to get the job done. It's awfully difficult to convince a company that you deserve to be at the executive level unless you can prove that you have X number of years of experience in the field, have brought in X number of dollars, have managed X number of people, or have created other results the company is looking for.

You should be able to prove that while you were out on your own you were able to bring in executive-level results that would be useful to a prospective company if they hired you. So take time to think about everything you've accomplished as a business owner, and then translate those accomplishments into numbers.

Show That You Understand Organizational Needs

It's also good to show proof that you understand organizational needs on a larger scale. As an executive, you will likely be responsible for managing a number of people and projects. As a result, you will need to have diplomacy when dealing with subordinates while showcasing diplomacy and respect for the organization's wishes as you deal with your higher-ups.

As an entrepreneur, it's possible you've been used to making up your own rules. Now's the time to show you're not just a leader but someone who knows how to fit into an already-created mold.

Sell Your Industry-Related Knowledge

Possibly the most important thing you can do to show you're ready to transition from being an entrepreneur to an executive is by proving that you possess knowledge of the industry and company. Hopefully, the industry you've worked in as an entrepreneur is the same one you intend to work in as you apply for executive positions.

If so, sell your knowledge of the industry by sharing articles or blogs you've written, where you've been quoted for your expertise, as well as the organizations to which you belong. Also, take time to show how well you know each company you apply to by zeroing in on specific issues that you would like to solve for them.

There's no doubt that you can transition from entrepreneur to executive. Just be prepared to take the extra steps necessary to sell yourself as an amazing candidate.

Jessica M Holbrook, expert resume writer, is a nationally-recognized resume authority and former HR Manager who has achieved over a 99% success rate securing interviews with prestigious organizations through exclusive, personal branding strategies. The President/CEO of Great Resumes Fast, she and her team partner with professional- and executive-level candidates.

An exceptional resume authority, Jessica M Holbrook and her team of credentialed writers partner with professional- and executive-level candidates to open doors to jobs at prestigious corporations, achieving over a 99% interview-winning success rate. For examples of branded resumes and Great Resumes Fast's blog on resume writing tips, visit http://www.greatresumesfast.com/.

3 Keys to Senior Executive Resume Writing

Do not let any of those fancy professional executive resume writers kid you into believing that it is their amazing writing talent that assures the success of a resume. My experience tells me that true writing success comes from organization, a learned concept.

A disorganized document is hard to follow and fails to create reader interest. On the other hand, a document that is well organized and interesting to read builds the reader's attention and helps sell your candidacy. If your resume lacks good organization, it will fail its mission of delivering great job interviews.

Enhancing your executive resume's readability involves organizing its three basic segments; the career objective, the work experience and accomplishments section, and the education and professional development section. In each case, the key is to focus on how you can benefit a potential employer.

Career Objective - This no longer announces your desire. Its primary purpose is to tell prospective employers how they would benefit from your future success. Your first step is to convince the prospective employer that you seek what they offer. Companies won't convert accountants into sales executives. Then deliver the strongest statement possible on what you offer in experience and abilities. You will expand on these claims in the "Experience and Accomplishments" section of your resume.

Experience and Accomplishments - You must convince potential employers that your accomplished and abilities will benefit their organization. What you were assigned to do is irrelevant. Say what you accomplished. Don't say you managed a department. Describe how your management made a positive difference. Quantify these accomplishments whenever possible. Even better, put them in context. Growing the customer base by 20 in a year means a great deal more when you know that you began with just 80 customers.

Education and Development - This resume section is different once an individual joins the upper level executive ranks. College degrees and honors are still provided, but it is now important to demonstrate your ongoing professional growth. Consider including special courses you may have completed. While most professions don't require continuing education, voluntary participation in such activities adds credibility.

Find the right way to show your personal commitment to your career and your industry. Involvement in business related associations and societies is one good way to demonstrate this dedication. Leadership in major community organization is also good. However, focus on work related groups. Unless part of your career, always avoid describing religious or political affiliations.

A primary goal should always be to hold your readers' interested for as long as possible. Strong organization and easily understood words will help you achieve this every time.

J. Peter Grant is passionate about and writes articles on business opportunities and career management. For more information on senior executive resume writing, be sure to visit http://www.executiveresumesecrets.com/.

Executive Job Hunting? You'll Need More Than a Resume

If you're an executive planning your next career move, it might intrigue you to learn that you'll be judged by more than just your resume during your job search.

In other words, a full resume is not necessarily the best fit for each interviewer or contact.

Surprised? You'll find that recruiters, company owners, Boards of Directors, and other hiring decision-makers often look at your experience through a series of interviews and investigations?which means that your executive resume is just one part of the process.

Not only should you consider which audience is looking at your portfolio, but also the steps required (initial screening, in-depth interviews, panel reviews, Board interviews) in the hiring process, before assuming that your resume is the best fit for each situation.

Here are 4 must-have documents for an executive portfolio designed to capture attention at all the right levels?along with recommendations for the timing of each component:

1 - Executive Biography.

A short, narrative-form document, the Biography often appeals to readers that are not engaged in the technical detail of a full resume.

In addition to being shorter than a full resume, the bio can also be infused with more personality, and can therefore give the reader a different perspective on your leadership traits, beliefs, and principles.

The best readers for an Executive Biography are usually networking contacts or Boards of Directors. This means that the bio will be most useful either early in your job search, or in the later stages of your executive interviews.

As an example, you'll probably encounter networking contacts who may be messengers, rather than hiring decision-makers. This group is easily overwhelmed by a full resume, and can be much more receptive to the single-page Executive Biography.

Later, after you've passed initial stages of your executive interviews, your full resume will have been already examined by hiring authorities. This is the perfect time to bring your Executive Biography as a leave-behind document for an interview with the Board.

2 - LinkedIn Profile.

While not technically a "document" created just for job hunting, your LinkedIn Profile is a critical?and often underutilized?piece of an executive portfolio.

Most executives set up a Profile very quickly and then abandon it, becoming preoccupied with their work. In executive job hunting, however, this is a costly mistake!

Your LinkedIn Profile may very well be the first piece of information encountered by a corporate recruiter or independent headhunter. Therefore, it must be polished, professional, and keyword-heavy (the latter of which aids others in finding you through LinkedIn's internal search engine).

While your full resume can be attached within LinkedIn, it's best to have populated each of the site's main sections (Headline, Summary, Specialties, Experience, Education) with sufficient information to convey your executive brand and trigger a recruiter's interest.

3 - Cover Letter.

Despite the myth that hiring authorities rarely read cover letters, some audiences (company owners, CEOs, and Presidents) might not even glance at your resume until they've fully digested the contents of your letter.

These groups are usually probing for specific leadership and communications abilities that they feel are more evident within the letter. Investors, in particular, like to read a very short, bottom-line value proposition letter, in lieu of a resume.

In short, don't write off a cover letter as an important document in the hiring process, as you might find that it was this part of your portfolio that influenced an interviewing decision.

4 - Full Resume.

Not a month goes by when a social media or recruiting expert poses the question, "Is the resume dead?"

Not to worry - the need for a resume won't go away soon. You'll absolutely be asked to send your resume to many contacts at different stages of your search.

Of course, since your executive resume is technically the centerpiece of your presentation, it must therefore convince employers of your brand, value proposition, and leadership standing?no small feat!

To create such a powerful document, you'll need to get up to speed on resume trends. Formats and presentation styles have changed considerably: a full executive resume should encapsulate your strategic contributions, along with metrics, testimonials, success stories, and leadership competencies, all inside a masterpiece.

Often, the best readers of a full resume will those that thrive on analytical detail (such as operations or technology executives that hire EVP and Director-level candidates).

In summary, an executive portfolio is a must for serious job hunters ready to assume a leadership role. The days of distributing an executive resume without backup in the form of a Executive Biography, LinkedIn Profile, or Cover letter are gone!

Your job search will be smoother, faster, and more effective with a well-rounded, branded portfolio that appeals to the diverse audiences you'll encounter.

Laura Smith-Proulx is an award-winning Executive Resume Writer, former recruiter, and multicredentialed expert with a 98% success rate opening doors to prestigious jobs through personal branding. The Executive Director of An Expert Resume, she partners exclusively with CIO, CTO, COO, CEO, CFO, SVP, VP, and Director candidates.