Personal Brand and the Resume: Determining Your Value Proposition

Resume Differentiation

In today's competitive job market, it's essential to distinguish yourself from all the other candidates out there, whether they are strong or weak, you've got to stand out from the pack. One of the most effective strategies for differentiating yourself is in crafting a personal brand message.

Personal Brand Message

Your personal brand simply communicates what makes you special to a prospective employer. The brand statement needs to by clear and concise. Your audience should be able to read it in 5 seconds or less. This will help them to understand it and retain it.

Value in Your Brand

One of the core elements in developing your brand is in the value you offer. Too many job seekers and resume writers focus on things like years of experience, education or certifications, and soft skills. The problem is that there is little that's unique about any of these things. For example, many candidates have 10-plus years of experience, a Bachelor's degree, and are dedicated and hard-working. No, those things are nice, but not always valuable to an employer.

Defining Value

So how do you determine your value? Start by thinking about the things you have done that others weren't able to do. Consider the following examples:

As a developer, you may have been able to solve a software defect that had been plaguing an enterprise application for years. As a project manager, you were brought in to take over failing projects and consistently got the team in order to meet the scope, milestones, and deliverables of the project. As a CIO, you were able to put together a new IT organizational model that helped to dramatically improve service delivery with a reduced cost structure.

The Value Proposition

All these things create value. In addition, they can all be used as a foundation for creating a strong value proposition. The developer can highlight their ability to solve intractable problems impacting global operations. The project manager can brand themselves as a project turnaround specialist. The CIO can position themselves as a change management and business transformation leader.

Many candidates worry about being pigeon-holed in the job search when they brand themselves specifically in this manner. The concern is that it limits their opportunities. Actually, what it really does is create a focused image of who they are and what they truly offer. It makes them something other than a commodity, which is important. Remember, commodity prices are set by the market demand and all are priced at the same level because all the products are the same. This approach tells the company that you're not the same at all. You're unique. You're valuable. You can command a higher compensation because you're worth it.

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.

Read more ...

Personal Brand and the Resume: Determining Your Value Proposition

Resume Differentiation

In today's competitive job market, it's essential to distinguish yourself from all the other candidates out there, whether they are strong or weak, you've got to stand out from the pack. One of the most effective strategies for differentiating yourself is in crafting a personal brand message.

Personal Brand Message

Your personal brand simply communicates what makes you special to a prospective employer. The brand statement needs to by clear and concise. Your audience should be able to read it in 5 seconds or less. This will help them to understand it and retain it.

Value in Your Brand

One of the core elements in developing your brand is in the value you offer. Too many job seekers and resume writers focus on things like years of experience, education or certifications, and soft skills. The problem is that there is little that's unique about any of these things. For example, many candidates have 10-plus years of experience, a Bachelor's degree, and are dedicated and hard-working. No, those things are nice, but not always valuable to an employer.

Defining Value

So how do you determine your value? Start by thinking about the things you have done that others weren't able to do. Consider the following examples:

As a developer, you may have been able to solve a software defect that had been plaguing an enterprise application for years. As a project manager, you were brought in to take over failing projects and consistently got the team in order to meet the scope, milestones, and deliverables of the project. As a CIO, you were able to put together a new IT organizational model that helped to dramatically improve service delivery with a reduced cost structure.

The Value Proposition

All these things create value. In addition, they can all be used as a foundation for creating a strong value proposition. The developer can highlight their ability to solve intractable problems impacting global operations. The project manager can brand themselves as a project turnaround specialist. The CIO can position themselves as a change management and business transformation leader.

Many candidates worry about being pigeon-holed in the job search when they brand themselves specifically in this manner. The concern is that it limits their opportunities. Actually, what it really does is create a focused image of who they are and what they truly offer. It makes them something other than a commodity, which is important. Remember, commodity prices are set by the market demand and all are priced at the same level because all the products are the same. This approach tells the company that you're not the same at all. You're unique. You're valuable. You can command a higher compensation because you're worth it.

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.

Read more ...

Changing Your Resume From a Chronological Obituary to a Dynamic Value Proposition Getting Interviews

JOB SEARCHING, NETWORKING/LinkedIN, & RESUME TIPS...That Get Interviews! Job Seekers can distinguish themselves from others & get the attention of hiring managers by converting the traditional "chronological obituary" resume format, to a powerful value proposition.

It is recommended that job seekers design a resume format that does not simply list tasks, duties, responsibilities, projects, & technical acronyms, much like anyone else's resume who has a similar job! One should highlight; Core Competencies/Areas of Expertise, Quantifiable Accomplishments (i.e. Productivity Improvements, Efficiencies, Cost Savings, Sales Increases, etc.), with as many percentages & dollars as possible. In other words, a resume that not only "tells" what has been done, but also "sells" the candidate's significant achievements & skills, versus others, to stand out from the crowd!

This 21st century approach has been proven to get the hiring manager's attention & get in the door for interviews, versus the traditional 19th century resume that most job seekers unfortunately utilize. Over 75% of jobs are filled by research & networking, namely the unadvertised job market. Thus, the challenge is how to identify the companies who are in the growth mode, management change mode, expansion mode, in growing & profitable industries, who are not necessarily advertising positions, where they often create, replace, or fill positions when candidates get their attention.

Employers & recruiters will search the Internet, especially LinkedIn, to find candidates for the unadvertised positions. Thus, it is essential that the candidate has an Internet presence, along with the appropriate keywords on the resume & LinkedIn profile, reflecting the position(s) desired, skills, achievements, & core competencies. LinkedIn Signal should be used to identify the people who are hiring & Word Cloud Technology should be used to more accurately identify the best keywords to include on your LinkedIn Profile, Resume, Cover Letter & elsewhere. Submitting relevant industry articles should also be done, to establish a more prominent & credible Internet presence when employers or recruiters Google you.

The job seeker must also do their homework, & then launch a strategic, proactive, & targeted marketing/networking (LinkedIn, etc.) campaign, with aggressive follow up. This approach is also more likely to help you identify the better "career" opportunities rather than having to settle for just a "job"! In summary, the search for a rewarding career must not only be a passive, reactive, chance-driven pursuit (e.g. posting a resume on the Internet). By utilizing a proactive networking-based campaign, better results & opportunities will be able to be identified, & sooner in most cases.

Robert P. Wolk, President
Top Career Coaches & Business Mentors
Career transition success coaches, LinkedIn & social media specialists, Six Figure Jobs resource. Franchising advisors.

Read more ...

Personal Brand and the Resume: Determining Your Value Proposition

Resume Differentiation

In today's competitive job market, it's essential to distinguish yourself from all the other candidates out there, whether they are strong or weak, you've got to stand out from the pack. One of the most effective strategies for differentiating yourself is in crafting a personal brand message.

Personal Brand Message

Your personal brand simply communicates what makes you special to a prospective employer. The brand statement needs to by clear and concise. Your audience should be able to read it in 5 seconds or less. This will help them to understand it and retain it.

Value in Your Brand

One of the core elements in developing your brand is in the value you offer. Too many job seekers and resume writers focus on things like years of experience, education or certifications, and soft skills. The problem is that there is little that's unique about any of these things. For example, many candidates have 10-plus years of experience, a Bachelor's degree, and are dedicated and hard-working. No, those things are nice, but not always valuable to an employer.

Defining Value

So how do you determine your value? Start by thinking about the things you have done that others weren't able to do. Consider the following examples:

As a developer, you may have been able to solve a software defect that had been plaguing an enterprise application for years. As a project manager, you were brought in to take over failing projects and consistently got the team in order to meet the scope, milestones, and deliverables of the project. As a CIO, you were able to put together a new IT organizational model that helped to dramatically improve service delivery with a reduced cost structure.

The Value Proposition

All these things create value. In addition, they can all be used as a foundation for creating a strong value proposition. The developer can highlight their ability to solve intractable problems impacting global operations. The project manager can brand themselves as a project turnaround specialist. The CIO can position themselves as a change management and business transformation leader.

Many candidates worry about being pigeon-holed in the job search when they brand themselves specifically in this manner. The concern is that it limits their opportunities. Actually, what it really does is create a focused image of who they are and what they truly offer. It makes them something other than a commodity, which is important. Remember, commodity prices are set by the market demand and all are priced at the same level because all the products are the same. This approach tells the company that you're not the same at all. You're unique. You're valuable. You can command a higher compensation because you're worth it.

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.

Read more ...

Changing Your Resume From a Chronological Obituary to a Dynamic Value Proposition Getting Interviews

JOB SEARCHING, NETWORKING/LinkedIN, & RESUME TIPS...That Get Interviews! Job Seekers can distinguish themselves from others & get the attention of hiring managers by converting the traditional "chronological obituary" resume format, to a powerful value proposition.

It is recommended that job seekers design a resume format that does not simply list tasks, duties, responsibilities, projects, & technical acronyms, much like anyone else's resume who has a similar job! One should highlight; Core Competencies/Areas of Expertise, Quantifiable Accomplishments (i.e. Productivity Improvements, Efficiencies, Cost Savings, Sales Increases, etc.), with as many percentages & dollars as possible. In other words, a resume that not only "tells" what has been done, but also "sells" the candidate's significant achievements & skills, versus others, to stand out from the crowd!

This 21st century approach has been proven to get the hiring manager's attention & get in the door for interviews, versus the traditional 19th century resume that most job seekers unfortunately utilize. Over 75% of jobs are filled by research & networking, namely the unadvertised job market. Thus, the challenge is how to identify the companies who are in the growth mode, management change mode, expansion mode, in growing & profitable industries, who are not necessarily advertising positions, where they often create, replace, or fill positions when candidates get their attention.

Employers & recruiters will search the Internet, especially LinkedIn, to find candidates for the unadvertised positions. Thus, it is essential that the candidate has an Internet presence, along with the appropriate keywords on the resume & LinkedIn profile, reflecting the position(s) desired, skills, achievements, & core competencies. LinkedIn Signal should be used to identify the people who are hiring & Word Cloud Technology should be used to more accurately identify the best keywords to include on your LinkedIn Profile, Resume, Cover Letter & elsewhere. Submitting relevant industry articles should also be done, to establish a more prominent & credible Internet presence when employers or recruiters Google you.

The job seeker must also do their homework, & then launch a strategic, proactive, & targeted marketing/networking (LinkedIn, etc.) campaign, with aggressive follow up. This approach is also more likely to help you identify the better "career" opportunities rather than having to settle for just a "job"! In summary, the search for a rewarding career must not only be a passive, reactive, chance-driven pursuit (e.g. posting a resume on the Internet). By utilizing a proactive networking-based campaign, better results & opportunities will be able to be identified, & sooner in most cases.

Robert P. Wolk, President
Top Career Coaches & Business Mentors
Career transition success coaches, LinkedIn & social media specialists, Six Figure Jobs resource. Franchising advisors.

Read more ...

Never Underestimate the Value of a Thank-You Letter

In a recent column, I emphasized the importance of controlling pre-interview jitters. It's no secret that a job interview may be quite stressful regardless of how well you prepared and performed in a challenging atmosphere.

Were you composed? Did you answer all of the questions thoughtfully and succinctly? Did the interviewer convey any positive vibes about you? Was the interviewer preoccupied with family related issues? There are just too many variables that can influence the outcome of any interview.

Fortunately, as a candidate, you have a vital tool in your arsenal to try and remedy any potential misconceptions or poor impressions left behind. It's called a thank-you note.

Refine your thoughts

Crafting a thank-you letter after an interview allows you to present your case in a totally controlled environment, without the pressure or anxiety. You're thinking clearly, and consequently this is your opportunity to present yourself in a positive way, which may not have been noticed or conveyed during the interview session.

It's also a considerate and courteous gesture to the individual who allocated the time to meet with you. Most employers not only consider a thank-you letter a good idea, but also actually expect one, and it makes them feel appreciated and respected. It reflects that you are a candidate who is truly committed to the company and serious about the position.

An opportunity to rewind

Interviewers see numerous candidates during the week. After just one day, it's virtually impossible to reflect and associate skills and attributes with any particular candidate. With the drain on corporate resources, the interviewer is just as stressed as any candidate he interviews. Faces, gestures, personalities and perceptions pass quickly. The positive impression that you conveyed during your interview is invariably transformed into a mass of convoluted, cryptic notes.

By writing a thank-you-letter email after the interview, you can re-emphasize your core skills, competencies and value to the organization. You're afforded an opportunity to justify, if hired, how the company will benefit from your immediate contribution. You're divulging information that reinforces why you would be a valuable asset to the organization.

A professional gesture

With fierce competition for each corporate job posting, astute job-seekers wish to differentiate themselves from the competition. By taking the time to thank the interviewer for seeing you, you generate positive feelings - because such a gesture is not commonplace in today's rather chaotic, fast-paced environment. A thank-you-letter email also demonstrates you are a self-confident and proactive candidate - professional traits that employers value. Your note may even motivate the interviewer to revisit your resume, escalating your ranking before any final decision is made.

If your perception is that a negative judgment call has already been made about you, so why waste the time to craft a thank-you letter, I encourage you not to underestimate the potential impact of this vital piece of correspondence.

Lenny Keitel runs Hudson Valley Resumes in Monroe, NY, a premier nationwide Resume Writing Service with a penchant for crafting compelling resumes that motivate the hiring manager through its inspirational content, clarity, and visual appeal. Contact us for a free copy of our 'Interview Tune-Up Guide'.

http://www.hudsonvalleyresumes.com/

info@hudsonvalleyresumes.com (email), (845) 782-6714 (phone/fax), (914) 782-6714 (mobile)

http://www.linkedin.com/in/lennykeitel

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Value Your CV

There are many unsubstantiated guidelines and misconceptions surrounding the predominant aim of the CV. But, in truth, there is one (yes only one) reason why a powerful and attention grabbing CV is an absolute necessity in today's highly competitive job market;

To get noticed and obtain an interview

It is a harsh reality that many recruiters will literally spend 15-30 seconds 'reading' your CV. The reason is that when faced with multiple applicants for only one position, there is simply not enough time or resource available in a standard working day to sift through applicants that do not demonstrate the necessary attributes, ambitions and talents for the position they have applied for.

In a recent study conducted by the Recruitment & Employment Confederation,47% of recruiters said that out of all the CVs they received, over half (50%) contained grammatical errors. The online survey took place in December 2006 and overall, was answered by 266 recruitment professionals. Basic errors - misspelling 'Curriculum Vitae' is one of the most common mistakes.

Taking ownership of your CV and recognising its value is the first step in the production of a great document. Your CV is your sales tool and potentially, the only opportunity you have to sell yourself to a prospective employer. It is in effect your shop window.

You cannot write a powerful and compelling CV without some serious thought and analysis of your career and personal ability. Be positive, do not include any weaknesses and most of importantly do not include anything that you cannot substantiate at an interview.

If you are only ever going to take one piece of advice on this subject then it should be this:

Lead with your achievements

In the first few seconds an employer will want to know who you are, whether or not you can do the job and what benefits you can bring to their company. If you do not eloquently yet assertively portray this information then your chances of attracting the necessary attention are greatly reduced. Use 'key' or 'power' words at the start of each sentence and bullet point. Be direct, don't waffle and don't use terminology that a recruiter can not immediately identify.

Written well, a great CV will gain you access to numerous opportunities and should deliver exactly what it is designed for - opening the door to the interview room to give you the opportunity to get your dream job.

A Certified Advanced Resume Writer and a Professional Employment Interview Coach, Victoria has an academic background in Industrial Economics and over fifteen years experience across the CV writing company, interview skills coaching, recruitment and management arenas.

Read more ...

Value of a Customized Resume

With the national unemployment rate painfully high, the competition for jobs is fierce. Millions of Americans are looking for work, employers and hiring managers are flooded with hundreds of resumes, many of which are not considered relevant to the position. But there are still jobs to be had and someone is going to get them.

With a resume that highlights your talents and showcases your career achievements, you could have a uniquely competitive position in the marketplace.

Customize your resume for the position that you are seeking... Being in contact with recruiters and hiring managers, we have learned that they're swamped with irrelevant resumes. Simply customizing your resume will put you miles ahead of the crowd.

Every resume you send out needs to be targeted to the job you want. Focus your resume on your qualifications, achievements, skills and experience that specifically match the job's requirements. And leave out unrelated work experience. Some people restate the job's requirements in their summary of qualifications or objective. While it's good to nail all the essentials, vary the wording and add your own touch. Mirror the job description without just copying it.

Distinguish yourself by selling what you have to offer... What can you do to distinguish yourself from your competition? You can distinguish yourself from the hundreds of other applicants by highlighting what make you unique... If you are in sale, a simple statement of Experienced Sales Profession/ consistently exceeds sales quotas to build market share. Think about what sets you apart from the crowd. How are you better? What do you offer that others don't? Identify your unique brand and use your resume to sell it.

Highlight your value...

Job applicants need to show they can meet the increased needs of a company that might be struggling with its own bottom line. Employers are looking for people who can create business, bring in customers, boost revenues, open new markets, improve quality and help them thrive (or at least survive).

Quantify the business you think you can bring a company. Again, if you are a sales professional who is looking to work in the same territory in the same field that you were last in, let the hiring manger know that you have contacts and the ability to network that territory based on your last position... As we all know, networking in today's world is the key to success.

Let hiring managers know that you offer more than anyone else....

Employers are expecting more for less money right now. Some employers are rolling two or three jobs into one. It's a buyer's market. Using the example of the sales professional once again, let the hiring manager know that you are willing and able to perform more than just maintaining key clients... In the sales industry, territories are being increase to cut down on the number of employees out in the field, make sure that you customize your resume and your interviewing skills to reflect that you can handle an increase in territory...Go to interview prepared with a plan of attack to cover the entire area. Be willing to do cold calling if necessary to build the business. And remember, if you get the position, follow through on what you promise.

Getting the position is not the end... it is only the beginning...

Connie Gregory
cgregory@resumesnow.org
Senior Writer
Resumesnow.org
Resume Writing Services

Read more ...

Value of a Customized Resume

With the national unemployment rate painfully high, the competition for jobs is fierce. Millions of Americans are looking for work, employers and hiring managers are flooded with hundreds of resumes, many of which are not considered relevant to the position. But there are still jobs to be had and someone is going to get them.

With a resume that highlights your talents and showcases your career achievements, you could have a uniquely competitive position in the marketplace.

Customize your resume for the position that you are seeking... Being in contact with recruiters and hiring managers, we have learned that they're swamped with irrelevant resumes. Simply customizing your resume will put you miles ahead of the crowd.

Every resume you send out needs to be targeted to the job you want. Focus your resume on your qualifications, achievements, skills and experience that specifically match the job's requirements. And leave out unrelated work experience. Some people restate the job's requirements in their summary of qualifications or objective. While it's good to nail all the essentials, vary the wording and add your own touch. Mirror the job description without just copying it.

Distinguish yourself by selling what you have to offer... What can you do to distinguish yourself from your competition? You can distinguish yourself from the hundreds of other applicants by highlighting what make you unique... If you are in sale, a simple statement of Experienced Sales Profession/ consistently exceeds sales quotas to build market share. Think about what sets you apart from the crowd. How are you better? What do you offer that others don't? Identify your unique brand and use your resume to sell it.

Highlight your value...

Job applicants need to show they can meet the increased needs of a company that might be struggling with its own bottom line. Employers are looking for people who can create business, bring in customers, boost revenues, open new markets, improve quality and help them thrive (or at least survive).

Quantify the business you think you can bring a company. Again, if you are a sales professional who is looking to work in the same territory in the same field that you were last in, let the hiring manger know that you have contacts and the ability to network that territory based on your last position... As we all know, networking in today's world is the key to success.

Let hiring managers know that you offer more than anyone else....

Employers are expecting more for less money right now. Some employers are rolling two or three jobs into one. It's a buyer's market. Using the example of the sales professional once again, let the hiring manager know that you are willing and able to perform more than just maintaining key clients... In the sales industry, territories are being increase to cut down on the number of employees out in the field, make sure that you customize your resume and your interviewing skills to reflect that you can handle an increase in territory...Go to interview prepared with a plan of attack to cover the entire area. Be willing to do cold calling if necessary to build the business. And remember, if you get the position, follow through on what you promise.

Getting the position is not the end... it is only the beginning...

Connie Gregory
cgregory@resumesnow.org
Senior Writer
Resumesnow.org
Resume Writing Services

Read more ...

Value of a Customized Resume

With the national unemployment rate painfully high, the competition for jobs is fierce. Millions of Americans are looking for work, employers and hiring managers are flooded with hundreds of resumes, many of which are not considered relevant to the position. But there are still jobs to be had and someone is going to get them.

With a resume that highlights your talents and showcases your career achievements, you could have a uniquely competitive position in the marketplace.

Customize your resume for the position that you are seeking... Being in contact with recruiters and hiring managers, we have learned that they're swamped with irrelevant resumes. Simply customizing your resume will put you miles ahead of the crowd.

Every resume you send out needs to be targeted to the job you want. Focus your resume on your qualifications, achievements, skills and experience that specifically match the job's requirements. And leave out unrelated work experience. Some people restate the job's requirements in their summary of qualifications or objective. While it's good to nail all the essentials, vary the wording and add your own touch. Mirror the job description without just copying it.

Distinguish yourself by selling what you have to offer... What can you do to distinguish yourself from your competition? You can distinguish yourself from the hundreds of other applicants by highlighting what make you unique... If you are in sale, a simple statement of Experienced Sales Profession/ consistently exceeds sales quotas to build market share. Think about what sets you apart from the crowd. How are you better? What do you offer that others don't? Identify your unique brand and use your resume to sell it.

Highlight your value...

Job applicants need to show they can meet the increased needs of a company that might be struggling with its own bottom line. Employers are looking for people who can create business, bring in customers, boost revenues, open new markets, improve quality and help them thrive (or at least survive).

Quantify the business you think you can bring a company. Again, if you are a sales professional who is looking to work in the same territory in the same field that you were last in, let the hiring manger know that you have contacts and the ability to network that territory based on your last position... As we all know, networking in today's world is the key to success.

Let hiring managers know that you offer more than anyone else....

Employers are expecting more for less money right now. Some employers are rolling two or three jobs into one. It's a buyer's market. Using the example of the sales professional once again, let the hiring manager know that you are willing and able to perform more than just maintaining key clients... In the sales industry, territories are being increase to cut down on the number of employees out in the field, make sure that you customize your resume and your interviewing skills to reflect that you can handle an increase in territory...Go to interview prepared with a plan of attack to cover the entire area. Be willing to do cold calling if necessary to build the business. And remember, if you get the position, follow through on what you promise.

Getting the position is not the end... it is only the beginning...

Connie Gregory
cgregory@resumesnow.org
Senior Writer
Resumesnow.org
Resume Writing Services

Read more ...

Is There Really Value In An Executive Resume Writing Service?

When seeking out your executive job, whether it be a position with a company as CEO, CFO, EVP, or at any other upper echelon level with an organization, your first and most important step in achieving such a coveted position is in your resume. You can't get to the interview portion of the process without this initial critical document. Your executive resume in essence acts as the gatekeeper to your chance at even getting a face to face meeting to discuss opportunities.

The potential candidate is typically in a successful venture at the moment looking to make a move up in the corporate ladder with another company, so time can be limited to prepare a worthy resume. There are also challenges and benefits that can be made for both preparing this critical document yourself, or hiring an executive resume writing service. Much is at stake in the initial stages of your executive career search. There are three factors to consider when making such a decision:

1.) Information Gathering - While you can easily obtain any article or book on crafting a successful resume, the crux of such a piece is centered around the content portion, including your career objectives, work history, achievements and successes, education, and other elements of personal and professional development. Obtaining all this information is quite a feat, particularly at the executive level where there is so much more information. Hiring out your resume development will not get you out of this initial and long stages of information gathering.

2.) Maintaining Flexibility and Change - At the executive level, there is typically no higher level of competition in the job market and the competition is fierce to say the least. There is a minute difference at this level between obtaining an interview and receiving a rejection letter, which is why the most successful prospects change and modify their executive resume to fit the needs of each specific company they are applying to.

By crafting your own resume instead of hiring out, you will be able to easily update, change, and modify your resume to fit the needs of the companies you are applying to. Take this opportunity to strengthen your chances by presenting yourself in a different and more favorable light than the other candidates.

3.) Your Personal Voice - At this higher level, you need to make a strong connection with the people on the other end of the table ultimately making the decisions. The person interviewing you would like to believe that you are the same person that is reflected in the voice of your resume. We tend to convey words, expressions, and our personality in our writing and there is nothing worse or more embarrassing, especially at this level, than getting caught where your resume does not sound like it came from you.

Take the time to strengthen your chances in your career search by taking the time to invest in yourself. Craft your own executive resume instead of using an executive resume writing service and you will see it pay dividends in your career and professional growth.

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