6 Principles for Writing Branded Executive Resumes

At the executive level, your resume challenges begin to change. You now have an impressive body of work to share, but are tasked to distill all of that data and achievements into 2 to 3 pages. The process can be daunting. A professional resume writer can be a great asset in this endeavor – here are a few of my favorite tips for working with Executive Director, VP, and C-level resumes. 

1. Top Load It! The first 2/3 of your resume is the most valuable real estate you have. This is where you need to concentrate your efforts. Create a branded headline, targeted keyword section, and an accomplishment/milestones feature that tells a prospective employer who you are, what you have done, and how you will lead.
2. Don’t Overdo It. I know – this is odd advice. Too often, though, I get executive resumes that are a sea of percentages and numbers. It’s imperative to quantify but at this level, it’s also important to focus on soft skills. Change management, employee engagement, and other transformation initiatives don’t necessarily have numbers attached. If they do, great – if not, don’t force it.
3. Less is More. Resumes are following the trend of social media. Shorter, more digestible bytes of information. An entire generation is used to texting, SMS, and 140 characters or less. While your resume certainly isn’t a place for hashtags, it’s essential that it is written in clean, concise language.
4. Organize the Information: Using white space and keywords to make it easier for a hiring manager to scan is critical to getting past the first look. I like to organize information under subheaders or even a keyword to start the bullet. This will enable a recruiter to hone in on key skills and really quickly see how you align to their requirements.
5. Don’t Neglect LinkedIn: Without a LinkedIn profile, you are really leaving a lot on the table. Your LinkedIn profile should complement – not copy – your resume. Use the same tone, but in a slightly more personal manner (first person pronouns are acceptable on LinkedIn). Don’t forget about accomplishments! You can copy and paste bullets to help readers quickly scan – here are four of my favorites: ✦ ► ✔︎ ★
6. Get Help. Whether you hire a professional resume writer to manage the process or work on it yourself, you should never be your own editor. Find a trusted proofreader to scan for content, accuracy, and overall impact. On the flip side, everyone has an opinion and that can get overwhelming. If you have friends in HR or executive roles, have them review, but keep the reviewing circle small.

For a professional, complimentary review of your resume, email to rebecca@rhresumes.com. I specialize in branded, highly targeted executive resumes and would be more than happy to offer my 2 cents!