Is Your Executive Resume Missing a Title

Is Your Executive Resume Missing a Title Did you write your leadership resume around a clear job target â€" or merely leave clues for employers to find? If you’ve ever suffered through reading a stack of resumes â€" hoping the perfect candidate will nearly jump off the page, then you’ll understand the conundrum faced by employers. Many resumes are written using generalities, leaving recruiters or employers to guess at your desired job goal following the bread-crumb trail of previous positions and skills to figure out exactly why youre their prime executive candidate! Seriously, if employers can’t seem to piece together the reasons you’re applying (never mind the reasons youre a perfect fit!), then your executive resume might be missing an important element: a title. A resume title, which is typically a short phrase or job title used at the top of your resume, helps readers understand the role you’re pursuing. If done correctly, it also leaves them anticipating the supporting details of your story. You DO want them to read further, right? As shown in this example of a CFO resume, the executive resume title can also replace the overused “Professional Qualifications” or “Summary” category at the top of the resume. (Do you really need these words to introduce the summary of your career? Probably not.) The advantage of using a title? Your job target will be immediately obvious, and employers will tend to read further, rather than eliminating your resume at first glance. Even if you’re open to different positions (as illustrated by this sample CEO and SVP resume), you can specify more than one goal. Of course, these job targets should be similar enough to use a common resume; otherwise, you may need another version. As you can see, boldly titling your executive resume will direct employers to pay attention to your strong points â€" helping them quickly understand how you fit into their operation. Need a competitive edge in your job search? As an award-winning executive resume writer, I create branded, powerful resumes and LinkedIn Profiles that position you as the #1 candidate. My clients win interviews at Fortune 500 firms including Citibank, Google, Disney, and Pfizer, plus niche companies, start-ups, and emerging industry leaders. Get in touch with meto experience the outstanding results I can bring to your transition. Laura Smith-Proulx, CCMC, CPRW, CPBA, TCCS, COPNS, CIC