Okay, okay...I admit that my blog title sounds a bit dramatic, but if it caught your attention then it worked. As you can imagine, the beginning of the year has been busy for me - I am being contacted by many executives who have decided that 2012 is the year of no excuses and time to confidently move forward in their career.
I applaud them on their efforts and I am working hard to help them meet their goals...however, like anything else in life, in order to move forward swiftly and effectively, you need "light" weights.
In the past two weeks, I have seen some executive resumes that have as many pages as their owners have years of experience. I understand the need or even desire to make sure that you have captured every aspect of career, but at some point you have to say "goodbye", "so long" and "final farewell" to aspects of your career. Those experiences were instrumental in making you who you are today, but it's time to let go!
So what stays and what gets buried? Let's try these simple exercises, take a close look at your current resume and decide...
-- Is it weighed down with outdated industry jargon, irrelevant job content and pages and pages of task-driven statements? It is critical to carefully de-emphasize (not lie or embellish) non-related job tasks and responsibilities; this strategy can make a big difference between a vague and a target-focused resume.
-- Is your professional resume written like a strategic marketing document? All this simply means is that you write for the future and keep your target audience's (employers) needs in mind. Make sure that every word, sentence, phrase, and statement on your resume supports your candidacy for your ideal positions.
-- Is your resume targeted and tailored to match your career goals? Let your final career/job destination serve as a guide for your content inclusion decisions. Determine who you want to be (director of marketing, senior accountant, public relations manager) and how you want to be perceived (rainmaker, technology guru, finance wizard).
-- Is your resume stating the obvious? Once you have advanced in your career, there are certain expertise/skill sets that employers/recruiters will assume you have - for example, if you have been a CPA for the past ten years, it is not necessary to list “strong analytical skills” or “very knowledgeable of the GAAP rules” on your resume.
-- Is your resume filled with unrelated, irrelevant and contrary details that are not in line with your career goals? Take a deep breath and release yourself from any emotional attachment and let it go. Your resume should be written with the hiring managers/employers’ needs in mind. Don’t be swayed or influenced by the fact that you loved the job or you had a great time at the company.
Other red flags that let you know it's time to let go, let go, let go and let go....use these questions as a guide for screening out irrelevant content from your resume:
Are the skills, qualifications, and expertise listed on your resume inconsistent with what the employers and recruiters are looking for?
Have you listed any technology tools and software programs that are no longer in existence today?
Did you include a lot of detail and content related to previous positions that are the opposite of your career target?
Is there a long list of certifications and licenses that are outdated or expired?
Do you have your high school diploma, college-related activities, honors and awards even though you are NOT an entry-level professional?
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, put on a black dress or black suit if you need to, but do your part and bury the past.
About Abby, Executive Career Architect, Job Search Expert, Master Resume Writer
Ask yourself these questions:
-- Does your executive resume accurately describe your management style and leadership capabilities?
-- Is your executive resume rich with compelling Challenge-Action-Results success stories that indicate your value contribution?
-- Does your executive resume convey enthusiasm or energy motivating employers to contact you?
-- Has your executive resume been generating a stream of employer responses for the right jobs?
If you have answered no to any of these questions, you should be talking to Abby Locke. She is an executive resume writer helps senior-level executives to achieve career success through cutting-edge, brand-focused career documents and proactive career management strategies.
Her distinctive executive resume samples have been published in 14 national career publications...click here to schedule a resume consultation.
