Executive Career Insights

Don't Ask A Dinosaur To Dance Ballet

It seems like everytime I blink, Monday has gone scurrying away and Friday is winking at me. Where does the time go?

We have been blessed in the Washington DC area with wonderful weather - while it has been pretty cold on some days, it has been bright and sunny.

Okay, so I know that my blog title must have you scratching your head, but I am venting again. I mean how many times can we (resume writers and career experts) tell senior-level professionals and executives that a long, clunky, weighty resume will not sell you effectively in any environment.

I know you want to keep your options open and not limit yourself to available opportunities, but if you are an engineering manager and your resume is "selling" what you did 20 years ago, there's a problem. Think about all the changes that have occurred since - advanced technology, the Internet, global communications, mobile workforce - see what I mean?

In today's competitive work environment, you have to "sell" aspects of your career experience, leadership strengths and performance contributions that are relevant and related to your target job. It may be a time saver to create a master resume that covers your entire career, but please don't stress Abby out by mailing it to employers and recruiters.

Still not convinced, picture a dinosaur doing ballet:) Not very graceful, probably scary looking and definitely missing the mark....likewise, your four-page, twenty bullets per job executive resume is missing the mark.

 

Learn about resumes that work

Strategies for successful executive resumes

Resume mistakes that make me cry

Baggage belongs in the trash, not your executive resume

 

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.achievements

 

 

Resume Band-Aid: How to handle career blemishes

The temperature has seriously dropped in the Washington DC area...and yesterday something very interesting happened...it starting snowing - light flakes, but they were coming down consistently, then out of the blue it stopped, the skies cleared up and the sun came out like nothing ever happened.

Wouldn't it be great if the same thing could happen with our life hiccups or career blemishes? Sure, we would have to deal with it, but once the incident has passed, there would be little or no evidence that anything was ever wrong.

Reality check - that does not happen in life and any speedbumps or blemishes in our career will not simply vanish. However, we can find effective ways to deal with them and today, I will show you how to handle those some common career challenges on your professional/executive resume.

A) Highlighting relevant volunteer or community work experience

Paid or unpaid, industry experience is still valuable -- especially for career changers. If you have been involved in substantial volunteer or community work, use these resources to demonstrate leadership skills and experience relevant to your new goals. Take a look at how this unpaid marketing experience can boost a resume.

Before:

Volunteer, International Dance Group Inc.

After:

Marketing Department, International Dance Group Inc. (2002-2007)

Planned and executed advertising production, marketing materials, public relations programs and other special projects for start-up dance school. Contributed talents and expertise on unpaid basis.

B) Maximizing experience in an entrepreneurial or family-owned business

Whether you have gained leadership or industry experience through large corporations, working side by side with your parents or running your own enterprise, your level of expertise is what matters at the end of the day.

Avoid using lofty titles like "President and CEO" and instead, use a career title that is in line with other professionals with similar background and years of experience.

Consider whether a title like Vice President of Sales and Marketing, or Director of Sales and Marketing is more appropriate than President and Founder, Walter Creative Services?
 
C) Revising existing career experience for a different industry

If possible, keep your work experience in chronological order, but only emphasize the job responsibilities, achievements and experience that are directly relevant to the job you want.

It is quite acceptable to leave out unrelated tasks or responsibilities. For example, a senior federal employee looking to move into a HR position will only highlight his experience in that area:

Before:

2005-present: Assistant Special Agent in Charge at the Washington Division. Manage all Division administration, budget allocations and various high profile programs (i.e. recruitment, training and demand reduction).

After:

Assistant Special Agent-In-Charge, Washington, DC (2005 to present)

Directed budget allocations and oversee high-profile programs including recruitment, personnel training, demand reduction and division special projects for the Washington Division. Created first-ever executive mentoring and insight leadership program.

D) Minimizing effect of an employment gap

If you were laid off or the company you worked for went out of business and it took you some time to get a new position, simply insert a one-line sentence that summarizes your job search activities.

Address the employment gap briefly but directly – you do not want to leave employers and executive recruiters guessing about what you were doing in that time period.

Before:

Director of Sales, Rockville, MD (2008-Present)
Sr. Sales Manager, Chicago, IL (2002-2006)

After:

Director of Sales, Rockville, MD (2008-Present)

Actively pursued full-time employment following unexpected company restructuring/downsizing. (2007)

Sr. Sales Manager, Chicago, IL (2002-2006)

If you were involved in consulting projects or highly relevant volunteer work during your "gap," handle it as you would any paid work experience.

These quick-fix resume strategies don't guarantee that no-one will ask questions, but at least you can have career marketing document that minimizes the glare on your career challenges.

 

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.

 

Name: Justin Thompson CareerBuilder.com

Category: Business and Finance

Email: query-1sr3@helpareporter.net

Media Outlet: CareerBuilder.com

Deadline: 5:00 PM EST - 5 January

Query:

Looking for tips from job seekers or job experts on how they
should structure their day (whether employed or unemployed) for
job search.

Set times? Certain days? How do you dress?

Requirements:

Explain your job search process and how you juggle looking for a
job while employed or unemployed and tips for what people should
do to give their search more structure and milestones to mark
achievement.

Resumes: You've come a long way, baby

I moved about a month ago and yes, I am still unpacking and getting settled...why is that always the story when it comes to moving?

Well, in going through papers and books, low and behold, I came across one of my old resumes...not just any resume, but the very first resume I ever created during my senior year in college. I attempted to take a picture of it here ------------------>

Wow...talk about change - the resume has surely come a very long way. My college resume had a generic objective, sparse bulleted statements and absolutely no achievements, but it still helped me land two exciting job offers.

Resumes, job search strategies, self/career marketing tactics have really changed in the past 20+ years. The professional resume as we know it has grown up - it is no longer a flat, one-dimensional historical document.

In 2012, the professional resume is a strategic marketing that has position you as a valuable solution and contributor to employers - being qualified and having the required experience is not enough to make you stand out of in this competitive market.

So I am hoping that your professional or executive resume looks nothing the one in this picture:) However, if it does, you need to call me ASAP...scary resumes do not lead to exciting job offers.

 

Related posts:

Create a standout resume

Scary resume mistakes to avoid

Saying more with less on your resume

 

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.

 

Scary Resume Mistakes That Are Killing Your Job Search

Okay...so here's the deal on my love-hate relationship with Halloween. My birthday is today, October 31 - the problem is that I really HATE the celebration of Halloween and everything that it really stands for. 

Of course, I look forward to celebrating my birthday every year, but silently dread the Halloween festivities that I am forced to share on my special day. Don't write me off as a party pooper and take away my cool points...please:)

However, in the spirt of the dreaded Halloween day, I have decided to offer you a few resume improvements tips - let's just call it my "treat" to you:

1. Stop Making Potential Employers Guess

Your executive resume is a strategic marketing document and the product you are selling is YOU. At first glance – especially in the resume profile section – the reader should know who you are and the value you bring to the table.

If you are unsure of your job target or immediate career goals, a generic resume is not going to help you. A focused, targeted executive resume convinces hiring managers that you are the right person for the job. Which one of these executive would you trust as your next CFO?

Candidate A: By training and professional experience, highly qualified in financial and strategic management of business in many industries.

Candidate B: Performance-driven finance executive with deep expertise in spearheading initiatives that strengthen internal infrastructure, expand revenue-generating capabilities, and maximize ROI for startup and high-growth companies.

2. Stop Using A “Me-Oriented” Resume Objective

You need to hook employers in with buying motivators. Instead of starting of your executive resume with a self-centered objective statement that screams “I am only focused on my needs”, use brand-focused statements of value that show employers how they gain from bringing you on board. Which candidate seems like the right fit for a manufacturing executive position?

Candidate A:  Seeking a challenging leadership position in manufacturing and product operations. 

Candidate B: Pioneering manufacturing executive with proven success in devising operating strategies that eliminate redundancies, increase production output, and deliver productivity, quality, and efficiency improvements.

3. Stop Choking Readers With Lengthy Resume Content

Even if you have more 20 years of experience, you can still create an effective, two-page executive resume that highlights your key qualifications without weighing down the document with too much detail or inadvertently “aging” you. Here are two effective ways of handling early career experience without having to flush out every job you had since high school.

Choice A: EARLY COMPANY EXPERIENCE: Delivered significant contributions to company’s revenue growth and production output through earlier roles as Manager of Maintenance and Project Engineer.

Choice B: EARLY CAREER: Held series of executive management and leadership roles including VP, Finance/Controller for several national restaurant chains.

4. Stop Talking About What You Are Paid To Do

Don’t be so married to your job tasks that your executive resume falls short on branding and value proposition. Good facts/statistics to include are budget size, the number of direct/indirect reports, the number of divisions or branches you manage, sales/revenue objectives, the number of clients, local, national or regional offices, and the title of your immediate boss.

Maximize your valuable resume space for details on important projects, achievements, and other accolades.

Before: Manage daily activities for real estate portfolio for investment management company and supervise staff members.

After: Challenged to deliver 10% return on $700 million investment portfolio in unpredictable, evolving real estate industry. Oversee all daily activities including ROI maximizations, client relations, loan negotiations, and investment dispositions.

5. Stop Making It Hard For Employers To See What Makes You Different

Extract strong statements from your performance evaluations or management feedback reports to make an immediate connection, generate real interest, and entice employers to call you in for a personal interview. Who would you be interested in meeting?

Candidate A: Fifteen years experience supporting corporate IT operations and application development in complex 24x7 environments involving multi-site locations.

Candidate B: Primary architect and pioneer of groundbreaking, “first-of-its-kind” technology initiatives that reposition companies for long-term sustainability and continued financial success. “He is truly a strategic thinker who can ascertain the business challenge and deliver an innovative, technology-driven solution.”

6. Stop Leaving The “Beef” Off Your Executive Resume

You can tell me that you are great, but unless you demonstrate your “greatness” through strong, high-impact achievement statements, I am going to have a hard time believing you. Remember it is important to communicate the context in which the achievement was made – in other words, saying that you grew revenues 25% in one year sounds fantastic, but if it was already growing at that pace then your actual contribution was minimal. Which of the following candidates sound like a powerhouse to you?

Candidate A: Saved the company thousands of dollars during first year on the job.

Candidate B: Achieved zero lost time and 100% staff productivity during12 consecutive months for first time in company’s operating history—saving company $500,000.

 Related posts:

Cliff Notes Resumes - Say more with less

Put let your resume carry your baggage

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 

Ask yourself these questions:

-- Does your executive resume accurately describe your management style and leadership capabilities?

-- Is it rich with compelling Challenge-Action-Results success stories that indicate your revenue-impacting performance?

-- Does it convey enthusiasm or energy motivating the reader to contact you?

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 resume samples have been published in 13 national career publications...click here to schedule a resume consultation.

The Executive Resume Summary - What Is It Really About?

Recently, I have been doing a series of resume consultations especially for international clients and found that my feedback tended to fall within the same areas:

• Executive resume summary
• Content - job descriptions vs job achievements
• Document length

The only area that really seems to stump the best of executives is the executive resume summary or the executive profile. In general, I found that too many executives make this section very vague or generic - in other words, the content can apply to any other person.

Imagine for a second that your executive resume is being viewed on a Blackberry - within two or three thumb rolls, you need to make a strong impression, what information do you want to communicate?

For starters, your executive profile needs to show leadership and it must tell a memorable career story that shows innovation, strategic thinking, solutions and of course profit-building performance. But what about personality, work style, chemistry, culture fit? Yes, it must show all of those as well.

If your current executive profile seems to be coming up short, try answering these few questions to get you started in the right direction:

What are your top skills or strengths?

What is your professional reputation?

What have you done for a company that supports these strengths?

Do you have CAR success stories that would impress any employer?

Which of your career accomplishments would have the most value in your target industry?

Not easy questions to answer, but worth it for an executive profile that will have your phone ringing...

Think you are too stumped to get through these questions, schedule a one-on-one executive resume consultation with me to position yourself for success. Why wait? Your competition isn't.

Related posts:

 Why Your Executive Resume's Top-Third Section Really Matters

 

 

 

 

 

Are You Missing The Resume Boat?

I was recently working with a CFO client and after sending his the first draft of his executive resume, he responded with a long list of questions regarding the content. He was really concerned that I had omitted some facts about his educational and career background and was worried that it could hurt his prospects.

I would safely say that one of the hardest aspect of developing an executive resume is knowing when and what to let go.

Do any of these scenarios sound like you?

-- You want to include your college activities and GPA even though you earned a college degree more than 20 years ago

-- You are targeting CEO-type positions, but have included detailed descriptions on internships you held during college

-- You want to transition into a non-profit executive role, but have prominently listed your real estate license, social work degree and financial analyst certification.

--  Your goal is to move away from engineering positions and start building your career in management, but your resume outlines every engineering project you held since high school.

Well, for starters, I certainly hope that none of you fit into the above scenarios...however, I am confident that your brain is starting to tick and you are getting my point. Executive resumes are strategic marketing tools that must effectively "sell" you to employers.

Therefore, you need to identify the most impressive and RELEVANT aspects of your career background to highlight and emphasize on your executive resume. In reality, a global company is not going to be too concerned about whether their next CEO made the Dean's list in college, instead they want to hear specific examples about his/her achievements in strategic planning, P&L management, revenue growth, cost reduction and more.

So release any emotional attachment to your experience, educational credentials, certifications, licenses and volunteer activities. Make sure that you are maximizing your resume space on leadership tasks, position descriptions, career-defining achievements and any other supporting information that would qualify you as the ideal candidate. Just think strategic document and remember, relevant, relevant, relevant.

Your executive resume is not the kitchen sink and everything is not needed! Need a few refresher tips on developing your executive resume? Check out my previous posts:

Revisting Resume Best Practices

Is Your Professional Resume Carrying Your Career Baggage?

Are You Marketing A Sleepy, Imposter Resume?

Still have trouble getting your executive resume into a career document that you can love? Schedule your f'ree, 15-minute resume consultation with me today and get honest feedback on your job search calling card.

Are You Marketing A Sleepy, Imposter Resume?

I was recently contacted by a former client who wants to update his existing resume. I smiled as I remembered his email updates to me on his previous job search progress; he jokingly said I had done such a great job on his resume that potential employers expected to see an "S" on his chest when he walked into employment interviews.

Well, if you have been following me for awhile, you know I don't embellish resume content, so it means that his original resume was simply not doing him justice until I came along:)

It also got me to thinking about jobseekers and potential clients who want to simply copy and paste one of my resume samples to market themselves. Believe it or not, you and your professional resume have to be a match and have to line up in a credible manner or you will keep running into roadblocks. 

1) Does your professional resume have a powerful handshake?

The top-third of your professional resume is like an appetizer to a six-course feast; it has to draw the readers in – start off your resume with a clear definition of who you are, outline you have to offer, and indicate the environments in which you perform best. For example:

SENIOR OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE

Start-Up, Emerging & High-Growth Companies

The Profit Builder: Systematically improving internal systems, strengthening operational processes and mobilizing vital resources that propel companies into stable, profitable entities.

2) Does your professional resume have an interesting career storyline?

Remember, to get to the top of the pile that is filled with other resumes and hungry job seekers, you have to make your career story an interesting and exciting one. Don’t bore and weigh down readers with heavy details about minute daily tasks; hit them with big picture, top-view, position responsibilities and “wow” them with your bottom-line, career-defining achievements.

3) Does your professional resume effectively showcase your bright personality?

Take a quick peruse of your resume and make sure that it is packed with vibrant action words, verbs and adjectives that will engage the reader and transform your "sleepy" resume into a career marketing tool. If you are an energetic, bold person then don’t be afraid to use words that bring out your personal flavor - eliminate phrases like "Responsible for" and avoid the overuse of the same verbs.

4) Does your professional resume pass the 30-second scan?

Don’t save the best for last - organize your resume content so that your key qualifying factors (for your target position) is apparent on the first page of the document. Don't be shy about confidently sharing your qualifications, expertise, and overall career theme with hiring managers and recruiters.

5) Does your professional resume have relevant, updated career information?

Don’t let time-sensitive promotions or job opportunities escape you because your resume has not kept pace with your career growth and achievements. A great habit to embrace is updating your resume every three to six months, so that you have a document that is current and living just like you!

Why Your Resume May Not Be Working

Smart phones, IPad, Blackberry, IPhone, portable computers - everywhere you turn, technology has invaded our lives and impact how we work and play.

You can grow in your career or even connect effectively with others without some degrees on online activities.

So what does this phenomenon mean for 2010 job seekers? Are there changes that you need to make in your professional resume and career marketing documents to stand a fighting chance in today’s crowded and competitive marketplaces?

FACT A: The professional resume is shrinking

Three- and four-page resumes are way too much reading for the already overworked hiring manager and what we see becoming more standard are concise, highly targeted two-page resumes - even for senior professionals with more than 20 years of experience. Another document that is growing in popularity is the Networking Resume which is appropriate for informal meetings and networking forums because it summarizes the candidate’s career background and highlights key achievements.

FACT B: The professional resume is finding its home on the Internet

When it comes to in-person meetings, interviews and networking events, traditional paper resumes and career marketing documents are most effective for review and general discussion. However, in order to get in front of hiring managers and key decision makers, you have to be visible. If you are not online and don’t have a strong brand, you are essentially invisible.

Resumes in the new decade will be easily accessible and available 24/7 through online profiles like LinkedIn and Google – in addition through VisualCV and online portfolios that can host the professional resume in Word, Text and PDF formats. These venues are great because they allow you to post more relevant information about your career interests and passions and even allow you a space to share your expertise and thought leadership.

FACT C: The professional resume is schizophrenic

Today, the resume is so much more than a professional career history document – in order to stand out, you have to incorporate personal branding, your personality traits and invoke vibrancy when writing your professional resume. To keep abreast of online job hunting trends, your resume has to include a wealth of keywords and industry jargon to pass electronic database scanning.

Furthermore, your career story has to be told in many formats to support a multifaceted job search – for example, you will need a variety of resumes - paper resume, e-resume, networking resume, career summary, and other career marketing documents that vary in length to suit a diverse hiring audience.

If you have been running into roadblocks in your job search, it may be time to revamp your resume and make sure that you are marketing a tool that is tech savvy and tech-ready.