4 Executive Resume Mistakes You Want to Avoid

Working at the executive level doesn’t mean you’re exempt from making mistakes when writing your resume.  As a matter of fact, you’re sometimes more likely to make mistakes than lower-level professionals because the executive job search arena can be very different from the professional-level job search.

Of course, executives are not allowed to make resume mistakes.  It simply cannot happen.  So to help you out, take a look at four mistakes it’s important for executives to avoid:

1. Sidestepping Your Brand Information

At the executive level, you should have already developed a strong brand, whether you’ve built it from making numerous public speeches, being interviewed by the media for your expertise, or even from creating your own industry-specific blog.

If you have worked hard for your brand, that last thing you want to do is forget to include it in your resume.  Take time to mention your contributions to your field and how you’ve been recognized.  List the places your resume can be found online (e.g., LinkedIn), and supply your blog information to show employers just how deeply ingrained you are in your industry.

2. Not Defining a Clear Job Target

At no time in your professional career should you submit a resume that doesn’t clearly define why you’re applying with a company.  But at the executive level, it’s absolutely unacceptable.  If, at this stage in the game, you are you’re submitting resumes that look like templates, it’s time to change your tactics.

Employers want executives who are absolutely sure how they can make a difference in the company.  So be sure to define the reason you’re applying for the job, and provide specific examples via targeted skills and accomplishments.  This way, you leave the employer no doubt that you’re right for the job.

3. Falling Behind the Resume-Formatting Curve

Being cutting edge is a requirement of being a good executive, even when doing something as simple as designing your resume.

You know that executives are constantly working on the go—and rely on portable devices to conduct much of the company’s business.  It’s for this reason that it’s good to format your resume with short yet value-driven statements that are bullet pointed.

By adding white space to the resume, you reduce the risk of overwhelming busy managers who don’t want to dig through densely populated paragraphs to determine qualifications.

4. Making Amateur Mistakes

One of the worst things you could do as an executive is submit your resume with typos, misspelled words, or grammatical errors.  Your job is to exude perfection at all times.  Making amateur mistakes could be such a huge turnoff to employers that you reduce your chances of being hired even before your qualifications are thoroughly reviewed.

Although it’s sometimes easier said than done to create a perfect resume, making mistakes as an executive is still inexcusable.  So take time to create a masterful resume.  And if you can’t do it on your own, hire a resume writer to do the work for you.

A nationally-recognized resume authority, Jessica Hernandez and her team of credentialed writers collaborate with professional- and executive-level candidates to open doors to positions at respected organizations, attaining over a 99% interview-winning success rate.  For examples of branded resumes and Great Resumes Fast’s blog on resume writing tips, visit http://www.greatresumesfast.com.