5 Ways to Make Your Executive Resume an Easier Read

One thing that makes writing an executive resume challenging is realizing that you have so much amazing experience to add to the document but not enough space to do so.  Oftentimes, you may go ahead and incorporate this information to let employers know you are definitely the full package.

Although there’s nothing wrong with sharing the best of who you are as a candidate, if the resume suddenly becomes a solid block of text, your great qualifications won’t even get skimmed.  That’s why it’s important to make sure your executive resume is always read.  Here are a few ways to get this done:

1. Create a Headline

The headline or job target is a great way to catch the attention of the person reading your executive resume.  It should characterize who you are in the same way that a product name characterizes a product.  Usually, this section is 1-2 sentences and quickly explains who you are, how you can help the company, and why you should be hired.

2. Use Bullet Points

You may feel that it is easy to highlight your accomplishments with the use of paragraphs, but their dense nature makes it difficult for hiring managers to sift through them to find the information they want.  That’s why it’s good to turn some of those paragraphs into bullet points.  Doing so not only helps you fine tune the document but also helps the reader navigate through it more easily.

3. Incorporate Bold and Italicized Text for Emphasis

If there is a keyword you want to emphasis or a statement you want to have stand out, don’t be shy about using bold and italicized text in your executive resume.  These formatting tools help make your resume pop while guiding the reader in how to move their eyes through the document.

Just be sure that you don’t over-format the resume by using too many of each.  Choose a few keywords and statements that emphasize your qualifications the most, and format those.

4. Highlight Your Expertise and Summarize Your Career

Instead of having the manager dig through your resume for your expertise and background in the field, place this information in separate sections.  This will give him the information he needs without having to dig for it within each job summary.

5. Create a Mobile-Friendly Version

While most smartphones nowadays make reading e-mails as easy as it would be via a computer, it’s still a good idea to create a version of your resume that is easy to read on a small screen.  One option is to create a text version that can be posted directly into an e-mail and won’t look strange if reformatted by the device attempting to read it.  You could use this as a backup version in case the manager doesn’t have time to open an attachment.

Creating an easy-to-read executive resume is just as important as the content you place in it.  So take your time and format a document that managers will love.

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