| Seeking an executive career transition? You've | | | | companies that want to identify a candidate that fits |
| probably realized (before even starting to write) that | | | | their desired profile. |
| it's difficult to sum up your total value proposition in a | | | | For example, a CIO that has expanded technology |
| resume. | | | | capabilities throughout Europe, Asia Pacific, and the |
| You may be able to recall some facts and figures of | | | | U.S. will probably be seeking a new job that demands |
| your career, including key budget or revenue | | | | an understanding of global challenges. |
| numbers. However, you'll quickly realize that a | | | | If you're in this situation, you most likely do NOT |
| leadership resume limited to this data doesn't | | | | want to take interviews that require only a basic |
| generate interviews by itself. | | | | understanding of regional business and related |
| Why? Employers seeking an executive leader often | | | | technology supports. Instead, I recommend adding |
| face specific business problems, such as how to | | | | achievement sentences that describe your global |
| grow the company, resolve service issues, or | | | | authority (such as leading IT infrastructure buildouts in |
| address a lack of capital. They're reading your | | | | different countries or directing remote technology |
| resume with these needs in mind, wanting to know | | | | teams). |
| HOW you'll meet these challenges, in addition to | | | | Doing so sends a clear message that you're ready |
| WHAT you'll do for them. | | | | for managing initiatives of larger, more complex |
| Storytelling is what differentiates an executive | | | | scope. |
| portfolio from a mid-career resume; separating your | | | | 3 - Faster results from your job search. |
| qualifications from the pack, so to speak. Therefore, | | | | Leadership resumes that deliver the most punch are |
| your resume will need to describe each of your | | | | nearly always the ones selected for interviews, even |
| professional successes in crisp, clear detail. | | | | when the storytelling aspect makes them longer than |
| Here are 3 results you can expect from getting this | | | | the standard single- or double-page document. |
| information out of your head and onto your resume | | | | Case in point: after creating an executive portfolio |
| for employers to digest: | | | | that detailed industry and environmental challenges, |
| 1 - Responses for jobs that really fit your leadership | | | | as well as his success in dealing with these obstacles, |
| skills. | | | | a construction executive client was able to secure an |
| If you look back over your career, you can probably | | | | interview within just a few hours of sending it to an |
| recall many situations that required your leadership, | | | | employer. |
| from stepping in to defuse team conflict to | | | | In it, we had added not only job title information |
| presenting key facts for a Board of Directors. Here's | | | | (showing his progression), but also feedback from |
| where you'll want to include the context of each of | | | | colleagues and clients (reinforcing ethics in his brand |
| these events, in addition to the results of your work. | | | | message), plus information on his consulting and |
| As an example, CFOs are often tasked with ensuring | | | | permanent roles in land development planning |
| that audit requirements are satisfied, and can point to | | | | (demonstrating his ability to move back and forth |
| high accuracy ratings as proof of effectiveness. | | | | while representing the client's best interests). |
| However, adding backstory can pique more interest: | | | | As you can see, using storytelling in your leadership |
| consider the case of the CFO who reconciled the | | | | resume also allows you to reframe your experience, |
| entire company's equity structure, including all rounds | | | | showcasing your accomplishments and adding your |
| of venture capital, prior to passing an external audit. | | | | own slant on your career so that it makes sense to |
| This detail provides a better picture of candidate's | | | | employers. |
| adherence to accuracy, plus his ability to transform | | | | As another example, I worked with a retail |
| jumbled financial records into coherent reporting. | | | | operations director who had progressed to roles of |
| As in this example, you'll need to strengthen your | | | | smaller scope throughout her career. |
| leadership message by supplying more contextual | | | | As she had quickly turned profits for mid-sized |
| data—allowing employers, in turn, to find a | | | | operations based on big-box leadership experience, |
| candidate whose credentials fit the demands of their | | | | we highlighted revenue increases in each role so that |
| businesses. | | | | employers could see the effect of the previous, |
| 2 - Less interviews for jobs beneath your capabilities. | | | | deeply ingrained leadership culture on her approach; |
| You want to save time, right? There's no better way | | | | taking the focus off her downsized roles and placing |
| to be efficient in your job search than to cut off | | | | it back on her value proposition. |
| inquiries that don't match your career level. | | | | In summary, when you add specific how-to details in |
| Adding more detail to your executive resume allows | | | | a leadership resume, employers are able to grasp the |
| you to define the scope of challenges that you've | | | | true meaning behind your career experiences. You'll |
| faced, which can be defined by the size of budgets, | | | | receive a much warmer reception from your resume; |
| number of reports, or span of authority, PLUS your | | | | plus a faster decision on your credentials. |
| actions in the role. This information is valuable to | | | | Just don't be surprised if it's one made in your favor. |