Resumes and cover letters should be targeted to the job.
For many people, executive resumes are the most difficult to master, which is why many executives looking for new jobs seek professional resume writing services. So what does it take to craft winning executive resumes that gets you hired? Targeting is the master key.
What Is Targeting?
Targeting means catering your job hunting efforts to a specific role in the industry you hope to work for so you know exactly how to market yourself to potential employers. To do this, it is a good idea to research the field you’re trying to break into. This will tell you what is expected of you and can give you a sense of how to reformat your search efforts.
How Should I Research?
The first and best thing to do would be to look up information about the job positions you’re interested in. Get to know the skills required for this position across various types of companies because differently sized companies tend to want different skills for the same positions. You’ll want to craft a resume that works for both ends of the spectrum, from small businesses to massive corporations.
How Do I Tailor My Resume to Specific Companies?
Start with the researching process and get to know everything there is to know about the position you want. Then you can proceed with getting to the heart of what your ideal position entails. Write out everything about how the position works and use that as a framework for your resume. Depending on the type of companies you’re aiming to send applications to, you may want to craft two resumes that suit their individual needs. You can write several versions of a resume just by keeping them concise and tailored to the needs of the specific position you want.
There are a number of important things to consider while trying to write your resume, including:
The regional scope of the company (for example, whether they are international or local)
The title(s) of the position(s) you want
How much interaction you’ll have with other employees in the company
The title(s) of your superior(s)
The goals of the position relative to the company
How large the company is
The variety of job duties you’ll have in this position
What the work environment is like at the company
Any specific industries you would most prefer to work in
Writing specific and goal-oriented resumes and cover letters becomes much easier when you know your focus. All it takes is a little research regarding what you want and some critical thought to narrow your goals down to the basics. The next step is taking what you’ve learned and applying it to your resume. By using these tools, you should be well on your way to crafting resumes that get you hired. However, if you need a little extra help, don’t hesitate to enlist the assistance of a professional resume writing service.
Writing an effective resume may require making some changes.
It’s not enough to just have a standard resume. What is important is writing an effective resume, one that is designed to get you into that all-important interview. If you are not getting the interviews and opportunities you want, it’s time to rethink your current resources. Here are five strategies for giving your resume a makeover.
Strategy #1- Forget Your Objective
It’s customary to state your job objective at the top of the resume. However, those offering top resume writing services suggest this is futile and meaningless to potential employers. An employer is not as interested in what you are looking for as what you can give them. When an employer first sees your resume, you have an average of six seconds to catch their eye so make it about them.
Strategy #2 – Take a Marketing Stance
When writing an effective resume, rather than viewing it as looking for a job, consider the process as an opportunity to market your skills and experience. Focus on offering potential employers what you have in order to increase their profitability rather than trying to earn a paycheck for yourself. Make it about delivering value to them.
Strategy #3 – Highlight Your Professional Skills
Your skills are what are going to get you the position you desire so make sure to clearly identify the skill set you bring to the position. Use your strong points to entice a business recruiter in a way that makes them feel like they need what you have to offer. Impress them with what you can do for them.
Strategy #4 – Identify a Specific Job Title
Don’t leave out this essential bit of information. The targeted job title should be listed along with your contact information on your resume. This is your chance to draw recruiters or interviewers in. Putting it with your contact information is the ideal spot since it makes it more apparent and eyes are naturally drawn toward this area. If you are uploading your professional paperwork, including a targeted job title makes it more visible in online databases and search results.
Strategy #5 – Start off with a Performance Profile
Resumes and cover letters should begin with your ability to do the job. This means you need to do your research to identify what the specific needs of the company are and market to those needs. To create a performance profile, look at the requirements for your desired position and rewrite them as skills you have to offer. This does not need to be a long paragraph; try to keep it to five lines maximum. It’s also acceptable to use a bulleted list for emphasis. This also adds some visual appeal and will attract the reader’s eyes.
Will a General Resume Work for Your Executive Job Search?
A general resume is exactly that – general. When seeking an executive position, your resume needs to be a focused presentation of relevant skills. You need to be able to demonstrate how you can benefit your target company in an executive capacity. The types of resumes that get you hired are polished, concise and tightly targeted. Writing a professional resume highlighting core executive talents is a must. If you aren’t confident in your ability to market yourself and your specific strengths successfully, hire the best executive resume writing service you can.
Targeted and Concise
In today’s human resources department, your resume is quite likely to be ‘read’ by applicant tracking systems or software before it is seen by HR personnel. Due to this, industry-related keywords are an essential part of resumes that get you hired. Without those keywords in a natural, correct concentration, your resume isn’t likely to make it past the applicant tracking program. Using a general resume almost guarantees a company using this hiring tool will pass over your resume completely.
Once your resume gets in front of human eyes, industry experts estimate it has about 10 seconds to capture the attention and interest of a hiring manager. One of the best executive resume writing service skills is the concise, direct presentation of the most relevant information, the information the reader uses to decide if it is worth reading any further. That alone is worth considering professional executive resume preparation.
Don’t Stray from the Purpose
While who you are, what you’ve done and how much you know all have value, resumes that get you hired are not quite so “I”-focused. Instead, that information is relayed in the context of what specifically you can do for that company should you garner that executive position. That is what potential employers are interested in: how choosing you will benefit their company in real, concrete terms. Your general resume simply can’t accomplish that.
The Art of Presentation
Another of the best executive resume writing service advantages has to do with how responsible and professional it makes you appear. That is more than your education, work history, skills and talents. A polished, professional executive resume has no spelling or grammar errors. It is professional and efficient in style, adhering to formal executive business communication norms. These things communicate information, letting potential employers know what they can expect in your professional demeanor and executive style.
Don’t Waste Time and Effort
In this competitive job market, a general resume, especially when seeking an executive position, is a waste of time. It is unlikely to yield the results you hope for and can actually harm your chances of landing the position you want. Instead, invest time and effort in crafting targeted, professional resumes that get you hired. If you aren’t up-to-date with the latest in successful resume writing, invest in having your executive resume professionally written for you.
Should You Use Your Blog as a Professional Resume?
You know you need resumes that get you hired, but what is the best executive resume format? While most people still rely on traditional layouts for their resume, others are looking for something different to help them stand out from the other candidates. Many professionals have a blog they use to showcase their expertise, but is it really the best way to let your prospective employer know you are a good fit for the position?
A More Authentic Feel
When people are putting together their resumes, they often put their best foot forward, working hard to make sure everything is worded in a way that appeals to employers. Creating blog posts is an entirely different process that typically gives employers insight into your personality and can provide a more authentic feel for whether you will be a good fit for their business. They will be able to get inside your head and see how you think to help them make a more informed hiring decision.
A More Detailed Sales Pitch
Resumes that get you hired only give employers a brief snap shot of your career and the skills you have to offer. While some employers only need this information, along with an interview, more employers today are interested in making sure individuals are the perfect fit before extending an offer. A blog can give them a more in-depth look at what you know and whether you have the skills necessary to get the job done. In fact, there are people who have been hired based on their blog alone.
Other Benefits of a Blog as a Resume
There have been many other benefits to considering a blog in place of or as a supplement to your resume. Using your blog can be an excellent way to distinguish yourself from the other candidates for a job. It also provides insight into how well you can express yourself and your ideas. If you are applying for a job that requires a solid understanding of blogging and how it can be used, having a blog that can at least supplement your resume is an absolute necessity.
Blogging may seem like a great way to share ideas and provide readers with valuable insight about your industry, but today, it can actually help you land a job as well. In fact, many employers are searching the Internet to gather more information on candidates, even if they have already submitted a traditional resume. While it may not yet be the best resume format, it is a valuable tool you can use to increase your chances of landing the job. An executive resume writing service can help you determine whether the blog should serve as a replacement of or a supplement to your resume.
An executive resume writer can help you explain gaps.
When you hire an executive resume writer, it can be tempting to leave out information regarding times of inactivity when it comes to your employment. In most cases, there’s a legitimate reason for time gaps. Perhaps you needed time to take care of an elderly parent, a sick child or just took a sabbatical. However, leaving these gaps of time unexplained can cause employers to have doubts or negative suspicions about your resume.
Why Gaps Have a Negative Connotation
Each company may look at resume gaps in a different light. There are some businesses interested only in your specific skills and aren’t concerned at all about gaps. However, for more competitive fields, even a single gap can take you out of running for a key position. Even though gaps occur for a variety of reasons, employers may have their own view of them. If you leave huge gaps unexplained, the other party is left with only their imagination as to why they exist. It is always better to explain gaps in your employment history.
Why It’s Not Advisable to Lie About Gaps
It’s likely just about everyone has been tempted to lie about gaps. For some, this means slightly adjusting dates to fill in the gaps; others try to fill in the gap by falsifying information. Either way, you are taking a big chance of discovery. Most legit businesses are going to take the time to explore your information thoroughly and are likely to find gaps on their own. This decreases the likelihood of your employment because it tends to raise too many questions and doubts.
Lying about gaps in employment can have many negative repercussions, but none as serious as if you are applying in a small industry. Smaller businesses make it easier for word to travel about any discrepancies. This can leave you with a tarnished reputation for many years, making it difficult to gain employment.
What’s the Best Way to Cover Gaps of Time?
The best way to deal with gaps is to be honest and upfront in your executive resume bio. Simply tell the truth about gaps. By providing explanations for why you were between jobs, you establish trust in the relationship. It’s much better to explain in your executive resume bio or executive resume cover letter that you took some time to raise your children or simply took a sabbatical than to remain silent about why the gaps exist.
What About Terminations?
What if the gap in employment exists due to a termination? Be truthful about why you were not a good fit for previous employers and use the opportunity to explain how you used the time between jobs to develop or maintain job related skills.
It can be important to work closely with a professional resume service who can help you create a complete resume. It’s imperative to create a gap-free document, from the executive resume cover letter to a complete and thorough resume.
The best resume writing services can help you hunt for a job successfully.
The task of finding your next job can quickly become overwhelming, especially if you don’t go about it the right way. While working with the best resume writing services and creating a solid executive LinkedIn profile can go a long way toward making you attractive to prospective employers, it’s important to learn how to walk the fine line between looking desperate and showing determination.
Mass Distribution
You spend a lot of time creating your resume so it seems like a lot of work to customize it to every employer you are considering. This can lead you to send out a mass resume mailing to every job you want. Unfortunately, sending carbon copies of your resume to every potential employer can actually cause you to lose your chance at the job. Instead, you need to do your research on every company you are considering and make minor adjustments that reflect the company philosophy and the exact requirements of the job to which you are applying.
Applying to Everything
If you’ve been looking for a job for a while, you may be tempted to start sending your resume out to every job listing you can find in the hopes of landing any job. While this may be necessary in some situations, it’s important to make sure you’re putting your executive resume in front of the right people. Think about what skills you have and which types of businesses are most likely to need someone with your skill set. An executive resume writer can help you focus on your skills and determine which job listings are worth your time.
Being Too Honest
Most people are aware they won’t get a job or could lose a job they thought they had if the employer finds out they have lied or exaggerated on their executive resume. While honesty is always the best policy, there is such a thing as being too honest. When you’re writing a professional resume and cover letter, there are some things you shouldn’t include, such as the exact reason you want the job, especially if it’s because of the pay grade, or your lack of experience. Instead, the best resume writing services will help you shine yourself in a positive light without stretching the truth or providing too much information.
While an executive LinkedIn profile may be a valuable tool in helping you get the job you want, your resume will still play a key role. Before you start your job search, however, it’s important to work with the best resume writing services to ensure you are taking the right approach to your job hunt. With their help, you can be sure you will make the best impression and increase your chances of landing the job you want.
Think the Traditional Resume Is Dead? Think Again!
Writing a professional resume still requires a traditional format.
Technology is an essential tool in today’s job-seeking climate. Online profiles are valuable, but they serve to complement, not replace, the traditional resume. Writing a professional resume as a part of your career advancement efforts isn’t a mere formality; it is a vital communication tool that can offer potential employers a reason to find out more about you. A well-written resume is a tangible, concrete representation of your professional abilities and accomplishments.
Well Written Is Key
Many people dread the process of writing a professional resume. Perhaps that’s why so many headlines herald the end of this formal document. The fact is, however, the resume isn’t going to disappear from the professional world any time soon. It is too valuable of an aid for the discerning employer seeking true professionals. Designed to present information in a concise, easy-to-evaluate manner, the resume is an excellent tool for making the short list of potentials to consider for hire.
It does take time and skill to craft a resume. A poorly written resume can hurt your chances of making that short list for hire, especially when it comes to the more prestigious, responsible positions. Today’s employment market is highly competitive. Professional resume writing services can offer you an edge, helping to make sure your resume is clean, concise and attention-grabbing.
Successful Resume Characteristics
Using a top resume writing service can ensure your resume features characteristics important to success in today’s employment-seeking climate. Branding yourself is important. It is that branding online profiles are meant to enhance. Another important characteristic of today’s professional resume is the use of industry-related keywords. Applicant tracking systems and software are often among the first stages of sorting through electronically submitted resumes. Resumes without proper keyword concentration are often bypassed because they don’t reflect qualities specific to the industry or position. Professional resume writing services offer a fast, efficient means of making sure your resume specifically targets the position you’re seeking with your core skills and documented successes. Presentation and attention to detail count for a a lot in a resume. A top resume writing service isn’t going to allow spelling, grammar, format or style mistakes to slip by. Your resume will feature the tightly focused, action verb oriented, concise writing style characteristics of successful resumes.
Traditional Formalities Still Apply
A well-written, formal resume demonstrates valuable personal qualities as well as professional ones. It represents a person who isn’t going to be casual about their career, a person serious about their job. Writing a professional resume demonstrates a commitment to doing things in a professional, efficient manner. Although many business formalities have fallen to the wayside in the tech-savvy climate of today’s business world, the traditional formal resume is still a valuable tool for both the job-seeker and the employer looking to hire the best.
if you’ve been fired, writing a professional resume can be difficult.
Moving on to another job is rarely easy, but when you’ve been fired from your job, regardless of the reason, you may feel like writing a professional resume is even more difficult. This time is when C-level personal branding becomes a necessity. Executive resume writing services can help you rebuild your resume so you can successfully move on from the job you lost.
Accept Responsibility
Even if you feel you were terminated unfairly, chances are you played some role in the decision. One of the worst things you can do is maintain a position of innocence when you have clearly been fired from your last job. Instead, take responsibilities for the actions that led to your termination and show your prospective new employers what you have changed as a result. A failure to learn from past mistakes will only lead to more of the same results in the future.
Rebuild Your Bridges
Past references are an important part of getting your next job. Just because you’ve been fired doesn’t mean you won’t be able to use them as references in the future. In fact, reaching out to the person who fired you can provide valuable insight into what went wrong and how you can correct it. You will also be able to repair some of what can be a valuable relationship to help you get your next job. Avoid getting defensive during the conversation and treat it as a learning process. In most cases, terminations aren’t personal and relate to your performance. If you apologize and extend the olive branch, you may still leave with a positive reference you can use.
Talk to Human Resources
Many employers have adopted new policies for giving references due to the number of law suits that have occurred due to bad references. For this reason, it’s important to find out what your previous employers will reveal to prospective employers. Many employers will only allow human resources to provide dates of employment and ending salary numbers. Ask whether your manager is allowed to provide a reference. If the manager isn’t allowed and you find out they have spoken poorly of you, costing you a new job, contact human resources again to let them know about the issue. If you are respectful and emphasize the fact you are trying to move on and provide for your family, most human resource departments will be willing to help.
Getting fired from your last job doesn’t have to mean it will be difficult to get a new one. It all comes down to your C-level personal branding and writing a professional resume that increases your chances of getting hired, despite the fact you were terminated from your last job. These tips, along with working with executive resume writing services, will help you get the results you’re looking for.
