Should Your Linkedin Be the Same as Your Executive Resume?

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The short answer to this question is no! You definitely don’t want to make your executive resume and your LinkedIn profile the same for a variety of reasons. Most professional executive resume writers can help you distinguish the differences between each and why the differences are important. We’ve also given you some more details on the differences below.

LinkedIn Should be More Informal

Recruiters and HR managers will go to your LinkedIn profile to learn more about you as a person. This is generally evident in your writing style, so be sure to make it more informal to give it some voice. There are big differences between resumes that get you hired and your LinkedIn profile, and it’s important to distinguish the two.
Also, don’t mistake an informal voice for being unprofessional. There are creative ways to make your LinkedIn profile professional and informal. If you struggle with that aspect, executive resume services can help.

Executive Resume Summaries Should Be Short and Targeted

Executives tend to make their summaries extensive, because who doesn’t like talking about themselves? However, your executive resume summary should be short and to the point. LinkedIn is the place to talk more in detail on your summary. Summarize your entire career, your accomplishments, strengths and anything else to make you stand out. Most professional executive resume writers will tell you to put just enough information in your executive resume summary to make a recruiter or potential employer want more information about you.

Recruiters Want to See Different Information

Your chances of landing your next executive job will take a big hit if your executive resume and LinkedIn profile are identical. It could signal to a recruiter that you’re lazy, not creative, or just don’t understand what LinkedIn is used for.
Generally, an executive resume should talk about business details, while LinkedIn should be more conversational about how you accomplished certain things. In a nutshell, your executive resume and LinkedIn profile should combine together to give an employer a clear picture of who you are both professionally and personally.
There’s a fine line between crafting the perfect executive resume and writing a solid LinkedIn profile. Many executives use executive resume services to help distinguish the two. If you’re struggling with finding the right balance, feel free to contact us at any time for help.

Customize the best executive resume for the job.

As a Resume Writer and Career Coach, one of the questions I get asked the most is “Why can’t I find a job?” So many job seekers become frustrated during their search because they expect instant results-and that rarely happens in a job search.  Hunting for a new job is tough, it just is. However, there are things you can do to help you to understand “why” you aren’t finding a job, and even more importantly, understand “what” you should be doing differently to land the job of your dreams.

Your Resume

If your resume has not been updated in the past five years, then you have a problem. Even if you’ve been in the same job for longer than five years, surely you are learning new skills and achieving new goals that should be documented on your resume. A resume is a living document that needs to be revisited and updated on an annual basis. If you’re not doing this, then your resume could be the “dead” document that is thwarting your job search.

If you aren’t sure where to start, have your resume critiqued by a certified professional resume writer. Make the recommended changes yourself, or, hire the service to ensure that you’re getting the best documents you can to market your skills. Yes…this is an investment, but you’re investing in your future.

Social Media Activity

Today’s job seekers must have a presence on social media. As soon as someone hears your name, the curiosity sets in and a search will commence. Will you be found? Google yourself. What shows up? Clean up your social media profiles-both professional and personal. Be sure that your professional profiles clearly communicate your skill, experience, education, and value you can offer potential employers.  If you’re on Facebook, beef up your privacy settings. Don’t let strangers see your activity or allow your friends to tag you in photos or post onto your page. For other sites like Instagram and Twitter, keep your settings on private so that you have to approve any new followers.

Create a profile on LinkedIn. This is the most popular professional networking site and a great place for recruiters and potential employers to find you. Be sure your profile is complete, brands you appropriately, is free of typos, and is filled with industry-specific keywords and keyword phrases that will get you found during SEO searches. Your profile photos should not be from your college fraternity days. A clear headshot with a clean background works best. Join groups and network within those groups. NOTE: Don’t comment on posts or in chats where you have no clue what you’re talking about.

Job Search 101

Before you go down the “why me” path, you need to take a long look in the mirror and ask these questions…

  • What am I doing to find a job?
  • How much time and effort am I devoting to my job search?
  • What types of networking opportunities am I taking advantage of?

Asking these questions will help you to determine what you aren’t doing well, and how you can do things better. Are you only searching for job posts on one or two sites? Are you targeting individual companies, and if so, are you applying for jobs directly on their site? What about networking? Are you engaging in conversations on social media sites, or even attending job fairs? In today’s competitive job market, you need to be diligent in exploring as many paths as possible to find your next job.

The Interview

Your resume and networking strategies paid off- you scored an interview! How you look, speak, and act during the interview can and probably will, make the difference between getting an offer, or a “we went with another candidate” letter.

To prepare, study the company culture, including the position you’re interviewing for. Understand what the company does, who they deal with, and what expectations they have for your position. If you have a contact in the company, seek him out and ask a few questions so that you can dress appropriately, as well as can speak the company language during your interview.

Get your marketing tools ready. Have multiple copies of your resume ready to present to the interview committee, as well as copies of any credentials you may need for the job.  Practice answers to common interview questions, and be sure you have solid details to back your answers.

Before your interview date, map out your drive and ensure that you allow for rush hour traffic, trains, construction, etc.  Being late for an interview is never acceptable and shows irresponsibility and lack of potential right from the get-go.  When you arrive, greet the receptionist with a smile and a firm handshake.

During the interview, listen carefully to all questions before you answer. If you get a “stumper” (and you will), don’t get flustered! Take a deep breath and think before you answer. Be able to have concrete details of why you are the best candidate for the job, and speak to the credentials on your resume to reiterate your most important qualifications and achievements.

Follow up with a thank you note addressed directly to the person(s) you interviewed with. Even if you feel the interview didn’t go as well as you had hoped, you’re always leaving a good final impression when you send a thank you.

Searching for a job isn’t easy, but it doesn’t have to be hard, either. Listen to colleagues, career coaches, and HR friends-find out what did/did not work for them and see what you can incorporate into your job search strategy. Having a solid job search strategy, putting in time and effort, and networking within your industry will set you right on your way to that new job, and hopefully a great new career.

How Executive Resume Targeting Works

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You can rely on an executive resume writing service - such as Professional Resume Services - to help you craft the most effective resume.

Every company has different positions within each organization. The job duties of those positions can vary from company to company, so you have to be specific as to what job you’re looking for on your resume. A marketing director at a small firm may have multiple job duties, while a marketing director at a large corporation might only be in charge of one aspect. That’s why targeting your executive resume is critical to get the job you want, and the guidance from an executive resume writing service may be essential. Here are some tips on how you can target your executive resume.

Know What You Want

If you try to be general in your resume and make it seem like you’re the jack-of-all-trades, you probably won’t get much recognition. Executive resume targeting means you need to show you have one particular skill mastered and are seeking a job requiring those skills. When you’re as specific as possible, you are more likely to receive responses from companies regarding the exact position you’re looking for. The best professional executive resume writers are crafty when it comes to being specific to the job description and using the appropriate keywords to help get you recognized.

Differentiate Large and Small Companies

Some people want to work for a large corporation, but some want to start at the ground floor. Whichever you prefer, it needs to be clear and evident in your executive resume. Make it known you want to use your skills to help a start-up company grow into a larger business, and are willing to wear multiple hats to get it done. Alternatively, you could say your skills are a better fit for a large corporation where you sit behind your desk all day and make the current operations run more smoothly behind the scenes. Some of the top rated resume writing services will help you target the ideal fit for you, as long as you are clear with them regarding what you want.

Lay Out Your Criteria

Sometimes the best thing applicants can do is to be specific about what they want in a job. However, when you include a section like this, you have to be very careful. If you are overly specific, you might significantly narrow the amount of potential responses you get. You could talk about the work environment you prefer, the size of the company, how you like to interact with co-workers and clients, the type of management style you like and so on. There’s a fine line between being specific about your criteria and being demanding. If you’re having a hard time differentiating the two, then you may benefit from the assistance of an executive resume writing service.
Targeting your executive resume could be the difference between getting the exact job you want or just settling for whatever is offered to you. Feel free to contact us if you need any assistance or guidance when you’re working on targeting your executive resume.

How to Create a Software Engineering Resume That Will Get You Hired

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Writing an effective resume is easy with these tips and Professional Resume Services.

As you probably already know, software engineering jobs are in demand, but there is also a pretty saturated talent pool. The competition is so strong, you may think you have the best resume, but one minor mistake could get yours thrown out of the pool and you’ll never know it. There isn’t one specific key to writing an effective resume to get you hired in the software engineering industry, but there are some steps you can take to give yourself the best chance at landing the job you want. Here are some things to consider when constructing your resume.

1. Highlight Your Website or Blog

We aren’t just talking about social media accounts here. If you want to be a software engineer, but don’t have your own personal website, it’s time to get one immediately. Even the best resume writing service won’t be able to highlight your attributes if they don’t have something tangible to point to. This is one of the best ways to showcase your talents and abilities and let your work speak for itself.

2. Don’t Be Generic

You don’t have to create an entirely new resume for every job you apply for, but you do need to at least tailor it to the specific position. When writing an effective resume, you need to make the employer see that you know what the position entails. If the job description asks for qualifications with documentation, systems analysis, data usage, product specifications, work processes, etc., detail clearly in your resume how you have done that. If it asks for special skills like liaising with, or training users, show how you’ve worked with users in previous roles. Follow the job description for clues as to what needs to be a priority on your resume.

3. Craft a Good Cover Letter

Some of the best cover letters are short, sweet and to the point. No recruiter is going to spend time reading a cover letter extending any longer than a few short paragraphs. A cover letter writing service can help you pinpoint what needs to be written in the letter to ensure you catch the reader’s attention. If you don’t have a good cover letter, there’s a chance your resume won’t even be seen.

4. Use Proper Keywords

Many recruiters will scan your resume and cover letter for keywords related to the open position. If you don’t have any present in your resume, it will likely get pushed to the side or trashed. Keywords can be difficult to identify, but they are critical to include. Again, use the job description to help you find the keywords. Consider hiring one of the best resume writing services if you struggle with the keywords. You definitely don’t want missing keywords to be the reason why you don’t get a shot at the job you want.
We know creating the perfect resume can be difficult, so if you have any questions along the way, feel free to get in touch with us at any point in the process!

Want to Know How to Knock Your Finance Resume out of the Park?

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You can rely on Professional Resume Services to help you compose your executive bio!

In today’s increasingly digitized world, the resume is becoming more important than ever before. Your resume is one of the first ways potential employers get to know you, after all, which means it needs to be as polished as possible in order to make a good impression. However, crafting an excellent resume can be tricky, even if (or perhaps especially if) you have a lot of experience under your belt. If this is the case, let us offer you a few tips on how to achieve the best executive resume format and really “wow” your potential and future employers!

Research the Best Keywords

You’ve likely noticed how rapidly keywords are growing in significance in the business world. It turns out keywords are just as important to personal marketing as it is to commercial marketing. But just what are the best keywords to use?
Specific job titles are a great place to start. Use any and every high ranking position you’ve held in the past on your resume to help catch an employer’s eye. This is one of the easiest and best ways to display your credentials. Additionally, anything you frequently performed or used on the average work day, from PC programs to basic duties, are fair game. You’ll also want to give employers a clear image of what your previous positions entailed and what they can expect from you if you’re hired. The idea is to be very detailed since you don’t know what keywords will prompt a prospective employer to look at your resume.

Have a Point

There are very few instances where people like rambling. Don’t lose sight of the point of your resume as you write. While this may sound obvious, it is very easy to get lost in the slew of details you’ll need to include and forget to get to the heart of the matter. The most important goal of your executive bio is to get hired for the job you want. Showcase who you are and what you can do for the company you want to work for by listing your skills and strengths with relevance to the company’s needs. Before you even start on your resume, we recommend scoping out the industry so you can fine-tune your expectations and objectives.

Be Brief

You want to detail your expertise on a point-by-point basis. Being concise will automatically score you points with an employer because this shows you understand and respect that they have one minute—at the most—to review your resume. This will also help them to understand more about you as a professional in that amount of time.
You can accomplish this by writing out a summarizing paragraph on your resume’s first page. If you need help properly paring down your credentials down to a short paragraph, you can turn to a cover letter writing service for help.

Why Do I Need Executive Personal Branding?

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c-level personal branding

c-level personal brandingAs a senior level professional, you’ve almost certainly heard of personal branding. Implementing it into your professional life, however, is a very different story. The idea of establishing and maintaining a personal brand is very new after all, having arrived on the coat tails of the Internet and the rest of today’s technology. If you’ve spent a considerable amount of time assuming c-level personal branding isn’t worth your time, you may want to reconsider! This is a very important aspect of your professional career, for a few significant reasons.

Personal Branding Sets You Apart

While this line sounds cliché, it is very much the truth. Consider these questions:

  • How do you stack up against your competitors?
  • Would your degree(s) be enough to convince companies to hire you instead of someone else?

Thousands of other people hold the exact same academic achievements as you. Plus, the longer you’ve been out of school, the less your academic career matters. It’s the sad reality that many people face.

Rather than focusing on this, look back on the other accomplishments you’ve earned within your field. Think about who you are as a executive and a person. Personal branding for senior level managers involves getting to the meat of these two concepts. It involves presenting your positive qualities and expertise in a way that appeals much more readily to those in charge of hiring you.

You’ll Experience a Quality Jump with Your Job Search

Naturally, focusing on your skills and personal talents boosts your own self image. This means you will become far less likely to settle for just any position that matches your skill set. You will gradually start to approach your job search in a different way as your personal brand gains more and more attention. Once this happens, it will enable you to think about what you really want from a company and what conditions you are not willing to deal with.
As a result, you will start to push forward with your professional life and only accept those who meet your newfound standards. If the idea of constant professional growth appeals to you, then you’ll want to put together your personal brand as soon as possible.

Your Personal Brand Gains You More Benefits and Professional Success

Simply put, a personal brand boosts your chances of being hired. It creates a clear picture of your strengths and what you can offer a company, which will appeal quickly to employers. If you’re currently struggling with your job search, a personal brand may help you finally find the position you’ve been so diligently seeking in ways you could never have anticipated!

Five Truths About Executive Job Hunting in 2016

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Succeed in your job hunt with the help of the best resume writing service.

The best resume writing service can help you succeed in your job hunt.


Much like the rest of the world, the ways we look for and find jobs is rapidly changing thanks to the advent of technology. In the face of all of these changes, from smartphones to social media, all business people can do is try and keep up with it all. The same goes for anyone on the hunt for a new job position, especially at an executive level. Consulting executive resume writing services to figure out how to approach this new career climate is one way to go about it. We can help you learn how to stay afloat in this new job hunting environment. Here is a guide toward how things have changed and what you can do to adjust your search methods appropriately.

Ditch the Job Board

They aren’t nearly as effective as they used to be! The same goes for recruiting services. While these two methods are the most commonly used by unemployed or transitioning executives, they rarely land you a job in an efficient amount of time. In fact, research states executives find new positions through recruiters and/or job boards at an alarmingly low rate of below 20 percent. You are better off utilizing other methods within your job search to find success, such as networking.

Tweak Your Resume Sooner Rather Than Later

Social media has transformed how resumes are constructed in many ways. You’ll have to learn how resumes have morphed in this decade and change yours to match, especially if it’s been decades since you last looked for a job. If you have the option, team up with the best resume writing service you can find for help with how to edit your resume into something that aligns more closely with what today’s hiring agents are looking for.

Utilize Social Media

Social media is rapidly becoming more important than ever. If you haven’t caught onto it and created a Facebook account, LinkedIn account or anything similar, now is the time! Individuals and businesses alike are beginning to rely heavily on social media to communicate with each other. If nothing else, it will serve as a valuable tool for networking with other people in your industry, which will prove invaluable to your job search! Likewise, those with the heaviest bearing on whether you’ll be able to land the job will use social media and the rest of your online presence to learn more about you and whether you’re suitable for the position.

Keep Your Brand in Mind

If you’re a professional, you will more than likely have a brand that is more than worth maintaining. If you fail to do this, you could be missing out on some great job opportunities and risking prolonging your job search.

Be Honest and Open

Pride and stubbornness will do you no favors when it comes to your job search. Always be 100 percent open about what happened with your last position and your current skill set when you interview. Furthermore, although the job search climate has changed, don’t feel afraid to adapt or believe you’ll never be able to catch up!

The Best Ways to Tweak Your Resume to Match a Position

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Tweak your resume with the help of professional executive resume writers.

Professional executive resume writers can help you tweak your resume.


Hidden inside every job listing is key information about the position. There are some useful points in a job posting you can use when writing a professional resume and cover letter. In fact, you can use the information the company provides to make resumes that get you hired by matching it up with precisely what they are looking for. Here are some tips for tweaking your resume to match the position you are trying to obtain.

Match Your Skills to What They Are Looking For

You’ll find most professional job listings to be inclusive of all the skills needed to perform the job properly. First of all, remember you most likely don’t need to have mastered all of the skills they are seeking. Don’t disqualify yourself if you don’t have all of the ones listed. Think about your skills versus the ones they are looking for and ask yourself these questions:

  • Do I have most of the hard and soft skills mentioned?
  • Do you have the experience or knowledge needed to do the job?
  • What is your success rate and experience with the skills in the past?
  • What other complementary skills do you possess?

Many skills can fall under broader categories so you can compare your present skills and level of experience to what the company needs. When you are writing a professional resume, include the skills related to what is listed, as well as your skills sets and experiences that are complementary to what they are looking for.

Match Your Characteristics with Their Job Description

Many times a job posting will contain attributes they would like to see in a candidate. They may use words like self-starter, ambitious, team player or organized. As you are reading the job description, think about the characteristics they listed and which ones may be applicable for you. Can you think of examples in your work history that are demonstrations of these specific attributes? The point is to make a connection with the company between what they want and what you have to offer. Use the attributes from the job listing on your cover letter and resume, if applicable.

Match Specific “Buzz” Words with Their Listing

Watch for words you see over and over in the job listing. These might be skills or other keywords they use. For instance, do they consider themselves a business? An organization? A company? Make sure you or your professional executive resume writers use these terms when drawing up a resume and cover letter. Resumes that get you hired will have the same tone and terminology the hiring agent uses in their descriptions of the job and qualifications they provide. You can learn a lot about the company by the tone they use in the description and you’ll get a sense of being a good fit for the position. Using the same language they use will demonstrate to them you are the perfect match.
Whether you are writing your own or hiring professional executive resume writers, it’s beneficial to know how to use your resume to show how well you match the position.