Many people include thought leadership as an attribute on their executive resume, but employers will quickly expose them if it’s not true. Any executive who embraces thought leadership will show evident qualities in their work habits, thoughts and other skills. If you believe you have these characteristics, the best executive resume writing services can help you incorporate them into your resume to help you get noticed. Here are some ways thought leadership can be tied to your c-level job search.
Thought Leadership is Creative Innovation
It’s important to understand thought leadership has nothing to do with experience, expertise or knowledge in any subject area. Instead, it’s how you look at different facts and come up with innovative ideas. This could be from a product or productivity standpoint, or it could simply be leading people. The creativity is exactly what executive resume services want to see from c-level executives, since it will be much easier to craft a solid resume and lead to a potentially great job.
How Thought Leadership Applies to Executives
Since c-level executives are seen as leaders in an organization, thought leadership applies to them more than most other employees. As a thought leader, you have to get ideas from different sources, gather all the facts, think about them creatively and come up with innovative ideas for applying them to the marketplace.
When a leader of an organization possesses these qualities, they will be looked upon much differently and will have higher chances of success in the executive position. It’s important to also note these qualities don’t come overnight, and some executives don’t spend nearly as much time as they should practicing thought leadership. However, with a little drive and determination, the best executives can acquire the skill.
Connecting Your Job Search With Thought Leadership
Even the best executive resume writer will need some examples of times when you displayed thought leadership. If you have multiple examples, they can be incorporated creatively in your resume where they will get the attention of a potential recruiter. The hiring manager will undoubtedly ask you about your thought leadership skills in an interview, so be prepared to go in depth about your experience and how it helped your previous company succeed. Professional Resume Services is one of the best executive resume writing services for people displaying different levels of thought leadership. We enjoy working with these executives, so feel free to contact us at any time if you need help connecting your job search with your thought leadership skills.
Don’t Forget to Add These Soft Skills to Your Executive Resume!
There was a time when soft skills were considered resume filler—something to make the resume look longer, but not bringing any value to it — fluff. Times have changed, and companies actually use different soft skills as parameters to weed through the abundance of resumes they get. However, there is still a balance to using your soft skills to your advantage in your executive bio or resume. Here are some of the most common soft skills to add to your executive resume.
Organizational Skills
Every company likes an organized person. This is the most commonly used soft skill on an executive resume cover letter because most people believe they are organized. The reality is this soft skill needs to be on your resume, because most companies will include it in their job requirements.
Team Player
This is a good example of a soft skill where you can give real experiences to demonstrate. Talk about times where you had to give up something that benefited you to help the team as a whole. No one wants to hire a selfish executive, so make sure your executive bio clearly demonstrates how you have been a team player at your past jobs.
Great Communication Skills
The best executive resume writing services will always highlight the importance of good communication skills. At an executive level, you will have to talk to people within and outside your organization, so you have to represent the company with class. This is another soft skill you can highlight with real examples. Talk about different meetings, interviews or speeches you’ve given in the past to show how great of a communicator you are.
Find A Balance of Soft Skills and Hard Skills to Incorporate
No matter which soft skills you decide to incorporate in your executive bio, you have to find the right balance between them and your hard skills. These three soft skills are good complements to the hard skills you list on your executive resume or cover letter, so be sure to use them to your advantage. The key to incorporating the right soft skills into your executive resume is to read different job descriptions closely to see which ones they are looking for. If you aren’t sure which soft skills you need to highlight, or if you’re having a hard time finding a good balance of hard versus soft skills, feel free to contact us.
Our Top Four Picks for the Best New Year’s Resolutions for Executive Job Hunters
Did you know that more than 100 million people in America make New Year’s resolutions each year? If one of your top resolutions is to find a job that fits your skills and abilities, then you need to take steps to improve your chances of being hired. Finding a job is no small feat, especially in the executive sector where the process to get hired is more cutthroat than ever before. While your initial thought may be to hire the best executive resume writing services, there are a few other tips that can help along the way, as well.
1. Clearly define the job you want
It isn’t good enough to just state you want a new job. The more specific you get, the better results you are going to see. If you know what company you want to work for, write that down, too. Make sure you are realistic. Not everyone can move into the top executive position at a Fortune 500 company straight from the job market. The more specific and realistic you are, the better chance you have of achieving your resolution.
2. Create actionable steps
There are many reasons why resolutions fail. A common theme, however, is you don’t take the necessary actions to accomplish the goals you have set. You have to make it happen. Do you want a position as a Vice President of Sales at a large retail chain? If so, outline the steps you can take to achieve this goal. For example:
List the business options you are interested in.
Use LinkedIn to post your resume after using executive resume services.
Attend networking events where these companies are present.
Learn who the decision makers are at the organizations.
Tailor your actionable skills to meet your specific job hunt goals.
3. Revamp your resume
A resume is the first impression an HR manager receives of a candidate. If yours isn’t up to the company’s standards, then it may be time to revamp it. If you don’t have the time or ability to do this yourself, consider using the services of the best executive resume writing services. Not only can these services help you update your resume, but they provide other services, as well. For example, many resume companies also offer a cover letter writing service.
4. Consider using a recruiter
Being noticed in a saturated job market is getting more and more difficult. Regardless of your degree, experience and ability, there is always someone else out there who may be a bit more impressive. With the help of a recruiter, you can find the jobs suiting the goals you outlined as part of your New Year’s resolution. Getting a job isn’t hard. Landing the job you really want, especially at the executive level, can be a challenge. With the tips here, you are on your way to getting a job that challenges you, while letting you show off your abilities and skills. If you would like more information about resume writing services, or getting the job you want this year, contact us today.
Three Things That Make Your Resume Skippable Instead of Successful
Putting together an executive bio can be tough work, especially if it’s been a long while since you’ve hunted for a new position. The job market and its requirements are constantly shifting, so much so that what would have been fine to include on a resume years back is considered far less passable today. Regardless of how long it’s been since you’ve been on the hunt for a job, there’s a variety of things you need to watch out for when crafting your executive resume that often go unnoticed. Below we’ve gathered a list of items you should exclude the next time you update your resume.
Subpar Formatting
This is one of the primary elements that can make or break your resume. Potential employers have so many candidates to sort through they only have a few seconds to spare per resume. Make yours count by keeping it as readable as possible. If your resume is too difficult to decipher, it will automatically be passed over in favor of someone else. This is the absolute last thing you want to happen during your job hunt. Luckily, this problem can be easily fixed.
We first recommend saving your resume as a file type that can be easily opened by any computer. PDF files are often the safest bet because every computer comes with a PDF reader and your document is sure to remain uniform across all of them.
Make sure your information is listed in a way that’s easy to read. Bullets are a great option. Additionally, it’s okay to go over one page. Executive resumes can include as many as three pages of relevant information with no detriments.
Unprofessionalism
While there have been some well-received unorthodox resumes, such as those put together by talented graphic design employees, it’s generally not a good idea to add extra touches to your resume unless you’re in a field where skillful design is appreciated. If you have to include a graphic, such as a picture of yourself, we suggest providing a link to your profile on LinkedIn, where your information will still be presented in a professional format.
Go Into Detail
Being vague does you no favors, especially when it comes to listing your skills. If you’re going to talk about particular talents or industries you have major experience with, be sure to go into the specifics of them. For instance, if you’re part of the graphic design industry, you could say you’re proficient with Adobe Illustrator or InDesign as opposed to phrasing it as “graphic design programs.” At the same time, you don’t want to load your resume with buzzwords. Balance is key.
In addition to these three pointers, there are other, more subtle nuances to crafting a great resume. If you find you need more help, there’s no shame in looking up the best executive resume writing services near you to request professional advice. They can assist you with far more than just your resume. Many executive resume businesses also offer assistance with cover letters for resumes and much more.
Building resumes that get you hired can feel like an insurmountable task. It can be difficult to determine which information is essential and what is better left unsaid. Below are some resume “don’ts”: Objective
If you look at resume examples for lower level jobs, you will see an objective line at the top that details the goals of the individual. When it comes to executive level resumes, however, this section is unnecessary. Applying for the job indicates your goal. Instead, consider writing an executive summary that succinctly details your achievements. Too Many Details
In the case of resumes, less is often more. You don’t need to list every employer you’ve had since your first job. Instead, focus on only the jobs that lend skills for the job in question. Consider focusing on one or two areas in which you have made the biggest impact in your career. Personal Information Professional executive resume writers emphasize leaving out the personal details of your life. Your resume is not the place to list your age, personal interests, relationship status, hobbies, school GPA or other details considered personal. This includes providing a photo. You want to make the first impression in person. Your References
If you’re used to putting your references in your resume or even including the phrase, “references available upon request,” reconsider it. If the company you are interviewing with wants to talk to references, they will ask for them without prompting. An Unprofessional Email Address
One of the best parts of a personal email address is you can let your creativity shine. However, it’s best to make sure the email address you include in the contact information on your resume is professional. Instead of using your cutesy personal email address, set up a special account for your job hunt that includes your first name, last name, initials or a combination of these. Current Employer Information
When you’re dealing with executive-level positions, you don’t want to be contacted at work when you’re looking for a new position. For this reason, it’s best to leave off contact information related to your current job. Likewise, it’s best to forgo listing salary information on your resume. Your goal is to promote your skills, not your monetary worth.
The best executive writing services can help you re-evaluate your resume and eliminate the unnecessary information that could cost you the positions for which you’ve applied. Learning how to create resumes that get you hired will be an invaluable tool as you make your way up the corporate ladder.
If you’re looking for professional executive resume writers to help you polish your C-level resume, contact us. We can help you start from the beginning to develop an attractive, yet concise resume, including why you would be an asset to an employer. We can also evaluate your current resume and eliminate the unnecessary details causing more harm than good as you seek the ideal career path.
