The New Playbook for Executive Hiring: How Companies Are Finding Their Next Leaders

Executive Recruitment Has Been Completely Transformed
Long gone are the days when a CEO search consisted of a few rounds of calling up the right contacts. The search process has been transformed in recent years, becoming much more data-oriented and focused on strategic planning. Most importantly, today’s candidates are aware of their worth and don’t settle for suboptimal positions.

Planning Ahead: Avoiding Leadership Vacancies Through Search Firms
Another crucial trend is that companies are taking a proactive approach to executive recruitment. Instead of rushing to fill in a position as soon as a vacancy arises, companies work with executive search partners to create leadership pipelines for the future. (TriSource Staffing)
Planning ahead is necessary because there’s too much to lose due to a lack of proper succession planning and leadership continuity.

External Candidates Are More Attractive Than Ever
Traditionally, most companies preferred promoting their internal employees to higher positions. However, the trend has changed in recent years. For the first time in more than two decades, nearly half of all the CEOs in Fortune 1500 companies are appointed from outside the ranks. Warnerscott
The reason why external hires are so popular today is that they bring new perspectives and ideas to the table. For example, when Intel decided to hire former VMware CEO Pat Gelsinger, it initiated a major shift both culturally and strategically for the company. The lesson here is that outside blood brings fresh energy.

–Key statistics: Global vacancies for white-collar jobs increased by roughly 18% year-over-year, with notable growth in the sectors of Technology, Media & Telecom (+28% YoY) and Financial Services (+21% YoY in the United States), according to the Robert Walters Global Jobs Index. (Source: Robert Walters Global Jobs Index, September 2025- Hager Executive Search)
–However, hiring is done intentionally: New postings for white-collar positions dropped by 12.7% from the first quarter of 2024 to the same quarter of 2025, with data suggesting the shift from volume hiring to value hiring. (Source: Revelio Labs, 2025- Hager Executive Search)

The Right Cultural Fit Is Critical for Recruitment
Technical qualifications certainly matter, but they’re no longer the most important factor during the executive search process. Finding the cultural fit is now crucial, since hiring the wrong person, even with all the necessary qualifications, might be disastrous for the company. (TriSource Staffing)
Culture and leadership style are now two of the most sought-after qualifications. (Hunt Scanlon Media)

-Recruiters perform cultural assessment along with competency interviews
-Qualification gaps may be acceptable if candidates fit the company’s values
-Finding the wrong leader means losing money in the long run

(Sources: Hunt Scanlon Media, 2025)

AI-Powered Recruiting Is Becoming the Norm
New technologies allow recruiters to assess candidates efficiently and quickly, making data-driven recruiting decisions possible. Moreover, AI allows companies to predict the performance of candidates and assess whether or not they would make the right long-term investment. (JRG Partners LLC)

Artificial intelligence is changing the recruiting landscape, from helping recruiters map out the skills of candidates to identifying potential mismatches before the offer letter is issued. While AI helps with analysis and decision-making, humans should always be involved in executive searches. (McCarthy Recruitment)

-Artificial intelligence helps with candidate assessment and ranking
-Recruiters use predictive analytics to forecast long-term success
-Hiring decisions are ultimately made by human agents

(Sources: JRG Partners, 2025; McCarthy Recruitment, 2025)

Soft Skills Trump Academic Records and Job Titles
While some people still emphasize the importance of having a degree, most executives today have to prove that they possess critical leadership abilities, are flexible and able to handle unexpected situations, and have a broad vision for the future of the organization. JRG Partners LLC
Executive qualification standards have drastically changed, and while technical expertise is still useful, it’s no longer sufficient. To be qualified for a C-suite position, applicants have to prove their capabilities and show that they know what to do in case of changes. (ace talent curators)

The most relevant capabilities include:

-Ability to lead digital transformations
-Familiarity with AI and automation tools
-Experience managing supply chains and related risks
-Expertise in multiple sectors and functions

(Sources: JRG Partners, 2025; ACE Talent Curators, 2025)

Fractional Executives Are Gaining Popularity
Fractional executives or consultants working as executive-level employees have gained popularity in recent years. I interviewed a Fractional COO on my podcast Office Latte, and she explained that many startups and mid-market companies hire experienced C-suite professionals only when they need them.
The most effective way to develop the leadership potential of employees is to create a dynamic leadership team of part-time and full-time executives and consultants. (ace talent curators)

-Fractional executive allows accessing top talent efficiently
-Fractional executives can help navigate business transformations
-The rise of fractional executives in growth and PE-backed companies

(Sources: Warner Scott, 2025; ACE Talent Curators, 2025, )

Compensation Focuses on Long-Term Incentives
Base salaries aren’t the primary factor anymore, and most of the time, they play a minor role in attracting and retaining top executives. On the contrary, compensation programs of companies today include multiple elements such as equity packages and multi-year performance scorecards. The SR Group
Executives today are increasingly interested in equity compensation plans, and they prefer companies with clear growth plans to those without them. (Tech Nation)

-Multi-year scorecard-based compensation is becoming more popular
-More focus on long-term performance scorecards and pay packages
-Clawbacks become more popular to secure executive performance

(Sources: The SR Group, 2026; Tech Nation / Founders Keepers, 2025)

Diversity Matters to Boards and Executives Alike
Diversity, equity, and inclusion have moved from being buzzwords into key aspects of any corporate culture today. Increasingly often, companies are asking for shortlists with diversity in mind. (McCarthy Recruitment)
Diversity and inclusiveness are now crucial for executive search. Companies are not just talking about diversity and inclusiveness in theory but are trying to hire representatives of minority groups. Warnerscott

-Shortlists have to include minorities to satisfy the demands of the board
-Companies are implementing strategies to source executives from underrepresented groups

(Sources: McCarthy Recruitment, 2025; Warnerscott, 2025)

Executive Candidate Expectations
There’s another trend that’s frequently overlooked, a major shift in the power balance between employers and prospective executives. Now, it’s the applicants who evaluate employers as much as they evaluate candidates. (Hunt Scanlon Media)
These days, the best leaders are approached constantly by different companies that are willing to hire them. These executives are not focused on compensation but are evaluating each opportunity’s cultural and strategic aspects. (JRG Partners LLC)

Top priorities of executive applicants:
-Work-life balance
-Flexibility of the job
-Mission and values of the company
-Meaningful impact on the business

(Sources: Hunt Scanlon Media, 2025; JRG Partners, 2025)

In Summary…
The executive hiring process in 2026 has turned into a strategic discipline where companies rely on data and proactive planning, artificial intelligence, and culture to help with hiring decisions.

The Executive Resume Test: Would You Hire You?

Executive Resumes

Let’s do a quick exercise.

Pretend you’re on the other side of the table. You’re not the candidate—you’re the CEO, a board member, or a retained search partner hired to fill a critical executive role. You have a stack of resumes in front of you. Time is short. Expectations are sky-high.

You open your own resume.

Be honest—would you hire you?

If your answer isn’t a confident “Absolutely,” then your resume has a problem. And in today’s competitive executive landscape, that problem could be costing you serious opportunities.

Why This Test Matters More Than Ever

Executive hiring is unlike any other level. It’s not about checking boxes on a job description—it’s about identifying transformational leaders who can drive vision, strategy, and change.

Recruiters and decision-makers aren’t just looking for experience. They’re looking for:

-Pattern recognition of success
-Business outcomes
-Strategic thinking
-Cultural fit

And, increasingly, executive presence—on paper, on LinkedIn, and in the room

Your resume is your proxy. It goes places before you do. It speaks for you in boardrooms you haven’t entered yet. If it doesn’t instantly convey value, it’s getting passed over for one that does.

Why Most Executive Resumes Fail This Test

Here’s the hard truth: many executive resumes read like mid-level job descriptions dressed up in buzzwords. They list duties instead of results. They speak in clichés instead of strategy. And worst of all, they bury the good stuff.

If your resume sounds like this, you’re not alone—but you’re also not standing out:

❌ Too focused on job duties

Saying you “led a team of 20” or “oversaw operations” is table stakes. That doesn’t tell anyone how you led, what changed under your leadership, or why it mattered.

❌ Overloaded with buzzwords

Words like “dynamic,” “results-driven,” and “proven track record” are empty if not backed by specifics. You need to demonstrate, not declare.

❌ No executive voice

A great executive resume speaks the language of business impact. If yours is full of task-level language or reads like an internal HR file, you’re signaling mid-level—not C-level.

**What a Strong Executive Resume Should Do**

Think of your resume as a pitch deck for your leadership brand. In the first few seconds, it should clearly answer three critical questions:

🔹 1. Why are you an asset at the executive level?

Your resume should reflect the scope and scale of your leadership:

– How big are the teams and budgets you’ve managed?
– What level of strategic decision-making have you been responsible for?
– How have you influenced company direction, growth, or transformation?

Hint: If your resume reads like a list of “responsible for” statements, it’s not showing any of this.

🔹 2. What kind of change do you lead?

Modern boards and leadership teams don’t just want someone to “keep the lights on.” They want leaders who create impact.

What problems do you solve? What legacy did you leave at your last role? Whether it’s digital transformation, culture change, or scaling a division from $20M to $100M, show it.

Your value lives in the change you create.

🔹 3. What results do you consistently deliver?

Data is your friend. Wherever possible, quantify your wins:

Revenue growth in dollar or percentage terms
Operational cost reductions
Customer satisfaction improvements
Market share expansion
Employee engagement increases

If you can tie your leadership to specific, measurable outcomes, you immediately stand out.

Your Resume Should Be a Strategic Tool, Not Just a Record

Most executives come to me with resumes that are essentially career timelines. That’s fine—for HR systems. But your goal isn’t to get logged in an ATS. It’s to get noticed, remembered, and called.

A powerful executive resume is:

Branded: It reflects your unique leadership identity and narrative.
Tailored: It speaks to the types of roles and organizations you’re targeting.
Strategic: It shows thought leadership and value creation, not just career progression.

Executive Resume Examples: Weak vs. Strong

Let’s look at a before-and-after example:

🔻 Weak:

“Led cross-functional team to manage new product rollout.”

✅ Strong:

“Directed 30-person cross-functional team to launch a SaaS product that generated $12M in ARR within its first year—beating launch KPIs by 40% and expanding market share in EMEA by 12%.”

Notice the difference? The second example gives scale, action, results, and strategic value.

Don’t Confuse Confidence with Ego

Many executives are hesitant to “brag” on their resumes. But here’s the reality:

It’s not bragging. It’s branding.

You’re not just writing about what you did. You’re making the case for why you should be hired to lead again.

Remember: no one gets hired for being humble on paper. You can be a servant leader and still communicate your impact with clarity and power.

So… Would You Hire You?

If you’re even slightly unsure, it’s worth a second look. Or a rewrite.

A strong executive resume:

-Gets passed around internally

-Opens doors to hidden roles

-Gives recruiters something they can sell

-Reinforces your leadership brand across LinkedIn, bios, and interviews

💼 You’ve done the hard part—leading.
Now it’s time for your resume to reflect that.

Ready to Pass the Test? Let’s Make It Happen

We specialize in writing resumes that get executive candidates noticed—for the right reasons. If your resume doesn’t tell your story the way it should, let’s fix that.

✅ Branded.
✅ Executive-level.
✅ Designed to open doors you didn’t even know existed.

📩 Call now. 810-664-1933 or
send us an email at: clientcare@professionalresumeservices.com

How To Avoid Ageism On Your Executive Resume

Resume Writing

Getting older is a part of life.

In some countries and cultures, aging is revered, and the wisdom gleaned from it is anticipated. Elders are looked upon as having answers to life’s questions and experiences that will benefit the next generation.

In the Western part of the world, not so much.

Ageism in the job market is something we all may encounter at some point in our careers. Creating an executive resume that counteracts that bias and showcases your vast experience is critical to continuing to be seen as a leader despite your age.

Let’s talk about that.

LOOKS MATTER

For starters, look at the format of your resume. Is it something that you created back in the 1990’s? An old resume format makes you look… outdated, not keeping up, ancient.

There are hundreds of websites with executive resume samples available to use. We also have done-for-you executive resume templates that you can use to instantly create a modern, stylized resume (shameless plug).

People do judge by looks and if your resume looks old and stale, they may make assumptions that your experience is old and stale as well.

DUMPING GROUND

Have you been adding your job responsibilities to your resume as you went along, with a laundry list of bullet points copied and pasted from job descriptions for the last 30-40 years?

Keep what serves you now and get rid of what doesn’t. If it’s a skill you haven’t used in the last 10-15 years, it doesn’t need to be in your Core Competencies list.

Focus on what you want the reader to know about you now.

EARLY CAREER SUMMARY

If you worked for a well-known company 25 years ago whose name alone will add to your experience, add it to your Early Career Summary.

An Early Career Summary is a great way to leave your information on the resume without it being an actual job, taking up space and looking like a long list of jobs in between. You would add this at the end of your Professional Experience section.

Example:

“Early Career Summary

Began career with Dell Technologies tasked with accountability for new business development and customer relations for direct and channel sales into enterprise accounts. Managed 5 of the top 10 revenue-generating customers in Israel. Consistently exceeded performance targets by an average of 30% annually. Earned 85%+ win rate in a market space dominated by NetApp.”

This is a clever way to keep some of your early experience on the resume without cluttering it with job after job. It is also a great way to minimize ageism (and boredom) on a resume.

LEAD WITH ACCOMPLISHMENTS

When doing a deep dive into an executive resume, I am usually surprised by the accomplishments that are hiding in plain sight.

If you don’t differentiate your daily responsibilities from your accomplishments, you are setting your resume up for failure. If a recruiter doesn’t see your highlights and impact immediately, they may decide not to read any further, especially if they have hundreds to go through.

Separate your accomplishments with a bullet so they stand out and grab the reader.

Example:

Rebuilt the HR team from the ground up, recruiting diverse talent from within and outside healthcare to help reimagine the partnership/service delivery model, establish credibility/trust with stakeholders, and solidify its value. Aligned HR priorities and initiatives with Giant Health’s overarching business strategy.

Or this:

Curated a roster of premium manufacturers, cultivating a robust portfolio of solutions to take to market. Primed SG&T for long-term success and sustainability by building deep, strategic relationships with the manufacturers’ C-level executives, establishing credibility and longevity in a sector reputed for high churn/turnover.

Showcasing your most recent high-level accomplishments on the first page will keep the reader’s attention to the present.

TECHNOLOGY & COMMUNICATION

A common misconception is that the older people get, the less they understand technology

Stay ahead of this by staying up-to-date with the technology used in your field. When in doubt, ask a colleague or younger person to teach you. They are always willing to step in and assist.

Use your executive LinkedIn profile as a place to enhance your thought leadership. Comment, like, post, and engage weekly. Recruiters look at your “activity” section to see what you are talking about.
Make sure to stretch your voice there. Comment on the company page and add to the conversation. Seek recommendations and endorsements that highlight your skills, experience, and adaptability.

Today’s workplace is more relaxed and less formal than it was 20-30 years ago. Be sure to adapt your language and communication as well.

ADDRESS AGEISM HEAD-ON (When Appropriate):

Frame your experience as an asset. Discuss proactively with them during interviews how your experience can add value. Stress that you have the potential to mentor younger teams, lead through transitions, and provide strategic insights from long careers.

Describe a time you adapted. Highlight examples where you’ve successfully adapted to change, whether it’s in technology, market shifts, or organizational restructuring.

By taking these steps and embracing your wealth of experience, you’ll minimize the potential for ageism to impact your job search.

///

Tired of trying to DIY your resume? Reach out. We’re happy to help!

Why Your Executive Resume Needs To Step Up Its Game This Year

Executive Resumes

It’s no secret the job market is a tough one for executives this year.

Strangely, in the U.S., our unemployment level is the lowest it’s been in decades, and there are more job openings (8.5 mm) than unemployed people (6.5 mm). The economy is doing well, and the risk of inflation is down. People are spending more, personal income has increased, and overall, our finances look favorable. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Americans are earning 22% more than before the pandemic.

You’d think we’d be high-fiving each other. So, why does it feel so much harder to get a job?

Turnover is decreasing

For one thing, employees are quitting less. Unlike the atmosphere after the pandemic when employees could have their job pick of the litter and quit at will, today’s employees are putting roots down and their focus is more on longevity. Job turnover is decreasing, and the number of open roles is decreasing as well. This makes the competition extra fierce.

Employers are more selective

There is also a longer hold time on hiring. According to Josh Bersin Research, the average time it took to hire someone rose from 40 days in 2019 to 44.5 in 2023. With cost-cutting measures in place, companies are more selective about who they hire. This means candidates go through many rounds of interviews before they are brought on board. I talked to one client who was on interview number 21—with the same company.

So, what should an executive job seeker do to set themselves apart from every other executive candidate looking at the same job?

Elevate your job search plan

The old way you searched for a job just won’t cut it anymore. Telling a few colleagues and then walking into the corner office or, at the very least, a larger-than-last-time cubicle isn’t as easy as it may have been in years past.

Now, you should have a strategic job search mapped out and should include:

A list of 10-15 companies you are interested in
A list of 20+ employees who work at those companies
An updated LinkedIn profile to reach out to the above employees from
At the ready content and intros to send to said new contacts
Allotted time to warm up those relationships until you are at the point where asking about open positions doesn’t seem spammy.

Take a good, hard look at your resume

When was the last time you looked at your resume with a critical eye? It’s not enough to just keep adding your newest role to the resume. Does your resume weave your career story throughout its content? Does it help the reader know where you started and how you got to where you are now?

Consider your steady progress through the years. Do you have your wins clearly listed, or are they buried in a list of non-important bullets?

Branding matters

When you look at your resume, specifically at the top, does your brand show up? Does it say what you do, or does it say something like “Executive Profile”?

The best executive resumes clearly state what you want to do at the top of your resume. Don’t make employers search the resume for your focus—because they won’t.

Strong strategic leaders should start their resumes with a branded headline.

Consider the following:

Human Resources Officer

CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER … CHIEF HUMAN CAPITAL OFFICER

Not only will the second one grab the reader’s attention, but it also explains what they specialize in, what they’ve done, and what they are capable of doing.

Identify your value and showcase it at the top. You are a thought leader. Show what your expertise is in.

Metrics and numbers for the win

As a strategic leader, your executive resume needs to be rich with metrics and results. Think of the projects you worked on, the sales you generated, the growth you gained, etc. –and always have numbers ready.

What project did you work on? What were the results?
How many people did you lead? What were their successes?
How did you and your team cut costs and/or save money?
How did you increase sales, even during turbulent times? (Think metrics AND the background story if there is one. Those are the most interesting)

Examples of resume metrics may include:

Raised gross profit by 4%, directing increased services demand across a broad range of verticals, with the healthcare, commerce, and residential markets each posting double-digit same-location YOY growth.
Expanded locations while maintaining a 94% location retention rate.
Drove $456 million in sales annually and built a pipeline of long-term recurring business with high-profile customers, enhancing company’s value such that it captured the attention of Johnson Technologies, which merged with Jones in a multibillion-dollar take-private transaction in May 2024.

However, many of our clients worry that their stories might not contain the metrics and numbers they need. If that is the case, we recommend leading with contributions that drove change within the company.

Examples of non-metric accomplishments may include:

Played an integral role alongside the CRO in transforming the enterprise risk management function into a highly valued strategic partner, embedding risk management into the organizational culture and positioning it at the forefront of TMX’s strategic planning and decision-making
Assisted in rebuilding ABC from the ground up; analyzed existing operations and risk frameworks/practices to gauge organizational perception and identify opportunities to elevate and enhance ABC’s value to the enterprise.
Improved the board’s capacity for effective risk management decision-making by establishing the board risk committee, governance, and reporting model.

Stepping Up Your Executive Resume This Year

In order for a company or recruiter to see the ROI they will get when they hire you, they have to see what you can do for them. That starts on your resume. Most won’t take the time to dig into your story if it isn’t compelling. This is why your executive resume needs to step up its game this year. The more enticing your resume looks, the better chance you have to win over the reader.

///

Tired of trying to DIY your resume or LI profile? Reach out. We’re happy to help!

What Should I Be Adding To My LinkedIn Profile?

Social Marketing/Online Branding

Ever wonder if you are putting the *right* information on your LinkedIn profile?

This is a common question I hear, “I don’t know if this or that should be on there” or “I wasn’t sure so I just downloaded/copy/pasted my whole resume to my profile.”

While you want to establish the information you add is relevant to your brand and impactful, you don’t want it to be a duplicate of your resume. They are meant to complement one another. You want your reader to see a little more of a human side to you as well. Think of the LinkedIn profile as the friendly, humanized version of your resume.

Here are some things to think about when building and adding to your profile:

☑️ Fill out all the sections. Don’t leave anything blank. Fill in the volunteer, certifications, languages, projects, honors, awards. You can add PowerPoints, photos, samples of your work (I have these on my profile) coursework, and things you have done in your career.

☑️ Add a profile photo AND a background cover photo (get rid of that blue LI background!). This makes it uniquely you. I love seeing customized background cover photos on LI profiles. They definitely add personality and/or help brand the client by having a photo of the company, service or product they represent.

☑️ Write a headliner that sizzles. Instead of “Account Executive”, write “Account Executive specializing in the development of groundbreaking sales and service strategies internationally”. Add a little zing to it. Get your reader interested. Some even call the headliner “prime real estate” meaning it’s a great place to add keywords and branding that help direct LinkedIn’s algorithms to your profile. Get as clear and focused as you can. Add buzzwords if you know what they are. Not sure? Find jobs that interest you and notice the same words listed over and over? Add them. Don’t neglect this section.

☑️ Create an About section that speaks to the reader. That section used to be more formal and many people wrote theirs like a biography–3rd person, boring, etc. These days, it’s all about the conversation. Get them interested in what you have to say. Write in first person. It’s OK to be a little more human here. People expect it—and love it. The About section should be engaging, interesting, and conversational. Think of it as if you are speaking to someone at a networking event. How would you speak? What would you say? You’d keep it professional but interesting, right? You want to tell a story about why you do this type of work and what makes it interesting. Be enthusiastic.

☑️ Add Content! Make sure to add descriptions of what you do at your job. Add your daily responsibilities as well as your accomplishments. This is where I see clients fall short. They add their company and job title but nothing else. LinkedIn rewards content. While you don’t want to copy and paste chunks from your resume, you also don’t want to leave critical information out. Rewrite those areas but make sure to add content to your roles. What were you most proud of accomplishing? What projects have you worked on that added value? What is interesting about where you work?
You can also add numbers and percentages. If you are hesitant about sharing exact figures, you can say, “increased revenue 87% in two years”. Adding numbers adds to your credibility and gives the reader a glimpse of what you have done.

☑️ Get a recommendation. A recommendation or two on your profile livens it up and gives you more credibility. What good do thousands of connections do for you if you don’t have one recommendation? It might feel awkward, but once you’ve asked it’s done and guess what? You’ll most likely get that recommendation!

☑️ Create an endorsements section. Complete the skills and endorsements section and pin the top 3 that related to your job hunt. Again, these are key with algorithms and recruiter searches as well.

When all of this is done, remember the key to a strong LinkedIn profile is engagement. The more you use LinkedIn, the more it rewards you by showing your profile in recruiter searches. Reach out, plan on getting on LinkedIn 10-15 minutes every other day and watch it go to work for you.

Is Your Executive Resume Interesting?

Resume WritingResumes

It happened…the call about the executive job of your dreams opening up just came through via your contact, and the HR Director wants to see your resume. You might be ready to take the next step in your career, but is your resume ready for an executive-level position? Submitting a bland, non-focused resume with boring content will do nothing but get you taken off of the “call for an interview” list.

Moving on from a middle management position to the c-suite is not for the faint of heart, and your resume needs to show that you have the experience, skills, ROI, and drive to do the job, and do it well. Writing your resume is not just including your career history and where you received your degree, it’s more about creating a document that tells the complete story of who you are, what you have achieved, how you achieved it, and the value you will provide at the next level…in a creative and exciting manner. Below are 5 quick tips that will help you to ensure that your updated resume effectively states “I’m ready for the c-suite and you need to hire me”…

Your format matters – People judge books by their covers! Start with an eye-catching format. While you don’t need to put so much color on your resume that it looks like the 4^th of July blew up on your piece of paper, a pop of color will appeal to the reader and help your document to stand out right from the get-go. A font style that is clean and business-like is just as important. Fancy scripts may look pretty, but they are difficult to read and you don’t want people having to work hard to read your text (and believe me, if they have to work hard, they aren’t going to read much past your name).

An exciting executive summary is a must – create a strong career summary that communicates what you have done in your career and the value you can provide at the next level. Include position and industry-specific keywords (not buzzwords…there is a difference!) that match your target position.

Highlight your biggest achievements – include a “Career Highlights” section to give a brief synopsis of your biggest accomplishments if you want. Hint: quantifiable achievements speak the loudest and make a stronger impact than just a bullet list of text. Graphs and charts tell a quick story as well!

Your career history needs to make a big impact in a small amount of time – if you are at an executive-level, it’s pretty safe to say that you have had quite a few years of employment under your belt. Focus on your most recent work experience, and don’t go back more than 15 years into your career history (you can summarize the earlier stuff). A chronological format is the easiest, most clean-cut way to do this. The exception – if your career goals/new job are unrelated to your current job…then you will want to use more of a function format to show that you DO still have the skills and experience for the job you’re trying to land.

Your education information is not as important as your career history – so move it to the end of your resume. Like your career history, degrees received 15+ years ago are probably not going to be as important to the hiring manager as your most recent career experience. Include your degrees and any relevant certifications, but remove the years. The degree is what is important, not when you received it, and announcing “I’m really old…” on your resume is probably not going to win points with the hiring manager. Minimize ageism by eliminating years if they go beyond fifteen. Wow them with your accomplishments and skillset instead.

If you are being recommended for that coveted c-suite position, be sure you have a resume that can back-up up the recommendation. Don’t embarrass yourself (or the friend that recommended you) by submitting a bland resume that does nothing to market you as the ideal candidate for the job. Instead, take the time to update your resume and maximize your chances of being the candidate whose next phone call is “we’d like to offer you the position”!

3 Things to Keep You Busy While You Wait for the Executive Job Interview Call

Job SearchResume Writing

Job searches can be stressful, time-consuming and frustrating, but they don’t have to be. It’s natural to think you’ll get a call for an interview right away when you send in your resume to a company. But even if you worked with the top rated resume writing services, there’s still a chance you won’t get the call as quickly as you had hoped. Instead of dwelling on it and thinking about where you may have gone wrong, use the downtime to your advantage. You never know what may happen, but keep yourself busy by doing these things.

See if Other Companies Match Your Interests

Every executive resume service will tell you to not put all of your eggs into one basket. While you should spend a significant amount of time researching a company before sending in your targeted resume, don’t stop there. Move on to the next company to see if your personality fits with their culture and if you have the skills they are looking for. Most people have a specific list of companies in mind that they want to work for, but may discover other opportunities in the meantime they didn’t expect.

Make A New LinkedIn Connection

You can also use your downtime to update your LinkedIn profile and come up with strategic ways to utilize the platform. Take some time to find executives from other companies of interest and reach out to them. There’s never any harm in introducing yourself and making a new connection. Just don’t go overboard by building your list of connections so large and not knowing half of them. Making connections through your LinkedIn profile can lead to various opportunities later on.

Thank Your Past and Current Mentors

Waiting for a job interview call is a good time to reflect on where you’ve been and look forward to where you want to be. An executive resume service may suggest reaching out to your past and current mentors to simply thank them for how they’ve helped shape your career. They will appreciate the gratitude more than you think, and you never know if they’ll be able to provide you with one last nugget to help you move forward.

Professional Resume Services is more than simply an executive resume service. We work with executives who are at different points in their careers and are pursuing different paths. Some executives we work with don’t have a LinkedIn profile, while others simply need to brush theirs up. No matter where you’re at in your career or what type of career advice you think you need, feel free to contact us at any time to see how we can help.

4 Ways to Avoid a Lengthy Executive Job Search

Executive ResumesSocial Marketing/Online Branding

Have you ever felt like you were spinning your wheels during your job search? You may be putting forth a lot of effort but not moving forward as quickly as you’d like. Sometimes it’s best to take a step back and evaluate your strategy and make some alterations as needed. If you need to, get advice from an executive resume service or a professional LinkedIn profile writer to help you jumpstart your searching efforts again. Here are a few great tips to help you speed up your job search.

Focus On Your Personal Brand

Every action you take should boost your c-level personal branding. Whether it’s at a networking event, writing a resume, developing your LinkedIn profile or anything else, your brand should always be front and center. If recruiters or hiring managers can’t get a good sense of who you are as a person or a worker, they’ll be hesitant to take the next steps with you in the job interview process. Focusing on c-level personal branding is only going to benefit your job search efforts.

Network Online And In Person

Networking has always been an essential part of a job search and will continue to be. You can network around the clock if you want to with platforms like LinkedIn. In fact, many people start conversations on LinkedIn before meeting at a formal event, just so there’s already some familiarity there. Just be sure to have a professional LinkedIn profile writer review your profile to ensure you’re not making any critical mistakes inadvertently.

Target Your Resume

An executive resume service can help you target your resume to the employer you’re interested in. You can send out as many resumes as you want, but if it’s too general then companies will see right through it and toss it to the side. Resume targeting is critical today, so it’s well worth the time and effort to find out exactly what a company wants and how your skills fit.

Build A Positive Online Presence

You have to assume any potential hiring manager is going to do an online search for your name. This is another reason why working with a professional LinkedIn profile writer is important. They can emphasize certain keywords to ensure your profile shows up high in the search results. Do an online search for your name and clean up anything that doesn’t demonstrate your overall brand.

Professional Resume Services understands how frustrating it can be not knowing what employers want to see. Our executive resume service goes beyond simply writing error-free resumes. We can work with you throughout your job search, answer any questions you may have and make any tweaks along the way. If you’re ready to speed up your job search and get into the job you want quicker, contact us to see if there’s any way we can help.