Are Job Boards Still Worth the Effort?

Career & WorkplaceInterviewingJob SearchResume Writing
professional executive resume writers

professional executive resume writersMake no mistake about it: job boards are a thing of the past. In the past, you may have posted your resume on a job board and had a reasonable shot at getting a new job opportunity; however, the way skilled workers find jobs has changed. The vast majority of these boards have become black holes for your executive bio and resume.
Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and, most notably, LinkedIn are beginning to make traditional job boards obsolete. Recently, around 2-4% of people posting resumes on a traditional job board found employment. Individuals employing networking tactics on various social media sites found a career 40-50% of the time.
We’re not mathematicians, but it seems like networking is just a little bit more successful for most seeking employment. If you look at things from a recruiter’s or hiring manager’s standpoint, we can see why. Would you rather hire someone you only know from a piece of paper or an individual who has been personally recommended to you by someone you know and respect?
Your job search doesn’t have to be rocket science. Here are a few more reasons why traditional job boards don’t work:

  • The Black Hole

Companies get hundreds, if not, thousands, of responses to online job board postings. Then they send every resume to a system that reviews and ranks their skills, experience and more. The hiring manager only looks through the top 10-20% of resumes sent in. The vast majority of resumes never even see human eyes when you submit via a job board.

  • Not the Best Gigs

Most of the best jobs never even hit the jobs boards. Many hiring managers have stopped posting on these boards altogether. Companies have started using recruiters and networking to find the right type of talent without having to spend days under hundreds of resumes.

  • The Wrong People

When you submit your executive profile to a job board, you’re not putting your information in front of any decision makers whatsoever. Your resume ends up in front of a lackey whose job is to reject you for any reason. If you want to get in touch with someone who can make a decision, you’re much better off using social media sites and developing your networking skills.

  • LinkedIn is King

If you get a hiring manager to speak honestly, they prefer to find candidates through LinkedIn more than any other way.  LinkedIn is up-to-date and current. Successful employees use LinkedIn to further their career. People with decision-making power know this. That’s why they use the site to find the people they really want to hire before aggressively pursuing the candidate.
Getting Back in the Game?
Are you looking for employment? Ready to dust off the ole’ executive bio and profile? If so, you’ll want to be on the top of your game. It’s a competitive job marketplace out there, it’s important to give yourself an edge whenever you can. Successful job seekers know how to work their network and find the best job.

How to Create a Great Executive Sales Resume

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Talk to an executive resume writer about your sales resume.

An executive resume writer can help you create an effective sales resume.


If you’re involved in the sales industry, you already know the importance of a great pitch. The ideal pitch should take only a few seconds to hook a consumer and can be the ticket to making a worthwhile sale or gaining a regular client. The same factors apply to your resume and executive resume bio. These serve as a self-pitch, meant to illustrate your experiences, skills and other related attributes to hiring managers. Keep in mind recruiters have only a small amount of time to view your resume. If you go into too much detail and don’t stick to relevant information, you risk being skipped over entirely. Let us offer you some advice on how to make your resume stand out from the rest.

Include the Awards You’ve Earned 

Awards serve as excellent proof of good work and help illustrate you’re excellent at your job. When you include this in your executive resume bio, make sure to clarify what the award was for, as well as the amount of competition you were up against. The larger volume of people you had to compete with, the more your skill level will be apparent to recruiters.

Summarize Who You Are

The first component of a winning resume should be a summary about you—the exceptional qualities you have to offer to the company’s position, your professional history and a little about yourself and your experiences.

Go Into Detail Where You Need To

We recommend you focus specifically on illustrating your duties at your old positions. Talk about the quotas and accounts you had to manage, as well as the size of them. Create a clear depiction of your responsibilities and how you tackled them head-on on a regular and outstanding basis.

Don’t Forget the Numbers

When you’re detailing the significant aspects of your job experience, you should remember to include the numbers involved. They’re a frequent part of executive sales careers, after all. Talk about your standings among other employees at your old companies, as well as in your particular branch in said companies. Explain the percentage by which you improved profit margins and the number of sales you landed throughout your time at your previous job.

Pitch Yourself

Combining the elements we’ve explained above and considering how you want to present yourself will help you to become an excellent executive resume writer. Be wholly truthful about your accomplishments, but spin them in a way that explains why you’re the best at what you do. In other words, picture yourself exactly as a product you’re trying to put on the market and clarify why you’re a cut above all the rest.
Resumes are tough to master, but anyone can grow into a great executive resume writer with a little help and effort. All it takes is knowing how to pitch yourself properly and thus appeal to job recruiters who are searching for someone with your talents. If you need a little extra help getting started, consider contacting a cover letter writing service. There you’ll find all the tools you’ll need to write the best resume possible.

Don’t Be Tempted to Lie About Resume Gaps

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Explain gaps with the help of an executive resume writer.

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.

What Are the Best and Worse Ways to Job Hunt?

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Hunt for a job successfully with the best resume writing services.

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.

Update Your Executive Resume Before Your Job Hunt Begins!

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Update your resume with the help of an executive resume service.

An executive resume service can help you update your resume.


If you’re ready to start looking for a new job, you need to make sure your executive resume and cover letter are prepared as well. Whether you use an executive resume service or you choose to handle it on your own, it’s important to update your skills before you start submitting your resume to prospective employers. The last thing you want to do is miss out on interviews because you didn’t include your most recent, relevant skills.

A Chance to Reflect

Rushing around to improve your resume as you are applying for jobs can be a stressful experience, which may result in leaving important information out. However, when you work with an executive resume writer before you even begin your job search, you can take your time to reflect on your past experiences and provide the skills and other information needed to help employers make the right hiring decision. Taking extra time to reflect on your previous work and determining how it fits into your future employment will ensure your resume is ready when it comes time to apply.

A New Year and a Fresh Start

As the New Year approaches, it can be a great time to make a fresh start, especially if you aren’t satisfied in your current position. This makes a great time to brush up your executive resume and cover letter so it’s ready to go once you make the decision to begin applying for new positions. Think about your goals for the future and tailor your resume to land a job that will help you meet those ambitions.

Put a Positive Spin on It

Staying positive is essential when you’re working on resumes that get you hired. An executive resume service can help you create a positive overall feel to your executive resume. While writing a resume may seem relatively straightforward, how you word things can reflect negatively or positively. To help make sure your resume sounds as positive as possible, make sure you work with an executive resume writer at a time when you’re in a good mood and eagerly anticipating your new position.
You don’t have to wait until you are searching for a job to update your resume. In fact, an executive resume service will tell you it’s best to regularly update your resume so it’s ready to go whenever you are. Your executive resume and cover letter should always be ready so when you find a position you would prefer, you can make a few minor changes and submit it.

How to Master Online Executive Job Hunting

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Search online with the help of an executive resume service.

An executive resume service can help you search online.


While the job market is improving, it can still be difficult to land the job you want, winning out over many other candidates. Searching online can be one of the best ways to locate jobs for which you are qualified and even start the application process. Before you start looking, however, it’s important to work with an executive resume writing service and an executive resume writer to ensure your resume is ready for your online job hunt.

Use Keywords in Your Resume

One of the first things your executive resume service should tell you is to choose your keywords carefully. Today’s businesses often plug resumes into a computer to determine whether candidates have used keywords that match the requirements of the job. Because job listings often generate a large number of responses, it’s essential to make it easy for those responsible for making hiring decisions to determine whether you are the perfect fit.

Don’t Rely Solely on Your Resume

Hiring an executive resume writer is important to ensure your executive resume is ready for sending to companies. However, you shouldn’t rely solely on posting your resume online to conduct your job search. While it’s still important to have a resume, more businesses are looking for individuals who think outside the box and submit something that stands out in order to apply for the job. Before you take this step, it’s important to make sure you understand company culture to ensure it’s an acceptable option.

Ask Around for Referrals

Many jobs are earned based on referrals from existing employees within the company. If you’re in the market for a job, one of the best ways to get your foot in the door is to find someone who can refer you. If you don’t have a friend or family member who already works there, attempt to make connections through LinkedIn and other social media sites. While these connections may not produce immediate results, they can be valuable tools in the future.

Stalk Your Dream Job

You don’t have to be connected to get the job of your dreams if you’re persistent about it. Once you find the job you want, reach out to the human resources department at the company and let them know directly you are interested in the job. You can also request an information interview so you can learn more about what’s required and show interest in the job.
Seeking a job online may seem easy, but there’s a lot of work that must be done to help you land the job of your dreams. Hiring an executive resume service to help you create an effective resume is just part of the process. These tips can help you make a great impression on prospective employers and increase the chances you will get the job you want.

Important Changes You Need to Make to Your Resume

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Make changes with the best resume writing service.

The best resume writing service will help you make changes.


Many people create a resume and then don’t bother to make changes, even if they haven’t seen the success they wanted. When you’re creating your executive bio and resume, it’s critical to look for the following elements and make any necessary changes. Passing your resume through an executive resume writer from the best resume writing service can also help you make the right choices for the best impact.

The Font

Choosing a font is one of the biggest issues professionals have. While it’s important to make sure your resume stands out from the crowd, it’s even more important to use a font that’s easy to read and looks professional. Times New Roman and Georgia are preferred, while Arial, Calibri and Garamond are also acceptable.

Run Spell Check

It may seem obvious, but many people forget to run their executive bio and resume through spell check. Even if you are confident in your writing skills, spell check should always be used, not just once, but twice.

Don’t Worry about References

The best resume writing service will tell you references are important, but there’s no need to include them or even write they are available upon request. This fact is implied when you turn in your resume.

Use Keywords

Today, keywords are an important element in your resume, just like they are on website content. Because many resumes are submitted electronically, employers often run them through software to look for certain keywords. Choose your keywords from the job listing to which you are applying.

Eliminate Dates

Employers aren’t supposed to discriminate based on age, but it can happen, even if it’s unintentionally. This means the dates of your graduations are no longer relevant. If it’s been more than five years, it’s best to leave these dates off entirely.

Choose Powerful Verbs

Strong, actionable verbs are the best ones to use when it comes to your resume. Read through it a second time or ask an executive resume writer to help so you can remove any weak verbs and replace them with stronger ones.

Check Your Formatting

Formatting mistakes can be critical in whether you attract the attention of those in charge of hiring. All headers and footers should match, particularly if your resume spans more than one page. Everything else should be in perfect alignment, especially any bullet points used.

Focus on Numbers

Instead of simply stating facts, put it in numerical terms. If you helped boost sales by 20 percent, say so. When you use numbers, make sure they are in numerical form to better attract attention.
One of the fastest ways to lose out on a job is to make these critical mistakes on your executive bio and resume. Hiring the best resume writing service or an executive resume writer will help you get the job you want.

How to Modernize Your Executive Resume

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Learn about the modern twist on the best executive resume format.

The best executive resume format has gotten a modern upgrade.


Just like how the search engine algorithms are constantly changing, methods of writing an effective resume are also prone to the latest trends. While the overall best executive resume format doesn’t shift much, there are elements of a resume that need to be adjusted to ensure you stand out. Your executive resume writer can help you modernize your resume so it attracts the attention you deserve.

Implement Keywords

Keywords aren’t just for creating website content and blog posts. Today, many employers run the resumes they receive through a search, looking for particular keywords that apply to the position. Look over any job postings carefully to pick out skills and responsibilities that may be effective keywords to use in your executive resume. Incorporate these into your resume for the best results.

Customize Every Resume

It’s no longer effective to write one resume to use for multiple positions. Even if the positions for which you are applying are similar, it’s important to customize each one for the company and the position you are trying to get. This means carefully researching each company and determining exactly what they’re looking for so you can showcase your skills and experience in the best light.

Don’t Use a Photo

A photo is no longer a critical part of the best executive resume format. You only have a few short seconds to capture the attention of a recruiter or hiring manager. You don’t want to waste that time with a picture. They are likely to see what you look like from your LinkedIn or other social media profile. You don’t need to report the information in your resume.

Add Social Media Profiles

Employers expect candidates to have a LinkedIn profile. This can be an easy way to provide additional information about your background, skills and experience without wasting valuable space on the page. Additionally, having a Facebook or Twitter account associated with your career shows employers you aren’t afraid of what you share online.

Use Formatting

Long blocks of text are no longer the best way to format your resume. Writing an effective resume requires the use of bullet points, bold text and other methods of breaking up the long blocks of print. This type of formatting makes it easy for employers to scan the resume and is more likely to capture their attention.
The methods of writing an effective resume have changed over the years. As you continue your job search, you need to implement these new elements into your resume format. A good executive resume writer understands the value of modernizing your resume and can help you create the eye-catching resume employers are looking for. When you use the best executive resume format, you boost your chances of getting the job over the hundreds of other applicants.