There are many different approaches you can take when undergoing an executive job search. While there isn’t one guaranteed way to make your searching most effective, there are plenty of things you can do wrong to derail your chances of getting an interview. Unless you’re one of the very few people (if any at all) who have the interview requests flowing in, there are some steps to take to master your job search. Visiting the top resume writing services is one of them, but here are some other tips to consider.
Use Relevant Keywords
Learn what keywords are relevant to your industry and sprinkle them in throughout your resume, LinkedIn profile, biography and more. Many employers use an Applicant Tracking System(ATS), so keywords and key phrases are critical. The top resume writing services can help you identify some of these keywords and incorporate them into your resume. If using job boards or Linked are the routes you want to take, relevant keywords are a must.
Make Sure Your Executive Resume is Targeted
When writing an executive resume, you need to target the company you’re applying to and include relevant information to them. To a point, the company doesn’t care what you’ve done in the past as much as they care about what you can do for them in the future. Identify their needs and clearly explain why you are the best candidate to solve those needs.
Network, Network, Network
You can never network too much, but you have to be prepared before you begin your efforts. When you optimize your LinkedIn profile, you can reach out to others in your industry to expand your network. It’s also never a bad idea to attend various networking events in the area to help others put a face to your name. Networking is the best way to tap into the hidden job market and expedite your job search.
Boost Online Visibility
When you optimize your LinkedIn profile, you’ve taken the first step in being visible online. You should also do an online search for your name and see what information is available on you. Employers will do this, so cleaning up anything you don’t want visible could be critical for your chances of landing an interview.
Keep Your Resume Polished
Finally, visiting top resume writing services often will help keep your resume polished and relevant. Sometimes just minor tweaks are needed, but you always need to have it ready to send out when the opportunity arises. A lot of things happen during an executive job search, but the one constant you have to have is a perfect resume. Professional Resume Services goes beyond simply helping people write an effective bio. We want to help you throughout your job search by providing tips and tricks based on our expertise, all while ensuring your resume, cover letter and bio are written for success. Don’t hesitate to contact us at any time if you need assistance with any part of your job search.
The Importance of Executive Resume Format and Length
Executives who haven’t had to update their resume in a while have more questions than answers when it comes to formatting it. The best executive resume formats change year-after-year, so it’s impossible to know how to craft one if you haven’t had to go on a job search in a while. Some of the same practices and concepts may still apply, but there are certain aspects you need to be aware of as well. Many executives find value in using a professional resume writing service to ensure they are up-to-date on the latest resume trends. Here are some tips to consider regarding resume format and length.
Save Different Versions of Your Resume
With technology today, you never know if a recruiter is going to look at your resume on their desktop computer or a mobile device. It’s important to have your resume formatted for easy reading on any device. It’s your choice whether your final version is in Word or PDF format, but it’s not a bad idea to have a copy of both. A professional resume writing service can help you make it clean and concise and compatible for viewing on all devices. Some experts suggest sending your resume as both a Word and PDF document, just in case the company uses an Applicant Tracking System (ATS).
Utilize White Space Without Adding Length
Length is always a question when writing resumes that get you hired. Executives have a little more flexibility than others, since most have an extensive list of experience. However, even though you may have a dozen pages worth of experience, it doesn’t mean your resume should be a dozen pages. Try to narrow it down to a couple of pages if possible, while still including white space. No one wants to read a resume with blocks of text and very little white space. A professional resume writing service can help you combine certain points to make your resume more concise and still have enough white space to make it easy on the eyes.
Clean and Concise Resumes Are Always Best
There is no standard when it comes to the best executive resume format. However, the one thing to always remember is to make yours as clean and concise as possible. A recruiter wants to pick up a resume and glance at it and do a quick overview before reading it in depth. If they have a hard time picking out key points because of big blocks or paragraphs of endless text, there’s a decent chance it will get tossed to the side without further consideration. Stick to a couple pages, include enough white space with a clean format and you’ll improve the chances of getting noticed. Professional Resume Services stays up-to-date on the latest trends when it comes to writing resumes that get you hired. Every person is different since we all have different levels and quantities of experience. As a result, we will work with you from scratch or we can help you tweak your existing resume to make it optimal. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need assistance with any component of your resume.
Be Prepared For Unexpected Weather Delays on Your Interview Day
The weather can cause havoc on any occasion, and a job interview isn’t immune to being affected. You’ve spent countless hours on your LinkedIn profile development, writing an effective resume and polishing up your cover letter only to see a blizzard or powerful storm system is rolling through your area on your interview day. What are you supposed to do? Instead of letting the weather event derail your interview, take it as an opportunity to showcase your soft skills and make the most of an unexpected and unfortunate situation.
Be Proactive Instead of Reactive
When you see a major weather event is taking place on your interview day, don’t hesitate to reach out to the employer the day before the interview just to touch base. Acknowledge the storm and offer to reschedule the interview if it works best for them. You could also suggest holding a phone interview if it works with their plans. Being proactive by reaching out ahead of the weather event shows your interest in the job and that you’re aware of the events going on around you.
Take Advantage of Additional Preparation Time
Assuming your interview does get rescheduled for a couple days later, take advantage of the time to get some extra preparation in. Check in with your professional executive resume writers again if you need to, or simply focus on your LinkedIn profile development. Just be sure not to put too much focus on yourself. Learning more about the company culture and the current employees can give you the opportunity to ask insightful questions at the interview.
Be Prepared For A Video Interview
During your call with the employer, you may suggest holding a video interview to avoid traveling during harsh weather conditions. But even if you don’t make the suggestion, you have to be prepared for the employer to make the suggestion themselves. A video interview should be treated as formal as an in-person interview, from dressing appropriately to making eye contact and even reducing clutter in the background. With all the time you’ve spent writing an effective resume, you don’t want lack of preparation for a video interview to be the reason why you aren’t considered for a job. Professional Resume Services helps executives with all aspects of their job search. Our professional executive resume writers can’t predict the weather, but they can help you be prepared for a significant weather event that delays your interview. To learn more about how our services can benefit your job search at any stage, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Executives can work diligently and do extensive amounts of research to know what to put on a resume, only to struggle with landing a job. There’s a lot of contradictory information on the internet regarding the best executive resume format, the content that should be used in a resume, and more. When you can sort away the myths from the facts, you’ll be in a better position to have success in your job hunt. Here are a few of the most common myths you may have heard.
A Good Resume Guarantees A Job
There are no guarantees in life, and writing an effective resume won’t guarantee you a job either. In fact, many times a resume won’t even ensure you get your foot in the door for an interview, especially if sending out emails to people who don’t know you or haven’t heard of you. Numerous factors go into sorting through resumes for recruiters and hiring managers, so the only thing you can do is your best when writing a resume. However, it’s important not to get discouraged, because it could be factors other than your resume preventing you from landing an interview.
Include As Much Information As Possible on One Page
Another myth is your resume has to be limited to one page, so you should cram as much information as possible on it. The top resume writing services will tell you a two-page resume is perfectly acceptable and even better, especially if you have many years of experience and a significant list of accomplishments. The worst thing you can do is try to fit it all on one page. The best formats are easy to read and incorporate white space throughout the document, so avoid the temptation to stuff as many words as you can onto a single page.
You Can Never Overuse Action Verbs
Action verbs are important when writing an effective resume. What many people don’t realize is there is a difference between a weak action verb and a strong action verb related to resume writing. Weak action verbs include words like “managed,” “supervised,” and others. They are weak because everyone uses them. The overuse of these verbs make them less important, so it is entirely possible to make your resume sound boring when you incorporate them. Instead, focus on actual results rather than the process you went through to achieve the results.
Resumes Aren’t Too Important Anyway
There may come a time when you hear resumes simply aren’t important anymore. The old saying “it’s not what you know, but who you know” is true to an extent. However, no matter what your connection is with someone, a poorly written resume isn’t going to do you any favors. A quality resume may not land you a job on its own, but a bad one can definitely put you out of consideration quickly. Further, the human resource department will need to have a copy of your resume on file, so thinking you won’t need one won’t help you. Professional Resume Services knows about every myth there is regarding executive resumes. We are one of the top resume writing services because we focus on the facts and research exactly what employers want to see. If you have any questions about crafting your resume, or about a possible myth you may have heard, feel free to contact us at any time for advice.
Avoid Using These Words and Phrases In Your Executive Resume
If you’re like most executives, you choose your words carefully when crafting the perfect resume. However, depending on when the last time you updated your resume was, some of the words you think sound good may actually be diminishing your chances of landing an interview. Due to the limited amount of time a recruiter spends looking at a resume, you have to know which words to include. And most importantly, the key to writing an effective resume is knowing which words to avoid. Here are some of the most common words and phrases used that should be avoided.
Team-Player, Passionate, and Detail-Oriented
These words may accurately describe you, but they also describe many others. Since these terms have been so overused in the past, the value has decreased significantly. An executive resume writer may suggest getting rid of these words and replacing them with actual achievements. Shift your wording to show what you’ve done instead of telling about it.
Weak Action Verbs
Common weak action verbs include “managed,” “handled,” “led,” “supported” and many others. Again, these may be true, but they aren’t actionable and can bore the reader. A professional resume writing service can help you be creative with your action verbs, since they’ve seen every weak one imaginable.
Objective Statement
The objective statement is a thing of the past when it comes to resumes and will make you seem as though you aren’t current on the way resumes should be. Most applicants have the same needs and desires when applying for a job, so most objective statements are similar as a result. Instead, an executive resume writer will suggest ditching the objective statement in favor of a professional summary demonstrating your qualifications and experiences briefly.
“References Available Upon Request”
The common assumption recruiters have today is applicants will be able to provide references if asked, so don’t include this on your resume. As with the Objective Statement, this will make you seem out of touch with resumes today.
Outdated Information
At a certain point, a professional resume writing service will tell you experience is more valuable over certifications or education. If you have more than about 5 years of experience, you can likely relocate any mentions of your certifications or education to the end of the resume since employers are more interested in what you’ve accomplished. Professional Resume Services provides detailed critiques of resumes to ensure these words, phrases and information are used to your advantage. Many executives aren’t aware these words could be hurting their chances at landing their next job, so we are happy to assist in any way we can. To learn more about how we can help with your resume preparation, feel free to contact us at any time.
Executive Job Searching is More Than a Perfect Resume
One of the most common misconceptions about an executive job search is thinking a flawless resume will guarantee you a job. It will definitely help your chances if you use one of the top resume writing services to perfect your resume, but there are many more components to a successful job search. The strategy you develop for your search and how you interact with people are two of the biggest pieces of the job searching puzzle, along with your written resume and cover letter. Here are some important points to keep in mind during your job search.
Network
Networking is a critical part of being an executive and promoting your brand, and it’s even more important when searching for a job. The first thing to do is optimize your LinkedIn profile so you can easily be discovered and your connections will know who you are and what you bring to the table. LinkedIn is usually one of the top resources other executives and hiring managers use to search for candidates, so taking the time to update yours is well worth the effort.
Develop A Job Search Strategy
Using an online job board to submit applications has never been a recommended job search strategy. The sheer amount of applicants to these postings make it virtually impossible for you to stand out. Modernize your approach by attending networking events and shaping up your resume with one of the top resume writing services. Refocusing your efforts by utilizing LinkedIn and ensuring your executive profile is in great shape will make you more recognizable.
Perfect Your Cover Letter
Your cover letter gives you the opportunity to introduce yourself, similar to your LinkedIn profile. The only difference is your cover letter is usually presented to a potential employer at the same time as your resume. So if your cover letter doesn’t earn enough interest from the reader, then they may not even look at your resume or LinkedIn profile at all. The top resume writing services can help with all three of these aspects.
Practice Interviewing
Your people skills in groups can help you earn an interview, but you also have to master the one-on-one communication. Ask a friend or family member to help you by doing a mock interview. The tougher the questions are in your mock interview, the better prepared you’ll be for your real interview. Interviews are all about confidence and how you present yourself. You may be the most qualified candidate, but if you appear hesitant to answer questions or lack confidence, your chances of getting the job will diminish. Professional Resume Services is here to help you throughout your job searching process. Whether it’s developing a quality executive profile, optimizing your LinkedIn profile or providing basic resume writing tips, our main goal is to help you achieve your goals. Feel free to contact us at any time for tips about the executive job searching process, writing resumes and much more.
The new year means it’s time to make New Year’s resolutions! You probably reached multiple goals in 2017, and chances are you fell short on some goals as well. The key to making the best New Year’s resolutions is to make them so they are challenging, but still attainable. Here are some of the top executive New Year’s resolutions to consider making for yourself to help boost your career and opportunities.
Spend More Time on LinkedIn
The larger your LinkedIn network, the larger your overall professional network will be. But in order to utilize the social networking site most effectively, you may want to start out the year by hiring a LinkedIn profile writer to ensure your profile is most effective. Creating a solid positive overall presence is crucial on social media, so you don’t want to overlook anything.
Join an Organization
The benefits of joining an organization are astronomical. No matter if you’re in a steady job and looking for advancement or if you want to build new connections to help land a new job, joining an organization can help get you there. But before you do so, check in with a professional resume writing service to ensure your resume is current and effective so it will be more impactful when you have to use it.
Follow A Blog
There are many great blogs out there for any industry you work in. Follow one or two of them to stay current on the latest industry trends. And if you’re feeling extra ambitious, consider starting one of your own. It will look great in your executive profile if you are able to include a link to your blog full of original content.
Keep Your Resume Updated
Most executives are guilty of not updating their resume as often as they should. You never know when a great opportunity will arise, so consider visiting a professional resume writing service a couple times throughout the year to tweak it or make additions if needed. This way, you’ll be more prepared for a new opportunity, or an opportunity to advance with your current company. Professional Resume Services wants to help you achieve all of your professional New Year’s resolutions this year. Whether you need a professional LinkedIn profile writer, resume writer or just need professional advice about jobs and job seeking, we are here for you. Feel free to reach out to us to see how we can help you reach your goals this year.
There’s always a good time and a bad time to change jobs, but most of the time it isn’t dependent on the time of year. Your own personal situation should play a larger role in determining when the time is right to make a job change. With that being said, there are some advantages to making a job switch during the holidays, if you’re looking to do so. Many professional executive resume writers have their busiest weeks right now, as executives are looking to find a new employer before the end of the year. Here are some things to consider if you’re considering making a job change this holiday season.
Companies Are Definitely Hiring
Don’t put your job search on hold just because you think companies aren’t hiring. Companies today rarely stop hiring, and if they do, it’s not because of the holidays. Writing resumes that get you hired can be challenging if you haven’t had to craft yours much over the years, so you can always seek out a professional resume writer this time of year. You don’t want to miss out on an opportunity this holiday season, so don’t delay in sending in your resume and job application to companies who interest you.
A Change of Scenery Can Boost Morale
The holidays should be a joyous time of year for many reasons. If you’re not feeling the joy, it could be because of your job situation. Sometimes a change of scenery in the workplace is all you need to boost your morale. Spend a few days on LinkedIn profile writing so you have an up-to-date profile if a potential networking opportunity arises. Reaching out to other professionals and executives via LinkedIn can lead to potential job opportunities during the holiday season and beyond.
Don’t Miss Out On Great Opportunities
Any time you put a job search on the back burner, you’re potentially missing out on a great job opportunity. Continuing to write resumes that get you hired during the holiday season could give you a better chance to land a job than you would have otherwise. Many times the competition level will be lower during this time of year, since other potential candidates put their job searches on pause. Take advantage of this by staying active in your own job search. Professional Resume Services consists of a team of professional executive resume writers experienced with helping executives like you land the job of their dreams. There’s never a bad time to update your resume, and there are more advantages than disadvantages to changing jobs during the holidays. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you’re thinking about changing jobs soon and need to brush up your resume.
Include As Much Information As Possible on One Page
