What are employers looking for in resumes that get you hired?
Whether you’re looking for your first job after college or you are ready for a career change, writing an executive resume can be an intimidating process. Do you know what employers are really looking for in resumes that get you hired? Many professionals don’t know the answer to this important question. The top resume writing service can help you ensure these elements can be found in your resume.
The Right Keywords
Keywords aren’t just something you implement into your website or any other content you post online. An executive resume should include keywords relevant to the job you are applying for. An employer wants to know a candidate is qualified without spending a lot of time reading through the contents. If you aren’t using the right keywords, your resume will likely be passed over without a second glance.
Skill Exaggeration
In order to qualify for a job, you need to convince a future employer you have the right skills and experience and can fit into the company culture. Writing an executive resume is about portraying this information succinctly and accurately. However, it can be tempting to slightly exaggerate some of your skills to help secure the job. Unfortunately, many employers are ready for this tactic and will be looking for inconsistencies and other flags that may indicate you aren’t being completely honest.
Career Progression
How you progress through your career plays a role in whether you are a suitable candidate for a particular job. It’s important to make sure your resume tells a story about who you are and what jobs you have performed in the past. Be sure to address key responsibilities in your past positions that relate to the prospective job. You should also let a future employer know how these responsibilities have shaped who you are as an employee.
Personal Branding
Hiring decisions are no longer solely about what employers find in your resume and what they learn during your interview. Many employers also look at your online presence before deciding whether you are a good fit for the company’s culture. It can be a useful asset to include links to your online portfolio to assist potential employers with learning more about you and what you can contribute to their company. Resumes that get you hired have changed over the years. Today’s online world has created a new terrain that can make it difficult to get hired. Hiring a top resume writing service will help you make the right decisions when writing an executive resume, giving you the competitive edge and helping you land the job of your dreams.
Writing an effective resume requires t he proper format.
Resumes that get you hired need to stand apart from the thousands of other resumes companies may receive for a given job listing. For this reason, many people think it’s best to get creative when writing an effective resume. Unfortunately, resumes and cover letters that are too unusual can raise red flags and prevent employers from even looking at them.
It’s Not Tailored to the Job
When prospective employees spend too much time getting creative with their resumes, they often fail to customize them to fit the exact specifications of the job to which they are applying. Whenever you apply for a position, it’s important to specify skills that relate directly to the job. Everything should be tailored to the job’s needs.
It Has Too Much Flair
The typical font styles may seem boring, but these are the ones employers expect. If you get fancy with fonts or use colorful pie charts and other features, you will take away from your actual skills and distract potential employers. Simple and easy-to-read is essential.
You Overdid the Keywords
While keywords are a must in today’s resumes and cover letters, especially when submitting them online, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Be careful to choose keywords that relate to your skills and the job, but don’t select too many. It’s also critical to write carefully so it doesn’t read as if you stuffed the keywords in for the sake of including them.
Too Much Fluff
Resumes that get you hired are short and to the point. Employers don’t want to spend a lot of time reading. If your resume is filled with irrelevant information or you go into a lot of details, your resume is likely destined for the trash can. Before submitting a resume, read through it and cut out any unnecessary words.
Getting creative with your resume and cover letter may seem like it’s the best way to get hired for a job, but it can hurt you in the end. Fluffing out your resume to make it look longer or more impressive is a serious mistake that can put your resume at the bottom of the pile. Too much flair or overstuffed keywords can also lead to disaster, rather than success. If you want to maximize your chances of getting the job you want, make sure your resume is factual and to the point. The best way to stand apart from the other candidates is by writing an effective resume that highlights your relevant skills.
Writing a professional resume requires choosing the right references.
Job references can be an important part of the interviewing process. While it’s no longer necessary to include them when writing a professional resume, you should still be ready with a list of people potential employers can contact. Choosing the right individuals can make a difference in your C-level personal branding, allowing you to make a great impression.
A Recent Boss
It may be tempting to list the boss from your first job because he felt you did a great job and appreciated your work ethic, but depending on how long it’s been, he may no longer remember you well enough to give a good reference. Choosing a more recent boss is your best option. If you choose not to include your current boss, be ready to explain why, even if you simply don’t want him to know you are looking for a new job.
Co-Workers
People with whom you work can be a great asset to your resume. However, it’s important to make sure you choose the right individual. Just because you are friendly with a co-worker doesn’t make them a good professional reference. Choose someone who knows your job and can vouch for your value to the business.
Volunteer Organizations
Though not always related to your career choice, you can include someone from an organization for which you volunteered. Resumes that get you hired often list volunteer opportunities that show your dedication and your willingness to help others. Those who volunteer their time for a worthy cause are more likely to go above and beyond in the workplace as well.
An Early Odd Job
Babysitting and lawn mowing are common jobs for teenagers, even before they’re old enough to legally work. If you are still in touch with individuals for whom you performed these tasks, ask them if it’s all right to use them as a reference. This type of reference can do wonders for your C-level personal branding. It shows a strong work ethic and reliability.
Professors
You spent time in college training for work in your chosen field. One of the benefits of the time put in at a university can include using professors in your field as a reference for future jobs. These individuals know you on a personal level and can speak to your character better than many other references. However, be sure you choose one who knows you as a person, rather than just another face in the classroom. Resumes that get you hired may not include references with the rest of your information, but they are still an important part of getting hired. As you create your list, make sure you choose the right people and let them know you are using them as a reference. No one is able to give a good reference if they aren’t prepared.
The best executive resume format isn’t a template.
Putting together resumes that get you hired can be a time-consuming process so why wouldn’t you use any help you could get? A template may seem like the best executive resume format, but is it really? While a template may make the process of creating a resume faster and easier, hiring an executive resume service to help you stand out is the best option.
You Must Stand Out
When you consider how many people apply for every job listing, you’ll quickly realize the importance of making your resume stand out in the crowd. When your only way to make a great first impression is through your resume, you need to make sure it tells who you are and what you can offer a company. If your resume looks just like everyone else’s, your chances of landing the job you want are drastically reduced.
Sub-Standard Format
If you truly want the best executive resume format, a template isn’t going to get the results you want. When you search for resume templates online, you will uncover thousands of results. However, do you know how put those templates together? Many of them were created by individuals who don’t have experience writing resumes that get you hired. They may have experienced success getting a job with the format and feel they could help others out. Perhaps they haven’t even submitted a resume in that format but think they have all the answers. You shouldn’t trust your future career to just anyone.
Use Them as a Starting Point
While resume templates aren’t the best way to create your resume, you can still use them as a launching pad for creating a resume that will get results. Look at several options and determine what you like best in each of them. You can compile components from multiple resume templates and arrange them into your own personal resume that showcases what you have to offer. Using templates to create a custom layout will produce the best results.
Using a resume template doesn’t mean you won’t have any chance of landing the job, but it will make the process more difficult. If you aren’t using the best executive resume format, you can expect fewer call backs because you won’t stand out from the hundreds or thousands of other resumes received. This is why many people hire an executive resume service to help them create an outstanding resume that highlights their assets and makes them more appealing to prospective employers. When you move away from template resumes and venture into custom resumes that get you hired, you will see better results in your job search.
A professional resume writing service can help you get attention.
How you represent yourself with your personal branding can play a significant role in whether you are hired. However, it’s not all about hiring a professional resume writing service to write resumes that get you hired. In some cases, you need a executive recruiter who will be by your side to help you make the right career move. There are several reasons you should consider working with a recruiter as part of your job search.
There’s No Charge to Job Seekers
Recruiters are typically hired by employers to help them find the ideal candidate for any open positions. These recruiters have the experience and skills necessary to determine which applicants are the best fit for the job requirements. This means most recruiters are available free of charge to the job seeker. The person you hire will be paid by the employer for their services.
Access the Hidden Job Pool
Not all companies advertise their open positions where anyone can see and apply for them. In these situations, having a resume that gets you hired won’t produce results because you can’t see the available position. C-level recruiters often have a list of unpublished job openings they can provide so you can apply to ones in a much smaller pool of applicants.
An Inside Job
Not only do recruiters have access to job openings that aren’t published elsewhere, but they often have close working relationships with companies in their field. A professional resume writing service may be able to make your resume look great, but if you can’t get it in front of the right people, you won’t get hired. A recruiter can help you go over your resume and make changes that will make you more appealing to the job for which you are applying.
Avoid Overexposure
It may not seem like a bad idea to spread your resume as many places as you can, but distributing your resume in too many locations can have a negative effect on your ability to get the job you want. Employers look for individuals who may be in high demand but aren’t catering to a dozen other similar companies at the same time. When you use a recruiter in your job search, employers won’t stumble on your resume on a job board and pass you by because you may already be entertaining other offers. Instead, they will feel like you are an exclusive opportunity, boosting your chances of landing an interview and the job. C-level personal branding is an important aspect of writing resumes that get you hired, but it’s not the only factor. Working with a executive recruiter can provide a number of benefits that can give you the advantage in the often-competitive business world. A recruiter can take some of the anxiety out of your job search and increase the chances you will find the right career path more quickly than working on your own.
Is Summer the Best Time for Your Executive Job Hunt?
Summer is a great time for executive resume writing.
The dog days of summer are here again, but for many, it’s not quite time to relax. If you’re looking for a new job, you may be wondering if summer is a good time to begin your job search. Of course, the best time to look for a job is when you need it, but can searching in the summer increase your chances or make it easier for you to land a new position? This season certainly has some benefits!
Longer Days
Summer’s long days mean more daylight hours for your job search. Once you’ve finished writing an effective resume, you still have to get out there and submit your resume, travel to job interviews and follow up with job leads. Luckily, the summer months give you plenty of daytime hours to do so, and the longer days allow you to be more productive, giving you more time to hone those resumes that get you hired before you start your summer job search.
Social Hour
Of all the seasons, summer is by far the most social. With pool parties, backyard BBQs and summer happy hours, you have plenty of opportunities to socialize. This is incredibly helpful because as you probably know, c-level job searches aren’t just about executive resume writing. They are about who you know, and the more socializing and networking you can do, the more doors you can open.
Summer Vacations
While you may be hard at work this summer looking for new career opportunities and writing resumes that get you hired, most of your office will probably be on vacation. How does that benefit you? Well, since it’s typical vacation season, it’s easier for you to use your vacation time to go on interviews, take time off to do some executive resume writing or go shopping for the perfect interview outfit. This is a great time to interview because you don’t have to explain your frequent need for time off because it’s a normal part of summertime.
If you’re looking to find an exciting new job opportunity, you may not be able to decide when your job hunt begins; however, if you’re fortunate enough to start your job search during the summer, you have several seasonal advantages working in your favor. The longer days, social events and opportunities to take off for your job search can help you land your new job more easily than those looking for work during the fall or winter.
Professional resume writers can help get you hired.
Searching for a new job doesn’t have to be as difficult as some people make it. Although it may seem like staying at your current job is easier than looking for another one, you owe it to yourself to continue to seek new opportunities and develop throughout your career. When you are ready to make the leap into a new job opportunity, many professional resume writers recommend taking these steps.
Know Yourself
C-level executive jobs are especially competitive. Your prospective employers not only want to know you can do the job well, but also feel you will fit into their company culture. Before you start your search, take an inventory of your skills and unique characteristics. Add these to your resume’s executive biography and be prepared to show off what makes you you!
Narrow Your Focus
One of the main reasons employers hire another candidate is because while you may fit a few of their skill requirements, you may not fit all of them. If you want to write a resume that gets you hired, make sure you thoroughly tailor it to the job description on the employer’s listing.
Proactive vs. Reactive
When it comes to a job search, good things don’t come to those who wait. You cannot simply send out thousands of resumes and wait for a company to bite. Professional resume writers suggest proactively contacting employers and always continuing to develop your skills.
Investigate
Digging up info on each company you apply to can help you write a resume that gets you hired. If you know the company encourages volunteer work, you can add yours to your resume or executive biography and make a great impression. It will also allow you to decide if you’re applying to a company you actually want to work for.
Network
The importance of networking absolutely cannot be understated. In today’s incredibly competitive job market, who you know is much more important than what you know. However, be careful just relying on superficial LinkedIn connections to network. The more hands you shake, the larger your network will grow. Attending conferences, talking to your colleagues and using your college’s alumni network are great ways to meet new friends in high places.
Although many executives may get nervous about leaving their job to take another opportunity, it’s important to keep growing and developing in your career. Who knows what you’re missing out on if you don’t take a chance on a new job. In order to find a great new position for you, make sure you network, tailor your resume to each job and do your research!
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.
