Executive Resume Myth #5: you need to focus on what you did in previous jobs

Even though showcasing accomplishments in your previous jobs is a good way to demonstrate you have the right skills and abilities, this shouldn’t be your main concern. Just like employers in other fields, executive employers are more interested in knowing what you can do for them, rather than what you did for others. Good executive resume writing means finding the right balance between listing your experience and showing what you are capable of.

Executive Resume Myth #4: It shouldn’t be longer than 2 pages

Length shouldn’t be a prime concern when you’re writing an executive resume. What matters the most is capturing the attention of the reader right away to keep them reading.

When you reach the executive level and have several years of experience under your belt, it not an easy task to condense everything in just 2 pages. So don’t limit yourself when it comes to executive resume writing: just write your resume while focusing on the experience and jobs that relate the most to the position you’re applying to. Then let it rest for a day and start editing it by adding what might be missing and removing what’s unnecessary. While you shouldn’t end up with a 10 page resume, just make sure that your resume is complete and include all the things that matter, without restricting yourself. Rather focus on making yourself stand out and showing that you are the best candidate for the job.

Executive Resume Myth #3: Provide Details

Providing a lot of details is always good when it comes to writing an executive resume. Listing the responsibilities you had is not automatically going to make you look qualified, as they are limited to the duties that come with your job. In addition this does not mean you were actually doing the work as an assistant might have taken care of them for you. What you should rather do is provide examples of your achievements and duties, which will be more convincing in the eyes of the employer.

Executive Resume Myth #2: Resumes should only go back 10 years

To begin with, chronological resumes are not always the best option when it comes to executive resume formats. In addition, you need to focus on the jobs which experience was the most related to the jobs you’re applying to so, in that case a time constraint isn’t relevant.

The 5 Executive Resume Myths

Things can get pretty complicated when applying to executive jobs but as long as you do your homework, you should be able to write a good executive resume that will get you a foot in the door. Because there are a lot of misconceptions about executive resume writing, we will try to debunk the myths in this article, which will be divided in 5 posts.

Executive Resume Myth #1: The More Experience the Better This isn’t true for several reasons. First, depending on how many years you’ve been in the field, having too much experience might make wonder about your steadiness and commitment abilities. Also, quality is better than quantity, so if you got great experience related to the job you’re applying to, it might be better even if it was for just a year rather than having 5 years of unrelated experience.

Executive job search tips

Landing your dream job is not an easy task but the level of difficulty also depends on the type of job you’re looking for. While looking for an entry-level job might be relatively easy, getting an executive job does require more efforts.

There are several elements to consider when looking for an executive job:

- First, you need to find executive job listings as executive level jobs are not as readily available as entry-level jobs that you can find in your local newspaper. To find executive jobs, you can use various sources such as:

·    Specialized papers such as the Wall Street Journal, etc.
·    Executive recruiting services
·    Networking (word of mouth, referrals)
·    executive job websites

- Another important element is that executive job listings are much more detailed when it comes to education and experience requirements. However, because leadership skills are transferrable, you can still qualify for the job even if your profile doesn’t perfectly match the announcement.

- Finally because executive jobs are quite scarce, with a lot of competition, your resume needs to stand out and prove that you are the most qualified candidate for the job. In general, an executive resume should be no longer than two pages and should catch the attention of the employers within the first half of the first page. If you don’t think you can write a great resume, it is recommended to use a professional executive resume writing service.