Command the attention of prospective employers with a well-crafted resume. Start strong by choosing a resume template that lays a solid foundation for your work history. The best executive resume template has a clean, professional design and highlights your key skills and achievements. Choose a simple format that gives you room to demonstrate your management knowledge. Let your words do the convincing and avoid decorative graphics that detract from the content of your resume.
After choosing the perfect resume template, it’s time to put in the work. Your template will come ready to go with all the basic resume elements you need. Employers will learn who you are, how to contact you, and what makes you eligible for the role. Here’s a closer look at what each section of your executive resume should include:
Executive professionals are often familiar with the monumental task of filtering through hundreds of resumes. What makes those few resumes stand out above the rest? How can you craft your resume to do just that? We’ll give you strategic advice on how to write an executive resume that keeps readers engaged and interested. Follow the tactics below to effectively demonstrate your management experience, optimize your content, and call attention to your qualifications.
Hiring managers want more than a list of job duties and responsibilities. They want to know how you executed your role. They want to see the results of your efforts. The best way to quantify your experience is by giving examples of metrics, numbers, and key performance indicators you influenced. Take a look at our example:
Make your executive resume relevant to each of your potential employers. Every time you apply for a position with a different company, take a few minutes to align your resume with the job listing. Use keywords from the job description and organically work them into your text. Speak to the company’s needs and present yourself as the missing piece to their puzzle.
Adding a “key skills” section to your resume is a great way to highlight the qualifications that make you the perfect candidate. A simple bulleted list is the most effective way to draw attention to these skills. Include both hard and soft skills that are required for your specific executive position. Here’s a small sampling of executive key skills you could use on your resume:
Hard Skills | Soft Skills |
---|---|
Strategic Planning | Emotional Intelligence |
Project Management | Conflict Resolution |
Contract Negotiation | Problem-Solving |
Data Analysis | Leadership |
Team Management | Creativity |
Streamline your resume by using action verbs to present your experience and objectives. Instead of using cumbersome first-person language (e.g., “I was responsible for leading…”), start your sentences with action verbs. This tactic helps you get straight to the point, saving space on your resume and drawing attention to what you’ve accomplished. Consider using the following action verbs on your executive resume:
Action Verbs | |
---|---|
Directed | Initiated |
Transformed | Orchestrated |
Optimized | Spearheaded |
Developed |
If you want a job at the executive level, you’ll need at least 5-10 years of experience to obtain an authoritative role. However, it is possible to make a horizontal move into a different industry with little to no industry-specific knowledge.
Donald Lee
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
LinkedIn | Portfolio
City, State Abbreviation Zip Code
A digital marketing director with over 10 years of experience defining marketing strategies for enterprise organizations. A proven track record of building high-performance marketing teams and collaborating with C-level executives. Adept at leveraging data-driven strategies to enhance market penetration and achieve positive business outcomes.
Digital Marketing Director, Factor75, Philadelphia, PA
November 2017 – present
Marketing Manager, L.L. Bean, Philadelphia, PA
May2013 – November 2017
Master of Science (M.S.) Marketing, September 2013 – May 2015
Temple University, Los Angeles, CA
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Communications, September 2009 – May 2013
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
ResumeTemplates offers free, HR approved resume templates to help you create a professional resume in minutes. Choose from several template options and even pre-populate a resume from your profile.