The "How To Write A Perfect Executive Resume" Blog!

In corporate America the concept of competitive positioning dominates. You have to clearly differ from the competitor in order to position yourself above that competitor. Let’s apply that principle to executive resume writing. The #2 success element for your executive resume is this: it’s critically important to position your resume above all others.

What does this mean? First, what it doesn’t mean: it doesn’t mean your design and format has to be prettier than everyone else’s. If you are, for example, seeking to place yourself at the top of a pool of executive directors, or seeking to make the short list of candidates to be interviewed for CTO or VP of Sales, the design shouldn’t be so unique as to be “funky.” Plus, a great design with flat content still equals a flat resume.

We speak extensively of this #2 factor, plus all top 5 success elements for your executive CV in our webinar, "How To Write A Perfect Resume." More on #2 right now:

Competitive positioning has a lot to do with language. Think about it: if a chief executive officer resume or CIO CV is filled with “resume-ese” (like legal-ese, words that people just seem to think should be on a resume), then your resume presents a lot of language that is exactly the same as what everyone else just seems to think should be on a resume.

Useful CV writing advice is this: under no circumstances ever in your life include on your executive resume the following:

• results-oriented
• resourceful
• teamwork
• team player
• responsible for
• responsibilities include
• fast-paced environment
• detail-oriented
• hard-working
• independent
• motivated
• people person
• organized
• self-motivated
• dedicated
• committed