Executive Essentials, from APerfectResume.com

Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief

I had a potential executive resume client request a free resume evaluation this week, with a note saying, “I need the least expensive fee because money is a big issue now and I need to make an emergency change.”

Uh-uh.  My I respectfully suggest the adoption of a new perspective?

You know, I’m a consumer also.  I use other people’s professional services.  One that springs to mind is my accountant.  His name is Jerry Glickman.  His firm is Shechtman, Marks in Philadelphia, PA.  It’s questionable whether he’ll be thrilled that I’m mentioning him in this particular forum.  In any event, I was referred to Jerry by a close friend.  It was suggested to me by this friend that I had reached a point in my life and my resume practice that I needed to graduate from using the services of the typical chain tax preparer that pops up on every street corner come tax time.

So I accepted the referral and went to Jerry.  It was, to say the least, expensive.  But guess what: I am 120% confident that my taxes are done right.  And isn’t that really the point?  Let’s see: do I want a cheap tax preparer who will get my stuff done in assembly line fashion, but who knows if I’ll get audited or not?  Or do I want to sit with Jerry, have him review my issues with me, give me his time, lend me his expertise, and instill confidence in me that he expertly handled each facet of my complicated (at least to me, anyway) financial matters?  I’ll take Option 2.

Option 1

   

Option 2

Let’s apply this philosophy to other professional services.  When you have a major illness, do you search for the cheapest doctor?  Or do you go to the one you’re confident has the most experience and resources to manage your specific problem?

If you’re in some unfortunate situation that may require, ahem, prison, are you interested in the cheapest lawyer in a storefront shop?  On the contrary, most people go for the biggest “name” out there.  Think: OJ’s “Dream Team.”  His dream was to stay out of jail; his dream was fulfilled.

Ladies in particular, do you insist on the cheapest hair cut?  Or the best one?  The one that suits the shape of your face, takes into account your hair thickness, and suits your overall style?

Get it?

So why on earth, at a time when you really and truly need a job, would you insist on the cheapest resume possible?  Do you honestly think that will get you there?  Am I trying to sell you a resume right now?  Not necessarily.  What I want is for you to see the value in a resume prepared by a real person, a certified professional, who takes the time to communicate with you and present your authentic story.  That’s how you get what you really want.  And that, my friends, is priceless.

Attack of the One-Line Bullet

If I repeat myself with certain themes throughout this blog, it’s because I am doing my level best to drill something into your head: your executive resume needs to tell your real story, and show who you genuinely, authentically are.  Every post I write regarding resumes will have something to do with this fundamental tenet.

This is important because of a trend I see in executive resumes that clients present to me for evaluation before we delve into their project.  Nine times out of ten, their “before” resume will feature achievements and accomplishments that are whittled down to one line of seemingly fantastic numbers:

“Directed a marketing campaign that increased revenue 35%.”

It sure looks great.  But wait: what’s the story behind that?  Was the marketing campaign your idea?  What was particularly innovative about the campaign?  Based on what measurables did you arrive on this 35%?  And make that 35% significant: is that compared to a projection of 20%?  These are just a few questions that a one-line bullet immediately raises.

Your resume needs to answer questions, not generate more questions.  I have been a consistently strong proponent of turning that one-line bullet into a complete story with a beginning, middle, and end.  And guess what: that does not require endless verbiage that makes your resume the length of a doctoral dissertation.  Let’s try this:

“Directed a marketing campaign that elevated the business’ brand, and leveraged new marketing vehicles so that sales reported a 35% increase in revenue.”

Executives, you have a breadth and depth of experience that necessitates more than the typical one line bullet.  As long as the information is compelling, employers will take the time to read it.

"Normal" Does Not Apply To You

About every other client who comes to APerfectResume.com has an existing resume that they've either just created or have been using for some time.  And it's astounding the number of senior executive candidates who show me something straight off a Microsoft Word template.

This is what normal people do.  Nope, scratch that.  This is what below-average job candidates do.  This is by no means a bash against MS Word, but executives, I really have to command you to just not use it.  It doesn't apply in your case.

There are a couple of problems with a very experienced candidate using a template:

• Think about what the word template means.  It's a formula.  It's meant for everybody to use.  If everybody uses it, how are you going to stand out?
• The template is instantly recognizable as a template.  All professionals in the employment industry can see it's a template.  This says that you have no ability to go above and beyond.
• The reason for using a template is you can't come up with your own format.  So you fill in the blanks in the format that's provided.  Just this week I had an executive with essentially zero education, but 30 years of fabulous experience and accomplishments, begin his resume with education, because that was the section that came first.  It was wrong, just wrong.

Review the samples at APerfectResume.com.  They were all born of a blank piece of paper.  THAT was the template.  I like for the client to breathe life into the resume.  It's a very individualized process, and the result is genuinely, uniquely, reflective of you, and you alone.

True Confessions

A new trend is coming down the pike: certified resumes.  What's gaining in popularity now are businesses that specialize in verifying the statements you make on your resume.  It works like so: you, the executive candidate, pay the firm to verify you.  They can verify your dates of employment, dates of schooling, earned degrees, or whatever you specify.  Then they stamp your resume with what is essentially a Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.

Why is this a good thing?  Because when you submit your resume for the high-powered executive role you want, the employer already knows that everything you've said on your resume is true.  The employer can go to the verification company's web site and make sure.  What this means for you is that you have one more leg up on your competition.  The employer has to verify your competition himself, which costs him time and money.  You just made it one step closer to the interview and the job.

The Key Difference Your Executive Resume Needs

There's a major difference between writing an executive resume and strategizing on an executive resume.  Writing means you put on paper, in a pleasant visual format, your employment history and accomplishments.  Strategizing on your resume, though, means you are going to an entirely new level.

Strategy #1: Think about your future.  What do you plan to bring to the table in your next executive role?  That's what the resume needs to emphasize.  This clearly differentiates for employers what you've already done, and what you know you can do for them.

Strategy #2: Write the resume about YOU, not your job.  Breathe life into your resume.  The most effective way of doing that is to write about you.  It's your performance in your prior executive roles that matters, not your scope of responsibility.  Highlight what you did in your career that delivered results exceeding projections, or yeilded a tremendous cost savings.

Strategy #3: Make the resume more than just the sum of its parts.  Give your accomplishments context.  If you saved money, compare that savings to what the projections originally called for.  Providing such context does not automatically mean your resume becomes the length of a dissertation. 

Strategy #4: Build a brand image.  How do you want to be perceived overall?  This strategy involves conveying your levels of competence, intelligence, and trustworthiness.  These points build your credibility.  And if employers believe in that credibility, they'll call.