Executive Resume Example

After reading the article, you'll feel confident creating an executive resume that provides a comprehensive account of your career achievements, experience and expertise. You'll find advice on how to provide your leadership skills, and how they've led to successful outcomes, as well as other sought-after skills and traits such as long-term vision, strategic thinking and developing a healthy organizational culture. Read on to find key insights from the careers experts at Jobseeker, that will help you craft a winning executive resume.

What to include in an executive resume

Most resumes contain similar key sections, with an executive resume being no different.

You will have some choice over your resume layout and structure, but be sure to include these sections as the core of your document:

Resume Header

The resume header is the place to add your name and contact details, along with your LinkedIn URL if you have a profile, so employers can find more information about your career journey and skills. You don't typically need to add a photo, or any other personal information to this section. Make your resume header clear, concise and as brief and compact as possible. Consider different layouts that spread the information horizontally across the page rather than using a different line for each piece of information.

Use an email address that's professional and appropriate for professional communication. Typically this would be an email address based on your first and last name, or your initials. If necessary, you could include your profession or another unique identifier. Avoid using old email addresses that could be considered unprofessional or inappropriate. Additionally, always check your contact details before sending your resume to ensure they're up-to-date.

Resume Summary

In your resume summary, write a short paragraph that highlights two or three of your key achievements and skills for executive roles. You could also call this section 'resume objective' or 'personal profile'. A resume summary covers your career experience to date, while a resume objective focuses more on your ambitions for the future. Additionally, make sure your resume summary reflects the job description and focuses on qualities that are relevant to working as an executive.

Alternatively, use this summary to introduce your personal career ambitions and explain why executive roles are a good fit for you at this stage of your career.

A good resume summary reflects the job description and highlights some of the key skills required for executive roles, while leaving the reader with an impression of your unique qualities and strengths. The most effective resume summaries also provide evidence to back up the claims made in them. See below for some great examples of what to include in your executive resume summary.

On the other hand, an unsuccessful resume summary is one that mentions irrelevant skills, qualities and achievements and fails to differentiate you from other candidates. The visual above includes some examples of what not to do with your executive resume summary

Employment History

Under your work experience section, add any jobs you've had in the past that are relevant to the position of an executive. Mention only the most appropriate and relevant jobs you've had in reverse-chronological order, starting with your most recent and working backwards. Add your job title, the name of the employer, the location of the role and your dates of employment.

In addition, include a few bullet points under each job, highlighting your key achievements so the hiring manager can see how they led to successful outcomes. Back up each point with evidence to show how you meet the job description.

For senior positions such as executive, your work experience section may be longer than a standard resume. By the time you're applying for a senior role, you'll have built up plenty of work experience, and you may wish to showcase executive skills and achievements from various previous roles. While experts often state that 10 to 15 years is the furthest back you'll want your resume work experience section to go, if you're applying for a senior position, you might wish to go back further. This should enable you to show that you have the required expertise and standing in your industry to qualify for a senior leadership role.

An effective resume work experience section is one that constantly echoes the skills and experience listed in the job description, and shows how you used your skills to positive effect in each job. Each bullet point should be carefully crafted to showcase a particular skill or achievement relevant to executive jobs, with evidence to show the value you added. Review some strong examples of resume work experience sections in the graphic below.

In the graphic above you can see a great example of what to avoid when writing your resume work experience section. Ineffective work experience sections tend to focus too much on everyday responsibilities over skills and achievements. If you use vague descriptions of activities and fail to back up your achievements with evidence, you're likely to fail to make an impact on the reader.

Education

The education section provides space to list your highest and most recent academic achievements that are relevant to working as an executive.

Opportunities as an executive and similar roles in the sector usually require a specialist degree. If you have a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree, be sure to mention this in your resume. You might also want to list any qualifications that highlight your CRM software or strategic planning.

List your relevant qualifications in reverse-chronological order. Add the name and level of the award, the institution, its location (if this isn't obvious from the name) and your dates of study. You could also add one or two bullet points to draw attention to your grades if they were particularly good, as well as any specialist subjects you studied. This will help the hiring manager understand your knowledge and special skills better.

If you took part in any volunteering or you were a leader or member of any university societies, you could also mention these in your education section.

Skills

Adding a list of your key skills provides a quick reference for the reader of what you can bring to an executive role. Skills such as strategic planning or leadership and management are particularly useful for executive jobs. Additionally, read the job description to make sure your skills match those required for executive positions. You could also include some unique skills that help you stand out as a candidate.

Highlighting your hard skills

Under hard skills, add any specialist skills you possess that are specifically required for executive jobs. These tend to be technical skills and industry knowledge essential to the position. Furthermore, your hard skills list helps to show employers how competent and experienced you are at key executive duties and responsibilities. If possible, add four or five hard skills that reflect the requirements of the job description. These will boost your chances of success in your applications.

The best resume hard skills sections focus on specific technical skills necessary for the job, showcasing skills that you have particular expertise in. There are some examples of valuable hard skills for an executive resume below.

Listing soft skills on your executive resume

Your soft skills are the core qualities and personal characteristics that make you a good employee. They tend to apply to multiple professions and jobs, though the soft skills you'll require may change as you move from junior to senior positions. In fact, as technology develops, soft skills are growing in importance for recruiters and employers, so be sure to add several of these to your resume.

It's best to aim for four or five soft skills that match the job description and reflect your strongest personal qualities. When applying for senior positions, such as executive roles, your soft skills section should emphasize your leadership skills.

An effective executive resume soft skills section should be targeted to include skills that reflect your personality and unique characteristics, while also matching the job description. The graphic below includes some examples of good resume soft skills.

Certifications and Training

Under certifications and licenses, add any further qualifications that show you're a good fit for the job. You could list accreditations for certain professional roles or licenses for certain activities that help to make you a strong candidate. Therefore, add any professional licenses or certifications, along with valid dates that show they're still valid.

Read on to see some relevant example certifications for an executive resume:

Optional Sections

As well as the main sections of an executive resume, optional sections can help you prove your credentials to employers. Pick from the optional sections below to help show the employer you have the skills and experience for the job.

Hobbies and Interests

Hobbies and interests can be a useful way of showing your skills and experience beyond your work and education. Consider listing hobbies and interests to help your resume stand out, or to provide the employer with some insight into your personality and wider interests. They're perfect for candidates who might lack genuine work experience as an executive. Think about adding hobbies and interests to your resume if they add some insight into your personality that you can't express elsewhere in your application.

Volunteer Experience

Voluntary work can help you develop useful skills, so it's a valuable addition to your executive resume. Write your volunteer section in a similar format to your work experience, including your role, the organization name, relevant dates and the details of your contribution.

References

Although it's rare to include references on an executive resume, some employers may ask for it. Don't add references unless they're specifically mentioned by the employer in the job advert. Only include referees that you've had prior approval from, and notify them to expect contact from the employer.

Best action words for your executive resume

Using strong action words to make your resume resonate with the employer. Choose from the list of words below to make the best possible impression.

For executive roles, your resume length can often be longer than the standard of one to two pages. You'll want plenty of space to prove you've got the necessary experience and standing to take on such a senior position. As such, it's not unusual to submit a resume longer than two pages. If you want to create a resume that stands out from the crowd, use Jobseeker's expert-designed resume templates. You can also find cover letter templates that work to get you noticed by employers.

Sample executive resume

Using each of the sections above, we've created this example executive resume, to help guide you when creating your own:

Guide to making your resume ATS-friendly

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) help recruiters and employers to manage their hiring process. They can handle some of the more time-consuming and resource-intensive jobs, such as initial screening of resumes. Employers often receive hundreds of applications per vacancy, and ATS software can quickly and accurately scan and rank resumes based on their likely suitability for any role. When drafting your executive resume, there are a few guidelines to follow to give you the best chance of passing the ATS screening stage and progressing with your application.

Follow these simple rules when writing your resume, to make sure it's ATS compliant:

• Use a traditional resume format, such as reverse-chronological or functional. These will give your resume a structure that's easier for ATS systems to scan.
• Include keywords throughout your resume that align with the job description. ATS software tends to compare your resume to the job description for points of similarity, so careful, considered use of keywords should help your chances of success.
• Include clear headings in each section that match the traditional resume structure and format. This will make it easier for the ATS software to scan your resume.
• Adopt a clean, unfussy design that gives your content enough white space to breathe. Use professional, readable fonts and subtle use of color and other design elements.
• Make sure your resume is as concise as possible, so ATS applications can easily scan and identify the required details.

Key takeaways for your executive resume

The key to a strong resume is to showcase your relevant skills and achievements through your work experience and other activities. Use a suitable resume format and tailor your resume for every application you submit.

Using the professional resume templates and resources of Jobseeker can help you create a great-looking resume that stands out from other applicants. Sign up today and follow the simple steps to get started. A stylish, professional cover letter can make all the difference to your job prospects. See Jobseeker's cover letter examples, written by careers experts, to help you craft an eye-catching application.

Sources:

(1) Overcoming the Most Common Challenges in the Executive Job Search, MIT Career Development Office: https://cdo.mit.edu/blog/2024/10/15/overcoming-the-most-common-challenges-in-the-executive-job-search/

(2) How to Impress an Executive Recruiter and Break Into the C-Suite, Harvard Division of Continuing Education: https://professional.dce.harvard.edu/blog/how-to-impress-an-executive-recruiter-and-break-into-the-c-suite/