How to Write a WOW Executive Resume Work History

Do the work experiences on your executive resume read like a career obituary? Does reading about yourself make even YOU want to yawn?

Here are a few resume writing tips to help you avoid this response from your audience of executive recruiters and hiring managers.

Focus on economy of words.

Just because the official job description at your workplace goes into gritty detail about every possible action you might take and every area you are responsible for, that does not mean that this is appropriate for your executive resume. You want to write a concise summary of the scope of your role, followed by similarly concise examples of your accomplishments. More detail can be provided later, if desired.

Vary the format for readability.

A short paragraph describing your role followed by a handful of bulleted items illuminating your contributions makes it easier for the reader to know where to find the information he or she is looking for, while making the information easier to digest.

Don’t confuse duties with accomplishments.

“Directed day-to-day call center operations” is a duty. “Reduced customer wait time to speak to a call center representative by 20%” is an accomplishment.

Quantify, quantify, quantify.

Applying dollars, numbers, and percentages to a statement amplifies its impact exponentially. Compare the following statements:

“Improved quality and cut costs of producing newsletter.”

“Cut cost of producing newsletter in half while doubling subscriber base as a direct result of increase in quality.”

Which would impress you more?

Use active versus passive words and sentences.

Compare:

“Held full responsibility for global sales team.”

“Led and inspired global sales team to new performance heights.”

For more executive resume writing tips, see this How To article, and others on my Executive Resumes Blog.