An Executive Resume Checklist

Your resume is a “capabilities brochure” that IS NOT designed to get you a job! It is a tool to get you an interview that may lead to a job offer. The most common mistake people make is to build a crowded-looking resume, print up hundreds and “blast” them out, hoping to get job offers.

The reality is that there are literally millions of resumes circulating in business channels and most are either “scanned” by computer looking for specific words or experience . . . or else they are read mostly by clerical employees with instructions to look for ways to eliminate or disqualify candidates and get the “pile” down to a manageable size. This resume checklist is designed to streamline your resume's path into the "save" pile.

Eleven Secrets to a Successful Executive Resume . . . Some Key Things to Think About as You Assemble Your Resume Ensemble.

1. KISS - Keep it simple, clean and to the point. White paper, black ink, readable typestyles. Since everyone in the world is an “art critic,” (and they all see things in a different light) you can’t expect your recipient readers to all respond to your exhibition of talent. (Yes, this applies to people applying for a graphic design position as well.)
2. Personalize - Wherever possible, make each resume personalized . . . targeted to the particular recipient. This is why you need a complete ensemble of resumes, one for each discipline that your executive talents might match as well as being ready to customize resumes to specific industries and companies or organizations. You may want to build your own resume checklist for all the different resume types you'll need.
3. Tip - Create your Resume Template/s in reverse. Start at the bottom with the “easy” things like honors & awards, education and professional affiliations. Save the Qualification Statement & Objectives for last.
4. Style - Not everyone views a resume the same way. Different people prefer different styles. Don’t vary from the accepted norm unless you know something about the recipient/s.
5. Length - Can you keep it to 1 or 2 pages? Anything over two pages gets into the “ego” area. If you’re an academic, applying to academia, feel free to go over two pages. If you are in management, transitioning to another industry or just have too much experience, consider a “Profile” or functional resume.
6. Your “Qualifications” - Have you clearly presented your Qualifications at the top? What are your Objectives? Remember that ancient, eastern, creative principle of extortion! Actually, it’s called “tease” in western terms and involves the selective withholding of information . . . telling just enough to get them interested and hold their attention for the real presentation . . . in this case, the executive job interview.
7. Pertinent Accomplishments - Are you including your pertinent Accomplishments for the target audience? What are the three most important points you want to make . . . in priority order? Remember, you will be making additional presentations (by email, letter, phone or in person later) where you will want some different Accomplishments to use.
8. Appearance - Does your resume look cluttered? Too many words and not enough “white space” discourages readership and so does too much underlining and overuse of bold print. Make it easy to read.
9. Typestyle - Is your typestyle appropriate for the audience . . . 11 or 12 pt. and easy to read?
10. Tailored? - Are you “targeting” your Accomplishments to the specific audience . . . and are they set off in bullet points? (Uneven number is preferable, just like in this resume checklist!)
11. Sentence Length - Are most of your sentences no longer than twelve words? Are you keeping paragraphs short (no more than three sentences) for easy readability?

One last question: Who will read it before you send it? Give them this resume checklist as an editing guide.

And a suggestion: Before you pay to have your resume prepared professionally, do some research on your own. Ex: Go to www.thehireroad.com (use code: JK1778). That way you will be better able to “judge” the quality of the guidance you receive.

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