These days, with the economy in turmoil, the Canadian labour market is flooded with executive resumes for senior-level professionals looking for work. The current market has created an unfortunate situation for thousands of job seekers. Many of them are highly experienced and successful – and yet they find themselves in need of a new position.

If you are an executive who has been successful in the past, it is no wonder that you have not done a search for a while. Especially for you, tapping the job market for the first time may be quite nerve-wracking at this time. These days, everyone seems to be applying for the same positions because there aren’t many available.

The competition is fierce. If you are in a search, you’ll need to design an executive resume that is unique and cannot be missed. You need to stand out from the rest and be seen in the pile of hundreds of executive resumes submitted for the position.

It may have been years since you have written an executive resume and you aren’t sure where to start. Chances are good you have pulled out your old resume and updated it. Or, worse, you are using a resume template provided from your word processing application to design an executive resume! The problem you’ll encounter is that the job you are applying for most likely has hundreds of other applicants too. When the recruiter reviews all of the executive resumes, they will all look the same.

Executive resume writing can be very difficult, and most successful people transitioning in Canada are submitting a perfect document. You must design a resume that is not from a template. Your document must stand out from the rest. An executive resume that is not from a template shows the organization you are not afraid to step outside of the box.

This is your career and you don’t want any mistakes. If you are a Canadian professional who is looking for a senior-level job, the best thing you can do for yourself today is to hire a resume service based in Canada to design an outstanding executive resume for you. A strong executive resume writer will know exactly how to design a high-impact resume that will prominently focus on your accomplishments and successes.

Graham Management Group is the leading Canadian firm that specializes in executives, managers, and six-figure professionals. You can find us at www.GrahamManagement.com. If you are not a senior-level professional, you can find many other qualified Canadian resume writers at www.CareerProCanada.ca. “Just click on find a professional.”

Venturing into the Canadian job market during this economic turmoil does not need to be a scary prospect. In Canada, you have the advantage of foresight and a strong support base. Ensure that you have the best chance of success; consider a Canadian professional executive resume writer to help you achieve your goals.

Thank you for reading my blog! Please email me if you spot any errors in this post.

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Why Your Executive Resume Must Stand Out in Canada

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Have you ever tried to open a door with the wrong key? No matter how hard you try to jam and jiggle the key, it just won’t open the door. Your job search works in a similar way. If you try to open the door to an opportunity, but you have the wrong key, you just won’t get in.

Today, what I want to tell you is that you already have the right key. In fact, you have the master key. It’s your value proposition – your marketing strategy and sales pitch to the employer. If you deliver a powerful message, you will open doors to many opportunities.

Creating a value proposition is not a new concept. Most successful businesses create a marketing strategy. Then they attack the market with a strong sales pitch that compels buyers to purchase their product.

So, how do we translate this strategy to you – the job seeker? To develop your own value proposition, it’s sometimes helpful to see yourself as a “product.” You want to present this product to your target market – your potential employer.

You are a unique person. There is nobody else on earth exactly like you. You have a very specific blend of experience, skills, and accomplishments that no one else can say they have. Since you are unique, it only makes sense that you should not have the same value proposition as anyone else.

To uncover your unique value, you need to address three points:

First of all, you need to know exactly how your employer will benefit financially from hiring you. If you study your target market – the industry, the company, and the job – you’ll discover exactly what they need. Once you figure out what they want in return for compensating you, you can then identify your very best strengths that will address their needs.

Next, you’ll want to identify any special experience and credentials that you bring to the table. You have certain qualifications that employers just can’t resist. If you can articulate them, you are well on your way to developing your value proposition.

The third and last step in creating your value proposition is to identify your additional talents that distinguish you from the competition. The most important thing that you can offer is the exceptional talent that you have that goes far past addressing the employer’s basic needs. Figure out what you offer that others are not likely to put on their resume. Make sure that you keep focused on your target market’s needs and exceed them with your special talents.

When it comes to your job search, your value proposition is indispensable. Portray a consistent presence in your resume, your professional biography, your business case, and all your other documents.

Try condensing your value proposition into a snappy and memorable tagline. You can use your tagline on your resume, letterhead, business card, and website or blog. There’s really no limit. Be creative, but stay consistent in your message.

Your new sales pitch can be used in many ways too. You can deliver a 30-second infomercial when networking. You can open interviews with a concise message outlining your unique value. If you do presentations, you can use your pitch to introduce yourself.

You can even use your value proposition to negotiate a better salary. By outlining your unique value, you’ll be able to show why you are worth the compensation you deserve.

So, now you have the master key. Outshining your competition is easier than you think. With your new value proposition, you will open doors and close fantastic opportunities.

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Your Value Proposition is the Key to Opening Doors

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If you are a leader in your area of expertise, you probably don’t need a resume to open doors. This might sound a little odd coming from someone who runs the top resume writing firm for leaders in Canada. My business is writing effective resumes for six-figure professionals, so why would I suggest that you might not need a resume to get a good opportunity?

Let me explain. If you are an experienced senior-level professional, your resume doesn’t hold the same sort of power that it might have had years ago. In fact, this time around, it might not be the first thing you need to succeed in your job search, but it probably is the final thing you need to close the deal.

To understand this concept, it might be a good idea to imagine for a minute that you are the CEO of a prominent multi-billion dollar organization. You’re very well known, and you have a rolodex plump full of powerful people who know you well and understand how valuable you are. Even before you’re “on the market,” they have their eye on you. When you pick up the phone to start your search, you know exactly who to call. And, when they get your call they are thrilled to nab you for their organization. You practically have the offer before you ever need to give them a resume. In fact, you don’t give anyone your resume “unless and until” you feel that they are worthy to receive it. By the time they’re ready to give you the offer, the resume is only a token and you already have the job.

Okay, so maybe your current career transition is not going exactly like this. But, there is no reason that it can’t in the future. For now, your resume will need to do some work if you are to close your next opportunity.

In your current job search, your resume does hold some power, but it doesn’t hold the same kind of power as it did in earlier days. For example, when you started out in your very first job, you might have been asked to fill out an application form. Then, as you progressed in your career, a nicely presented homemade resume was appropriate to send to recruiters. Once you were established and started to target more senior positions, you probably retained a resume writer and started to supplement your resume with a nice cover letter. Now that you are in the right situation to nab a good senior-level position, networking becomes vital and your professionally written resume is presented after you have secured the opportunity to meet. And, when you do meet, the resume becomes part of the portfolio you present to recruiters and potential employers.

Instead of relying so heavily on the resume on the front-end of your search, focus your energy on targeted networking. Invest most of your valuable time on a job search that aggressively opens up connections. Target leaders and decision makers who are in a position to create a job opening and offer it to you.

Of course, you still need to present yourself well. The difference is that you are now using your resume as a supporting document that validates the first impression and message that you gave your new contacts.

If you are networking and presenting yourself effectively in the job search, people will have a very high expectation of you as a leader in your area of expertise. People expect that you walk the talk. You’ll find that your resume and complete portfolio become the package of material that supports what you have told the people you met.

So, you can see that your resume may not open the door, but it certainly can slam it shut if you don’t present yourself well. As you develop your new portfolio, make sure that your resume supports your good networking efforts and presents you the way you represent yourself in person. In no time, your resume will help you to acquire a profitable and rewarding position.

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Your reputation opens the door; your resume closes the deal

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Wouldn’t it be nice if you could see the resumes that your competitors are submitting before you apply for a position? What would you do if you could compare your resume with theirs? I suspect that you would want to revise yours to be certain it would be the very best one.

Well today is your lucky day. As a professional resume strategist, I get to see hundreds of resumes from highly qualified professionals. I’m going to share three big secrets for resume success. Come into my world; let’s see how you can significantly improve your resume.

The first secret that I would like to share with you is that most job seekers don’t seem to understand the purpose of their resume. When I ask the question, “what are you targeting?” I get either a blank stare or a curt “I’m not sure. I just want a general resume.” The very first thing I tell my client is this: “The purpose of your resume is to show how you can meet the specific needs of your target market. If you don’t know who you are targeting, you simply cannot tell them what you can do for them.”

Once my client determines a focus, I hone in on the needs of those employers. We strategically discuss everything that my client will do to meet their needs and exceed all of their expectations. Then, we stress these important points in the resume.

Your resume needs to open doors. To do this, you must express your unique value to the employer. Why else would anyone want to meet with you?

Okay, now here comes secret number two. I cannot tell you how many times I see job seekers listing duties and tasks on their resumes. Employers do not need a job description of positions held. They already know the responsibilities of the job – why else would they be looking for someone to fill it? Duties and tasks are not nearly as important as tangible, quantifiable accomplishments. When I am writing a resume, I focus on showing employers why they should pick my client instead of everyone else. I want the employer to know that if they hire my client they will get a great return on investment for the hefty compensation that they’ll be shelling out. From my experience, it is clear that all the top-level candidates who get the opportunities, are touting many achievements – and they are putting hard numbers to every single one. You must too.

Now for secret number three. This is a simple and powerful tactic that works every time. When I want my client’s resume to stand out, I design it to look different from any resume that I have ever seen. Imagine a recruiter is looking at a giant stack of resumes and my client’s is in the middle. The recruiter is probably already overwhelmed with the daunting task of going through hundreds of resumes. I do whatever I can to be certain that my client’s resume is guaranteed to stand out in the very best way possible. So, even if the recruiter does a quick shuffle through the documents, my client’s resume must stand out in a good way. This strategy greatly increases the chances that the resume will be picked at all – even if it is just to take a look at the design.

Now, let’s take all this a step further:  creative design and branding is becoming a critical factor for senior-level professionals. Template resumes are rapidly becoming a thing of the past. Because the competition for top jobs is getting tougher, job seekers are leveraging the talents of professional strategists more than ever. I am already seeing some upscale resumes that are more like tasteful marketing brochures than the typical style to we have become accustomed.

It never ceases to amaze me that some executives still think that they can get away with a shabby, carelessly written homemade resume. Don’t get caught in that trap. Your resume is a reflection of you. If your resume presents itself poorly, imagine what the reader is going to think of you. If you are truly worthy of a high compensation, you must present yourself that way.

I hope that I gave you some insight into my world as a professional resume strategist. Be sure to sign up for updates to my blog, if you’re not already a subscriber. I’m looking forward to sharing many more strategies to help you succeed in your career transition.

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Enter the secret world of resume writing and get my top three strategies

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In the last few years, you must have noticed all the excitement and uproar about The Secret. To many of us in the career industry, “The Secret” is really no secret at all. It’s the law of attraction. If you’re hoping to achieve your goals, you can use this law to your benefit.

First of all, I have to admit that the meteoric rise of the book and then the documentary “The Secret” raised a rollercoaster of emotions in me. On the one hand, I have unconsciously used this law all along. It clearly helped me to achieve many goals. But then, I look at our working world today, and I wonder why some good people who take what seem like good steps don’t achieve their goals. Through my own soul searching and a great struggle with my own faith, I came to realize something. As with most laws, the law of attraction is not a perfect law – but it does increase our chances of success.

If you’re serious about using the law of attraction to achieve your goals this year, here is the real secret: You must apply two components: think positively and act proactively.

A bad attitude can kill any dream. So, first of all, you need to think positively. If you believe that you can’t do it, you probably won’t. But, if you know that you can do it, it’s very likely that you will. So, forget about your past failures. Start fresh. Envision yourself in the ideal position doing exactly what you really want to do. Stay focused on your future. Write down some steps that you need to take to get yourself there. Project yourself taking those steps. And, most of all, believe that you will get there.

Thinking positively is only one part of the law of attraction. It’s just as important to act proactively. Take the steps that you need to take. Proactively tackle any barriers too. For example, if you don’t know what the hidden job market is, then learn about it. If networking is something that you have never put into action, then pick up the phone and start connecting with colleagues and business associates today.

Take positive action in every area of your career. If you are haphazardly applying to anything and everything that comes to your attention, stop it. Re-focus on your career goals and start to seriously research steps to make them happen.

If interviewing for a job makes you nervous, start gaining confidence by practicing first on your own, then with trusted friends and colleagues.

If you’re lazy about following up with people, make a concerted effort to draft one thank-you letter. Then send it to every contact that gives you any kind of help at all.

The law of attraction is not a “magic bullet.” But if you deliberately use it, you will change your thinking and your actions. Change your perspective in 2012 and I’m certain that you will achieve your goals!

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Use the Law of Attraction to achieve your career goals in 2012

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Just about everyone has to deal with sensitive issues about their career. By including a cover letter with your resume, you can address many concerns and gain a distinct advantage over your competition.

• A cover letter shows that you are a proactive professional who takes extra effort to present a complete proposal.
• It displays your respect for the recipient – recruiter and/or employer – by addressing him or her directly.
• It gives you the opportunity to display your personality, character, and ethics as part of your submission.
• It can effectively mitigate a number of career issues by shifting the focus to your value proposition.
• It allows you to concentrate on the future and hone in on how you can address the particular needs of the employer.

Your cover letter reflects your principles and integrity.

So, how do you handle career gaps and gaffes without looking bad?

Never bring up career issues unnecessarily. Talk more about what you can do for the prospective employer than about what they can do for you. Centre your letter on addressing the employer’s needs, not your wants. If you feel that you must address certain serious situations, carefully construct an authentic statement that comes across as professional and optimistic.

Here are some diverse situations where you can address what seem to be awkward periods along your career path. In each case, describe the positives – the things that you did which were real contributions or learning experiences.

—– 

Instead of: Took two years off due to a job loss followed by personal issues.

Try: During a sabbatical, focused on personal and professional development.

 —–

Instead of: Took a break to travel the world.

Try: Travelled extensively, becoming more aware of global diversity and challenges.

 —–

Instead of: Worked for Company ABC for 3 months, Company DEF for 5 months, and Company XYZ for 6 months.

Try: Accepted three interim roles within the industry.

 —–

Instead of: Stayed home for five years until my youngest was in kindergarten.

Try: Assumed volunteer roles ranging from fundraising to teacher’s assistant.

—– 

Instead of: Quit work to complete college or university.

Try: Held multiple part-time assistant and research positions and gained credibility in the field while earning my degree.

 —–

One final point: during your career, you have no doubt encountered innumerable challenges that pertain to the roles you have held and the companies you have supported. Never portray your previous (or current) employers or colleagues negatively.

When drafting your letter, deliver a positive and upbeat message. For example don’t say, “As the hatchet man, I was sent in to clean-up the company, prune out deadwood, get rid of the current executive team, and then sell the organization.” Change the tone of the message to “I was recruited to revitalize and transform a company that had been in business for more than three decades. I restructured and rebuilt a top-performing organization, successfully positioning the company for sale within a year.”

Addressing career gaps and gaffes can be difficult. If you are struggling with how best to approach your situation in your resume, cover letters, or interviews, consider the support offered by Graham Management Group. Any of our talented team of expert consultants will be pleased to help you uncover the value in your situation and assist you in articulating it effectively. To find out what options there may be for you, be sure to send along your current resume for a free assessment.

Thank you for reading my blog! Please email me if you spot any errors in this post.

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How do you deal with career issues in your cover letter?

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How much is a job worth to you? How would you feel if you were declined an offer after a background check? What if you were fired because of a misstatement in your resume?

In Canada, an employer can terminate you if they discover that you misrepresented yourself on your resume or in your interview. If your lie is found to be “material” to your employment contract, the employer could even sue you for damages.

Don’t take my word for it. When Coopers and Lybrand discovered that the resume Richard Clark gave them had three fake degrees – BSc, MSc and PhD – he was fired. He tried to fight the dismissal, but he lost his case and The Ontario Court of Appeal ordered him to reimburse the company $47,000 for business lost due to his lies.

When it comes to you and your career, honesty and integrity are paramount. Employers and recruiters need to believe – from the very first contact – that you have credibility. If people don’t trust you, they won’t care to hear about your amazing repertoire of achievements.

Steven D. Levitt co-author of Freakonomics suspects that more than 50 percent of people have “white lies” in their resumes.

Because there are so many resume liars these days, background checks are the norm. One hiring mistake can cost a company dearly because of wasted recruitment time, orientation and training, severance pay, fees to recruitment firms, loss of productivity, incomplete work, and decreased overall morale within the company. So, expect that every employer will have a very good reason to perform the due diligence required before hiring you.

It’s easy to fudge employment dates, change job titles, and mislead people with position descriptions on a resume. However, most recruiters are adept at spotting and uncovering the truth about suspect information.

Educational Credentials

Starting an MBA program can look like completing the program with three little keystrokes. You may think that all you need to do is put the credential next to your name. Wrong! Any simple educational credential verification can discover this lie and you won’t even get your foot in the door.

Job Titles

Forget about “creatively enhancing” your job title. You may have been a manager who did the job of the Vice President. However, it’s not okay to put “Vice President” in your job title. The very first step in a background check is calling your previous employer and asking what your job title was.

Lengthy Career Gaps

No matter how appealing it sounds, don’t adjust your employment dates. If you have faked employment dates, you can expect that most employers will screen you out before you ever get to the second interview – and you may never know why you weren’t selected.

Consulting Jobs

If you cannot authenticate a consulting job to “fill in” a career gap, don’t put it on your resume. Recruiters can easily see through this common lie in our current economy. They will immediately figure out that you either don’t have a job or tried consulting and failed. If you are lucky enough to get an interview, they will surely quiz you about your successes in consulting.

Position Description

It’s fine to talk a bit about the scope of the position you held, but don’t even think about increasing the number of people you supervised, the amount of your budget, or the region that you oversaw. If you cannot substantiate over the top numbers that seem “too good to be true” in this economy, don’t expect a job offer.

Competencies & Qualifications

Exaggerations in connection to your knowledge, competencies, and qualifications are just as contentious. You may come in “talking the big talk” about what you can accomplish for the company, but you’d better be sure you can back everything up when you’re on the job. Imagine suggesting that you can speak French fluently and then being found out in your first meeting that you can’t converse effectively with anyone!

Career Achievements

If you completed some hefty achievements, don’t creatively enhance them or take all the credit unless you were a primary contributor. You might be surprised at how many background-checking companies uncover the truth directly from the mouths of your best references. These companies are not paid to “approve you.” They are paid to find out the truth about you. The best companies come back with detailed reports about inconsistencies in your stories.

Take a good look at your resume today and ensure that it is accurate. Even an honest mistake or misstatement can be a permanent stain on your record. If you do get the job with an inaccurate message, you will always be wondering when the truth will come out.

When it comes to your career, honesty is absolutely the best policy. Graham Management Group can help you to represent yourself authentically and with integrity. If you need help dealing with challenging concerns in your career history or you have a specific question, email me directly.

Thank you for reading my blog! Please email me if you spot any errors in this post.

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Resume Lies and Resume Liars

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As a vocal advocate for ethics and integrity in our Canadian labour market, I sometimes come across websites offering questionable resume services. Clearly, there are many, very good, highly qualified and certified resume writers worldwide. However, the practices of a few deceitful people can seriously harm the prospects of job seekers, and significantly discredit the complete resume and career services industry.

In this age of technology and the internet, job seekers are becoming more aware of potential dangers of job search scams. Most professionals now know about these dishonest practices:

• Scammers who take money from clients and then directly plagiarise from resume samples posted on the internet by credible and reputable writers.
• Disappointed individuals paying thousands of dollars for resumes that were not reflective of their qualifications only to find that the certification logo on the website is fake.
• Resume services that post fake jobs on job boards just to sell their services to innocent job seekers who apply to the featured position.

Such lack of ethics set job seekers up for failure by wasting their valuable time and money.

In recent days, I’m finding a new, more insidious and intangible concern: online software that allows you to “input your data” and “output a resume.” This type of resume service means to help, but inadvertently hurts job seekers. On the surface, the concept seems quite intriguing. Just plug in some information and the site will compile it into an exceptional resume. However, the program actually outputs misleading information. For example, a plant manager with no budget or finance experience can input his time managing the annual inventory and receive an output of “bookkeeping related experience.” If that manager presents his resume for an interview, he’d fail miserably. He would not be able to supply valid responses to support any bookkeeping experience. Suggesting such leaps in qualifications is both incorrect and misleading. For the poor individuals who succumb to the temptation, it positions them for disappointment when they try to support their claims through “white lies.”

How can you ensure quality resume services? How do you know in advance who to trust? What can you do to reassure yourself that you will receive the outstanding documents that you expect and deserve? Your best defence is due diligence: doing your research, asking the right questions, and getting the promised delivery clearly described in writing.

Do your Research

• Look up outside information on the resume service. Look for the company’s media reviews and published works. Research the writer on LinkedIn and read the endorsements supplied. Then follow the paths to those who endorsed the writer. In other words, learn all you can about whom you may be dealing with in the future.
• Contact the resume service in person, too. If they are hard to connect with, or ask for money before you’ve spoken with a human being and been able to ask your questions, look out! Credible business leaders are happy to spend time giving you the reassurance and information you need.
• Be wary if all you locate is a website filled with accolades. Anyone who would stoop to plagiarism certainly wouldn’t mind providing ‘testimonials’ that are totally bogus. Such individuals may even have copied their entire web content from legitimate competitors.
• Research credentials of resume services directly with the applicable association. For example, if the writer indicates that he or she is a Master Certified Resume Strategist, check out that person’s credentials on Career Professionals of Canada’s professional directory.
• Look up the resume business at the Better Business Bureau. Do what you can to learn whether there have been awards given or grievances made.
• Verify that there is a guarantee that comes with the resume services you will receive. This is not a guarantee of getting a job – because that is ultimately up to your interview performance. It is, however, a guarantee with respect to your satisfaction concerning the quality and content of what you will get.

Ask the right questions

• Connect by email – ask for a free critique of your current resume or a chance to talk about your concerns and situation. If they want money for either, be suspicious!
• Phone and ask questions pertaining to items or content you found on their website. Put them on the spot. Watch for evasive or canned responses that sound like telemarketing.
• Ask for references from those with whom you connect. Due to confidentiality, the references may be limited to redirecting you to their LinkedIn recommendations or testimonials, but it never hurts to ask.
• If the site does not show samples of actual work performed, ask for them. Ask if the samples are published elsewhere. You should be able to assess the material, so that you have an idea of the quality you can expect.
• Speak to friends and relatives about their experiences, and ask them what they liked about their contact. There is nothing quite as reassuring as getting a referral from someone totally delighted with the services and packages provided.

Get it all in writing

• Ask to see it all spelled out. The techniques in which you are coached are commonly the intellectual property of that coach or of the profession in which they are certified. They reflect the expertise of your consultant. Some companies even have their own material – workbooks and presentations – that they share with you prior to the actual consultation. This all has added value for you.
• Ensure that you get editing support on your material. At the other end of the equation, be certain that the contract includes provision to reconnect with a professional. Your resume and other documents that you initially receive should be drafts, not final versions. You should be able to request edits, corrections, or alterations within the first few weeks following receipt of your package. That is your ultimate way of ensuring the content, tone, and wording is authentic to you.
• Recognize that most professionals request upfront payment because you are actually buying custom services that will be created for you. Make your payment in full only after you have a clear description of all that is included in your purchase and fully understand it. When the payment has been processed, you should get a final receipt (hardcopy or electronic) and agreement. It should also include reaffirmation of expectations the professionals may have regarding your participation, collaboration, and commitment to the process.

There are many places you can go to further your research. Career Professionals of Canada is one professional association dedicated to outstanding business ethics. It offers lists of certified career professionals and contact emails for the executives. Please feel free to browse the site to learn more about how it works.

If you have tried other approaches for finding a stellar and highly reliable career business or individual, and have been very pleased with the results, I would love to share those with my readers. Please let me know what worked for you.

Similarly, if you have been disappointed or disillusioned with so-called professional support and have learned from that experience, I would be happy to pass along your sage advice. Together, we will make steps to ensure that more individuals are matched with professional career industry leaders that provide utmost integrity in their performance and delivery of impressive custom documents authentic to every individual client.

Thank you for reading my blog! Please email me if you spot any errors in this post.

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Who can you trust in the resume writing industry?

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A rule of thumb in executive resume strategy is that it is wise to spend most of your effort on descriptions of accomplishments that pertain to work in the past ten years. The vast majority of recruiters and hiring managers feel that things have advanced so rapidly, that much of what you did prior to the current decade has little relevance today. However, there are ways that older experience and expertise can make a significant difference.

When companies are looking for executives, they often attach a great deal of value to diversity and experience. Your career is a goldmine. Tap your memory banks and sift through everything you have done. Weigh each of your competencies, achievements, and credentials carefully. Decide what to exclude and what is valuable enough to be included in your resume. By finding unique methods to express your best offerings, you will tilt the scales in your favour.

Do your research before deciding if you should include past content. You need to know about the industry, company, and position you are targeting before you can determine when it’s valuable to talk about older experience. Here are some things to consider:

• Know what style is required by your target market. While it’s very rare, some employers are still sticklers when it comes to mentioning every job and every role that you’ve had since joining the workforce eons ago. This is most often the case in academia or in some government positions. Ensure that you are clear on amount and type of information they expect. You may be pleasantly surprised when you find that they value your early career experiences.
• Reinforce your value proposition. If something that you market about yourself includes diversity or senior level positions, having a paragraph in your biography featuring a few examples of your earlier work tells your readers that you have the breadth of experience and credibility they are seeking.
• Include accomplishments from the past. However, it’s crucial that the accomplishments you feature in your executive resume have relevance and match their buying motivators. When they carry weight in the perspective of your potential readers, it’s wise to put some older scenarios in your material. If a more distant past example addresses a key point, you need to find a way to feature it. For instance, you could place them among first-page bullets in a hybrid style of resume or have them appear as honourable mentions in your cover letter.
• Mention organizations from earlier years when warranted. This may have special relevance when you are looking to return to an industry you worked at in the past. It shows personal connections and affiliations that your readers may recognize. If you worked with a competitor in the past, you may be seen as having a link to inside information that still carries some weight in today’s marketplace. Only detail these organizations if they mean something to the direction you are now heading.
• Remove dates from earlier experiences if necessary. In most cases, experience trumps age when it comes to executive roles. Employers generally covet your vast background and expect you to have some years in the trenches. However, if you are concerned that age could be a negative factor when it comes to being considered, it reasonable to simply list the companies and roles you held prior to the past decade without the associated dates.
• List less current technology knowledge if required. You may not want to mention things such as your expertise in legacy systems in favour of reinforcing how cutting-edge your knowledge is. Remember, though, that not all companies have abandoned older technologies. Some programs or platforms may still be working very well or be cost-prohibitive to replace. In those and similar situations, organizations need someone in leadership that can still relate to those or similar systems.
• Highlight how you built upon your older experience and knowledge. When you add some unique information and segue into an explanation of how transferable that earlier knowledge is, it helps to convince your readers that it is worthwhile interviewing you for their leadership role. By mentioning that you have a background in health sciences, for instance, when you want to move from CEO in large business to CEO in healthcare may well become a defining factor.
• Attach testimonials and acknowledgements from earlier contacts. When you have quotes, accolades, or prestigious awards prior to the last ten years, you can add an unexpected element that also offers immediate validation to the reader that you are who you say you are and have the experience that sets you apart. It also augments the fact that you have been a recognized top-producer for some time.
• Tell your whole success story. You are what you are now because of your past experience, what you learned, and what you achieved. When you become comfortable in articulating some of the past that you bring to the table, you show your listeners that you are well-rounded, experienced, adaptable, and have everything they need in the role. Knowing what to cover and what to ignore may make the difference between impressing and boring your interviewers.

Never discount the value of your earned and learned knowledge and expertise. The past holds a wealth of interest and appeal for many organizations. Knowing when – and how much – to feature can be what differentiates you as someone who has the foundational savvy and diverse experience that are key contributions for company success.

At Graham Management Group, we have had a wealth of expertise when it comes to helping the $100k+ executive recognize what to leave in and what to take out when it comes to past accomplishments and roles. If you are struggling with your resume strategy, contact me. I would be pleased to discuss, in greater detail, all that we can do to help you position yourself to best advantage.

Thank you for reading my blog! Please email me if you spot any errors in this post.

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Executives: who cares about old skills and experiences?

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On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, we observe two minutes of silence for our for our heroes who died in service to Canada.

November 11, 2011 at 11:00am.

The poppy is the symbol of Remembrance Day.

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Commemorate Remembrance Day

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