• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Executive Career Brand™

Executive Job Search - Personal Branding, Executive Resumes, LinkedIn Profiles, Biographies, etc.

  • Services & Products
    • Writing Services – Executive Resume, LinkedIn Profile, Biography, etc.
    • Worksheets for Executive Job Search
    • Guide for Today’s Executive Job Search
    • Essential LinkedIn Guide
    • Done-For-You Personal Branding Videos for Camera-Shy People
    • FREE EBOOK and Popular Newsletter
    • 20 Little-Known, Insider Tips for Executive Job Search
  • About
    • My Story
    • Testimonials
    • Samples – Executive Resume & Biography
    • Media
  • SPECIAL OFFERS
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Become Employers’ #1 Choice

February 23, 2021 By Meg Guiseppi

What’s the Best Executive Resume Format and Length?

  • Facebook0
  • Twitter5
  • Pinterest1
  • LinkedIn20
  • 26 shares
executive resume

Often when I speak with executives who are in job search, or planning one, the first thing they ask me is how their executive resume stacks up.

Many of them have never been in a job search or haven’t faced one for a number of years.

They’ve either slid easily from one company to the next, without ever having to look, or have progressed up the ladder within one or more good companies.

Often these lucky job seekers haven’t needed a resume, and have missed the boat on the new resume strategies.

They’re woefully out-of-date on how their resume should look and read.

They also often don’t understand best practices for executive job search, and that networking into the so-called “hidden” jobs is the best way to land a great-fit new gig.

You’ll note that I barely mention job boards here. For executives, especially at the c-suite and other top levels, this method yields dismal results and takes up too much time that would be better spent in networking.

First, Create 3 Versions of Your Executive Resume (for various purposes)

1. A nicely formatted, visually appealing MSWord version.

2. A PDF version so that formatting of the above will set up exactly as you meant it to.

3. A stripped down, barely formatted text or ATS-friendly version to make it through Applicant Tracking Systems. This can be created as a Word document.

Some career professionals advise creating just one MS Word resume version that covers both bases – formatted for visual appeal but will also get the resume through ATS.

But there are more than 200 kinds of ATS out there. Some accept various enhancements and some don’t. You won’t know which version the company is using and how much formatting enhancement will be okay. It’s safer to have a designated ATS resume version as I described above for the times you know your resume is going into an ATS. And reserve the nicely formatted Word version for human eyeballs only.

For specifics on building the content for your executive resume, read my post, How to Build Personal Brand Content for Executive Job Search.

Which Executive Resume Format(s) to Send to Which People

Your executive job search campaign will include networking and communicating with:

  • Executive recruiters
  • Hiring professionals (or Human Resources) at your target companies
  • Various other people who work at your target companies
  • Your existing network

With recruiters and other hiring professionals, your first communication will probably include your resume, with a brief email expressing your interest. Send these people all three resume versions. You may not know whether they will review your resume on their desktop/laptop or phone, and whether they may pass it on to an Applicant Tracking System, so play it safe and cover all the bases.

Tap employees at various professional levels at your target companies and others in your network for informational interviews, to help you with company research and market intelligence.

Your initial short emails to this second group of people are just “feelers”. You’re not presenting yourself as a candidate yet, because you don’t know at this time where and how you might fit into those companies, so don’t include your resume. Once you get their feedback and determine the situation, customize your resume to position yourself as a good fit, and send a more detailed email with your targeted, nicely formatted Word resume.

If you’re responding to job postings on company websites or job boards, you’ll upload your ATS-friendly resume version.

Ultimately, your networking efforts should focus on penetrating the “hidden” job market. That is, coveted jobs that are never advertised anywhere.

What About the Length of Your Executive Resume?

Don’t get bogged down by confusing dictates you may have read about resume length, like “your resume must never be more than 2 pages”.

Focus instead on detailing what makes you a good fit for your target employers, based on the research you’ve done to determine their current pressing needs, and how you’re uniquely qualified to help them problem-solve.

A three page resume is fine, especially for c-suite and senior-level executives . . . if you’ve ruthlessly edited down to the essentials, and included only the things that will matter to your target companies. Include a link to your LinkedIn profile – which should include the whole story – and direct people to find more details there.

That advice applies to most situations, except for these two (and perhaps others):

1. Executive recruiters have been known to ask for a lengthy resume (sometimes 5 or more pages) including ALL your career history in depth. Provide them whatever they require. They know what their client companies want.

2. An ATS-friendly resume has no length restrictions. In fact, longer is probably better. More content means it will contain more of the relevant keywords the ATS will be looking for.

More About Executive Resumes and Successful Job Search

Is Your Executive Resume an Interesting Read?

Stop! Before You Write Your Executive Resume or LinkedIn Profile …

Best of the Year Executive Resume Writing Tips and Strategies

  • 26shares
  • Twitter5
  • LinkedIn20
  • Facebook0
  • Pinterest1
Share via
  • Facebook
  • Like
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Digg
  • Del
  • Tumblr
  • VKontakte
  • Print
  • Email
  • Flattr
  • Reddit
  • Buffer
  • Love This
  • Weibo
  • Pocket
  • Xing
  • Odnoklassniki
  • WhatsApp
  • Meneame
  • Blogger
  • Amazon
  • Yahoo Mail
  • Gmail
  • AOL
  • Newsvine
  • HackerNews
  • Evernote
  • MySpace
  • Mail.ru
  • Viadeo
  • Line
  • Flipboard
  • Comments
  • Yummly
  • SMS
  • Viber
  • Telegram
  • Subscribe
  • Skype
  • Facebook Messenger
  • Kakao
  • LiveJournal
  • Yammer
  • Edgar
  • Fintel
  • Mix
  • Instapaper
  • Copy Link

Filed Under: Executive Job Search, Executive Resume, Biography & Cover Letter Tagged With: Executive Job Search, executive resume

Previous Post: « How LinkedIn’s Resume Assistant Can Negatively Impact Your Personal Brand
Next Post: Ready To Tell Your Executive Career Brand Story? »

Primary Sidebar

The 4 proprietary worksheets I developed to help my clients land jobs they covet and deserve

worksheets for executive job search

All you need to know to use LinkedIn to your best advantage

Essential LinkedIn Guide

Job seekers who use video position themselves as savvy with the new world of work

CareerBrandVideos - Done-For-You Customized Video System

Search for remote jobs on FlexJobs – No ads, scams, or too-good-to-be-true “business opportunities”

FlexJobs Remote Work

Play it Safe – Have a professional check your job search references and find out what they’re actually saying about you.

Allison Taylor job reference check

Executive job search best practice – Get a private email account with “yourname.com”

GoDaddy private email address
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

executive job search tips

Most Popular Articles

Guide to Executive Job Interviews: The How-To’s, Why’s and Best Practices

What Is Personal Branding? Do I Need a Personal Brand for Job Search?

25 Tips To Write an Executive Resume for Today’s Job Search

How to Write the Best Cover Letter for Executive Job Search

15 Savvy Tips To Boost LinkedIn Profile Views

How to Network Into the Goldmine of Hidden Executive Jobs

Build Winning Relationships with Executive Recruiters

Smart Executive Job Search: How To Sail Through Salary Negotiations

FREE Weekly Newsletter

Today’s job search is complicated. Get the help you need.

Sign up for my popular FREE weekly newsletter for advice about job search, personal branding, LinkedIn, networking, online presence, interviewing and so much more . . . and get my FREE ebook. Read about the newsletter and ebook here.

* indicates required

First Name *

Meg earned 10 Personal Branding, Resume and Job Search Certifications including:

Certified Executive Resume Master (CERM)

Reach-Certified-Personal-Branding-Strategist

Reach Certified Social Branding Analyst

360Reach Assessment Analyst

 

 

Blog Topics

Footer

Menu

  • About Meg Guiseppi
  • Contact Meg
  • How I Will Help You
  • SPECIAL OFFERS !!!
  • Write for Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy

Follow Meg on Twitter

Tweets by MegGuiseppi

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2023 · Executive Career Brand (Resumes Plus LLC) · All Rights Reserved