As you advance in your career as an executive, the number of opportunities appropriate for your skill set decreases. You know what they say: It’s lonely at the top. In order to secure an executive position that will fully utilize your talents and abilities, it’s important to have a resume that effectively markets you as a truly outstanding candidate. Some ways to distinguish yourself include:
Graduate degree or continuing education
Many executives have set themselves apart from the others by going back to school in order to obtain an MBA or some type of continuing education. Even if you don’t have a graduate degree, in all likelihood your company has sent you to conferences and management training seminars throughout the years; if any of that training was relevant to your career goals, it can certainly enhance your resume.
Fluency in a foreign language
I recently worked with a client who had grown up on an American military base in Germany; as a result, he was fluent in both English and German. Although he has resided in the United States throughout his entire adult life, most of his professional positions have involved interacting with German companies. Another client who is a native of the Philippines has spent much of her career handling Filipino business deals for her American employers. If these candidates hadn’t thought to mention their fluency in a foreign language, imagine the value that would have been lost from their resumes.
Let’s be honest, your company doesn’t fly just anyone over to Europe or Asia to handle its international business partnerships. It sends a person who is considered to be the best representative of what the company is all about—and that’s you. You should mention your experience with international travel in your cover letters; and if it’s appropriate, you can also include it when describing accomplishments from specific positions you have held in the past.
As an executive, you are looking for a higher level of responsibility and reward from your next position. With less than 10% of Americans holding graduate degrees—and only 25% able to converse in a foreign language—mentioning these attributes helps paint a picture of you as the distinguished candidate that you are.
Read more about executive resumes or job search advice by visiting http://www.greatresumesfast.com.
Author:
Jessica Holbrook Hernandez is an expert resume writer, career and personal branding strategist, author, speaker and President/CEO of Great Resumes Fast. She creates high-impact, best-in-class, resumes and cover letters that transform job searches into interviews and ultimately job offers. For more information about professional resume writing or to read more career and job search related articles visit http://www.greatresumesfast.com/ or call 1.800.991.5187.
