Is Your Executive Resume Too Wordy?

Popular Is Your Executive Resume Too Wordy? Laura Smith-Proulx Jenna Arcand April 29, 2022 {"adCodes": [{"desktop": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "display": true, "mobile": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "new_amp": "\u003camp-ad width=336 height=280\n type=\"doubleclick\"\n data-slot=\"/22278042776,22664312254/wit/wit_content\"\n data-multi-size=\"300x250\"\u003e\n\u003c/amp-ad\u003e", "order": 0, "tablet": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"}, {"desktop": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "display": true, "mobile": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "new_amp": "\u003camp-ad width=336 height=280\n type=\"doubleclick\"\n data-slot=\"/22278042776,22664312254/wit/wit_content\"\n data-multi-size=\"300x250\"\u003e\n\u003c/amp-ad\u003e", "order": 1, "tablet": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"}, {"desktop": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "display": true, "mobile": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "new_amp": "\u003camp-ad width=336 height=280\n type=\"doubleclick\"\n data-slot=\"/22278042776,22664312254/wit/wit_content\"\n data-multi-size=\"300x250\"\u003e\n\u003c/amp-ad\u003e", "order": 2, "tablet": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"}], "adsOrder": [2]}

Are you finding it difficult to sum up your value proposition in a two or three-page executive resume? In addition to annoying employers, a too-long resume can quickly lose its potency and dilute your brand message—leaving decision-makers confused about why they should hire you for a leadership role.

Here are some tip-offs you have a too-wordy resume that fails to distinguish your skills:

• Your bullet-point sentences are longer than 2 or 3 lines, making them nearly impossible to scan quickly
• You’ve started many phrases or sentences with the same word, which weakens your message
• Your performance results are buried all the way at the end of each sentence, and are therefore hard to find, with minimal brand impact
• You’ve added too many adjectives and adverbs, with every achievement noted as “outstanding,” “exceptional,” and worst of all, “successful.” (Employers certainly hope this is the case!)

If any of these apply to your executive resume, it’s easy to trim excess words with these three techniques that drive your point home quickly:

1. Skip Verbs For Increased Impact

As a branded marketing document, an executive resume can use innovative conventions, such as sentence fragments that remove the verbs. Consider this example of a sentence transformation:

Original:

Led large-scale operations restructuring and expansion of call centers and company facilities, resulting in a 63% profit increase in just three years and the region’s lowest personnel costs.

New:

63% profit increase in 3 years plus lowest per-employee expenses with enterprise-level operations restructuring and expansion.

Here, the original sentence was condensed by 37%—but it still conveys the same meaning. Now, imagine what cutting more than a third of the clutter could do for the clarity of your executive resume! To use this technique, under each job you've held, make a list of front-loaded results sentences like these where you quantify your work experience and accomplishments. You'll impress employers and keep their attention!

2. Take Out That Long, Winding Summary Paragraph

Bigstock

There’s no need to bore your reader with a look-alike resume summary or profile that states the obvious, such as:

Dedicated team player with proven leadership, technology utilization, and financial expertise. Skilled in completing projects and communicating at all corporate levels, with excellent team-building and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Don’t waste this key area of resume real estate with a description that fails to tell a story. Instead, cut down the volume of words while giving a snapshot of brand value that pulls in some achievement metrics. Here’s an example culled from a leadership resume for a candidate moving up the ladder to a CTO role:

VP of technology attaining 99% over-goal performance by exceeding SLA requirements through strategic planning, cost containment, and contract negotiations.

Note the metrics and specific job title blended into the summary—with a message that promises value and performance.

3. Learn To Write A Branding Headline

Bigstock

A trade secret among professional and executive resume writers, the headline is actually a tagline that allows you to condense more data into a tight space. The best part? Your resume can use more than one headline to convey your strongest points.

Here are some examples of headlines that encapsulate value and position job hunters for a specific role:

• Senior pharmaceutical executive behind accelerated, multibillion-dollar product launches
• VP of sales driving global growth for new-media marketing company achieving worldwide recognition
• Investment professional promoting financial health through investment & capital planning

A personal branding statement can quickly give employers the “big picture” of your achievements, without taking up precious space on your executive resume. To create this statement, combine the position you seek with a major achievement from your career, showing the results of your work or the approach that you use.

As you continue to adjust your executive resume and tighten the language, be sure to show it to colleagues and others familiar with your work. You’ll probably find, even with excess words removed, it still conveys your brand message—and faster to boot.

If you'd like more help with your executive job search, sign up for J.T. O'Donnell's FREE training “4-Step Process For Creating Your Executive Presence Online.” In just three hours, you’ll learn how to write an effective resume and build your executive presence so you can find the best job opportunities!

From Your Site Articles

• 3 Tips To Improve Your Executive Resume - Work It Daily ›
• 10 Ways To Condense Your Resume Without Losing Value - Work It ... ›
• 4 Best Personal Branding Tips For Executives - Work It Daily ›
• How Executives Can Improve Their Communication Skills - Work It ... ›
• 3 Components Of Executive Presence Every Leader Should Know ... ›

Related Articles Around the Web

• 5 resume mistakes that make you look like a narcissist, according to ... ›
• How to Shorten Your Resume | Indeed.com ›
• 6 Easy Ways To Shorten Your Resume And Make It Stand Out ›

executive resume {"customDimensions": {"1":"Laura Smith-Proulx, Jenna Arcand","2":"popular","3":"executive resume, executives, resume, resume tips, bullet points, condensing resume, summary, personal branding statement, branding, branding statement, how to shorten your resume, resume too long, job search, job seekers, leaders, leadership, leadership resume, career advice, career, ~rmsc:rebelmouse-image:29741503, ~rmsc:rebelmouse-image:29741447, ~rmsc:rebelmouse-image:29741454, ~rmsc:rebelmouse-image:29741468","4":"04/29/2022"}, "post": {"split_testing": {}, "providerId": 14, "sections": [0, 370480899, 543270555, 376490053, 473333499, 479660731, 473310812], "buckets": [], "authors": [19549367, 19836096]} } Get Some LeverageSign up for The Work It Daily NewsletterEnter emailSubscribeFollow window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.defineSlot('/22278042776,22664312254/wit/wit_multiplex', ['fluid'], 'wit_multiplex').addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.enableServices(); googletag.display('wit_multiplex'); }); Blog 3 Steps To Strategically Aligned Business Giving Dawn Snodgrass April 28, 2022 {"adCodes": [{"desktop": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "display": true, "mobile": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "new_amp": "\u003camp-ad width=336 height=280\n type=\"doubleclick\"\n data-slot=\"/22278042776,22664312254/wit/wit_content\"\n data-multi-size=\"300x250\"\u003e\n\u003c/amp-ad\u003e", "order": 0, "tablet": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"}, {"desktop": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "display": true, "mobile": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "new_amp": "\u003camp-ad width=336 height=280\n type=\"doubleclick\"\n data-slot=\"/22278042776,22664312254/wit/wit_content\"\n data-multi-size=\"300x250\"\u003e\n\u003c/amp-ad\u003e", "order": 1, "tablet": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"}, {"desktop": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "display": true, "mobile": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "new_amp": "\u003camp-ad width=336 height=280\n type=\"doubleclick\"\n data-slot=\"/22278042776,22664312254/wit/wit_content\"\n data-multi-size=\"300x250\"\u003e\n\u003c/amp-ad\u003e", "order": 2, "tablet": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"}], "adsOrder": [2]}

There are tons of reasons for a business to want to give back in some way. In the past, businesses have chosen charities for tax breaks, credibility, or to be recognized as a "good corporate citizen." While all these reasons are valid, and you may want to consider them when choosing a charity, the best option is a strategic choice. This can be an opportunity to do more than just give money or write checks: it can be an opportunity to get closer with your audience while making an impact on something that matters greatly to you.

Figure Out What Matters To Your Brand

Photo by Anastase Maragos on Unsplash

Consider your mission and values. When selecting a cause to support, consider what you stand for as a company—or personally, as the founder. What is the mission of your organization? Who are your customers? Is there an issue or cause that speaks to one of those two components? If it feels authentic, it will resonate with your audience. Think about your company's founding story? Was it born out of a frustration or heartfelt need to make something better? Looking closely at why your company does what it does will help you see what causes your brand could work with strategically.

Close examination aligns your brand's giving efforts with your mission and values. If there isn't a connection between the cause you've chosen and what you stand for as a company—or what you stand for personally—it won't feel authentic when communicating about the partnership on social media or in other promotional channels. The public is very good at sniffing out insincere efforts, so authenticity is key. Your audience will see right through any attempt at "cause marketing" that doesn't come from genuine passion on behalf of its founders or leadership team.

Some examples of strategically aligned giving could be a woman-owned tech company giving to the nonprofit Girls Who Code. Being a successful woman in a male-dominated industry aligns perfectly with wanting to help close the gender gap in technology and to change the image of what it is to be a woman in tech. Another example is a bottled water company helping to bring clean water to developing countries by supporting the building of wells. The connection does not always have to be as direct as these examples but it does need to be authentic.

As part of this process, also think about what issues are important to both you and your audience. Do they love animals? Are they concerned with environmental issues? Is education important? Which causes are the most innovative right now and receiving funding from other sources? To find a strategically aligned charity, spend most of your time selecting a cause. The organization you choose will be driven by the cause in which it believes, so if you're not passionate about that cause, it's unlikely to be a good fit for your business.

Are There Any Downsides?

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

Once you've identified an issue or a specific charity that aligns with your brand values and mission, decide if there is any potential risk associated with supporting this particular cause. Does the cause or organization have any bad press surrounding it or anything that might negatively affect your marketing efforts? This does not mean you should only give to nonprofits that lack controversy, but rather do some research into the charity before committing to make sure there aren’t any major pitfalls associated with giving time, resources, or money to them.

For example, supporting Planned Parenthood could be considered controversial by those who are pro-life. This could alienate customers who believe in pro-life values and may choose not to support a business that supports Planned Parenthood simply because they hold different beliefs on women’s reproductive rights than the company owner does, even though they might love everything else about the product.

In controversial cases, you must decide if you are willing to forgo possible profit for this cause. Lots of companies have taken a stand on an issue and come out stronger for it but you should certainly weigh the pros and cons beforehand.

Reach Out To The Charity

Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash

Different organizations have different needs. The best way to see how you can help is to talk with the charity about any specific needs they have or gaps that you can fill for them by becoming involved as a corporate supporter. Make sure the charity has room for more support from businesses like yours. Not all charities and nonprofits are created equal, so be sure that your chosen charity is a bona fide 501(c)(3) organization to qualify for deductions; consult your tax professional for specifics. Working with the charity to provide the help they need most, while still ensuring that your company can maximize any tax incentives is still important to the bottom line.

The only thing left to do once you have completed the three steps above is to bring your audience into your giving story through your social channels and marketing efforts. Show your customers how supporting you supports others. Show them that they can feel good about buying from you. When customers know that your giving efforts are authentic and driven from a place of generosity they find a connection with your brand.

Read more Show less {"customDimensions": {"1":"Executive Community, Dawn Snodgrass","2":"blog","3":"strategy, branding, giving back, taxes, sales, charity, business, mission, values, passion, ~rmsc:rebelmouse-image:29705140, ~rmsc:rebelmouse-image:29705189, ~rmsc:rebelmouse-image:29705221, ~rmsc:rebelmouse-image:29705241","4":"04/28/2022"}, "post": {"split_testing": {}, "providerId": 0, "sections": [0, 473333499, 544324100, 549857101, 544398583, 544398585, 479660731], "buckets": [], "authors": [21030904, 21080595]} } Featured Is Your Executive Resume Too Wordy? {"customDimensions": {"1":"Laura Smith-Proulx, Jenna Arcand","2":"popular","3":"executive resume, executives, resume, resume tips, bullet points, condensing resume, summary, personal branding statement, branding, branding statement, how to shorten your resume, resume too long, job search, job seekers, leaders, leadership, leadership resume, career advice, career, ~rmsc:rebelmouse-image:29741503, ~rmsc:rebelmouse-image:29741447, ~rmsc:rebelmouse-image:29741454, ~rmsc:rebelmouse-image:29741468","4":"04/29/2022"}, "post": {"split_testing": {}, "providerId": 14, "sections": [0, 370480899, 543270555, 376490053, 473333499, 479660731, 473310812], "buckets": [], "authors": [19549367, 19836096]} } Now Hiring: Remote SysOps Engineer {"customDimensions": {"1":"Work It Daily, Kinsta \u00ae","2":"popular","3":"kinsta, hiring, remote jobs, remote work, remote workforce, remote companies hiring, remote companies 2021, sysops engineer, sysops engineer jobs, ~popular_source-pageview","4":"05/18/2021"}, "post": {"split_testing": {}, "providerId": 0, "sections": [370480899, 545998439, 545998440, 376489962, 473333499, 526353713, 545658354, 548352055, 548352058, 543270555, 473310812, 473310813], "buckets": [], "authors": [19548593, 21891195]} } 3 Important Career Lessons Learned On And Off The Field {"customDimensions": {"1":"Executive Community, J.T. O'Donnell","2":"popular","3":"career change, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, career, career challenges, overcoming career challenges, personal branding, personal development, professional development, professional growth, success, career success, pro athletes, tom brady, chris gronkowski, nfl, tiktok, social media strategy, social media, career growth","4":"02/10/2021"}, "post": {"split_testing": {}, "providerId": 0, "sections": [0, 370480899, 479660731, 376489962, 526353713, 376489624, 473333499], "buckets": [], "authors": [21030904, 19549412]} } How Ex-NFL Player, Chris Gronkowski, Is Using Social Media To Change Careers {"customDimensions": {"1":"Executive Community, J.T. O'Donnell","2":"popular","3":"2010, Barstool, camera phone, career growth and development, career growth opportunities, chrisgronkowski, cowboys, dallascowboys, dinner, football, free, gronkspike, iceshaker, investor, nfl, nflfootball, nflplayer, nflplayers, nflworkout, payday, rookie, salary, sharing, sharktank, tic toc, tic tok, tick tock, ticktock, tictok, tik tok, tiktok, tiktok.com, trade, trainingcamp, upload, video, video phone, weighin, youtube.com, ~popular_source-pageview, \u0442\u0438\u043a \u0442\u043e\u043a, \u30c6\u30a3\u30c3\u30af\u30c8\u30c3\u30af, chris gronkowski","4":"01/29/2021"}, "post": {"split_testing": {}, "providerId": 0, "sections": [0, 370480899, 473333499, 526353713, 376489624, 479660731], "buckets": [], "authors": [21030904, 19549412]} }