Can your current CV get you a job?

Are You Making These Resume Mistakes?Part1

You wouldn’t create a gourmet meal and serve it on dirty dishes, right? So why would you engage in a Job Search 2.0 campaign using an executive resume with outdated, ineffective strategies?

If you have been conducting a targeted job search that is not generating any interviews or netting you zero results, it may be time to take a close look at the document you are marketing to recruiters and employers.


Are You Sold On A One-Page Only Resume?

If you are one of those die-hard executives who is still abiding by the one-page resume rule, you have just added weeks and weeks to your job search. How much valuable content did you have to eliminate to get years of leadership experience and expertise down to one page?

If you downplay your career progression and cut out critical information to get it all onto one page, you run the risk of appearing extremely under-qualified. Though your primary goal is to keep the resume content succinct, concise, and brief, if your career story is compelling and accomplishment-focused, then developing a two-page resume is very acceptable.

While there are innovative, one-page career marketing documents like the Networking Resume and Career Biography, your standard executive resume should not be squeezed onto one page.


Is The First Page Of Your Resume Confusing The Reader?

Keep this in mind, you have about 15 to 30 seconds to make a great impression to a potential employer or executive recruiter. Don’t make the mistake of filling your resume’s first page with heavy detail that does not support your qualifications, experience and expertise.

Information like education, certifications, associations, and volunteer work can take up too much valuable real estate on the first page if it is not directly related to your immediate job target. Instead, use the first page to strategically draw the reader with strong personal branding statement, career highlights, and core competencies that will put you in the “Yes” pile.


Are You Burying Your Executive Resume With Too Much Fluff?

If you have opted to include a summary of executive qualifications, key achievements or an executive profile, avoid adding “fluffy”, superfluous statements that don’t add value like these:

-- Great problem solver concerning customer relations, inventory management and cost containment.
-- Demonstrates superior leadership through conceptual thinking and strategic planning.
-- Articulate communicator with expertise in professional presentations and key professional relationships.

These statements are too general and can be used by any executive candidate – in addition, they do a poor job of communicating any real differentiating value between you and other jobseekers.

For the Part 2 and more help on writing quality CV/Resume and Cover letter.Send an email to:

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