“Truth is like beauty; it lies in the mind of the beholder”
― Bangambiki Habyarimana, The Great Pearl of Wisdom
While concepts and strategies for building a hard-working executive resume abound, the absolute truth about executive resume writing is less clear.
Some career experts suggest otherwise, admonishing fleshier resumes and advising you must write so tight that not only does the fat get chucked but all the personality goes by the wayside, too. Being concise is a good thing, but taken too far can create boring and simplistic results.
While it’s true that many hiring decision makers and recruiters initially skim content in order to identify something interesting or fitting for their needs, those same readers want substance to sink their thoughts into once they’ve arrived at the destination. Tweaking your executive resume down too far will create a hollow shell quickly abandoned by the reader.
So instead of bogging yourself down this way, reframe your thoughts around a more vigorous, crisp writing style. A crisp executive resume story focuses less on the number of words and more on articulating in a “briskly decisive” manner. This style energizes the necessary story layers to build up a contextual foundation.
Of course, in your zeal to storify, you will want to be selective so as not to wash relevancy ashore with irrelevant details and facts. Consider the hiring decision-maker’s needs and wants carefully, then slice and serve up a few rich stories from your career pie that will leave the reader craving more.
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Dip your toes in the water with my low-cost starter kit. Email me for more information at jacqui@careertrend.net.
I am one of only 50 master resume writers and have crafted more than 1,500 career stories that put “your value into words.” My bachelor’s degree in writing/journalism allows me to apply a journalist’s eye to your career.
Image: Ed Bierman
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