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How to Craft a Killer Opening for Your Executive Resume: Part 2 - Sample Killer Resume Opener


 

by Don Goodman

 

Read Part 1 of How to Craft a Killer Opening for Your Executive Resume.

 

In Part 1, we showed you how to create a compelling resume opening with a strong value proposition. Now you have to provide support for that theme by showcasing the skills and experience that prove your point.

 

For example, for an IT Executive as we showed in the last article, a good opening might be:
More than 15 years of IT leadership experience delivering technical solutions that produce a strong ROI

 

This opening would be supported by proof statements, such as:
Career marked by executive leadership roles at Accenture leading dozens of high-profile initiatives at Fortune 500 firms.

 

With these statements, you have certainly caught the attention of the employer. Now you need to describe the skills and experience that support these themes.

 

In this example, you would want to showcase the abilities that would get someone to believe you can "deliver technical solutions that produce a strong ROI."

 

Importantly, do not include statements that anyone can state; choose descriptors that distinguish you. Any manager can claim an "Ability to mentor a team;" the statement does nothing to differentiate the candidate. The best way to start is to focus on your theme and write down all the skills and experiences you've had that allowed you to produce these results.

 

For example your list might look like:
Six Sigma Black Belt and PMP Certified. Managed numerous initiatives ranging to $9M with over 100 personnel in 5 countries. Established rigorous business case methodology for all IT initiatives. Made it a point to build relationships and regularly met with leaders of key user communities. Created new job functions within IT organization creating functional experts in core operations.

 

This list can translate into:
  • Six Sigma Black Belt and PMP Certified with deep experience utilizing world-class methodologies and practices to ensure consistency, quality and a high level of internal/external customer satisfaction.
  • Managed 75+ large-scale initiatives ranging to $9M with more than 100 personnel dispersed across 5 countries.
  • Established rigorous business case methodology for all IT initiatives to appropriately prioritize projects in alignment with ROI and corporate goals.
  • Improved internal stakeholder relationships through regular meetings and by introducing new IT Liaison job functions within IT organization creating functional experts for 5 core areas including Finance, Manufacturing, HR, Sales and Operations.

 

So Your IT Executive Opening Would Be...

 

IT EXECUTIVE

~ Over 15 years of IT leadership experience delivering technical solutions that produce a strong ROI ~

 

Career marked by executive leadership roles at Accenture leading dozens of high-profile initiatives at Fortune 500 firms.
  • Six Sigma Black Belt and PMP Certified with deep experience utilizing world-class methodologies and practices to ensure consistency, quality and a high level of internal/external customer satisfaction.
  • Managed 75+ large-scale initiatives ranging to $9M with more than 100 personnel dispersed across 5 countries.
  • Established rigorous business case methodology for all IT initiatives to appropriately prioritize projects in alignment with ROI and corporate goals.
  • Improved internal stakeholder relationships through regular meetings and by introducing new IT Liaison job functions within IT organization creating functional experts for 5 core areas including Finance, Manufacturing, HR, Sales and Operations.

 

Think an employer would keep reading? Just follow these tips and you can produce a strong opening for any kind of executive position.

 

Return to our Executive Resume Writing and Job Search Techniques section of Quintessential Careers.

 


 

Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on key college, career, and job-search terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.

 

Expert resume writer and career coach Don Goodman offers 15+ years of experience writing executive resumes and guiding executive job searches to show you how to secure your next position. Read more about Don Goodman's expertise here. See him on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter at @JobExpert.

 

Click here to inquire about Don's resume-writing services, or call him at 800-909-0109.

 


 

For other free professional resume resources, including tips on other formats, resume-writing do's and don'ts -- and much more -- visit the Resume Resources section of Quintessential Careers.

 

Resume Samples: Interested in seeing some excellent resumes? Then follow this link to some Sample Professional Resumes.

 


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