Who is Reading Your Executive Resume, and Why Should You Care?

For executives trying to outpace each other in an aggressive job market, the hunt can be challenging, stressful, and downright confusing, with plenty of career search advice to remember and strategies to implement.

One of the biggest mysteries that emerges for most people is that they can find a great job posting, apply to it, and then… nothing happens. Why isn’t the phone ringing?

It’s often that automated systems are “reading” your resume—and they don’t like what they see.

Under siege from job seekers, employers are trying to filter out unqualified applicants—at every level—as hard as they’re trying to get IN for an interview.

Automated systems (specifically called Applicant Tracking Systems) have accelerated the process of looking for keywords on resumes, with applications designed to count the number of times that crucial terms appear in each document.

ATS systems are regularly used by major employers, as they are an efficient solution to the deluge of resumes received for each open position.

If you’re not receiving a response from your resume, there are a number of ways you can look at changing it, and this should start with keyword content.

If you find the concept of keywords confusing, remember that they are simply another way to refer to skills, certifications, and other qualifications that are required for each executive position.

To ensure that your resume gets read by your desired audience (meaning that picky scanning system!), alter the keyword count in YOUR favor by using these strategies:

1 - Take out irrelevant keywords.

If you possess skills that are transferable to more than one executive career, consider creating more than one resume version, and then take OUT the keywords that don’t apply to that field.

Be aware that including extraneous information can confuse the HUMAN reader too. Like any other marketing document, your resume gives the reader an impression of what you offer… and when it’s filled with phrases that relate to a different type of job, employers often react by taking a pass.

In addition, taking the outdated view that employers want to see ALL of your skills can be a misstep, as the resulting information overload can make your resume too long and unfocused.

One way to gauge whether to take out certain words is to look carefully at the jobs to which you are applying.

If your resume contains a large number of skills that are NOT in these descriptions, then it’s time to remove them.

2 - Add new keyword content that fits your goal more precisely.

Another reason to take a second look at your desired executive roles is to see the type of keywords you SHOULD be using.

Many sales executives, for example, don’t give a second thought to mentioning that their skills include team building, relationship management, or business development.

Yet, the positions they apply to may contain these terms, and an ATS system can reject their resumes if it doesn’t find a match.

A good rule of thumb is to make a composite list of terms commonly appearing in jobs you are targeting, and then ensure that your resume contains a representative cross-section of the terms that apply to your background.

In fact, job search boards can be a great source of keyword analysis for executives who want to ensure that their resumes trigger a positive response.

3 - Keep in mind that keywords can also communicate the extent of your credentials.

Often, scanning systems will account for synonyms, and may ferret out your resume into a different sub-section reserved for more advanced professionals.

As an example, a mid-level account representative might add “relationship management” on a resume. A Vice President of Sales could take this further by including “revenue improvement,” “global leadership,” and “profit growth.”

By the same token, an operations manager may add tactical skills such as “production capacity,” while a COO can sharpen the focus to add “strategic production planning.”

The bottom line? It’s important to stand out—both to human readers and automated systems—by backing up your resume achievements with a host of skills that employers seek—meaning keywords.

Keyword analysis is a crucial step in executive resume writing!

If you’re serious about increasing your RESULTS, and distinguishing yourself from lesser-qualified candidates, be sure to add sufficient keyword content that can make the difference between being passed over and being hired.

About the Author:

A unique resume authority, Laura Smith-Proulx, CCMC, CPRW, CIC is an executive resume expert and former recruiter. The principal of An Expert Resume (http://www.anexpertresume.com), her work has garnered a 98% success rate landing interviews for prestigious jobs at top corporations, and has been published in international career bestsellers.