How to Competitively Position Yourself
by Wendy S. Enelow, CPRW, JCTC, CCM
| • | Develop the strategy that's right for you. | | • | Three strategies for common situations. |
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If you're an EVP of sales looking for another sales management position, the resume writing process is reasonably straightforward. However, if you're that same EVP of sales and are now looking to transition into a general management role, your resume will be entirely different. Although you'll continue to highlight your strong revenue performance, you'll want equal emphasis on your management achievements, roles and responsibilities.
Writing your executive resume is about creating the right perception of yourself and to support your current search objectives. Your resume strategy and structure must paint the picture as you wish to be seen and understood.
Following are three common resume strategies that might help you overcome specific issues or challenges.
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CHALLENGE: To create a picture of cohesive employment despite the fact that your company changed ownership four times in the last 10 years.
SOLUTION: The format below communicates long-term employment with the same organization.
| VERIZON, Albany, New York |
1991 to Present |
(Originally recruited to NYNEX Telephone System in 1991. Company was acquired by Bell Systems in 1994, by Alltel in 1998 and most recently by Verizon in 2001).
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Managing Director - US Cellular Division (1999 to Present)
Director - US Cellular Division (1998 to 1999)
Manager - Cellular Site Provisioning (1996 to 1998)
Manager - Purchasing & Outsourcing Contracts (1993 to 1996)
Purchasing Agent - Government Division (1991 to 1993)
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CHALLENGE: To create a resume you can use for both general management positions and senior executive positions within a particular area of expertise.
SOLUTION: Use the recommended format below. Note that this candidate wants to remain in the financial services and banking industry but is considering both general management and financial management positions.
FINANCIAL SERVICES & BANKING INDUSTRY EXECUTIVE
US & International Markets
MBA Degree - NYU Stern School of Business
Leadership & Organizational Expertise
Strategic Planning & Profit/Loss Management
Business Development & Marketing Management
Cross-Border Trade & Finance Transactions
Information Systems & Technology
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Financial & Investment Expertise
Foreign Exchange & Treasury Operations
Corporate Credit Analysis & Risk
Debt & Equity Financings
Mergers, Acquisitions & Divestitures
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CHALLENGE: To position yourself for a career change into the technology industry when your entire experience has been in other industries.
SOLUTION: Connect yourself to the technology industry with a format similar to the one below, which was written for an executive whose entire career had been in the plastics manufacturing industry. Note the description of his company.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
| Vice President & General Manager |
1999 to Present |
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BLOCK MANUFACTURING CORPORATION, Butte, Montana
($40 million manufacturer with state-of-the-art technology and automation center)
Job description is an equal blend of general management and technology development/management functions, including such buzzwords as e-commerce, networking and advanced automation.
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Remember, there are no absolutes in resume writing. These recommendations are simply examples of alternative strategies that may or may not be applicable to your executive career track. Use them to help you rethink your resume writing strategy to be sure you are supporting your specific search objectives.
The single most important consideration in resume writing is to create an accurate picture of how you want to be perceived. Using your objective as the overall framework for your resume, how can you integrate your experiences to support that objective? You'll find the answer may not be the traditional chronological resume format, but perhaps a more unique strategy that positions you for the type of position you are currently seeking. And, as always, remember that complete honesty is critical to your current and long-term success.
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