{"id":3231,"date":"2012-03-12T08:51:06","date_gmt":"2012-03-12T12:51:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/executivecareerbrand.com\/?p=3231"},"modified":"2025-07-08T05:34:37","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T09:34:37","slug":"top-10-executive-resume-branding-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/executivecareerbrand.com\/top-10-executive-resume-branding-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 10 Executive Resume Branding Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

(The following is my latest article as the Personal Branding Expert at Job-Hunt.org<\/a>.)<\/em><\/p>\n

You’re suddenly facing a job search, so you rush right to your resume (if you can find it) to update it. But wait. You may not be ready to tackle your resume yet.<\/p>\n

If it’s been several years since you revisited your resume, or if you’re one of those lucky people who never needed a resume, you may not be aware of how much resumes have changed in the past several years.<\/p>\n

Before working on your resume, re-think how to update it, so that you\u2019ll create a career marketing document that will optimally do its job \u2013 land you interviews.<\/p>\n

Have you been paying attention to all the talk these days about personal branding<\/a>? How your brand should be built around what makes you a good fit for your target employers? How resume branding can help you clearly identify and communicate what differentiates you from your job-seeking competitors?<\/p>\n

Most importantly, you may not understand that step one in job search is NOT diving right into writing your resume<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Step one is laying out the groundwork with targeting and branding. Once you\u2019ve done that, you’ll have the information about your target audience and yourself that you’ll need to write a compelling resume.<\/p>\n

Here are 10 tips to build an interview-generating, brand-reinforcing resume:<\/p>\n

INFORMATION-MINING<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Targeting<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Before you can define your brand and create content for your resume, you need to know who you’re targeting . . . who will be reading your resume. You’ll need to decide what kind of job you’ll be seeking, compile a list of companies you want to work for, research their current challenges and needs, and determine how you can help them meet those challenges.<\/p>\n

Doing this will help you align everything in your resume with what your target employers will be looking for in candidates. Industry and company research, and the information you\u2019ll find in job descriptions, will help you identify required qualifications and those all-important relevant keywords that need to be in your resume. A Google search of your target companies, the companies’ websites and Indeed.com are good resources. And check out Job-Hunt’s Company Research articles.<\/p>\n

2. Personal Branding and Value Proposition<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Branding is no longer optional. Your competitors could well be using this method to differentiate themselves. You need to brand yourself and the unique value you offer, just to keep pace with them.<\/p>\n

My 10-step Personal Branding Worksheet will help you uncover and communicate the combination of attributes, passions, strengths and qualifications that differentiate you from them.<\/p>\n

As you\u2019re building your brand, create a vibrant brand positioning statement for your resume.<\/p>\n

3. Write Down Your Career Success Stories<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Instead of merely listing a string of relevant keyword phrases in your resume, back them up by providing specific examples of your achievements and how they impacted the company \u2013 saved them money, made them money, improved processes, improved customer satisfaction, etc. Show them the numbers! Think of the best contributions you’ve made to your employers, in terms of highest value to them.<\/p>\n

My article on Challenge \u2013 Action \u2013 Results (C-A-Rs) stories will help.<\/p>\n

WRITING YOUR RESUME<\/strong><\/p>\n

4. Skip the Objective Statement<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Employers don\u2019t care that you want a \u201cchallenging position to advance my career\u201d. They want to know what you\u2019ll do for them and whether you’ll be a good hiring choice. Objective statements waste valuable space and prime real estate on the page.<\/p>\n

5. Real Estate and Strategic Positioning<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Busy HR people and other hiring decision makers typically allow only 10-15 seconds to scan a resume and decide whether you’re a person they want to interview.<\/p>\n

Their eyes will go right to the top third or half of page one first, and may go no further. You need to capture their attention and hold it by encapsulating the best you have to offer in that spot on the page.<\/p>\n

Suggestions for branding “above the fold”:<\/em><\/p>\n

Lead with a hard-hitting personal brand statement that includes your most important relevant keywords and describes your ROI (Return on Investment) value to your target employers.<\/p>\n