Executive Resume Example & Writing Guide

As an executive, you’ve likely spent countless hours making tough decisions, solving complex problems, delivering inspiring speeches, and crafting well-written emails. But when it comes to writing an executive resume, it suddenly seems like all of your eloquence and prowess have disappeared.

That’s why we created this article—to help you effortlessly navigate the waters of resume writing. If you want to break out of the mold of the usual stiff phrases and overused jargon and instead create a standout document that grabs attention, you’re in the right place.

We’re going to teach you how to craft a professional document that highlights your skills and experience while showcasing just enough personality to portray you as the capable, multi-dimensional executive that you are.

What Makes an Executive Resume Unique?

Considering that you’re applying for a position as an executive, you likely have plenty of experience working various other jobs. As a result, you know that the executive’s role is quite different from other positions, which is why the executive resume should be unique as well.

Some differences are small, while others are rather prominent, but knowing them can help you create an impeccable document. Some of the most important differences are:

What is the Right Format to Use for an Executive Resume?

Two important features of your executive resume are its format and layout. 

A resume format represents the way you organize information to present it to recruiters and potential employers. This arrangement of information is also important for the ATS, which can be set up to look for specific details in particular areas of your resume.

That said, the best format for your executive resume is the chronological resume format. It puts your latest job first and then lists the rest in descending order. That makes it perfect for candidates with a long and steady professional history.

If you feel like you’ll have better chances by highlighting your impressive skill set, you can choose the combination resume format. You can use this format to emphasize some of your most prominent abilities while backing each one of them up with relevant workplace accomplishments.

Resume Layout

The layout of your resume refers to its visual appearance. You want a clean and professional document that is easy to read and skim through. You can achieve that by following these guidelines:

And remember, if you can’t fit everything on one page, your executive resume can be two or even three pages long, but don’t go beyond that.

Now, even though you have all the sections outlined here, it’ll likely take you a lot of time to create your document from scratch—especially if this is your first time learning how to write an executive resume. But what if we told you that the whole process could be done in minutes?

By using our resume-builder, you’ll be able to create a job-winning resume with little effort and in a fraction of the time it’d take you to craft one from the ground up.

The process is simple. You can browse our modern executive resume templates until you find the one that suits you. Then just fill in the blanks with your information while using an extensive set of commands to adjust every aspect of your resume before downloading a submission-ready file. 

Here’s one of many executive resume templates that you can find in our collection and customize to your liking.

Executive Resume Contact Information

Let’s start the resume-building process with a straightforward section that is your contact information. Its purpose is to give recruiters and potential employers the option of reaching out to you. That’s why you should include the following details in your resume header:

Optionally, you can also include:

Here’s what that looks like in an example:

Executive Resume Summary

Your resume summary is usually your first real contact with recruiters, where you get to show off some of your skills and achievements. As such, it’s one of the most important sections, as its purpose is to grab their attention and convince them to examine the rest of your resume.

As a result, the resume summary belongs near the top of the document, and it should be a concise but information-packed paragraph. Your goal is to emphasize the experience you have, your skills, and your notable accomplishments in 2–4 sentences. In essence, you’re giving recruiters and potential employers a brief summary of your resume.

Here’s a well-written example of an executive resume summary:

Now compare that mind-blowing resume summary to the following poorly-written one that doesn’t offer any substance:

Executive Resume Selected Achievements Section

Selected achievements is an optional—but highly recommended—section for high-level executives that you should include right after your resume summary. It works in tandem with your summary to point out your outstanding accomplishments and set you apart from the competition.

After all, you're undoubtedly a highly skilled and competent candidate, but so are many others who are competing for the same position. That's why you want to put your best foot forward with 2–5 bullet points that neatly represent the highlights of your career before your work history.

Here’s a good example:

Executive Resume Work Experience

Your work experience section will be the biggest and most important part of your resume, so let’s see how to make it perfect.

Now, even though you could likely fill pages upon pages with a comprehensive list of your accomplishments, you should generally stick with 3–5 bullet points per job. Highlight only the most impressive successes that are most relevant to the position that you’re applying for.

Speaking of relevance, your recent jobs are usually more significant than those you had 5 or 10 years ago. That’s why you should have the most comprehensive list for your latest employment.

To make your accomplishments truly pop, consider these tips:

Executive Resume Work Experience Section Example

Now let’s put everything that we’ve learned into practice and see an example of a senior executive’s resume work experience section:

Executive Resume Education Section

The education section is another mandatory part of your resume that should come after your work history. However, with the years of experience that you have and plenty of palpable results to show for it, you should focus on that and keep your education section brief. Only include the necessary details, which are:

If you have more than one degree at the same level, you should list both, starting with the most recent one. Otherwise, simply include your highest degree. There’s no need to add your high school diploma to an executive resume.

Here’s an example:

Executive Resume Skills

After your work history, your skills are the next most important part of your resume. A strong skill set can single-handedly set you apart from the competition. However, you need to know how to showcase it properly.

For starters, you want to add only those skills that are relevant to the position since those are what the recruiters are going to look for. By reading the job description and looking into the company, you’ll discover which abilities are needed for the role that you’re applying for.

The skills section should include a solid combination of technical (hard) skills as well as transferable (soft) skills. However, while creating a list of these skills is important, it’s only half the job.

You also need to demonstrate your competence and prove your skills. To do that, mention some of the most important abilities in your resume summary, selected achievements, and work experience sections. Connect them with related achievements, and you’ll make them substantial in the eyes of recruiters and potential employers.

Executive Resume Optional Sections

When the competition is strong, those who go the extra mile and show more than what’s necessary usually come out on top. That’s why optional sections can be a powerful tool in your arsenal.

Awards

What’s more sought-after than a highly-skilled and knowledgeable executive?

The answer is—an award-winning one that has been recognized for their excellence! That’s why you should briefly list any notable awards obtained, along with the dates and institutions or organizations issuing them.

Certifications

Certifications demonstrate a commitment to professional development. They also represent proof of specific skills or knowledge relevant to the field that you’re in. A brief list of relevant certifications and the institutions issuing them goes a long way toward setting you apart from the competition.

Languages

Language proficiency is vital for executives who work for companies that operate globally or have international clients. When adding language skills to your resume, you should choose a standard framework to indicate exact levels of proficiency and start with the one you’re most competent in.

Memberships

By adding a list of C-suite memberships to your executive resume, you highlight your willingness to engage in industry-related events and activities. That demonstrates high levels of commitment to the craft and shows that you’re up-to-date with the latest trends and developments.

Hobbies & Interests

The hobbies and interests section represents a hidden gem in resume-building. It allows you to show your character and personality in an otherwise formal and professional document.

They can also indicate traits or abilities that are useful in the workplace, such as leadership, teamwork, or creativity. You should keep this section brief and only list activities that you’re truly passionate about. 

Should You Submit a Cover Letter With Your Executive Resume?

You should always submit a cover letter with your executive resume unless the employer specifically asks you not to. The benefits of doing so far outweigh the trouble of writing a cover letter.

For starters, the mere act of submitting a cover letter displays strong ambition, as not every candidate does it. Moreover, you get a 3–5 paragraph document that allows you to personally address recruiters, creating a strong connection right from the start. Finally, you also get more space to talk about your skills and accomplishments.

You can examine these three executive resume samples to see what everything that we’ve learned so far looks like in practice.

Job-Winning Executive Resume Example

Use this example

Closing Thoughts

A well-written executive resume opens doors, leads to exciting new opportunities, and helps you stand out from the crowd of other candidates. While it can be challenging to get every part of it right, the trouble is more than worth it.

By following the rules and guidelines outlined in this article, you’ll not only create a professional resume; you’ll get an eye-catching document that’s far beyond the boring, cookie-cutter stuff the majority of candidates submit.

A bit of effort you put into demonstrating your skills and experience while injecting your resume with just a tad of personality will go a long way and pay off in the end. Best of luck!