Whether you are a technical executive (CIO, CTO, or tech firm CEO) already or a technical manager or director looking to advance into an executive role, there are 3 common and potentially fatal mistakes that are made when preparing a resume.

#1: Too Much Information

To have become a technical executive or director, you had to achieve and excel throughout your career. So I know that you have a lot of great information to communicate. You simply cannot list it all. Well, let me rephrase that…you cannot list it all and still have a resume that is appealing to your audience. I suggest that you consider the activities that best position you for this next step and distill your information down to those key points.

#2: Being Too Technical

If you have a technical resume that has a ton of technical details and technologies listed, this is a major concern to recruiters and hiring executives. In their experience, you are communicating that you are too hands-on, which means that you won’t know how to back off and manage the operation from a strategic standpoint because they will be stuck in the day-to-day operational issues.

#3: Keyword Alignment

Many IT executives simply don’t like listing keywords in their resume. The problem is, most technical hiring executives will receive a short list of candidates for a particular position after they have been screened by HR. Most HR screens use keywords to help match your resume and qualifications with the position requirements. Having a specific keywords or core competencies section helps HR to match your key skills with those listed on the requirements document for the position.

Developing a strategy that addresses each of these 3 common mistakes when creating an executive-level technical resume will put you well on your way in a competitive job environment.

 

 

Stephen Van Vreede, MBA, ACRW, CPRW

Founder of IT Tech Exec, Stephen holds an MBA from Villanova University, a Six Sigma Black Belt Certification, along with the Academy Certified Resume Writer (ACRW) and Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) credentials. For the past 10+ years, Stephen has helped IT and technical professionals, directors, and executives distinguish themselves from the general market by creating compelling resumes, power notes (cover letters), executive bios, and online profiles that resonate with recruiters and corporate executives. Stephen's corporate operations leadership and hiring background provide a unique insight into the mind of the decision makers and key influencers to ensure that the resume content aligns with their true expectations.

Read more about Stephen at www.ittechexec.com.