How to level up your CV to C-Suite stature

Is your CV at C-suite level presentation? Does it showcase the scale and complexity of your leadership journey to the C-suite table?

If you are like many of my CxO clients (CEO, COO, CFO, CIO, CCO, CMO, CAO, CDO), you’ve been pretty busy pushing your career forwards and haven’t had the opportunity to dive into your CV development thoroughly. Are you ready and could you confidently hand over your C-suite CV today to an executive recruiter?

A C-suite-tier CV must be developed from a strategic level. Sounds obvious. Right? Ins’t that the way all CVs are prepared and not just C-suite? No... Most home-grown CVs, even for senior executives and corporate executives, are missing that critical strategic punch. More often than not, the CVs that I review sound more like job descriptions– as if you are teaching an executive recruiter what is expected from someone that holds that particular position.

Here are 4 powerful changes you can make to level up your executive CV

1. Actions vs Skills: Forget listing a catalogue of competency. Instead, it would be best if you told stories of how you came up with innovative (and cost-effective) solutions using the SAR framework. Situation, Action followed by a Result, suing metrics to back up your claims. Whatever C-suite skill you want to list, write a short story that conveys and substantiates that skill in action.

2. Value Proposition: Pitch a value proposition that challenges the hiring authority’s perspective or incites curiosity. I would typically use a value proposition statement at the top of your summary section and include, your role, what you have proven experience in delivering, what kind of environments, what types of companies and what business benefits you can deliver.

3. Forward vs Backwards: Don’t lean into old accomplishments too heavily. A more powerful resume writing approach would be to forecast market climate and industry challenges that we will face for the next decade and pitch your insight and strategy plan.

4. Mind-blowing vs Impressive: Sharing the breadth and scale of your C-suite leadership on your CV is important because a title doesn’t hold the same weight across different companies. Yet, what you really must share is how you exceeded targets, how you redefined that role, and how you made your mark. In other words, ‘before and after’ you came along = two very different companies.

The above C-suite CV writing strategies should help you improve your CV immediately. If you require assistance and professional help, I offer a 1-on-1 CV review and call back meeting which you can book for free here: https://www.bigger-fish.co.uk/bookings-checkout/cv-review/book