There are few investments any of us will make without giving careful consideration to the ROI (Return On Investment). Of the many investments to consider when managing a successful executive career, some will be long term, some short term and others may never present a clear or definitive return. The cost of furthering education such as that of acquiring an EMBA will likely take years before the ROI is fully recognized and even then it may be difficult to measure depending on the direction your career has taken. Investing in a new professional wardrobe could very well result in the look and self confidence that led to a close tie breaker in the final decision of a hiring professional but will you ever know for sure? Seeking professional advice from a reputable Certified Personal Branding Strategist or Certified Job Search Strategist is sure to positively impact your career with new opportunities arising as a result of establishing a genuine authentic brand and an effective job search.

Why you should plan your exit before you’re in the door by Deborah Stokes for Canadian Business is written in response to the shrinking lifespan of a chief executive position. The evolving shortened tenure only heightens the need to take charge of managing an executive career and perhaps the most critical investment; a professional resume from a recognized, Certified Professional Resume Writer! This is an investment that presents a  clear and significant ROI. A resume is your ticket in the door and if it impresses the decision maker you’re one step closer to your next position. Securing a job interview is wholly dependent on a professional resume. Although networking likely led to discovering the open position, or even a recommendation, it is still your resume which will precede the interview or preclude you from the interview. The leverage to negotiate a salary increases with the number of offers to choose from and the most clearly recognized ROI that a professional resume will provide is a significant reduction of the time spent in career transition. If you secure your next position within 6 months rather than 12 months as a result of investing $1,000 for a professional resume, the ROI based on an annual salary of $150,000 would be $74,000! You may not reduce your job search by 6 months but even 1 month could result in a substantial return on your investment.

Contact Elite Resumes for a free resume critique from a Certified Professional Resume Writer.

“I see the most recent position on your resume was from 2008 to 2011 and yet your previous employer said you left their organization in 2010. Can you explain this?”

“Your resume shows the title of your position as, VP but your Linkedin profile shows your title as Manager. Do you know what your title was when your were employed by this company?”

“The diploma you note in your resume does not reference a graduation date. Did you actually receive this accreditation and if so, in what year?”

“There is a substantial employment history gap in your resume. Was there any reason you did not want to share the information related to that time period?”

These may be questions generated by your resume but you will not have the opportunity to answer them in a job interview as the hiring professional will have eliminated you as a potential candidate. Your cover letter and resume must assure the reader you are the perfect candidate for the position to secure a job interview. If your resume generates more questions than answers, lacks pertinent details or appears to be embellished you will be cut from the competition.

If you have provided the answers in your resume that the HR professional or recruiter is looking for, you will be one step ahead of much of your competition and have the opportunity to sell yourself again in a job interview. Of course the answers in your resume must be relevant to the job description. As an accounting assistant, a solid resume will not eliminate the question, “Why are you applying for a position requiring a CGA designation?”

Does your resume generate questions or answers? Don’t take any chances! Obtain a free resume critique from a Certified Professional Resume Writer to ensure you don’t miss out on another job interview!

How many people have you asked to review your resume prior to sending it out to decision makers? Your professional resume is your key to open doors but once it has failed to open a door you have forfeited an opportunity that may have provided you with the job interview of a lifetime!

HR professionals and recruiters receive an enormous number of resumes limiting their time for review to little more than a few seconds and creating the necessity to reduce those numbers to a manageable level. Will your resume survive through this elimination process?

Don’t take any chances. Send your resume to friends, colleagues, family members and professional resume writers to obtain a free critique before you put it in the hands of an eliminator! Carefully consider all feedback and the majority of responses. Do they like the look and layout of information? Were they able to get back to you easily with the contact information you provided? Is your resume free of typos and white space? Did you receive any questions about the information you provided, employment gaps or missing dates?

Don’t miss out on opening a door with your resume! Obtain a free resume critique.