For those currently managing a senior executive career, it is agreed that a professional online presence is a necessary requirement for a successful career in 2012. Professional profiles on Linkedin, Twitter and Facebook Pages are without a doubt the absolute minimum necessary to establish your online profile. Authentic, genuine, transparent; these are the key attributes to establishing a respected and credible personal brand. Recruiters and HR professionals will use your contact information from your resume to conduct an online search and verify details. Are you connected to the company’s you have been employed by? Have you included accreditation’s and links to colleges or universities attended? Have you managed your recommendations? Google profiles, blog sites and other professional networking sites also offer the ultimate opportunity to further enhance a clear, consistent and credible representation of YOU!

Although a strong Internet presence is critical to any professional seeking to advance in their career, there is still one very important document which is an absolute must and that is a Professional Resume! Why? Because it is the core of your job search strategy and could very will be the source for seeking you out online. Perhaps you have excelled so well at establishing your personal brand online that you have simply been discovered by an interested potential employer? That’s great but you will still be asked to submit your resume prior to an interview! An experienced Certified Professional Writer has the potential to discover your most influential achievements and qualifications; those same key attributes a potential employer is looking for. Your resume should be updated and ready to send at every available opportunity. When you pay a professional to compose this most valuable and influential document, you are receiving a document which will be highly regarded by HR professionals and Recruiters but also one which will provide you with the majority of professional content needed to create your online presence. It is the consistency of content in your resume and online profiles which will ensure a credible and professional impression.

Don’t underestimate the importance of a professional resume. The most significant change in the past 15 years is not it’s relevance in today’s job market but simply that is now shared as a computer document rather than a paper document.

Does your resume send a powerful message? Is it aesthetically pleasing, accurate, professional, positive and accomplishment- based? If so, you will send a powerful message to the decision maker and secure their consideration in you as a potential candidate.  

In short, a resume is an accomplishment-based or performance-based document that clearly accentuates your achievements. Future employers are considering you as a potential candidate because you can save them money, boost productivity, enhance the bottom line, streamline operations and yes, eliminate personnel. You must send a powerful message that will emphasize your ability to fulfill their mandate. To achieve this, clearly state your accomplishments and past performance using the STAR technique.

What are your greatest quantifiable accomplishments? Will they impress the reader and send a powerful message highlighting your potential to achieve results for them? Clearly state the actions taken and the achieved results based on the STAR technique:

S – Situation
T – Task
A – Action
R – Result

Vice President, Sales – Key accomplishment:

• Played a pivotal role during the high profile acquisition of a 125,000 sq. ft. food manufacturing facility.
• Directed a seamless transition of external manufacturing operations from Hamilton and Kitchener to Oshawa without interruption to customer service.
• Negotiated multi-year, multi-million dollar supply contracts with Fortune 500 companies.
• Directed food production plant audits and production trial approvals.
• Catapulted annual export sales by $16.2 million, contributed to a $4.2 million profit while delivering $2 million dollars in cost savings.

“Increased annual sales” does not send a powerful message however, “Catapulted annual export sales by $16.2 million” does. Use numbers to reflect how much, how many or the percentage of gain or reduction you achieved. Emphasize the amounts associated with profit, cost reductions, productivity improvements and program implementations that are directly attributed to your involvement.  

The powerful message you send in your professional resume will get you in the door but you better be prepared to defend it’s contents in an interview. Any indication of a lack of accuracy or embellishment on your part will surely eliminate you as a potential candidate.

Contact Elite Resumes for a free resume critique from a Certified Professional Resume Writer and find out if your resume sends a powerful message.