Creating a resume that stands out in today’s job market is a challenging task. The days of simply listing your duties and successes are long gone, replaced with the need for keywords and streamlined formatting to pass applicant tracking systems (ATS) and grab the attention of recruiters and hiring managers. So, how exactly do you craft an engaging document that meets both ATS requirements and will hook your reader while showcasing the impact you have made throughout your career? Continue reading to learn more about creating a strategic professional experience section. More details are available in our comprehensive Marketing Executive Resume Guide.
What Should You Include in the Professional Experience Section?
Once you pass the ATS, the professional experience section becomes a key part of your resume. Recruiters and hiring managers will naturally navigate to this area to see if anything jumps out at them during their initial seconds-long scan, so the format, the language, and the presentation are all vital elements in capturing your reader.
When writing an executive resume, you should focus on the past 10 to 15 years of experience because this is what is considered most relevant to your current skill set. Resumes should not extend past two pages, so real estate on the document is valuable and should never be wasted on anything that will not make you stand out among your competitors. You want to show what you’ve accomplished and your expertise in marketing.
Each of your relevant roles or job titles should include a short paragraph describing the basics of the position. When writing this paragraph, it’s a good idea to review the description of the job you are targeting and determine the key skills and competencies that are required. These elements should guide your choice of keywords for use in your resume and provide an effective way to prove that your past responsibilities make you a great fit for the prospective position. This section should be brief and concise. You want to make an impact on the reader, so each sentence should start with an action verb and provide a clear picture of what you do.
Following the description of each role, you have an opportunity to present your most important distinguishing achievements. The accomplishments for each professional job title should be in a bulleted format and showcased using the SAR method. With SAR, you want to briefly detail the situation, the action taken, and the result.
Each bullet on your resume should be thought of as a potential talking point for the interview. The purpose of the resume is to catch your reader’s attention by showcasing your valuable contributions and landing you a seat at the interview table. You want to develop each sentence and bullet as concisely as possible. Big paragraphs of text are off-putting to your reader. Create each accomplishment as a talking point and save the intricate details for the interview.
Still Unsure or Need Assistance?
Please review our Marketing Executive Resume Writing Guide for more details on how to position yourself as a capable, successful, and innovative leader.
