9 Executive Resume Examples and Writing Guide
CEOs, CFOs and CTOs take note: Our executive resume examples show how to target your resume with the specific requirements and expectations of executive-level roles. Fill in your information and download!
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Executive resume summary examples
In today’s fast-paced job market, recruiters spend only an average of seven seconds scanning a resume.
To make an immediate and great first impression as a potential executive, you need to begin your resume with a compelling professional summary.
In just two to three sentences, the professional summary or career objective should be a powerful pitch that highlights your top skills and key achievements, demonstrating why you’re the perfect fit for the executive role.
To illustrate, let’s look at two executive resume summary examples that’ll help you understand what to include and what to avoid.
Good example:
“Dynamic and results-driven Sales Executive with 10+ years of experience driving revenue growth in competitive markets. Exceptional communication and negotiation skills, with talent for identifying and capitalizing on new business opportunities. Increased annual sales by 35% at Dorian Corporation, generating an additional $5 million in revenue.”
Why this example passes:
- Mentions a key job requirement: having 10+ years of experience in the field.
- Lists key skills and qualifications (resume keywords) as stated in the job advertisement.
- Showcases an example of their success with an impressive achievement.
Bad example:
“I am a sales professional with over 10 years of experience. I have worked in various industries and have been part of many teams. My skills include communication, negotiation and sales. I have been responsible for sales growth in my previous jobs. Looking for a new opportunity to use my skills in a sales executive role.”
Why this example fails:
- It uses informal phrasing and many personal pronouns, such as “I” and “my,” which are generally uncommon in resume writing.
- Mentions skills but lacks concrete examples of how the candidate implemented them on the job.
The fastest way to write your professional summary
For executive-level positions, the pressure is on to have an impressive resume filled with achievements. However, you can create the ideal resume with the help of our executive resume samples or a powerful digital writing tool like our Resume Builder!
The builder will save you time writing your professional summary because it provides tons of prewritten content suggestions created by our team of certified professional resume writers. You can select, edit and personalize these well-written phrases in your resume!
- 1
Enter your job details. The builder comes preloaded with auto-suggested industry-specific phrasing written by resume experts.
- 2
Then, just pick from these suggested phrases that best frame your experience and edit them to your liking!
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Save, download and start applying for jobs.
Executive positions are competitive, and nothing will help give you an edge more than getting an expert opinion. That’s why you should consider our professional resume-writing services!
A resume-writing professional will consult with you about the details of your career and role to which you’re applying and produce an executive resume that is ATS compliant and helps you stand out to employers.
Pro tip: Wondering if your resume passes the applicant tracking systems (ATS) scan? Upload it to our ATS Resume Checker, and we’ll tell you what to adjust to ensure your resume gets to recruiters’ hands. Also, we make all our executive resume examples with ATS-friendly templates and content.
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Executive resume work experience examples
For executive-level professionals, the work experience section is most important for showing employers real-life examples of your expertise and what you can bring to the team.
To write a good resume, pay attention to our executive resume examples’ work experience and how they’re filled with achievements that show how you’ve excelled in past roles and can meet the new employer’s needs with quantifiable accomplishments.
So, in the descriptions of your past jobs, mention the achievements relevant to the new role. Also, include as many numbers and statistics as possible to show your work capacity if you want to land an exciting, executive, six-figure role.
Look at these two work experience examples. One is value-packed, and the other could be stronger.
Good example:
Metro United | Chicago, IL | 03/29 – Present
- Spearheaded successful launch of new product line, resulting in 25% increase in revenue.
- Coordinated with cross-functional teams to ensure successful implementation of strategic initiatives.
- Led team of 15 to achieve quarterly sales goals, surpassing expectations by 20%.
Why this example passes:
- Numbers and statistics quantify results: “25% increase in revenue.”
- Good use of strong keywords and action verbs.
- References specialized value: “implemented innovative processes.”
Bad example:
Metro United | Chicago, IL | 03/29 – Present
- Worked as an executive.
- Oversaw day-to-day operations.
- Managed team of staff.
- Communicated with stakeholders.
Why this example fails:
- Lacks numbers or statistics.
- Describes general tasks instead of achievements or career highlights.
- Uses active verbs but doesn’t focus on results.
Executive resume skills examples
Here are 20 sample skills listed among our executive resume samples you should consider adding to your resume:
- Diverse Market/Industry Knowledge
- Leadership
- Problem Resolution
- Public Relations
- Contract Negotiations
- Inventory Control
- Workflow Planning
- Account Management
- Project Management
- Operations Management
- Strategic Planning
- Business Planning
- Business Development
- Team Building
- Project Planning
- Customer Relations
- Budget Administration
- Market Analysis
- Strategy Development
- Talent Acquisition
You should add soft skills and hard skills throughout your resume. Include them in your professional summary, work experience blurbs and a dedicated skills section.
Examples of additional resume sections for your executive resume
As you can see in our executive resume examples, it’s essential to go beyond the standard resume sections: contact information, resume summary, work experience, skills and education.
Add additional sections relevant to your target role to highlight your qualifications. Including well-chosen additional sections can showcase your unique expertise and accomplishments, setting you apart from other candidates.
Here are some optional sections you will find in our executive resume samples:
- Languages
- Awards and honors
- Core qualifications
- Accomplishments
- Certifications
- Hobbies and Interests
- Training
- Seminars
Executives often have a “Training” or “Seminars” section to showcase the ongoing training they receive to improve their skills and product knowledge.
Choose the right format for your experience level
The way we build our executive resume examples depend on something called a resume format. Resumes fall into three resume formats that organize your sections and accomplishments. Every job seeker will choose from the chronological, functional and combination formats depending on their experience level.
Executive-level professionals tend to have at least 10 years of career experience. Therefore, the ideal resume format would be chronological since the focus lies mainly on the work experience section.
How to choose a resume format
0-3
Years of experience
Functional formats
- Focus on skills.
- Best for first-time executives who lack work experience.
- Good for people reentering the workforce.
- May omit dates in the work history section.
Organization:
- Skills listed above work experience.
3-10
Years of experience
Combination formats
- Balance skills and work history.
- Ideal for mid-career executives.
- Suitable for career changers and people seeking promotion.
Organization:
- Skills next to or above work experience.
10+
Years of experience
Chronological formats
- Put the most focus on work history.
- Best for executives with a long, steady career.
- Most popular format.
- Preferred by recruiters.
Organization:
- Work experience listed above skills.
Once you know the best format for you, choosing the right resume template is easy. Our executive resume samples boast templates, or preformatted layouts, created by design professionals to ensure your sections are organized correctly and your resume looks fantastic!
Cover letters are essential for executive roles
A cover letter works with your executive resume sample to make a stronger case for why you deserve the job.
Securing an executive role requires more than a polished resume — you also need a compelling cover letter to make it to the shortlist.
Your cover letter is an opportunity to showcase your communication skills, personality, and the depth of your experience, bringing the highlights of your resume to life.
Use every helpful tool possible, like our Cover Letter Generator! It’s a powerful digital aid that provides templates and prewritten text options to enhance your letter’s message.
All the text suggestions are specific to the executive job you seek, and you can customize each sentence to fit your story!
See how other executive-level candidates are selling their skills by browsing our cover letter examples.
For help with design, cover letter templates are the perfect tool. Graphic artists design them to have cutting-edge style and can save you the effort of formatting your letter.
If you want in-depth strategies and messaging approaches, check out our complete How to Write a Cover Letter guide.
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