Were you lucky enough to start your own business that had success for years, but now find yourself looking to step into corporate world at the executive level? There are a lot of entrepreneurs who have successfully made the transition, which is good news for you.
However, there are some rules of thumb to keep in mind before shifting from your own business to an executive-level position and they have everything to do with writing your resume. So before you get started on your journey, take a look at the following resume tips …
Maintain a Tunnel Vision Focus
One of the main focal points of writing a resume that shows a shift from entrepreneurship to an executive position is using tunnel vision when writing. Executive jobs require highly qualified applicants, and your entrepreneur status isn’t enough in and of itself to prove that you’re qualified for the position. Your experience may suffer in the area of customer service center management, for instance, even if you can claim huge numbers in other areas during your time as an entrepreneur.
So as you write your executive resume, you want to spend time really looking at the position you’re applying for then looking at what you did in your position as business owner to determine your qualifications. In order to accomplish this, try quantifying as much as you can in your resume, in any area that your numbers are impressive; for example, talk about how many people you’ve managed, or how quickly you released a certain product and how many of that product were sold.). Your new role’s responsibilities should line up with your accomplishments as an entrepreneur. If the employer sees you’ve been able to deliver like an executive, it will be easier to envision you in the position you’re applying for.
Create an Executive-Level Title for Yourself
When creating your resume, it’s also a good idea to create a title for yourself that reflects your executive-level ambitions. Have you ever heard the expression “fake it until you make it?” It’s sort of like that, except that you’re actually pooling your skills and accomplishments and creating a title that reflects them all in the executive realm.
For instance, if you were the CEO of your company, but also handled the responsibilities of an Executive Sales Director, you could use this as your title. You would be able to provide plenty of experience to qualify your title and also offer insight into the role you plan to take on in a corporate position.
Add Keywords
Since you’ve been working for yourself for some time, you may be out of the resume-writing loop. If this is the case, it’s important understand keywords and their importance. In order to weed out unqualified resumes, many businesses use keyword software that searches for relevant phrases in every resume received. For instance, if you’re in marketing, “trade shows” is a good industry-related phrase. To find keywords and phrased related to your industry, simply Google “resume keyword phrases” to get started.
It’s good to know that transitioning from entrepreneurship is possible with determination and a good resume. So if you’re ready to get started, following these tips can send you on your way.