Q: I have heard so many different suggestions of what to include on my resume.  What do you suggest?

A: Focus on accomplishments, money and mission.  By accomplishments, I mean anything that pushed your organization ahead and for which you can honestly claim ownership.  Your academic credentials, awards and distinctions, which most tend to use as evidence of success, actually fall into the category of identifying you as a potential leader, but your on-the-job performance is the most precise indicator of your leadership qualities and contribution.

The way to access these issues most clearly is to ask targeted questions such as:

A.  Accomplishments

Measuring impact on the organization

• How have I made a difference?
• How can I measure that difference in terms of morale, retention and growth?
• How has my leadership promoted or expanded the mission?  How do our clients describe that impact?

Movement up the ranks

• Have I been promoted quickly?
• Am I invited to take on more than my formal job description dictates?
• Do I take ownership of projects in a way that propels me forward to bigger, more visible work?

Client satisfaction/Public presence

• Do clients trust me to deliver?
• Do I have name recognition in the community?

Mentoring, management and succession planning

• Do others within the organization seek me for guidance as a mentor?
• Do I manage others in ways that increase our productivity?
• Am I perceived as a team-player?
• Do more senior leaders include me in long-term, strategic planning?

B.  The Money

• How can the difference I’ve made in an organization be measured in dollar terms?
• Do I have any budget or fiscal oversight?  If so, what is the size of the budget?
• Do I have any development or fundraising goals?  How successful have I been at meeting or exceeding these?
• Do I generate any financial resources for the organization?
• Am I earning more now that when I was hired?
• Am I earning what my organizational peers earn?
• Am I earning what my industry peers earn?

C.  The Mission

• Do I generally see merit to philanthropy and to the benefits of mission-driven organizations?
• Do I believe, deep down, in the worth of this particular organization’s mission/goal?
• Can/do I enroll others in the mission?
• Have I made a visible commitment to the long-term sustainability of an organization?
• Which activities have supported my response to the mission at hand?  Have I excelled at these activities?  Can I annotate the resume to fully and fairly reflect these activities?

The responses to these kinds of questions should give you plenty to document and describe on your resume.  If you find a sticking point, or some question that is troubling, dig a bit deeper.  You have probably identified an area that needs attention.

Sometimes, a resume upgrade really means that you reinvent yourself after taking stock of your existing strengths and areas for growth.  Systematically address any deficit you discover in this process as you speak with your supervisors, peers and those whom you use as references.  Career planning is about growth, and your resume will direct you to expand and improve your skills if you use it as an active tool.

Contact Karen Alphonse at Karena@execSearches.com or visit ExecSearches.com for more information about our career coaching services.

ExecSearches.com is a job board for nonprofit job seekers interested in fundraising, management and executive nonprofit jobs.

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