Q: I am a very Senior (C-Suite) executive and I want to redo my resume.  Should it be chronological or functional? What do you suggest?

A: As a senior executive, you have many options for creating a sophisticated resume. 

These days, you do not necessarily need to choose between a functional and a chronological resume. Some formats combine both. That is, they incorporate an opening section that lists key accomplishments, credentials and leadership ability followed by a section for you to summarize recent career experiences (10 to 15 years) in a more traditional, reverse-chronological format. Some executives even opt for a mini-biography as an opening paragraph in their resumes. This creates context, highlights significant achievements and gives a sense of the leader’s style.

Take a lead from others operating at your level in your industry whether at your organization or a similar one.  There are bound to be several, creative ways to present your skills and experience.  You may want to review resumes of your peers to see how they present themselves. And, if possible, try and review the resume of someone who has a similar function to yours at a competitor organization as it will inspire and guide your redrafting efforts. If obtainable, it is not a bad idea to check in on the resumes of those one level up from you, too, at your present organization or at a similar one. Nothing beats getting a live example of a resume that has worked in the context most relevant to your own career path.

Reviewing current peer/competitor resumes should give you ideas about what is acceptable in your niche and can inspire you to create your own, successful version.

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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Last updated on September 19th, 2012 at 11:53 am