Ways to Boost Your Competitive Edge

Let’s say you have recently purchased a finely tuned, very expensive dream car with all the bells and whistles. You, of course, want to keep it performing at peak levels. You will find no shortage of dealerships and mechanics who will be more than eager to take the opportunity to tinker with your newfound trophy. How do you choose which one to hire? What would give one company a competitive edge over another?

It is that same type of thought process that is sifting through today’s job market. What is going to be the deciding factor between two or three candidates who hold similar qualifications and experience? Below are a few tips that may help you achieve an advantage over your competition.

Obtain a Certification 

Specialized certifications have given many career professionals that little extra edge over the competition in many industries. Certifications can also boost your keyword value on your executive resume. Being that certifications offer a very targeted body of knowledge and competencies within a core discipline, many employers view certifications favorably. If you are a Project Manager who has been sitting on the fence contemplating obtaining your PMP Certification, go ahead and take the plunge; it will be well worth your time in the end. 

Assign a Metric to Your Achievements 

Don’t miss the boat here. This is one of the easiest ways to convey your value to a prospective employer. Knowing how to write an interview-winning resume most certainly includes placing your leadership roles in context by utilizing quantifiable achievements.

Not sure how to quantify your achievements? Use the CAR method. CAR stands for Challenge, Action, and Result. In essence, you describe a leadership challenge (C), convey the action (A) you and/or your team took to solve the challenge, and report on the result (R).

Sprinkle a senior leadership achievement into the opening summary, then tie it into your story by incorporating a bullet point within the particular role it occurred that further elaborates on the achievement. Don’t sell yourself short by listing responsibilities.  

Give Your Executive Resume a Makeover

Modernize your format to provide prospective employers with a career marketing document that engages them at a glance. State your most valuable leadership qualifications in up-to-date industry keywords. Even your older jobs can possibly be scaled down or rewritten to align with more modern-day terminology.

A great deal has changed in the world of recruitment. If it’s been a while since you last updated your IT Director resume or CEO resume, at best you should give it a makeover to ensure it reflects your brand and speaks to who you have evolved into as a leader.

If you need help with how to write CEO Resumes, Military-to-Civilian Resumes, IT Director Resumes, LinkedIn Profile Writing, or Resumes for Professionals, contact our certified team of professional resume writers online at info@resumesbyjoyce.com or toll free 1-888-607-7793.