When looking for an executive job, you may wonder what exactly recruiters are looking for so you can boost your chances that they’ll reach out after you apply. The specifics can vary from industry to industry, but there are several things all recruiters look for regardless of what the job is.
Knowing what recruiters look for when hiring executives can help you prepare for the application process. Here are the top seven things recruiters want to help you in your job search!
1. Passion
The most important attribute recruiters are looking for is a passion for your industry. Recruiters know that if you’re passionate about your work, you will be a long-term investment for the company. Your passion can be demonstrated through your work and volunteer history, but it can also be conveyed through the language you use on your resume.
Use powerful action verbs such as “attained,” “overcame,” and “exceeded.” Words like these elicit an emotional response and make your achievements stand out among generic resumes. Your credentials will make you a top candidate for executive positions.
2. Skills
Recruiters will, of course, be looking for specific skills for the job they’re hiring for. However, a bullet point list of skills without context won’t mean much to them. Instead, you want to showcase how you gained and concretely applied skills in your previous experience.
Explain how you used your communication skills to retain clients for the company or how your leadership development skills led to a successful business quarter. Be descriptive when discussing your skills so recruiters can see how your skills can be applied in a potential new position and workplace.
3. Teamwork
No matter what job you end up working, you’ll need to collaborate with a team at some point or another. Recruiters, therefore, look for candidates who have demonstrated the ability to work and thrive in a team environment. Remember to highlight your history of collaboration and effective communication with coworkers to show recruiters you’re a team player.
4. Personal Interests
A resume is your first impression with a recruiter, so it’s important to incorporate some of your personality into the document. An easy way to do this is by listing and describing some of your passion projects! Do you coach a local youth sports team? Are you involved with your community’s art scene? Are you an avid woodworker in your spare time? These may seem unrelated to your professional goals, but including some of your interests will strengthen your resume.
Recruiters look not only for the professional experience but also want to determine whether you’ll be a good addition to the company’s social culture. Of course, it’s a bonus if some of your hobbies can translate to job skills, but even the most unrelated personal projects can help you stand out from other applicants.
5. Adaptability
In our ever-changing and sometimes uncertain world, adaptability is a must have in the workplace. Adaptability, at its core, is a soft skill meaning you’re able to handle changes. Recruiters are looking for employees who can adapt to change and learn quickly. To show adaptability on your resume, mention varied job responsibilities and achievements in your previous job experience.
6. A Targeted Resume
It might be easier to have a generic resume with your work history that you send to every job you apply for, but having a targeted resume can stand out to a recruiter. Recruiters can tell when a resume is generic and not targeted to the job, so it’s best to have a customized resume for every job you apply to. What are some ways to target a specific job?
Include a career summary paragraph at the beginning of your resume that briefly outlines your experience, skills, and career goals. Check out the job description and pick out keywords. Tailor your previous work history descriptions to include keywords specific to the job you’re applying for.
7. Well Formatted Resume
Just as important as the content of your resume is the layout of the resume itself. A good resume will be easy to read, with no long paragraphs of text. Use a combination of short sentences, bullet points, and headers to create a resume that’s easy to read and scan over. On that same note, a resume that’s too long is usually frowned upon, so make sure your resume is condensed into two pages.
Resumes can get boring, so choosing a unique font or layout will help you stand out from other applicants. While there’s nothing wrong with a simple chronological resume for some jobs, you’ll want your resume to have a little more visual substance for other positions, like a graphic designer or marketing professional. If you’re creating your resume, look up templates online to give you some ideas.
Finally, a well-formatted resume will never have spelling or grammar mistakes, so have someone look over the document before you submit it anywhere.
