CV Strategy

Your showcase - An effective resume or CV for senior executives should be well organised, concise, and easy to read. It must succinctly pitch the applicant's educational background, professional experience, significant accomplishments, personal attributes, and key skills.

Relevance is critical - The document should be tailored specifically to the job or position being targeted. If it isn't, it'll very likely fail the ATS screen.

It needs to shine bright - An executive resume or CV needs to outshine high-quality submissions from other accomplished professionals. It should provide detailed insights into the applicant's professional journey, highlighting significant achievements and contributions. Crucially, it must showcase evidence of leadership capabilities, cultural fit, a strong work ethic, extensive management experience, and a robust business network.

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Evidence of adding value - An executive CV must clearly demonstrate achievements to stand out in a competitive field. Focusing on accomplishments not only highlights your skills and experience, it shows potential employers how you have added value to previous organisations. This might seem obvious, but there is an all too common focus in executive applications upon duties and responsibilities.

Show you're results-driven - A resume or CV focused on accomplishments not only demonstrates your ability to meet and exceed job requirements but also portrays you as a results-driven professional. This focus is especially crucial for senior executives, where demonstrating leadership capabilities, a strong work ethic, management experience, and a robust business network can significantly enhance your appeal.

Pitching your accomplishments - We will work together to align your resume or CV with the employer's selection criteria. Stating your accomplishments provides concrete evidence of your capabilities, illustrating your critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Highlighting, for example, how you have made money, saved money, or improved productivity showcases your impact. Providing quantified 'PAR' (Problems -> Actions -> Results) examples strengthens your application, making your achievements tangible and relatable to the employer's needs. See the 'accomplishment checklist' below.

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Understand the ATS - An ATS functions similarly to a Google-like algorithm that most employers use as an initial screening tool to disqualify low-quality resumes or CVs. Therefore, understanding and addressing ATS requirements is critical to ensure your document passes the initial screen and reaches human reviewers.

Tailoring for success - We will work together to ensure your resume or CV is formatted correctly and includes the relevant keywords from the job description. This process not only improves the document’s chances of passing through ATS filters but also aligns it precisely with the employer's selection criteria, showcasing your most pertinent skills and experiences.

Keywords matter - Including specific keywords and phrases that reflect the job requirements is essential. This not only demonstrates your qualifications but also ensures your resume or CV is recognised by the ATS as a strong match for the position.

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Understanding Selection Criteria - Selection criteria delineate the exact qualifications, experiences, and personal attributes a company values in candidates, especially critical for executives poised to align with an organisation's strategic aims and culture.

Such criteria typically include a blend of essential and preferred qualifications, highlighting:

• Demonstrated prowess in leadership and adeptness in team oversight.
• Advanced educational qualifications and pertinent professional history.
• Strategic acumen and sector-specific insight.
• International experience, showcasing a global perspective and cross-cultural competency.
• Notable accomplishments that have had a tangible impact on previous organisations.

Caution is advised in relying on job descriptions, which are often maintained by compensation teams or HR Officials and rarely updated, possibly not reflecting current role requirements. The gap between these descriptions and what decision-makers seek can be considerable, with 'minimum criteria' usually the only reliable indicator. Direct engagement with recruiters or leveraging networks for insights into the role's actual demands can provide a more accurate guide.

Selection Criteria Statements

• Government Positions - Roles within federal, state, and local government agencies often require detailed responses to selection criteria. This includes administrative, policy, and project management positions.
• Public Service Roles - Positions within various public service departments, such as health, education, and social services, usually require applicants to address selection criteria.
• Education Sector - Jobs in universities, TAFEs, and other educational institutions may require addressing selection criteria, especially for academic and administrative roles.
• Healthcare Sector - Certain roles within the public healthcare system, such as those in hospitals or community health services, may require addressing selection criteria.
• Non-Profit and Community Organisations - Some roles within non-profit organisations, especially those funded by government grants, may require applicants to address selection criteria.

Addressing selection criteria involves providing specific examples from past experiences to demonstrate how the applicant meets each criterion. This process helps employers evaluate the candidate's qualifications and suitability for the position based on predefined criteria.

This general process, while bespoke in practice, lays out a strategic path for executives looking to advance. It's about more than just finding a new job; it's about crafting your narrative and positioning you for the success you're aiming for.

• Selection Criteria Audit

  We do a deep dive into what your potential employer truly seeks*. It's our first step towards tailoring your application, ensuring we hit the mark right from the start.
• Insight into Your Future Employer

  We go beyond the basics, investigating the company's ethos, key players, and the broader industry landscape. Armed with this knowledge, your application gains relevance, depth, and context.
• Skills and Fit Analysis

  We assess how your personal attributes, experience, and track record align with the employer's selection criteria. This guides our strategy to effectively highlight your strengths and address, downplay, or subtly mitigate any potential weaknesses.
• Resume Drafting

  The foundation of your pitch for that next big role. We reduce your curriculum vitae into a bespoke resume, tailored for the eyes of those determining your next step.
• Resume Polishing

  With forensic care, we refine your CV, ensuring it not only aligns with the employer's expectations but also captivates and convinces.
• Complementary Materials & Online Persona

  We extend our crafting to cover letters and bios, enhancing the narrative of your professional life. Simultaneously, we polish your online presence for consistency and impact.
• The Application Process

  The finale is submitting a package that's not just complete but compelling, significantly boosting your chances for an interview.

The more generic, the less effective - Each client has unique service needs, so this illustration is intended to demonstrate the general principles. *Where no specific job specification is being targeted, the general selection criteria for the sector or job classification may be used to tailor applications, but this is sub-optimal.

About Elle Bradshaw

I've had direct experience working for top mining and resources companies in Western Australia, in marketing, HR, and recruitment roles. Over the years, I've assisted countless individuals in applying for executive and C-Suite positions in Australia, the UK, and the USA. With a degree in Information Science, I bring unique insights into the digital recruitment filters and systems that applicants encounter. I'm a dual UK-Australian citizen, with family in both WA and Leicestershire.

Sectors and organisations

My expertise extends to consulting for various organisations including Horizon Power, Curtin University, the WA Police Department, Perth Zoo, Barminco, Allied Pumps, Alcoa of Australia, Western Mining, Sons of Gwalia, Gulf Petroleum, Small Business Development Corporation, WA State Govt., Information Enterprises Australia, and numerous others. I have consulted to organisations in these sectors, among others:

• Mining & Resources (Oil and Gas) Executive Resumes or CVs
• Pharmaceutical, Health & Nursing Executive Resumes or CVs
• Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Education (Principal and Teacher) Executive Resumes or CVs
• General Corporate Managerial and C-Suite Executive Resumes or CVs, including International postings
• Political, COS and Party Pre-Selection Executive Resumes or CVs
• Government (Local, State and Federal) Executive Resumes or CVs
• Franchisee Application Resumes or CVs (for example McDonalds)
• Capability Statement CVs for professionals and contractors (especially Mining)
• Marketing and Sales Managerial / Director / State Manager Executive Resumes or CVs
• IT and Digital Managerial / Director / Executive State Manager Resumes or CVs
• ADF and ex-ADF Executive Resumes or CVs

Certification and Memberships

I am a founder-member of the UK-based CVRA, which professionally certifies and educates CV and Resume Writers worldwide.

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Corporate engagements

I've conducted executive resume writing seminars and outplacement workshops for employees of the Western Australian state and local governments, as well as universities.

Here's where applicants often stuff up:

Overlooking the ATS

The Generic Resume Trap

Incompatibility with Job Specifications

Overly Stylised Resumes

To avoid the pitfalls and boost your chances of an interview, focus on devising a resume that's not just clear and concise but also bespoke for the job in question and compatible with ATS requirements.