Chief Executive CV

Wednesday, May 13th, 2009 - Career Change, Executive CV, Recruitment

Chief Executive CV

I like writing Chief Executive CV‘s. They are all fun, envisioned and driven: the reasons that got them there in the first place. The best of them also know and are open about what they are good at, and therefore what they need in a team around themselves.

However, when pitching to write a Chief Executives CV, the question always comes up: how long will it be/how many pages?

This often surprises me, as surely a CEO has learnt its not about length or size, its about results? However, on listening to them, I hear the same old story:

• You are not the first CV writer I have talked to, and you won’t be the last: fine, I am happy with competition!
• The other guy said he could do it for half the price: did I expect a different requirement from a Chief Executive to that from an unemployed steel worker, who also seeks value? No – not that the price will change, but what we put it it can and should
• The other guy said he would make it this long

It is on the last question that I get interested. Is a CV’s effect based on length, or its ability to get you interviews for the jobs you want to do?

On CV4.biz, I talked about the case of Neville Keithley, the ex-MD at Glasgow-based publishers Archant Scotland which publishes local and regional papers such as The Extra, The Advertiser and The Gazette. So frustrated was Mr Keithley at his job search, he paid the grand sum of £3,000 to put a quarter page advert in The Telegraph. The result: he got two interviews!

Mr Keithley had talked to recruiters, CV Writers, Job Coaches, employers, etc. He stated that in 2000+ applications, he had had few interviews and no job offers – hence the last ditch effort with The Telegraph advert.

In the blog, I have explained about the modern job search: it is multi-channel marketing, in that it is a push exercise (to the employer), as well as a pull exercise (employers looking for your skills). As a result, I under took a few simple and free exercises, and less than five days later if you searched for the phrase “Neville Keithley” my input resulted in 7 out of 10 first page Google results. I still have six of those first page results a month later, and have had one order for an Executive Portfolio as a result – nothing heard yet from Mr Keithley, who I would still be happy to help, if he asks.

Executive CV writing is about the same basics as every CV: it is a sales document, no more and no less. Like every other CV, the candidate needs positioning and then the communication of their skills into an appropriate system. Note I didn’t say CV, I said system – so how big is your CV in the modern job search becomes as relevant as how long is a piece of string.

However, the one thing that is different about a Chief Executive CV is confidentiality, and hence the choice of system by which they are marketed and found is key. Blatant selling in both the Executive CV and system could break previous employment confidentiality (which for a CEO could last decades, and have legal and cost implications), reduces employer desire; and hence increases the period of unemployment

If the Chief Executive has a position lined up, and they just need a CV for a board interview, then pitching against the jobs requirements becomes key. The effective Executive CV needs to answer all of the job requirements, and probably needs a strategy pitch/presentation as well

If the Chief Executive is looking for a new position, and has suitable contacts, then a 2page Executive CV is the first step. Anticipation of the next stage questions by the potential employer need to be taken into account, with a portfolio CV backing up the initial approach

If the Chief Executive is know to be openly on the market and looking, then additional options need to be brought into play: networking, direct approach to both employers and executive recruiters, personal website, etc.

So, is the question “how long is your CV” relevant? Only in the modern world and current market in the context of how quickly did you gain your next position – and that is what we here at Executive CV are focused on.

Good Luck!

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