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How To Write an Executive Resume: The Definitive 2024 Guide

In this detailed guide, learn the ins and outs of writing a senior level resume, including executive resume templates and examples.

2 years ago   •   9 min read

Welcome to our resume guide for executives and senior-level job seekers. In this detailed guide, learn the ins and outs of writing a senior level resume, including executive resume templates and examples.

Table of contents:

• Overview, templates and key tips [you are reading this here]
• Executive resume summary
• Work experience and bullet points on executive resumes
• Skills section on executive resumes
• Education, optional sections, and additional executive resume tips are at the bottom of this page too!

What to know when writing your executive resume

When it comes to resume writing, there’s no “one size fits all” solution. Which means that the resume you used to get hired probably isn’t going to land you that promotion you’ve been eyeing, and the template you’ve been using since you graduated definitely isn’t going to cut it when you’re applying for senior level roles.

The reality is, executive resumes use a different format — and follow different rules — from standard resume templates. To illustrate the point, let’s have a look at some senior level resume templates.

Executive resume templates

Before we dive in, let's show you what a template looks like — with specific recruiter highlights to give you a sense of what works on this resume (we'll dive into each of these at different parts of this resume guide too).

The first thing you’ll notice is that this template is longer than the standard one-page resume you’re probably used to. Director level resumes can get away with including a lot more detail because of the depth of experience they’re trying to convey. For positions older than 10-15 years, executive recruiters recommend listing them in a truncated format that omits the bullet points.

Here, we’ve also divided accomplishments from your most recent role into core competencies using keywords hiring managers are looking for.

Executive resume template #2

While it's common to have a two-page resume like the one above, you can also use a shorter resume if you prefer. Just make sure you include your most impressive achievements.

This senior management resume template keeps the emphasis where it needs to be — on high-level professional accomplishments. Other sections of your resume, including older positions, education, skills, and certifications, should take up no more than half a page.

Want more templates? See our resume templates for executives . You can download the Google Doc and Word templates there too.

Executive resume format and key sections

Now that we’ve seen what senior level resumes should look like, let’s break down what you need to know to write your own.

Executive summary

An executive summary should be the first thing on your resume, underneath your name and contact details. Your executive summary can include:

• The title of the job you’re applying for
• A short paragraph explaining the scope and context of your work experience
• 2-4 of your most impressive accomplishments

Think of your executive summary as a career highlights section — it should be relatively brief but detailed enough to convey that you have the right skills and experience for the job.

For most applicants, resume summaries are optional, but recruiters highly recommend them for executive resumes. Because your resume is likely to be longer and more detailed, a summary gives recruiters a quick overview of your most important accomplishments so they can see at a glance that you’re qualified for the role.

Personalize your resume summary by tailoring the skills and accomplishments you list to match the job requirements . Adding a title or headline is another good way to impress recruiters and bypass Applicant Tracking Systems at the same time.

Want to dive in? Read how to write an executive summary, or a summary for executives .

Work experience

Most of the space on your executive resume should be dedicated to your professional experience. Start with a short introductory paragraph explaining your role and split your accomplishments into key skills with distinct subheadings.

The more recent the role, the more detailed your accomplishments should be. Your most recent position might contain upward of 10-15 accomplishments split across different categories, while older roles might only have 1-2.

What to do about older positions

For any positions older than 10-15 years , either leave them off your resume entirely or condense them by listing only the company name, your role, and the dates.

Bullet points Here’s what you need to know about crafting high-impact resume accomplishments in your work experience section:

• Start with a strong action verb .
• Focus on accomplishments, not responsibilities.
• Include numbers and metrics to quantify your achievements .
• Be specific. Avoid vague buzzwords like “effective” or “various.”
• Lead with your most relevant accomplishments — don’t bury your strongest achievement at the bottom of the page.

Want to dive in? Read how to write a work experience for executives . You'll also learn how to write bullet points for an executive resume.

Resumes for experienced professionals don’t need a detailed education section. List any degrees in reverse chronological order (most recent first), including the name of the school you attended, the degree(s) you attained, and your major. You can omit any extra information, like graduation dates, coursework, and GPA.

You can list your hard skills in a relatively short section at the end of your resume. Stick to high-level leadership skills and core industry-specific competencies.

Your skills section is essential to getting past Applicant Tracking systems, which will automatically scan and weed out resumes without essential keywords — for example, the word “financial” in a CFO resume. Here are some of the key skills executive recruiters are looking for:

• Business Development
• Change Management
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Revenue Generation
• Profit & Loss Management
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Stakeholder Relations
• Cultural Leadership
• Contract Negotiation
• Fiscal Accountability

To make a big impact in a small amount of space, use subheadings for specific skills and stick to 3-4 categories that are more relevant to the role you’re applying for.

Ready to get started? Read how to include essential skills for executive resumes .

Optional sections

Because executive resumes should mainly focus on your work experience and core competencies, you don’t need to dedicate a lot of space to additional information. That said, it can still be a good idea to include one or two optional sections toward the end of your resume, especially if you can point to activities that are highly regarded or add leadership experience. These might include:

Board memberships. Sitting on a board of directors can add prestige and credibility to your resume, especially if you were involved with a prominent organization or one related to your current field. List the name of the organization, your role, and the dates you served.

Professional affiliations. Similarly, membership in a well-known professional association — especially if you were heavily involved or in a leadership role — can deserve a place on your resume. List the name of the association and whether your membership is current.

Certifications. Only list these if they’re relevant to your current role. If you hold a qualification that’s highly recognizable or essential in your industry, consider highlighting it in your executive summary as well.

Volunteering. In most cases, volunteering doesn’t fit on an executive resume. However, other types of community involvement can go at the bottom of your resume. In particular, highlight leadership roles and other industry-relevant activities.

Key tips for executives

If you’re updating an existing resume rather than writing one from scratch, here are some key things to keep in mind.

Executive resumes look different

Struggling to showcase your leadership potential while keeping your resume under one page? There’s a reason for that. Executive resumes are typically longer two-page documents featuring additional sections and a more extensive work history. Here’s how to update your mid-level resume to an executive resume format:

• Split your work experience into subheadings reflecting core competencies.
• Include more bullet points for your current or most recent role.
• Leave off jobs older than 10-15 years.
• Include additional sections as relevant — for example, board memberships , professional affiliations , certifications, and community involvement.

Stress leadership and management experience

Executive roles require leadership above all else, so make that the focus of your resume. Here are some quick tips:

Use keywords in your resume title and headline. Your resume title should reflect the title of the job you’re applying for, while your headline can contain core competencies or similar roles you’ve held in the past.

Focus on management experience in your summary and bullet points. Choose accomplishments that show leadership and related skills , and put your most relevant achievements at the top of your resume. If a recruiter only spends a few seconds skimming your resume, they should still walk away with the sense that you’re a potential fit.

A good way to check if you’ve chosen the right accomplishments that show leadership and related skills, is to upload your resume to the tool below — it’ll tell you if your resume summary and bullet points show enough of the management skills that hiring managers and recruiters look for.

Choose skills that speak to your leadership ability. Your skills section is a small but powerful part of your resume, so make every word count.

If you’re unsure what skills to add to your skills section, search for the job using the tool below. It’ll give you a list of skills relevant to the job. For example, search for a job like Chief Financial Officer, or other executive positions and it’ll give you a list of skills required for the role.

Size matters

When it comes to leadership roles, the scope of your experience is as important as the details. That’s not to say that you can land a C-level position at a Fortune 500 company if you’ve only ever helmed 10-person startups, but either way, make sure you start your resume by explaining the context of your work experience.

Emphasize promotions

You may be near the top of your field now, but recruiters will want to know how you got there. Here’s how to emphasize that you worked your way to the top:

• Show progression in your job titles. Bold titles that show obvious progression, like Vice President -> Director -> Managing Director .
• Use leadership-centric language that shows increased responsibility, like “ Led ,” “ Drove ,” and “ Spearheaded .”
• Use bullet points to highlight promotions . If you were promoted ahead of schedule, say so.

Use metrics

Hiring managers want to see the impact of your accomplishments on a company’s bottom line. Here are some good metrics to use in your resume:

• Company or team size
• Number of locations
• Revenue generated
• Managed budget
• Money saved
• Increased throughput
• Project complexity, scale and duration

Always use concrete numbers when you can. These don’t need to be exact — a reasonable estimate is fine.

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What is an executive summary on a resume?

A resume executive summary is a short paragraph that appears at the top of your resume that provides an overview of your career trajectory, professional background, skills, and accomplishments.

Since it is located at the top part of the resume, it is the first thing that hiring managers will see.

And given that recruiters spend only 6 to 8 seconds on a resume, it is imperative that your executive summary is up to par with their expectations.

But with limited space on your resume, how do you distill all that information into a concise and impactful summary?

Lucky for you, in this guide, we'll walk you through everything you need to know to create an impressive executive summary that will help you stand out from the crowd.

We’ll provide tips on how to tailor it to your specific industry and job level and share examples of great executive summaries to inspire your own.

• Why is the executive summary so important?
• What should you include in your resume executive summary?
• How to write an executive summary for a resume?
• What are some of the best executive summary resume examples?

Why is an Executive Summary Important?

Here’s why you need to put in extra effort to ensure that your resume executive summary is impressive and compelling:

An executive summary is a brief but impactful summary of your qualifications, experience, and skills. Here are some reasons why having an executive summary on your resume is essential:

First impressions matter: Recruiters and hiring managers often receive hundreds of resumes for a single position. A good executive summary can help your resume stand out right off the bat and catch the reader's attention, making a positive first impression.

Conveys your value proposition: An executive summary is an opportunity to showcase your unique value proposition and emphasize how you can bring value to the organization. It should highlight your key skills and accomplishments, and how they align with the job requirements.

Summarizes your career progression: An executive summary can summarize your career progression, highlighting key achievements and milestones along the way. This can help you demonstrate your growth and potential to future employers.

Also Read: How to make a resume for your first job in 2023?

What Should You Write in Your Resume Executive Summary?

To ensure that your executive summary briefly covers all the important details in your resume, you must write it after writing all the other sections of your resume.

Doing so will streamline the writing process for you as you will have a better idea of what you need to highlight.

With that being said, here’s what you must include in your resume executive summary:

1. Your Professional Title

Your professional title should be the first thing that appears in your executive summary. This helps to establish your credibility and professionalism right from the start.

Use the exact title of the position you're applying for, if possible, or a related title that accurately reflects your experience and skills.

2. Years of Experience

The first sentence in your executive summary must also highlight the years of experience you have in your field or industry. This gives hiring managers a quick sense of your level of expertise.

Be specific and use exact numbers, such as "10+ years experienced management professional" or "software developer with 5+ years of experience."

3. Key Achievements

Highlighting your key achievements and accomplishments in your executive summary is a great way to immediately draw attention to your proven track record of success and get ahead of average candidates.

Be sure to use specific numbers and metrics to highlight your achievements and demonstrate the impact and value that you can add to the company.

4. Relevant Skills

Highlight the key skills that are required for the position you’re applying for. Doing so will allow recruiters to see that you’re a good fit for the position.

5. Industry-Specific Keywords

Include industry-specific keywords and phrases in your executive summary. This helps to demonstrate your familiarity with the industry and also increases the ATS-friendliness of your resume.

You can also identify and use exact phrases and terminology from the job posting.

Also Read: How to write a great resume objective in 2023?

How to Write an Executive Summary for a Resume?

Given below are some tips you can follow to write an excellent resume executive summary that will level up your resume:

Tailor Your Executive Summary to the Job Description

Your executive summary should be tailored to the specific job you're applying for.

This means highlighting the skills and experiences that are most relevant to the position and using language and terminology that matches the job posting.

Keep it Concise and Clear

Your executive summary should be short and to the point, not more than 2 to 3 short sentences.

It's important to remember that employers and hiring managers have limited time and attention spans, so your executive summary should be crisp and easy to read.

Highlight Your Unique Value Proposition

One of the primary goals of your executive summary is to communicate your unique value proposition to potential employers.

What sets you apart from other candidates? What unique skills or experiences do you bring to the table?

Make sure to highlight these points in your executive summary, and make it clear why you are the best candidate for the job.

Proofread Your Resume Executive Summary

Finally, after incorporating all these wonderful tips to write an incredible executive summary, the last thing you’d want is some minor typos or grammatical errors messing up your first impression on recruiters.

Thus, you need to proofread your executive summary to avoid any spelling and grammatical mistakes.

Also Read: How to write a compelling resume summary with a change in career trajectory?

Executive Resume Summary Examples

For your reference, given below are some good examples of executive summaries:

Executive Summary for Resume for Freshers

Dedicated recent graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science seeking an entry-level software engineering position. Proficient in programming languages such as Java and Python, with experience in software development through internships and personal projects.

Recent Marketing graduate passionate about utilizing my skills in social media marketing and market research to contribute to the growth of the company. Proficient in various social media platforms and experienced in conducting market research through internships and volunteer work. Strong communication skills and ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.

Enthusiastic recent graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Accounting seeking an entry-level position in accounting or finance. Skilled in financial analysis, bookkeeping, and financial reporting through internships and coursework. Possesses strong attention to detail and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment. Proficient in using accounting software such as QuickBooks and Excel.

Executive Summary for Resume for Seasoned Professionals

Dynamic marketing leader with 6+ years of track record of driving brand awareness, customer engagement, and revenue growth in the consumer goods industry. Skilled at developing and executing integrated marketing campaigns, building high-performing teams, and establishing strong partnerships with key stakeholders. Passionate about driving customer-centric strategies and leveraging data analytics to optimize marketing performance.

Seasoned finance professional with over 20 years of experience in the banking sector, specializing in risk management, asset management, and regulatory compliance. Proven ability to lead large-scale projects, develop and implement risk mitigation strategies, and drive business growth through effective financial planning and analysis. Skilled in building and maintaining strong relationships with clients, regulators, and other stakeholders.

Also Read: What are the best resume summary examples for different job profiles?

Key Takeaways

• What is a resume executive summary and why is it important?

A resume executive summary is a brief statement at the top of a resume that summarizes a candidate's key qualifications, experience, and achievements. It is important because it gives hiring managers a quick overview of a candidate's suitability for a position and encourages them to continue reading the rest of the resume.

• What should you write in your executive summary?

Your resume executive summary should include a brief introduction of yourself, your career goals, and a summary of your most relevant qualifications and achievements. It should be tailored to the job you're applying for and provide a snapshot of what you can bring to the table.

• How to make your executive summary more compelling?

To write an effective resume executive summary, you must tailor it to the specific job description you're applying for and keep it concise. Highlight your unique value proposition and proofread your summary to avoid any spelling or grammatical errors.

You can also use Hiration’s ChatGPT powered resume builder with 24x7 chat support to build a stellar resume with a compelling executive summary.

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Tips & Examples to Improve Your Resume’s Executive Summary

Writing a compelling executive summary that shines a light on your achievements and core skills can be challenging. however, a well-written summary pitches your resume for the job you are applying for in an impactful manner. find out how..

What is an executive summary statement and why should you include it in your resume?

Best described as an elevator pitch for your resume , an executive summary highlights your core skills and accomplishments for a job. Sometimes referred to as a professional summary, it should project a holistic view of your qualifications and experience that makes you best suited for the job. It should demonstrate your experience clearly to grab the attention of the hiring manager.

Why include an executive summary?

Resumes that are simple, focused and relevant are much more successful in getting you interview invitations. The executive summary is a punchy and concise section — approximately four to five sentences long — that tells the hiring manager who you are professionally and how you can contribute to the organisation.

• It presents a curated list of accomplishments and skills that fit the job description.
• It shows exactly how you can benefit the company’s mission and vision through the role.
• It helps hiring managers to make a quick but justified assessment of your qualifications immediately.

How do you write a concise yet compelling summary?

Looking for career guidance? If you are exploring career changes and need professional advice, speak to a WSG Careers Connect Officer today.

1. Personalise it to the job application

Your executive summary should be adjusted to fit the job you are applying for . By studying the job description, you can sieve out which requirements are most important. Depending on the function and industry, there are relevant keywords you could also weave into your summary statement.

Take control by offering hiring managers your unique proposition and qualifications for the role, instead of having them rely on their interpretations of your job experience.

2. Exemplify reasons why you will be a good fit

Your executive summary can help narrow down your experiences to the most relevant and necessary ones for the role. Once you have identified the key requirements, you need to furnish your executive summary with reasons to explain why you are the most qualified candidate. A convincing elevator pitch can interest the hiring manager in paying more attention to the rest of your resume.

3. Cover essential skills & accomplishments

Understandably, you want to highlight your most impressive achievements and skills. To boost the impact of your resume, spend a bit more time selecting the notable accomplishments. Ideally, you get to consider those that put you in a good light and also satisfy the most important requirements of the job.

Quantify the selected achievements with tangible metrics such as figures or percentages. These enhance the credibility of your accomplishments and contextualise your previous experiences.

Use these tips in your next job application. Explore over 80,000 job listings on MyCareersFuture today.

Tips for writing resume executive summaries

Already have your resume prepared with an executive summary? Fine-tune it with these quick tips.

• Move your credentials to the top of your resume
• Use industry-relevant keywords and include a link to your LinkedIn profile
• Tailor your master executive summary to the various jobs you apply to

Asking yourself these questions can also help with writing a succinct summary.

• What is the one thing the hiring manager should know about you?
• What makes you uniquely qualified?
• What accomplishments are you most proud of?

Executive Summary Resume Sample

Since executive summaries vary according to the job and industry you apply to, you can follow the general template below to help you get started.

[Your key strength and job title] with [quantify your years of experience] in the [industry]. Core competencies include [3-5 areas of expertise and experience]. A [insert key strength and noun to describe yourself professionally] with [insert key accomplishments], recognised for [insert key trait] to [insert outcome].

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Sample for a Marketing Manager:

Strategic Marketing Manager with over 10 years of experience in advertising. Core competencies include running email marketing campaigns and implementing pay-per-click advertisements, proven to pull in a 30% increase in leads. A proven leader with executive experience, capable of merging big-picture perspectives with measured considerations to achieve growth.

Sample for a Human Resources Manager:

Demonstrated decade of progressive experience in managing employee hiring and onboarding. Experience includes relationship management with various departments and streamlining performance management processes. A dedicated professional with executive experience in directing, overseeing, and executing HR processes, including benefit programmes.

Sample for a Project Manager:

Dedicated professional with over 15 years of experience in strategising and delivering project management strategies in various industries. Experience includes the use of project management software and managing cross-functional teams. Once you’ve crafted your executive summary, give it a good read to check for grammar and spelling mistakes. Have someone look at it too for feedback!  

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Home / Tips & Examples to Improve Your Resume’s Executive Summary

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A resume summary statement usually comes right after a job seeker’s contact info and before other resume sections such as skills and work experience. It provides employers with a brief overview of a candidate’s career accomplishments and qualifications before they read further. Because of how early it appears on the document, your resume summary statement (or your CV “profile” in the UK) is one of the first places recruiters and employers look. And without the right information, they’ll doubt that you’re qualified and may move to another resume.

So I got in touch with a select group of professional resume writers, coaches and career experts to get their best resume summary examples you can use and adapt to write a resume summary that stands out and gets interviews.

As a former recruiter myself, I’ll also share my best tips to write your resume summary effectively.

Why the Resume/CV Summary is Important

You may have heard that recruiters only spend 8-10 seconds looking at your resume. The truth is: they spend that long deciding whether to read more. They do glance that quickly at first and may move on if your background doesn’t look like a fit. However, if you grab their attention, they’ll read far more. Recruiters aren’t deciding to interview you in 8-10 seconds, but they are ruling people out in 8-10 seconds. And this is why your resume summary is so crucial. It appears high up on your resume (usually right after your header/contact info) and is one of the first sections employers see. So it’s part of what they’ll see in the first 8-10 seconds.

Your resume summary statement is one of your first (and one of very few) chances to get the employer to stop skimming through their pile of resumes and focus on YOU.

Watch: Resume Summary Examples That Get Interviews

10 resume summary examples:.

These career summary examples will help you at any experience level – whether you’re writing a professional summary after a long executive career, or writing your first resume summary without any experience! After you finish this article you’re NEVER going to have to send out a limp, weak resume summary statement again (and you’ll get far more interviews  because of it).

1. Healthcare Sales Executive Resume Summary Example:

Turnaround & Ground Up Leadership – Concept-to-execution strategies for untapped products, markets + solutions that yield 110% revenue growth – Negotiates partnerships with leading distributors + hospitals—Medline to Centara + Novant Health to Mayo Clinic –  Revitalizes underperforming sales organizations via scalable, sustainable infrastructures emulated as best practice –  C-Level networks of clinical + supply chain leadership acquired during tenures with XXX, XXX and XXX

Why this resume summary is good:

This resumes summary example’s strength lies in the detailed, unique information that has been included. By including revenue stats, names of past employers and partners, the reader right away sees that this person will bring to the role a strong networking ability with key players in his industry, and more importantly can build, grow and revitalize a sales organization, market or product.

By:  Virginia Franco, Founder of Virginia Franco Resumes  and Forbes contributor.

2. 15+ Year Business Owner Resume Summary Statement:

Dynamic and motivated marketing professional with a proven record of generating and building relationships, managing projects from concept to completion, designing educational strategies, and coaching individuals to success. Skilled in building cross-functional teams, demonstrating exceptional communication skills, and making critical decisions during challenges. Adaptable and transformational leader with an ability to work independently, creating effective presentations, and developing opportunities that further establish organizational goals.

Why this is a good summary section:

This is a resume summary statement that was for  a candidate returning to work after having her own business for 15+ years. Because of this, we needed to emphasize her soft skills and what she can bring to this potential position. In addition, we highlighted the skills she has honed as a business owner so that she can utilize these qualifications as a sales professional, account manager , and someone knowledgeable about nutrition, medicine, and the overall sales process.

By: Dr. Heather Rothbauer-Wanish. MBA, Ph.D., CPRW, and Founder of Feather Communications

3. Human Resources Generalist Resume Summary Example:

Human Resources Generalist with progressive experience managing employee benefits & compliance, employee hiring & onboarding, performance management processes, licensure tracking and HR records. Dependable and organized team player with the ability to communicate effectively and efficiently. Skilled at building relationships with employees across all levels of an organization. Proficient with HRIS, applicant tracking and benefits management.

Why this is a good resume summary:

The applicant highlights their experience across a wide range of HR functions from the very first sentence, and continues this pattern throughout the rest of the summary. They then use easily digestible langue to showcase their hard skills (in the first & fourth sentences) and soft skills (in the second & third sentences). They also integrate a variety of keywords to get past automated job application systems , without sounding spammy or without overdoing it.

By: Kyle Elliott, MPA/CHES,  Career Coach and Consultant

4. Social Media Marketing CV Profile Example (UK):

Social media expert with successes in the creation and management of social media strategies and campaigns for global retail organisations. Extensive experience in the commercial utilisation of multiple social media channels including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube; I build successful social strategies that increase brand awareness, promote customer engagement and ultimately drive web traffic and conversions.

Why this summary is good:

This summary is well-written, short, sharp, and gives recruiters a high-level explanation of the candidate’s core offerings in a persuasive and punchy style. A quick scan of this profile tells you the exact type of social media platforms the candidate is an expert in, as well as the campaigns they have experience running and types of organizations they have worked for. Most importantly, the summary is rounded off by showing the results that this person achieves for their employers, such as increased web traffic and conversions.

Editor’s note: This CV profile summary was written for the UK market… this is a great one to use/copy, but make sure you put it through a spell-checker if you’re applying for jobs in the US (utilisation vs. utilization, etc.)

By: Andrew Fennell, Director at StandOut CV , contributor for The Guardian and Business Insider

5. Marketing Manager Professional Summary Example:

Marketing Manager with over eight years of experience. Proven success in running email marketing campaigns and implementing marketing strategies that have pulled in a 20% increase in qualified leads. Proficient in content, social media and inbound marketing strategies. Skilled, creative and innovative.

This resume summary stands out because it gets straight to the point. By immediately introducing the number of years of experience the candidate has, the HR manager doesn’t need to spend time adding up years. The candidate also jumps right into his or her strongest skill, provides a statistic , then gives additional skills.

By: Sarah Landrum, career expert and contributor at Entrepreneur.com and Forbes

6. Warehouse Supervisor Resume Summary Example:

Warehouse Supervisor with Management, Customer Service, & Forklift Experience –  Dependable manager with 15+ years of experience in warehouse management and employee supervision. –  Skilled at managing inventory control, shipping & receiving, customer relations and safety & compliance. –  Certified Power Equipment Trainer, Forklift Operator and Reach Operator skilled at coaching other staff. –  Promoted to positions of increased responsibility given strong people and project management skills.

The applicant was applying for a warehouse supervisor position that required them to have demonstrated management, customer service and forklift experience. As such, the applicant showcased their experience in these areas with a few keywords in the title, followed by additional details in the accompanying bullet points. Their final bullet shows a record of promotions, while reinforcing the applicant’s customer service and project management skills.

7. IT Project Manager Resume Summary Example:

Experienced Project Manager with vast IT experience. Skills include computer networking, analytical thinking and creative problem solving. Able to apply customer service concepts to IT to improve user experience for clients, employees and administration.

Because this candidate is switching career paths, it’s important he or she take skills used for previous positions and apply those skills to the new job listing. This is a great example because the candidate makes it clear that his or her experience is not in the new field, but that they are still able to bring relevant experience to the table. When writing your resume summary, keep these tips in mind: Use writing that is straight to the point, clear and concise, you’ll have a higher chance of getting noticed by the hiring manager.

8. Career-Changer Resume Summary Example:

Earn trust, uncover key business drivers and find common ground as chief negotiator and identifier of revenue opportunities in sales, leadership and account management roles spanning e-Commerce, air travel and high-tech retail. Navigate cultural challenges while jumping time zones, lead international airline crews and manage corporate accounts to deliver an exceptional customer experience. A self-taught techie sought after as a go-to for complex billing systems and SaaS platforms alike—bridging the divide between technology and plain-speak. – Tenacious Quest for Success + Learning . Earned MBA and BS in just 3 years while working full-time – gaining hands-on experience in research- and data-driven product roadmap development, pricing and positioning. – Results-Driven Leadership. Whether leading Baby Boomers, Gen X or Millennials—figures out what makes teams tick, trains and transforms individuals into top-performers. – Challenger of Conventional Wisdom. Always ask the WHY. Improve the user experience through smart, strategic thinking that anticipates outcomes. Present cases that influence, and lead change that drives efficiency and profitability.

This client was eager for a career change and had moved from role to role and industry to industry. After completing her Master’s degree, she was eager to tie her skills together to land a role – which she did – as a Senior Technology Account Strategist for a global travel company. Although a bit longer than a traditional summary, its strength lies in the details. Without ever getting to the experience section, the reader gets a clear idea of the scope of responsibility, and hard and soft skills the candidate brings to the table.

By: Virginia Franco, Founder of Virginia Franco Resumes  and Forbes contributor.

9. Project Management Executive Professional Summary Example:

15+ years of initiating and delivering sustained results and effective change for Fortune 500 firms across a wide range of industries including enterprise software, digital marketing, advertising technology, e-commerce and government. Major experience lies in strategizing and leading cross-functional teams to bring about fundamental change and improvement in strategy, process, and profitability – both as a leader and expert consultant.

Why this resume summary is good:

“Project Manager” is one of those job titles that’s REALLY broad. You can find project managers earning $50K, and others earning $250K. The client I wrote this for was at the Director level, and had worked for some of the biggest and best tech companies in her city. So this resume profile section shows her level and experience, and the wide array of areas she has responsibility for in her current work. You can borrow or use some of the phrasing here to show that you’ve been responsible for many important areas in your past work.

By: Biron Clark, Founder of  CareerSidekick.com.

10. Startup And Finance Management Consultant Career Summary Example:

Experienced strategist, entrepreneur and startup enthusiast with a passion for building businesses and challenging the status quo. 8+ year track record of defining new business strategies, launching new ventures, and delivering operational impact, both as a co-founder and management consultant. 

Why this resume summary example is good:

This summary was for a highly-talented management consultant looking to break out of finance, and into trendier tech companies like Uber . His track record and educational background were great, so the goal of this summary section was to stand out and show he’s more than just the typical consultant with a finance background. So we emphasized his passion for startups, and his ability to think outside the box and challenge the status quo. That’s something that companies like Uber and other “disruptive” tech companies look for.

14 Resume Summary Examples for Various Industries

Compassionate and effective 5th-grade teacher with experience overseeing the classroom and preparing lessons. Extensive experience encouraging students through positive reinforcement and motivational techniques. Collaborate well with school administration and other members of the teaching team. Ensure all students meet learning requirements, including literacy, social, and arithmetic skills.

2. Teacher’s Assistant

Goal-oriented teacher’s assistant with ten years of experience working with elementary school children. Aid teachers with lesson planning, classroom settings, and group instruction. Model positive behavior and maintain order in the classroom. Willingness to take on additional responsibilities to meet learning objectives.

Tech Industry

3. computer programmer.

Innovative computer programmer with a proven track record of writing high-quality code and supporting team needs with subject matter expertise. Adept in multiple programming languages, including Python, JavaScript, and C++. Ability to troubleshoot complex programming issues with inventive solutions. 

4. Cybersecurity Analyst

Dedicated cybersecurity analyst with ten years of experience in online security research, execution, planning, and maintenance. Proven track record of identifying business risks and proactively resolving them. Experience designing and instituting layered network security for large-scale organizations. Train users and other staff members on IT safety procedures and preventive techniques.

Skilled healthcare professional with ten years of experience in patient care, diagnosis, and providing appropriate treatments and medical services. Manage medical staff and resolve complex medical cases with maximum efficiency. Communicate the patient’s condition and treatment plan in easily understood terminology. Remain current with the latest advancements in medicine and research to ensure patients receive proper care.

6. Registered Nurse

Seasoned registered nurse offering comprehensive patient care in emergency room settings. Experience handling diverse patient populations and caring for various conditions. Proven leadership managing nursing teams and other staff. Focus on enhancing patient care and satisfaction through empathetic communication and excellent customer service. 

7. Digital Marketing Manager

Forward-thinking digital marketing manager experienced in all facets of digital marketing, including social media management, PPC advertising, SEO, and email marketing. Proven experience creating comprehensive marketing plans that improve lead prospecting and enhance brand awareness. Up to date with the newest tools available for digital marketing campaigns.

8. Marketing Analyst

Industrious marketing analyst well-versed in analyzing marketing campaign analytics and making recommendations to improve performance. Collaborate with account managers and use KPI metrics to explain the results of marketing initiatives. Meticulous with a strong work ethic and robust communication skills.

Food and Service Industry

Experienced wait staff member capable of managing orders, processing payments, and upselling menu items. Ensure restaurant guests feel welcome with attentive service catered to their needs. Remain current on updates to the menu and assist guests with selecting orders to meet their dietary requirements. Maintain a positive attitude and focus during busy restaurant periods.

10. Hotel Receptionist

Friendly hotel receptionist with extensive experience handling guest check-ins, check-out, and payments. Facilitate a positive guest experience with polished customer service skills and a readiness to address common inquiries and complaints. Collaborate well with other hotel team members, including executive administration and on-site restaurant staff.

Business/Office Jobs

11. financial analyst.

Highly motivated financial analyst with a proven track record of recommending appropriate financial plans based on financial monitoring, data collection, and business strategizing. Experienced in qualitative and quantitative analysis, forecasting, and financial modeling. Excellent communication skills for building and fostering long-term business relationships across the organization.

12. Tax Accountant

Experienced tax accountant with ten years of experience preparing federal and state tax returns for corporations and partnerships. Monitor changes in laws to ensure the organization properly complies with reporting requirements. Assist with tax audits, ensuring the team receives proper supporting evidence for tax positions. Analyze and resolve complex tax issues. Look for available tax savings opportunities for corporations with an aggregate savings of $500K last year. Excellent analytical skills and attention to detail.

Sales and Customer Service

13. sales representative.

Enthusiastic sales representative with expertise in identifying prospects and converting qualified leads to paying customers. Provide quality customer service and contribute to team sales success. Offer exceptional communication skills and seek to understand client needs before making the appropriate product recommendations. Continually meet and exceed sales goals. Leverage extensive knowledge of available products to provide appropriate client solutions and enhance customer loyalty and retention.

14. Customer Service Associate

Knowledgeable customer service professional with extensive experience in the insurance industry. Known as a team player with a friendly demeanor and proven ability to develop positive rapport with clients. Maintain ongoing customer satisfaction that contributes to overall company success. Highly articulate, with a results-oriented approach that addresses client inquiries and issues while maintaining strong partnerships. Collaborate well with the customer service team while also engaging independent decision-making skills.

Now you have 24 professional resume summary statements and some explanations of why they’re effective. Next, I’ll share tips for how to write your own in case you’re still unsure how to begin based on these examples above.

How to Write a Resume Summary: Steps and Hints

We’ve looked at 10 great resume summary examples above. As you begin writing a resume summary for yourself, here are some helpful tips to keep in mind:

• Read the employer’s job description. Your career summary shouldn’t be a long list of everything you’ve done; it should be a refined list of skills and experiences that demonstrate you’re a fit for their job.
• Mention your current job title if relevant. One common way to begin your resume summary is to state your current job title.
• Explain how you can help employers achieve their goals or solve their problems.
• Consider using bold text to emphasize one or two key phrases.
• Include any relevant metrics and data like dollar amounts, years of experience, size of teams led, etc. This helps your resume stand out.
• Focus on making the employer want to read more. The goal of your resume summary isn’t to show everything you can do, but to grab their attention and show enough that they continue reading.

Creating a Customized Resume Summary

While general summaries are appropriate when applying for jobs requiring similar skills and experience, a customized resume summary can enhance your chances of moving on to the next step in the hiring process. 

That’s because most companies use automated tracking systems (ATS) to review submitted resumes for content directly related to the job posting. If you use keywords and natural language phrases in your summary that interlink to the job description, you’ll have a much higher chance of passing the ATS review.

Let’s look at an example of a resume summary that is customized for the specific job description below:

“Highly motivated social media specialist with strong project management skills. Creative marketer skilled in crafting innovative social media campaigns that resonate with a target audience. Regularly develop compelling copy and social media content to enhance lead generation and brand awareness. Detail-oriented with extensive project management skills that ensure proper prioritization of tasks and projects. Work with various social media management and analytics tools to examine results and make adjustments as necessary.”

This summary directly addresses the key points in the job description but rewrites them so the customization is natural and flows well. It’s personalized for the open role and uses similar terms with a few strategically placed keywords, such as “social media content” and “project management.”  

How Long Should a Resume Summary Be?

As you read the resume summaries above, you probably noticed there are some short single-paragraph resume summary examples and much longer career summaries that are two to three paragraphs plus bullet points. So how long should YOUR professional summary be? If you have relevant work experience, keep your summary to one or two paragraphs. The piece you really want the hiring manager to read is your most recent work experience (and you should make sure you tailored that info to fit the job description). The resume summary is just a “bridge” to get the hiring manager into your experience.

If I were writing my own career summary right now, I’d likely use one single paragraph packed with skills, accomplishments, and exactly why I’m ready to step into the job I’ve applied for and be successful!

Even for a manager resume summary, I recommend a very short length. However, if you’re changing careers, or you’re looking for jobs without any work experience , the summary section needs to stand on its own, and should be longer. That’s why some examples above are a bit longer.

Formatting Your Resume/CV Career Summary

You may have noticed a variety of different formats in the career summary examples above. There isn’t one “right” way to format this section on your resume or CV. However, I recommend either using one or two brief paragraphs, or combining a short sentence or paragraph with bullets. Avoid writing three or four long paragraphs with no special formatting like bullet points. That’s simply too much text for your summary section and will cause recruiters and hiring managers to skip over it in some cases.

Should You Include a Resume Objective?

You do not need to include an objective on your resume, and doing so can make your resume appear outdated. Use a resume summary instead of an objective. Follow the resume summary examples above and focus on discussing your skills, qualifications, and achievements, rather than stating your objective. Employers know that your objective is to obtain the position you’ve applied for, and the resume objective has no place on a modern resume/CV in today’s job market.

Examples of Bad Resume Summaries

Now that we’ve seen a few exemplary resume summaries, let’s look at some that you should avoid at all cost.

1. Typos and Grammatical Errors

“Experienced cashier who knows how to run the register cash. Responsible with the money and can talk with the customer. Knows when to stoc up the invenory and checks it all the time. Can count change and run credit card tranactions. Get the customer happy by good service. I am always cheerful and organized.”

Why this resume summary is bad:

If you read the summary carefully, you’ll notice several spelling errors. The words “stock,” “inventory,” and “transactions” are all spelled wrong. Grammatical errors make the summary choppy and difficult to follow (“Get the customer happy by good service”).  A summary like this probably won’t fly with a company looking for a detail-oriented cashier responsible for managing in-person sales.

2. Lacks Relevant Keywords

“Talented worker with experience managing a team of staff. Creative and responsible with knowledge of organizational processes. Can keep up with the busiest of environments. Stays focused when at work, ensuring prompt task completion. Dependable and willing to collaborate with a team to get things done.”  

In this example, the chef doesn’t use keywords relevant to cooking, restaurants, or kitchens. The summary is very generic and can apply to nearly any job. A manager who receives the application isn’t likely to understand what value the candidate can bring to the restaurant.  To fix the summary, the applicant must rewrite it to include relevant keywords and phrases. 

3. No Numbers to Quantify Achievements

“An experienced and hardworking manager ready to align procedures for maximum revenue and profits. Proven track record of streamlining and strengthening processes, resulting in higher sales and better customer satisfaction. Collaborate well with sales team members, ensuring they have the resources and knowledge to support customer purchases and inquiries. Develop strong rapport with clients and maintain ongoing relationships.”

This isn’t a terrible summary for a sales manager, but it has room for improvement. For one, the first two sentences essentially duplicate each other, mentioning an aptitude for improving processes with the objective of higher sales. The other issue is a lack of quantifying achievements. 

The applicant mentions they have a proven record of increasing sales, but they could strengthen the summary by quantifying their results. For example, they might say, “Proven track record of streamlining and strengthening processes, resulting in a 25% increase in sales over the past year.” The quantifier provides additional credibility. 

4. Not Targeting the Specific Job

“Looking for work in a role that requires great customer service, project management, and communication skills. Able to collaborate with people from diverse and varying backgrounds. Highly organized and reliable worker with a strong work ethic. Responsible and reliable worker you can count on.”

While the candidate lists various skills they have, including customer service and project management, there’s no indication of prior roles held or what position they’re applying for. The summary could apply to numerous positions in a variety of industries. To improve the resume summary, the applicant must specify the job they’re applying for and indicate their prior experience in a similar role, if they have any.

After You Start Getting Interviews, Make Sure to Take Advantage…

If you follow the advice above, you’ll have a great professional resume summary to make your qualifications stand out to employers. But landing the interview is only half the battle… So make sure you go into every interview ready to convince employers that they should hire you, too! If you write a great resume summary example that gets employers excited to interview you, they’re going to ask you questions like, “tell me about yourself” early in the interview to learn more about your background. So make sure you’re prepared with an answer.

I also recommend you review the top 20 interview questions and answers here.

Your resume caught their interest, so naturally, they’re going to follow up with a variety of questions to learn more about your professional background.

The bottom line is: A strong professional resume summary, followed up by other well-written resume sections will get you the interview, but your interview performance is what determines whether you get the job offer!

About the Author

Read more articles by Biron Clark

More Resume Tips & Guides

Crafting the perfect resume for teens (template & expert advice), how to beat applicant tracking systems with your resume, what do recruiters look for in a resume, what happens when you lie on your resume 10 risks, don’t say you’re a quick learner on your resume, guide to resume sections, titles, and headings, 12 resume formatting tips from a professional, how artificial intelligence (ai) is changing resume writing, 22 resume bullet point examples that get interviews, are resume writers worth it, 41 thoughts on “24 resume summary examples that get interviews”.

I would recommend to customise the skills section of your resume, and ensure that it matches the job posting. The higher the number of phrases within the resume matching the job requirements the more are the chances that the recruiter will pick you for the job.

I just wanted to say, “thank you!”. This was very helpful. Instead of jumping from one website to the next there’s so much useful, relevant information right here.

Hi, I have been having trouble creating a resume as My old one is so long, I’ve worked for a government agency for the past 14 years and held multiple positions doing many different duties for each and now I have to relocate to another area where they do not have an agency like mine in my new area within a 3 hour drive, how can I squeeze all my experience and duties on one page and where do I even start, I’m so nervous, it’s been so long since I’ve attempted the job hunt. So I’m wondering, I do not want to cut anything out that may hurt my chances and I can’t afford to have my resume rewritten by a professional. Can you guide me as to where you think would be a good place to start, I’ve been staring at this laptop for weeks trying to decide on a resume template, there are so many. I thank you for your time and any input will help.

Hi, I am a new graduate and do not have any experience in my field which is Nursing. I want to apply for the jobs but I have no idea about what to mention in my resume.

Hi, this article should help with the resume summary, at least: https://careersidekick.com/summary-for-resume-no-experience/

Other than that, you need to put your academic experience. And internships/part-time jobs if you’ve had any.

Dear Biron,, Thanks for sharing the 10 examples of professional summaries in your article, and especially the reasons why they were considered to be good. However, as a HR professional, I would most likely skip over most of them and would not read much past the first or second sentence. The summaries were mostly too wordy and boring, and did not demonstrate ‘oomph’ at first cursory reading. Simply indicating certain skills or behaviors does not give an idea of the level of expertise, and could simply be wishful thinking on the part of the resume writer.

Just goes to show that there are many ways to see what makes a good summary.

I am a chemical engineer and project management professional with 15+years experience. My experience is between process engineering and project management . How can I marry the two in my profile summary?

It’s not about showing everything you’ve done. It’s about showing employers evidence you’ll succeed in their job. You can show a bit of both but focus heavily on what’s most relevant for the jobs you’re applying for right now. 80/20.

This was absolutely helpful and amazing! Thank you very much!

Hello, I am an active job seeker. I hold a law degree from a foreign country and currently in college for an associate degree. My question is, how do I blend both my foreign job experience with that of the United States in my resume. Thank you.

I’d put your work history in chronological order, starting with the most recent up top. That’s what I’d recommend for 95% of people actually. Then it doesn’t matter where you held each job.

And then in your Education section, I’d include your foreign degree and the current degree you’re pursuing in the US, too (for the US degree, you can say “in progress” or “graduating May 2019” for example).

I am 40 years old & B.A degree holder I have experience in many fields.I would like to join any one fields

I am a fresh graduate, who has five years teaching experience and some months customer service representative experience. Pls kindly assist me to put the resume summary together

I’m an active duty service member and finding in a little difficult creating a good transitional summary from 20 year profession in tactical communications to a drug and alcohol counselor. Do you have any recommendations how I should approach this? Any assistance would be helpful. Thanks

Great piece

How to write the CAREER ABSTRACT in resume for ware super visor retail business?

Just wanted to say thank you.Your advise and information was clear and easy to understand , sometimes there is nothing pertaining to what im looking fot in particular, buy you have sermed to cover everything I n a short quick easy to understand method.It will help tremendously.

Thanks! Glad to hear it helped :)

Very informational

What if you have work experience, but the job your going for(teachingeducation) has nothing to do with warehouse work? How should I build my resume?

In the summary, describe yourself and then say, “…looking to transition into ___” (the type of work you want to be doing now).

This is a bit like a resume “Objective”. I normally don’t recommend an Objective section (and I recommend a Summary section instead), however the one time an Objective does make sense is when you’re trying to change industries or make a big change in the type of role you have.

So that’s why my advice here might seem like I’m telling you to combine an Objective with your resume Summary.

Then “tailor” your previous work to be as relevant as possible. Even if you worked in a different industry you can still show things like leadership, accountability, progress/improvement, hard work, achieving goals, strong teamwork skills, etc. You can do all of that in your resume bullets and work history.

Don’t u have Resume Summary of legal secretary/legal assistant?

No, sorry about that. There are hundreds of different professions/job titles, and we aren’t able to include an example for every scenario out there. These resume summary examples are designed to give you a general idea of how to write yours.

The summaries listed are excellent example and have helped me develop a stand out summary for a new position.

Hello, I been trying to land the job of my dreams. I need help with my resume if i want the recruiters in airlines to notice me. I’ve applied before but haven’t had complete success to making it to a face-to Face Interview. It is a career change – yet i feel i am a great candidate bc i have had many customer service and I even attended an academy for that specific position. Can you please tell me what I am doing wrong on my resume ?

what if i never had a job experience?

Great question. If you don’t have any work experience, take one of the formats/examples above and put your accomplishments and qualifications from your academic studies.

Your headline could say: “Motivated Bio-Sciences Graduate With Expertise in ____”.

And then you might talk about accomplishments in school, group projects you worked on or led, etc.

Basically, when you have no work experience, your school/studies BECOMES your recent work. You should talk about that like it’s a job, because that’s the experience you do have.

really amazing article and too useful , thanks

Hi Mr. Clark, I have been out of the work force for about 18+years and I have been a small business owner for the same number of years. However, I want to go back to the work force. But my problem is that, I don’t know how to prepare my resume or resume summary statement. I had a degree in Communication,Arts and Sciences and a postgraduate degree in Public Administration. I’m a bit confused as to how to incorporate all these experiences into my resume. Please can you help?

Hi Dorothy, I can recommend a professional resume writer if you want. But they’re typically not cheap, so it’s something you’d have to be willing to invest in. If not, there’s a lot of free info online about how to “tailor” your resume for specific jobs. I can’t help one-on-one unfortunately, but I’d recommend thinking about which type of jobs you want, and think of what experience you have that is most relevant. that’s what to put on your resume. Your resume isn’t only about you, it’s about them – what do they want/need? (if you want to get a ton of interviews, that’s how to do it :) ).

Can I have a professional resume writer?

I use a similar format when writing my opening statement for my coverletter. How do you recommend differentiating the two? Or is it ok to use largely the same language?

I think it’s okay to use something similar. I might be more brief in the cover letter… it needs to be about them just as much as it’s about you. Whereas the resume is all about you, at least in the summary section. (The later sections should still be tailored to THEIR needs..)

Struggling to write a Summary Statement for a Secretary/Administrative Assistant position. I have 15 years government experience but have been away from the government since 9/1993 and have spent 15 years as a Substitute Teacher after taking off for 10 years to raise my children.

Hiya! I am a mother of three attempting to return to the workforce. I have been a stay at mom for about 13 years, so I have a (large) gap in my employment history; which doesn’t look great. I have a college education and have obtained a few certifications whilst not employed, plus many volunteer hours. I know that I should probably use a functional resume format. Would love some advice on what I should include in my summary statement.

Hi Juniper,

I rarely like functional resumes, but it might be worth trying. I’d “split-test” it (a marketing term). Create two resume styles, send out 50% one way, 50% the other way, and track results for a week.

I’d treat the resume summary statement just like any other resume. Highlight your skills and past wins/accomplishments.

how do i explain long term gaps in employment? leave them out?

Hi Paulette,

Don’t mention them on a resume summary. But do mention the gaps on a cover letter or lower down on the resume. Here’s an article on how to explain gaps in employment:

https://careersidekick.com/explaining-gaps-in-employment/

I am student in civil engineering field. Have 1.5 yrs of work ex. How should i structure my resume. Thanks.

Hello My name is Shataka and I’m a current job seeker trying to land my dream job as a Counselor. I have Master degree in Counseling Psychology and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work. My experience lies in many different fields. I’m currently a Substance Abuse Counselor, with a teaching background and over 5 years of social service experience. I guess my question is how would I sum up all my experience to help me find a job as a Counselor.

Comments are closed.

Executive Resume Example for 2024 [Free Templates]

Being in charge of entire departments comes with a whole set of advantages - high impact, lots of responsibilities, interesting work, high pay, and so on.

Being an executive, though, does not mean you get to skip out on the job search process. You still need to create an executive resume and cover letter and apply for jobs.

And creating an executive resume comes with its own special types of hurdles. 

Most conventional resume-writing advice does not apply here, leaving you with a ton of questions:

• With so much work experience under your belt, how can you make your executive resume as impactful as possible?
• Do you limit yourself to one page (which is the industry standard), or can you go over it?
• How detailed does your work experience have to be, and do you include positions from a decade back?

In this article, we’re going to answer all these questions and more!

To help you write the executive resume, we’ll cover: 

• How Is an Executive Resume Different?

How to Write a Compelling Executive Resume in 9 Steps

• 17 Relevant Skills for Executives

Executive Resume Example

Before we dig into the steps you need to take to create a convincing executive resume, let’s cover an example, so you know what it looks like:

The executive resume example above does everything right, including: 

• Reverse-chronological resume format. The executive resume example above uses the reverse-chronological resume format to highlight this executive’s impressive work experience.
• Attention-grabbing resume summary. This executive resume example contains an impressive resume summary that emphasizes the candidate’s passions, strengths, and industry-related achievements. 
• Focus on work achievements. The executive resume example above highlights the candidate’s most noteworthy achievements , which helps them stand out from other candidates only listing their responsibilities. 
• Concise education section. This executive resume example doesn’t go into too much detail in the executive’s education section and instead simply lists the candidate’s most recent and relevant degrees. 
• Good use of bullet points. This executive resume example uses bullet points to structure and present information, making the resume well-structured and easy to read. 
• Well-structured skills section. Instead of listing all skills in one column, this executive resume example only includes the most relevant skills for the executive position and divides them into soft and hard skills.
• Certifications. The executive resume example above lists all of the candidate’s industry-related certifications. 
• Additional sections. This executive resume example includes the candidate’s proficiency in foreign languages and their memberships to help them stand out from other candidates with similar work experience and education. 

How Is an Executive Resume Different? 

Executive positions are nothing like normal jobs, so it only makes sense for an executive resume to be different from a normal resume too. 

But what exactly are those differences? Here are the most important ones you should know about: 

• Resume length . As an executive, you probably have much more work experience than your average candidate. As such, you don’t have to fit it all on one page; as a rule of thumb, the executive resume can be two pages, with a maximum of three.
• Data-focused achievements. The last thing recruiters want to see in an executive resume is a list of your responsibilities. If you want to stand out from your competitors, you have to show exactly how you improved the company, optimally by providing data and evidence. 
• Conventional format. If you’re applying for an executive position, it’s your resume content that should impress recruiters, not its format. Meaning, that although your executive resume should be well-organized, with ample white space, and with impeccable grammar and spelling, a simple, conventional, black-and-white design should be more than enough. As an executive, there’s no need to go overboard with fancy fonts and creative designs . 
• Tailored to the position. Most executives - and especially the senior ones - have a rich work history that could probably fill out more than three pages. That, however, would be counterproductive (both for you and the hiring manager). So, the key here is to tailor your work experience to the target position. Yes, you might have had amazingly valuable work experiences as a team lead from twenty years back, but unless they’re super relevant for the position you’re applying for, you might as well leave them out of your resume. As a rule of thumb, don’t go further back than your last 15 years of employment on your executive resume (some exceptions may apply). 
• Selected achievements. Yes, you’re an executive. But you’re also competing against other executives with plenty of achievements. To make your achievements stand out, add a Selected Achievements section right below your resume summary and list 3-4 accomplishments you’re especially proud of (and don’t forget to back them up with hard data). 

Now let’s go over each section of a successful executive resume, step by step: 

#1. Format Your Executive Resume Right

How your executive resume looks is just as important as what it contains. After all, before you impress recruiters with your achievements, you have to get them to read them. 

A messy, cluttered resume, however, might just have the opposite effect. 

This is where formatting comes in! 

The first thing to know is that the reverse chronological format is the most suitable for executives among the three most popular resume formats (the other two being the functional and combination formats) . 

That’s because it is both the most popular among recruiters and the most suitable for candidates with a lot of work experience. 

Here’s an example of the reverse-chronological resume format: 

Additionally, make sure that you follow these layout tips:

• Use clear headings to identify the sections in your resume (e.g. H2 or H3). Alternatively, use a bigger font size for your headers and bold them. 
• Choose the right font style and size to ensure your executive resume looks professional. For example, Overpass is a formal and classic font perfect for executives in conservative industries.
• Don’t forget to save your resume as a PDF file (unless specifically requested to deliver it in another format). PDFs remain the same no matter the device or Operating System used to view your resume and look much more professional than, say, MS Word files. 

Use an Executive Resume Template (& Save Time on Formatting)

Creating a compelling executive resume from scratch can take you hours, especially if you’re using outdated tools like Microsoft Word.

And as a busy executive, time is something you don’t have.

Want to create a well-designed, eye-catching resume within less than 5 minutes?

Use one of our resume templates ! 

You can choose among 8 free resume templates - executive resume template included and 8 Premium templates. 

With Nóvóresume’s free resume builder , you get to skip out on all the resume formatting hassle and focus on what matters - the resume contents.

#2. Add Your Contact Information

The contact information section on a resume is as straightforward as it gets, so you might as well get it out of the way first. 

That said, this section is as essential as it is straightforward, so make sure to double and triple-check that it contains no typos. 

After all, you don’t want a recruiter not to be able to contact you just because of a typo on your phone number.

Here’s what this section must include: 

• First and last name.
• Professional title.
• Updated phone number. 

Additionally, you can also include your LinkedIn profile ’s URL and a link to your personal portfolio or website, if you have one. 

The same goes for your personal website or portfolio, which can effectively give recruiters a more in-depth look at who you are and what your strengths are.

87% of recruiters check candidates’ LinkedIn profiles during the hiring process. So, we’d recommend optimizing your LinkedIn profile to reflect your executive profile and achievements! 

Here’s an example of an executive resume’s contact information section: 

Michelle Larkins Chief Financial Officer [email protected] 123-123-2233 Silicon Valley, California

#3. Write an Attention-Grabbing Resume Summary

The resume summary is among the first things recruiters notice and it serves as a short intro to your professional profile and, specifically, the highlights of your career. 

Typically, here’s what this 2 or 3-sentence long paragraph includes: 

• Your experience
• Your skills
• Your professional background
• Your accomplishments

Nailing your resume summary is a must if you want recruiters to dig deeper into your executive resume. Just remember to keep it short and sweet with some of your most noteworthy achievements and notable skills. 

Here’s an example of a great executive resume summary: 

• CMO with 7+ years of experience in developing and overseeing promotional marketing campaigns. Coming from a long career in public affairs and digital marketing strategies, I am now Executive Vice President at NewEast Inc. Winner of the 2021 Global Best of the Best Effie Award. 

#4. Add a Selected Achievements Section 

If you were to choose, you’d probably want recruiters to notice your career highlights right off the bat, instead of having to look for them. 

Well, as an executive, you can do just that by adding a Selected Achievements Section. 

Positioned between your resume summary and your work experience, a Selected Achievements section can give recruiters a quick preview of your most noteworthy achievements and get them to look deeper into your executive resume. 

As such, think about the highlights of your career - between two and five achievements you’re particularly proud of - and list them in bullets on your executive resume. 

Here is an example of an executive’s Selected Achievements section:

• Was the youngest person to be promoted to CFO in the company in 40 years. 
• Led company-wide initiatives that won me the Strategy Execution Award and the Young CFO of the Year Award.

#5. Focus Your Work Experience Section on Your Achievements

The work experience section is going to be the highlight of your executive resume.

This particular section is exactly where you show off years worth of experience and achievements. 

Here’s how you should do it: 

• Start with your current or most recent position and go backward from there. 
• For every work entry, list your professional title, company name, the dates you worked there, and 4-6 of your achievements in bullet points. 
• The further back you go in your work history, the fewer achievements you need to list. For jobs going 5+ years back, you can save resume space and just list 1-2 of your most notable accomplishments. 
• When listing your achievements, make sure to make them as quantifiable as possible. For example, instead of writing “improved company stock,” you can write “increased company stock by 15% within a one-year period.” 
• Give your work experience section an active voice by using action verbs such as “achieved,” “managed,” “increased,” “led,” “emphasized,” etc. 
• Tailor your work experience section to as many jobs as you’re applying for. So, if you’re applying for more than one position, use your diverse work experience to customize your resume based on the job you’re applying for, as opposed to submitting a one-fits-all executive resume. 

It’s actually pretty simple, right? Here’s a concrete example of an executive’s work experience section:

Chief Human Resources Officer XYZ Inc. 02/2018 - 06/2022

• Successfully led teams of +200 employees in 4 locations. 
• Updated the company’s talent acquisition strategy, leading to a 20% increase in the number of people hired in 2021.
• Improved company inclusion policies, which resulted in winning a Forbes diversity award. 
• Changed up the company’s hiring process, paying particular attention to positive discrimination policies, resulting in hitting company diversity quotas for the year.

Human Resources Manager

02/2013 - 12/2017 

• Improved company hiring rates by 47% by establishing a more inclusive hiring process. 
• Applied new interview questions to the hiring process, making the hiring process more effective by hiring employees that are more suitable to the company culture.

#6. Briefly Mention Your Education

Your education should come right after your work experience section. This section is just as important as your work experience, though it doesn’t require that you go into too much detail. 

After all, if you already hold an executive position, you probably already have a lot to show through your professional achievements. 

Here’s what you should include in your education section to make it stand out from the crowd:

• Begin with your most recent degree and include the institution’s name and location, as well as the years attended. 
• If you hold more than one Master’s or advanced degree, also include those in your education section.
• Leave your high school education out of your executive resume. 

Here’s what this looks like on an executive resume: 

Ph.D. in Marketing 

Haas School of Business - University of California, Berkeley

2012 - 2014

MSc in Innovation & Marketing Management

Strathclyde Business School - University of Strathclyde, Glasgow 

2011 - 2012

#7. Include Your Executive Skills

It probably comes as no surprise that executive positions are highly competitive. 

This means that you need to make sure that, in addition to your work experience and education sections, other sections also need to stand out, including your skills, certifications, interests, and awards. 

In light of this, here’s the best way to list your skills on your executive resume: 

• List your soft skills and hard skills. Include both CEO skills (e.g. leadership) and management skills, as well as industry-related skills here (e.g. if you’re into finance, that would include all your finance-related skills). 
• Pay close attention to the job description of the position you’re applying for. Do any of the keywords indicate what skills are required for the position?
• Make sure to include the skills mentioned in the job description on the skills listed on your executive resume (as long as you actually have them). 

17 Relevant Skills for Executives 

Here’s a list of relevant skills for executives that you can use on your executive resume:

• Senior Leadership Skills
• C-Suite Communication & Presentation Skills
• Change Management
• Emotional Intelligence
• Strategic Thinking
• Decision Making
• Employee Development
• Adversity Management
• Collaboration
• Active Listening
• Communication Skills
• Interpersonal Skills
• Conflict Management
• Negotiation
• Project Management

#8. Add Optional Resume Sections

The difference between great and perfect lies in the details - such as taking advantage of some optional sections that can take your executive resume to the next level. 

Specifically, the following sections can help you stand out from other executives applying for the same position by highlighting your individuality and the diversity a truly great executive needs:

• Awards , especially anything job-related. 
• Memberships , for example, Member of the Chicago CEO Club.
• Foreign languages , particularly those you’re fluent in.
• Certifications , such as Project Management Professional (PMP) or Accredited Business Communicator (ABC). 
• Personal achievements , including successful personal initiatives and noteworthy recognitions outside your industry. 
• Hobbies and interests , anything from fitness to reading books. 

#9. Don’t Underestimate the Power of the Cover Letter

Attaching a cover letter to your application is just as essential as creating a powerful executive resume. 

Specifically, a cover letter is important because:

• Recruiters expect a serious job application also to include a cover letter, even if they skip reading it. 
• It lets you go into more detail about your skills and qualifications. 

Here’s how to write a cover letter that is on par with your executive resume: 

• Start your cover letter with an impactful introduction. 
• Use the body of your cover letter to offer a more in-depth explanation of your executive skills and managerial experience. 
• To enhance your executive resume, include skills and achievements that support what you’ve stated there. 
• End your cover letter with a call to action. 

To give you a more concrete picture of what we mean, here’s what the structure of a cover letter should look like: 

Want to learn more about cover letter writing? Then check out our guides on cover letter tips and common cover letter mistakes !

Key Takeaways 

And that’s a wrap! 

By now, you should be ready to nail your executive resume! Before you go, here are the most important points we covered in this article: 

• Your executive resume must include your contact details, a resume summary, a work experience section with your most notable achievements, your education background, and a skills section. 
• Additionally, your executive resume can contain some extra sections, such as certifications, awards, memberships, etc.  
• Choose the chronological resume format to build your executive resume. 
• List relevant quantifiable achievements under each entry in your work experience section. 
• Use a ready-made template to save time and effort when you’re writing your executive resume!  

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• • Developed and executed strategic communication plans for 10+ major tech clients, resulting in a 30% increase in brand visibility.
• • Managed a team of 15+ account executives, fostering a collaborative environment that boosted team productivity by 40%.
• • Secured media coverage in top-tier technology and business outlets, increasing client exposure by 50%.
• • Managed 8+ key tech accounts, leading to a 25% increase in client retention.
• • Coordinated with cross-functional teams to execute strategic plans, resulting in a 35% increase in project success rate.
• • Secured speaking opportunities for clients at major industry events, boosting brand recognition by 30%.
• • Handled 5+ major tech accounts, leading to a 20% increase in client satisfaction.
• • Worked closely with teams to execute strategic plans, boosting project success rate by 30%.
• • Secured media coverage for clients in top-tier outlets, increasing brand visibility by 40%.

17 Executive Resume Examples & Guide for 2024

Your executive resume must showcase your leadership experience. Highlight the results you’ve driven at previous organizations. Demonstrate your strategic planning abilities. Clarify how your decisions have led to long-term success.

All resume examples in this guide

Alliance Manager

Chief Executive Officer

Chief Financial Officer

Chief of Staff

Department Head

Department Manager

Executive Director

Executive Manager

Fractional CEO

Functional Manager

Vice President

Board of Directors

Resume guide.

How to Write an Executive Resume

Resume Header Tips

Resume Summary

Resume Experiece Section

C-Level Skill Section

Resume Education Section

Resume Certificates

How to Write a Senior Level Resume

Do You Need a Resume Writer?

Additional Sections

Key takeaways

So you want an Executive resume that sets you apart.

But things changed in a big way. All the talk now is about these robo-scanning systems that won't even register resumes that don't fit their obscure guidelines.

And once you submit your executive resume, it will be reviewed by an army of recruiters who are relentlessly looking for the right combination of skill, achievement, and experience.

The next person it gets forwarded to is a member of a search committee who won’t bother reviewing it twice.

Somehow your Executive resume has to work on all three levels.

Bad news is that it's tough. Good news is that it’s possible.

This guide will show you:

• Executive resume example that gets high-profile interviews 9 out of 10 times.
• What specific things recruiters want to see in your Executive resume and how to use that to your advantage
• How to convey your excellent leadership and visionary skills on a piece of paper (i.e. how to make your resume speak)
• How to make sure your Executive resume stands out while passing automated resume scanning systems in 2024

Looking for a specific C-Level resume?

• Marissa Mayer Resume
• VP of Sales Resume
• VP of Business Development Resume
• VP of Marketing Resume

How to write an executive resume to land more interviews

Writing an executive resume doesn’t follow your typical resume writing process.

Your Executive resume should not be about simply listing previous jobs and skills — companies are looking beyond that in their future executives.

You are their next leader, and your Executive resume should achieve at least three key objectives:

Demonstrate tangible impact.

Bragging with years of experience as a C-level manager won’t impress anyone. Your resume should demonstrate the real impact of your work, as recruiters won’t be looking for someone who simply adjusts to their environment. They’re looking for someone who can lead and change things for the better. Bad example: Managed a team of 30 engineers. Good example: Coordinated the work of more than 30 engineers in the development, testing, and production phases of a $10M project in the aero composite niche. More examples and tips in the Experience section. Hint: use resume action verbs to captivate recruiters and form the best first impression.

Convey a strong personal brand with unique differentiators.

Your resume is not just a marketing tool — it's a storytelling device. If you want to increase the chances of landing a job tenfold, align your personal story with the company's brand. Executives are too often a part of their company’s brand.

Are you tech-savvy genius with exceptional instincts for trends? A roll-up-the-sleeves guy on the frontline? Make sure your personal brand aligns well with the company brand.

Here’s how to establish a career-winning personal brand in your Executive resume:

• Identify key accomplishments and skill scenarios in the top-third of your resume
• Include industry-unique resume keywords to build relevance and authority
• Differentiate yourself from other candidates by showing off your unique differentiators.

More details on how to do that in later sections.

Provide consistent excellence throughout the entire recruitment process.

The process of hiring someone for an executive role involves multiple interviews and stages.At every stage your executive resume will be read by several people for the first time. That means your resume should not be a one-time wonder — it has to consistently WIN on every level: during automated ATS resume scans , manual checks by a hiring manager, and elaborate analysis by C-suite stakeholders.

Here’s how to turn your Executive resume into a golden ticket on every stage:

• Format, format, format. With a clever use of white space, layout, color , font , bold text, and headers, you can make your resume extremely attractive for both humans and robots.
• Use snippets of your resume to enhance your social profiles. Create consistency across various recruitment channels (LinkedIn, personal website, professional profile) to become memorable and project a consistent message.
• Don’t fall for a one-page resume myth . Entry-level candidates should have a one-page resume. Tech professionals can have a one-page resume. But executives with 15+ and 20+ years of excellence, industry awards, authority publications, and hard-won leadership skills? It's possible , but not applicable in every case. Even though we are strong advocates of the “more with less” approach, you won’t benefit from cutting out your best resume bits simply because you heard that one-page resume is good for someone.

The executive resume guide helps you write one that gets approved by both robotic ATS systems and human recruiters . We'll examine key areas of your resume to make sure it stands out and aligns with the company you're applying for.

Here are the sections that your Executive resume will include:

The 6 most important sections of your resume

• A properly formatted header
• A concise and impactful summary
• An experience section tailored to the specific job
• Custom sections based on your experience
• Education & certificates sections

What recruiters want to see in your resume

• Are you a good leader with all the necessary skills for the job?
• Is your position consistent and strong throughout your whole resume?
• Are you a good fit not only in the short-term perspective, but also for the years to come?
• Do you have a solid personal brand and how well does it align with the company’s?
• Can you make an impact, and is there any evidence that you're capable of leading for success?

Your executive resume starts with a header. Let’s make sure it’s properly formatted and doesn't turn recruiters away.

Resume header: make sure recruiters keep reading

We’ll start with the obvious: there are many executive roles in a company.

You have CEO (chief executive officer), COO (chief operating officers), CTO (chief technical officer), CIO, CISO, CSO, and the list goes on.

And yes, there’s a lot of overlapping responsibilities between these jobs. A CIO in one company sometimes can transition to COO/CTO in another.

Despite that, it’s extremely important to use the same title in Header that the job you’re applying for uses, because COO and CIO in the same company do absolutely different things.

You must avoid using more than one title, even if you were working under both titles at one point in your career. This sends mixed signals to recruiters.

It goes without saying that your Header should include your contact details, but many applicants only give their phone number and email address.

Today almost every recruiter checks your LinkedIn profile along with your resume. Include the link to your profile in a header to control the narrative. A well-crafted LinkedIn profile with many connections makes you appear more credible and trustworthy. Check your executive resume and LinkedIn profile to make sure the work history is cohesive. Also, enhance your LinkedIn profile with some bits from your resume to ensure consistency.

If you don't have a developed LinkedIn profile, don’t link to an empty one. It’s better to link to your personal portfolio website or active membership profile in an authoritative, industry-specific network.

Point is, the link should work for you, not against you. But we strongly recommend to start working on your LinkedIn profile ASAP.

Here’s an example of a header that doesn’t work well:

2 executive resume header examples

Here we’ll include link to a Linkedin social profile, as well as use only one title that the job description mentions:

Check out our guide on perfecting your resume header with industry-leading examples !

Now let's engage recruiters even further with an impactful Summary section.

Resume summary: Instantly stand out at every stage

The Summary section can have an incredibly powerful effect on your resume, but it works both ways.

If your Summary section is short, engaging, and relevant to the position, it will engage recruiters and create a lasting positive effect on how they perceive the rest of your resume. Think of the Halo effect.

If your Summary section is long, tedious, and full of fluff, recruiters might not even bother reading further. A major benefit of the Summary section is that you can easily adjust it to every position that you’re applying for once you get the basics of writing it.

Here are some tips to make your Executive Summary section stand out and create a good momentum with recruiters:

• Keep it short. Two or three sentences should be enough to grab someone’s attention. If you’re going beyond that, either rephrase or use other sections to provide more details, e.g. Achievements or Experience sections.
• Keep it relevant . This is going to be recurring advice, but learn as much as possible about the company you’re applying for before writing a resume. What are their values? Are they growing? Are they in crisis?Summary is the first section where your research pays off. If you think the company needs a crisis manager, mention how you were able to transform a struggling business.If the company is a promising startup or a rapidly expanding network, make sure to mention your experience of scaling businesses and navigating a fluid business environment. Mention industry-specific experience relevant to the job to get some bonus points.
• Keep it impactful. Don’t simply brag about your qualities. Provide results and achievements. Instead of writing how you spent 10 years in marketing or corporate leadership, share what the company was able to achieve with your guidance.

Here’s an example of a tedious, self-centered Summary section that makes employers and hiring managers roll their eyes:

2 executive resume summary examples

And here is an example of an engaging summary section to persuade readers to read further:

If you’re applying for another executive position, for example Chief Marketing Officer, follow the aforementioned advice but adjust it to the exact responsibilities of your future role.

Below is an example:

Want to learn more about crafting unique and engaging Summary sections? Check out our Perfect Summary guide with 30+ industry-specific examples .

We’ll now move forward to the bread-and-butter of your Executive resume, the Experience section.

Resume experience section: maximum efficiency word for word

The Experience section is the most elaborate and extensive section of your Executive resume, and recruiters will be returning to it several times throughout the whole recruitment process.

At first they’ll skim through it to understand whether you have a relevant experience, and leadership skills. This is where the most candidates will be filtered out.

During the next phase they will check whether your resume contains specific results and workflows that led you to achieving those results. They’ll be asking themselves: is this someone we need right now?

During the final round of checks, they’ll be comparing it with other candidates and see if you’re a good fit not only in the short perspective, but for years to come.

It doesn’t help that the Experience section is one of the hardest to write because executives have to squeeze in decades of experience in just one page, and make sure there’s still a place left for other impactful sections.

Let’s talk about what you need to include in your Experience section to get more calls, and what better should be left out of it.

Everything you mention in your Executive resume experience section falls into three main categories:

• Buzzwords (resume keywords)

Results are the most impactful component of your experience section. Your achievements should be quantified, otherwise it’s just a string of words. Use numbers for more impact.  Bad example: increased company’s presence on the education CRM market

Good example: over 3 years grew revenue in educational and mortgage segments by 300%

It’s important what kind of results you prioritise. Carefully study job requirements to understand what are the current company goals. Is it cost-efficiency? Workplace innovation? Or a new product launch? Prioritise results that are more relevant.

Workflows are what you did to achieve the results, or circumstances. Those are a perfect opportunity to hint at your core qualifications.

Workflows will reveal your subject matter experience, leadership and strategic qualities, and core competence in driving financial and operational results. You should describe workflows as challenges that you overcome. Use these questions to help to uncover some gems:

How did you contribute to the success of a company in a way that others didn't or wouldn't? What did you do that made the company better, more profitable, more efficient, and more competitive? How did your work benefit your coworkers and clients? What ideas of yours changed the course of events? Again, carefully study job requirements to understand which workflows will play a bigger role. No two companies are the same, so executives’ responsibilities will vary based on the company's size, industry, structure, and culture.

Buzzwords, or resume keywords, are largely defined by trends in every industry, and you can use them to quickly bring your resume up to date and target companies that are looking for very specific competencies.

Examples of buzzwords per industry: distance learning in education, crisis management in travel industry, managing distributed teams in real estate, machine learning and agile practices in IT, and so on.

Don’t overuse trendy words though, and especially don’t insert them blindly just to impress executive recruiters. Use only those skills that you have hands-on experience with.

Again, study job requirements to understand what kind of buzzwords may play into your hands.

For the best results, combine results, workflows, and buzzwords. Study job description and put more relevant workflows on top.

Here’s an example of vague experience section which is more focused on circumstances of work rather than results:

Executive resume experience examples

• • Established and built relationships with top leaders in the market
• • Directed and oversaw financial and budgetary activities
• • Direct the company in keeping with the vision outlined for the company by the Board of Directors

Here’s an experience section optimized for impact with relevant results and comprehensive workflows:

• • Established and built relationships with top leaders in the market, including those representing the highest levels in business, government and non-profit sectors, growing export revenue by 300%
• • Ensured coordination and alignment of all company activities to strategic direction in the areas of resource development and staff alignment, reducing department costs by 25% two years consecutively
• • Planned, organized, directed, and evaluated labor and administrative policies and operations that brought company from state leaders to country leaders.

Here’s an example of how the Experience section might look if you’re applying for a CTO position.

Notice that it contains more buzzwords and technical terms that were revealed after studying the company background and its key products:

• • Established, communicated, and developed a clear action plan for the new vision of Technology Department, reducing $4M annually on operating expenses
• • Facilitated in planning and release of 4 strategic company products that led to 23% increased ML-based CRM solutions market share
• • Increased client satisfaction on a company-wide level by 400% after implementing a set of advanced real-time reporting system for monitoring support staff performance

Beware of “death by bullets”, or using more than five bullet points in a row when describing your experience, otherwise your resume becomes unreadable. If you have too many bullet points, consider rewriting the section or adding short paragraphs of text in between.

C-Level skill section: What recruiters really like to see here

Every executive role involves a wide range of skills. Add to that 15 years of experience on average and every executive can easily fill up a blank page simply listing all the skills they possess.

Don’t fall into this trap. No one will be reading that much. And the impact behind every skill will be diminished by the sheer amount of them.

The best thing you every candidate for an executive role can do is to prioritise skills that are needed the most for a given job, and then group those skills into broader categories.

Bad example: high performance under stress, predictive planning, negotiation, monitoring, critical thinking, etc.

Replace with: Crisis Management: Preserved company’s market share and net profit during the outbreak while the average competitor lost 10-20% of their income.

After you narrow down the most important skill categories, make sure to put those into context, because this is the most convincing way to demonstrate that you really have them.

For most executive roles, apart from Chief Technology officer, soft skills are a priority, so list them first.

Here’s an example how to list soft skills on your Executive resume:

How to describe soft skills on your resume

Below are some skills that you can group in your Skill section:

Soft skills list for C-suite resumes

• Communication
• Strategic management
• Strategic partnerships
• Resource development
• Analytical approach
• Financial management
• Presentation skills
• Revenue Growth
• Coordination
• Active listening
• Time management
• Problem solving
• Strategic planning
• Innovative thinking
• Quality control
• Lean/Growth mindset
• Collaboration
• Risk management
• Process organization
• Policy development

What you need to know about hard skills

The amount of technical skills you need to mention in your resume will largely depend on the specific role.

Chief innovation officer, chief technical officer and chief information officer are expected to be more tech savvy than other executive positions, so listing some key technical skills would be of help.

Same goes for any executive role in IT-related companies vs other industries.

But mostly try to focus on your management skills and achievements associated with them.

Resume education section: do you need it?

Although experience is deemed far more important than education history for any executive position, you’ll rarely find a job that doesn’t require at least a bachelor's degree.

Education requirements vary from job to job. Some companies require a Master's degree in business or related field.

If you don’t have a relevant degree it might be substituted with an advanced business training, such as MBA. Make sure to put it before other information on education in your resume.

Resume certificates: which ones are the best

Certificates aren’t a decisive factor for an Executive resume, but they can strengthen your overall profile.

Note that chief technology officer and chief operations officer will have a different portfolio of certificates, although there are general leadership certificates that any executive resume can benefit from.

Below are some examples:

Top 5 executive certificates for your resume

• Harvard Kennedy School Executive Certificates
• Harvard Business School Certificate of Management Excellence
• MIT Executive Certificate
• Cornell University Executive Leadership
• Michigan State University’s Business Leadership and Management

How to write a senior executive resume?

• Target your resume to the position. It’s imperative that you tailor your executive resume to the position and the company that hires you. Don’t just demonstrate that you have the needed skills. Use the Experience and Summary section to demonstrate that you overcame challenges similar to what they experience right now. Often companies switch leadership in time of crisis and uncertainty. Learn more about the target company’s recent challenges and use this information to build authority and relevance.
• Make the most impact with the top-third of your resume . Your senior executive resume is going to be long, but to make sure people will read all of it you need to give them a motivation. Use the top third section to present your key achievements and skills.
• Maximise the impact of your third page. There’s no need to describe all the jobs you had over the span of a 20 or 30+ year career. This will certainly eat all the pages on your senior executive resume. Instead, use the last page of your resume to showcase your unique identifiers and set yourself apart: list awards, publications you were featured in, research projects, and lifetime accomplishments.

Having problems packing all your years of experience in a resume? Check out our guide on resume length .

Additional sections to boost your resume special sauce

Your executive resume provides impact and demonstrates that you have all the necessary skills to be successful in your work.

It’s time to stand out of your competition and leave a lasting impression with custom sections.

Here are some custom sections that you can use to highlights your leadership skills and build your personal brand even further:

Achievements / Highlights

Every executive with many years of experience undoubtedly had career highlights that deserve attention.

It’s important to keep this section focused on specific achievements and not just brag about yourself.

Those achievements may include: prestigious business awards, work achievements, and even published books relevant to the job.

Our selected resume template above is from one of our successful clients, William H. Saito , who used custom sections to build a strong personal brand and hint at holistic development of his leadership skills.

Day of My Life

If you feel creative and confident in the rest of your resume, you can provide a personal touch with a “Day of My Life” section. This section is extremely powerful as it can help you demonstrate your human side and integrity.

Coupled with your achievements and work results from other sections, this is a great way to show your ability at following work and life balance, balance priorities, and sustain integrity.

A great example of this section in use is our Marissa Mayer’s resume which not only went viral and got a great number of positive responses, but also attracted attention from leaders of a business world, such as Mark Cuban.

• Approach resume writing process not only for marketing, but also for building your personal brand and forming unique selling proposition;
• Make sure the brand you build aligns well with the company that you want to work with;
• Strive to demonstrate impact with every section of your executive resume using results, achievements, and confident language;
• Stand out from the crowd of other candidates with custom sections that drive your personal brand even further and demonstrate you as all-round person;
• Make sure to study the job requirements and the company’s history before applying as it will help you make your resume much more aligned with their vision of who will lead their company.

Executive resume examples

Explore additional executive resume samples and guides and see what works for your level of experience or role.

Looking to build your own Executive resume?

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How to Write a Compelling Executive Resume [with Examples]

Expert Tips for Executive Resume Content and Formatting

If you're making over six figures as an executive or senior manager, you're playing in the big leagues when it comes to recruitment.

For senior executives, the stakes are high. 

Because your resume is often a recruiter's first impression, you need to make sure that it nothing short of perfect.

The risk of missing out on a potential opportunity because you failed to clearly articulate your accomplishments or fully convey the value you bring to an organization simply isn’t worth it.

Our executive resume writers have crafted effective documents for CEOs, Managing Directors, and Senior Directors in industries including real estate, finance, pharmaceuticals, and technology.

In this post, we share our insights on:

• How our writers approach resumes for senior leaders
• How long an executive resume should be
• How to write and format your resume for maximum impact
• How to optimize your resume for ATS

How Our Executive Resume Writers Approach Resumes for Senior Leaders

Executive resume content differs slightly from that of more junior resumes.

When working a senior candidate, our writers ensure that the resume’s focus is primarily on high-level accomplishments and contributions you made to an organization - not simply daily responsibilities.

While the bullet points on junior candidate's resume will likely describe day-to-day tasks and the types of analyses the candidate conducted, we make sure to convey the bigger picture.

A well-written executive resume should highlight tangible factors such as the following:

• Scope of work (number of locations managed, project value, P&L value)
• Relevant financial metrics (budgets managed, costs and/or time saved, revenue increased)
• Strategic goals accomplished
• Initiatives led or implemented
• Team leadership ability and size of team
• Partnerships created
• Sales achieved or deals closed

How Long an Executive Resume Should Be

Our general guidance when it comes to resume length is that less is more .

In our opinion, even the President of the United States should be able to put together a strong one-page document.

If you are in a senior leadership position, however, you may realistically need two pages to effectively convey your accomplishments.

Your overarching goal should be to create a resume that is as concise as possible, neatly formatted, and easy to read. 

Think of your resume as a movie preview.

It should be a 30-second clip of what the reader can expect to learn more about when they meet you during the hour-long interview. 

Each bullet point needs to add value, and you should not have any "fluff" that inflates or excessively boasts about your accomplishments. 

Let your experience speak for itself. 

If you hold a senior position, your career growth already demonstrates that you are a "strong team leader" and "ambitious, driven professional."

You don’t need to put such generic, empty phrases down on paper.

In addition to serving as a personal marketing tool, your resume provides a sample of your business writing and communication skills.

As an executive, you need to demonstrate that you are a clear, concise, and effective communicator - not simply a big talker.

How to Write and Format Your Resume for Maximum Impact

In this section, we explain how our writers approach each resume component.

We also included screenshots from executive resume samples to demonstrate the best practices discussed so you can implement them in your document.

Your heading should include your name, any professional designations, and contact information.

You can also include the link to your LinkedIn profile.

Professional Summary

We don’t recommend a career highlights or professional summary section for junior candidates.

For executives, we sometimes use a career highlights section to provide concrete evidence of achievements and career progression. 

Professional summaries that consist of generic buzzwords don’t sound believable without any evidence to back up their statements, so make sure that yours incorporates concrete facts and examples.

We typically try to stick to a maximum of 4-6 bullet points, as they're easier to skim than longer paragraphs.  

We wrote the following career highlights section for a candidate working in the financial services sector:

The summary above is effective because it accomplishes the following goals:

• Demonstrates career progression
• Describes major accomplishments
• Articulates niche or sector expertise
• Quantifies the value contributed and scope of responsibility
• Provides evidence of leadership ability (internal and external)

Professional Experience

When describing each role in the professional experience section, we make sure to focus on achievement-based elements such as:

• Strategic goals and their implementation
• Financial results
• Partnerships forged
• Revenue generation
• Leadership ability

You can also consider including more general responsibilities in paragraph format before jumping into bullet points that convey your key achievements and contributions.

Take a look at the following example from a resume for a Vice President in the online learning sector.

By separating day-to-day tasks from achievements, we are able to:

• Draw attention to the highlights: We make sure that recruiters can easily pick out major accomplishments. You don’t want to bury yours among less impressive - albeit important - information.
• Organize the resume: Separating your responsibilities from your achievements is a clear, logical way to structure your document, demonstrating that you have effective business communication skills.

Early Career

The bulk of your resume’s content should focus on your most recent positions.

Because it is still important to provide an overview of your career progression and background, we usually include positions that candidates held over 10 years ago in an early career section.

For brevity's sake, we only include company names, position titles, and dates for these roles.

By including an outline of your early career history, you are able to:

• Demonstrate the breadth and depth of your experience if you worked in different industries and positions
• Increase your credibility
• Refrain from overwhelming recruiters with too much information (if they’re curious about an earlier role, they’ll ask)

In this section, include all of the degrees you earned from post-secondary institutions.

Unless you recently completed your program, you don’t need to include elements such as:

• Relevant courses
• Extracurricular involvement

Certifications and Professional Development

If you completed any certificate programs or professional development courses, list them separately from your education.

You should always include:

• Granting organization
• Certification name
• Date earned
• Expiration date (if applicable)

Board Involvement

List board or committee service that are relevant to your target positions under a "Board Membership" or "Board Involvement" heading.

The section below, taken from a commercial real estate resume sample, demonstrates the candidate’s involvement in helping a smaller firm and non-profit organization expand:

This section can enhance your document by demonstrating your skills or industry knowledge that go beyond your sector of expertise.

It's also a reflection of your leadership ability and shows that you are respected in your industry or community.

For each position, include:

• Name of the organization
• Dates of service
• Position title (Chairman of the Board, President, Board Member)
• Description of the capacity in which you are involved (if significant and you have room)

If you hold multiple board memberships, you may wish to only highlight or only elaborate upon the most relevant ones - especially if your document is on the longer end.

How to Optimize Your Resume for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

Because so much of executive-level recruiting takes place through recruiters or industry connections, ATS optimization isn't as much of a concern as it would be for more junior candidates.

However, it is still best practice to optimize your resume for ATS.

Even when working on executive resumes, we make sure to thoroughly read through the job description and naturally incorporate relevant keywords throughout our clients' documents.

By doing so, we are able to accomplish two goals:

• Optimize the resume for ATS
• Ensure that we are touching upon the qualities and skills recruiters will be looking for

In executive recruiting, connections and industry expertise are essential to landing new roles.

However, the way you present yourself on paper reflects on your personal brand, attention to detail, and overall professionalism.

Put your best foot forward by implementing the steps above and avoid gimmicks that can damage your credibility , and you’ll be one step closer to your next big career move.

About Resume Pilots

Resume Pilots is an award-winning executive resume writing firm and a proud member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches. Our previous clients include CEOs and senior executives at the world's leading companies.

As a professional services firm, we take your reputation seriously. We are committed to delivering writing excellence and superior service while operating with integrity and discretion. Recruitment firms we partner with also trust us to consistently deliver quality documents for their clients.

Our writers have studied in the Ivy League and other top-tier universities and have strong writing backgrounds coupled with industry experience.

Here's how we can help you:

Resume, Cover Letter, and LinkedIn Writing Services : If you are looking for end-to-end support, hire one of our professional resume writers to rewrite your documents from the ground up.

Executive Resume Template Downloads : If you plan to prepare your own resume, consider using one of our classic, ATS-friendly resume templates for Microsoft Word.

To learn more about our services, book an introductory call with our founder here or email [email protected] .

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About the Author Matt Glodz

Matt Glodz is the Founder and Managing Partner of Resume Pilots and a Certified Professional Resume Writer. After studying business communication at Cornell University, Matt worked within Fortune 500 companies, where he noted that qualified candidates were frequently denied interview opportunities due to poorly written documents. At Resume Pilots, Matt combines his business and writing background - which includes prior work for a Chicago Tribune publication - to craft resumes that give his clients the best chance of landing interviews. He works with clients ranging from CEOs to recent graduates and has been writing resumes for over 10 years. He has been quoted on numerous business and career-related topics in outlets including Business Insider, CNBC, Fortune, Glassdoor, The Ladders, and Thrive Global.

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How to write an executive summary in 10 steps

Whether presenting a business plan, sharing project updates with stakeholders, or submitting a project proposal, an executive summary helps you grab attention and convey key insights.

Think of it as a condensed version of a document, report, or proposal that highlights the most important information clearly and concisely. It's like a "cheat sheet" that gives you a snapshot of the main points without reading the entire thing.

Throughout the article, we'll explore some examples of executive summaries to give you a better understanding of how they can be applied. Plus, we'll provide you with ready-to-use templates and best practices for writing compelling executive summaries.

What is an executive summary?

An executive summary is a concise overview of a longer document or report. It is typically written for busy executives or decision-makers who may not have the time to read the entire document but still need to grasp its key points and recommendations. 

An effective executive summary should capture the essence of the document, highlighting the most important information in a brief and easily understandable way. It should provide a snapshot of the document's purpose, methodology, major findings, and key recommendations. The summary should be written in a way that allows the reader to quickly grasp the main ideas and make informed decisions based on the information presented.

Why do you need to write one?

For a business owner , an executive summary is one of the most important documents you will have. Like a business plan , they help you lay out the potential value of your business and your potential for success. 

Unlike a business proposal, however, an executive summary is designed to be read in a brief amount of time. That makes them ideal for a variety of uses, like project proposals and research summaries. Sending your strategic plan to a prospective investor or stakeholder likely won’t get you far. But a brief report that clearly states your key findings and what’s in it for them might help you — and your proposal — stand out. It isn't all the details. It's what gets you the meeting to share more.

An executive summary is also a business document that can travel without you. It may be presented to other leaders and potential investors. If it’s written well, it will take on a life of its own. You may find that you get support and resources from places you never imagined.

What should be included in an executive summary?

Your executive summary should include brief descriptions of who your product, service, or proposal is for and your competitive advantage. Be sure to introduce your report concisely yet clearly . Note the most important points and its overall purpose––what do you hope to achieve with this report? 

Also, include any necessary background information and statistics about the industry, high-level information about your business model, necessary financial information, or other insights you discuss in the report. Depending on your proposal, you may want to consider summarizing a market analysis of your target market.

Typically, an executive summary follows a structured format, including sections such as:

• Introduction: Provides a brief background and context for the document.
• Objective or purpose: Clearly states the goal of the document and what it aims to achieve.
• Methodology: Briefly describes the approach, data sources, and methods used to conduct the research or analysis.
• Findings: Summarizes the main findings, conclusions, or results derived from the document.
• Recommendations: Outlines the key recommendations or proposed actions based on the findings.
• Conclusion: Provides a concise wrap-up of the main points and emphasizes the significance of the document.

How do you write an executive summary?

When tackling an executive summary, it's all about following a structured approach to ensure you effectively communicate those crucial points, findings, and recommendations. Let’s walk through some steps and best practices to make it a breeze:

Step 1: Get to know the document

Take the time to dive into the full document or report that your executive summary will be based on. Read it thoroughly and identify the main objectives, key findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

Step 2: Know your audience

Think about who you're writing the executive summary for. Consider their knowledge level, interests, and priorities. This helps you tailor the summary to their needs and make it relevant and impactful.

Step 3: Outline the structure

Create an outline for your executive summary with sections like introduction, objective, methodology, findings, recommendations, and conclusion. This way, you'll have a logical flow that's easy to follow.

Step 4: Start strong

Kick off your executive summary with a captivating opening statement. Make it concise, engaging, and impactful to hook the reader and make them want to keep reading.

Step 5: Summarize objectives and methodology

Give a brief overview of the document's objectives and the methodology used to achieve them. This sets the context and helps the reader understand the approach taken.

Step 6: Highlight key findings

Summarize the main findings, conclusions, or results. Focus on the juiciest and most relevant points that support the document's purpose. Keep it clear and concise to get the message across effectively.

Step 7: Present key recommendations

Outline the important recommendations or proposed actions based on the findings. Clearly state what needs to be done, why it matters, and how it aligns with the document's objectives. Make those recommendations actionable and realistic.

Step 8: Keep it snappy

Remember, an executive summary should be short and sweet. Skip unnecessary details, jargon, or technical language . Use straightforward language that hits the mark.

Step 9: Review and polish

Once you've written the executive summary, give it a careful review for clarity, coherence, and accuracy. Make sure it captures the essence of the full document and represents its content faithfully. Take the extra step to edit out any fluff or repetition.

Step 10: Dress to impress

Consider formatting and presentation. Use headings, bullet points, and formatting styles to make it visually appealing and easy to skim. If it makes sense, include some graphs, charts, or visuals to highlight key points.

Tips for writing an effective executive summary

• Adapt your language and tone to suit your audience.
• Keep things concise and crystal clear—say no to jargon.
• Focus on the most important info that packs a punch.
• Give enough context without overwhelming your reader.
• Use strong and persuasive language to make your recommendations shine.
• Make sure your executive summary makes sense even if the full document isn't read.
• Proofread like a pro to catch any pesky grammar, spelling, or punctuation errors.

Executive summary template for business plans

Here's a general template for creating an executive summary specifically for business plans:

[Your Company Name]

[Business Plan Title]

Business overview

Provide a brief introduction to your company, including its name, location, industry, and mission statement . Describe your unique value proposition and what sets your business apart from competitors.

Market analysis

Summarize the key findings of your market research. Provide an overview of the target market, its size, growth potential, and relevant trends. Highlight your understanding of customer needs, preferences, and behaviors.

Product or service offering

Outline your core products or services, including their key features and benefits. Emphasize how your offerings address customer pain points and provide value. Highlight any unique selling points or competitive advantages.

Business model

Explain your business model and revenue generation strategy. Describe how you will generate revenue, the pricing structure, and any distribution channels or partnerships that contribute to your business's success.

Marketing and sales strategy

Summarize your marketing and sales approach. Highlight the key tactics and channels you will use to reach and attract customers. Discuss your promotional strategies, pricing strategies, and customer acquisition plans.

Management team

Introduce the key members of your management team and their relevant experience. Highlight their expertise and how it positions the team to execute the business plan successfully. Include any notable advisors or board members.

Financial projections

Summarize your financial projections, including revenue forecasts, expected expenses, and projected profitability. Highlight any key financial metrics or milestones. Briefly mention your funding needs, if applicable.

Funding requirements

If seeking funding, outline your funding requirements, including the amount needed, its purpose, and the potential sources of funding you are considering. Summarize the expected return on investment for potential investors.

Reiterate the vision and potential of your business. Summarize the key points of your business plan, emphasizing its viability, market potential, and the expertise of your team. Convey confidence in the success of your venture.

Note: Keep the executive summary concise and focused, typically within one to two pages. Use clear and compelling language, emphasizing the unique aspects of your business. Tailor the template to suit your specific business plan, adjusting sections and details accordingly.

Remember, the executive summary serves as an introduction to your business plan and should pique the reader's interest, conveying the value and potential of your business in a concise and persuasive manner.

Executive summary examples

Every executive summary will be unique to the organization's goals, vision, and brand identity. We put together two general examples of executive summaries to spark your creativity and offer some inspiration. 

These are not intended to be used as-is but more to offer ideas for how you may want to put your own executive summary together. Be sure to personalize your own summary with specific statistics and relevant data points to make the most impact.

Example 1: executive summary for a communications business plan

Introduction:

We're thrilled to present our innovative [insert product] that aims to revolutionize the way people connect and engage. Our vision is to empower individuals and businesses with seamless communication solutions that break barriers and foster meaningful connections.

Market opportunity:

The communications industry is evolving rapidly, and we've identified a significant opportunity in the market. With the proliferation of remote work, the need for reliable and efficient communication tools has skyrocketed. Our extensive market research indicates a demand for solutions that prioritize user experience, security, and flexibility.

Product offering:

At [Company Name], we've developed a suite of cutting-edge communication tools designed to meet the diverse needs of our customers. Our flagship product is a unified communication platform that integrates voice, video, messaging, and collaboration features into a seamless user experience. We also offer customizable solutions for businesses of all sizes, catering to their unique communication requirements.

Unique value proposition:

What sets us apart from the competition? Our user-centric approach and commitment to innovation. We prioritize user experience by creating intuitive interfaces and seamless interactions. Our solutions are scalable, adaptable, and designed to keep up with evolving technological trends. By combining ease of use with advanced features, we deliver unparalleled value to our customers.

Target market:

Our primary focus is on small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that require efficient and cost-effective communication tools. We also cater to individuals, remote teams, and larger enterprises seeking reliable and secure communication solutions. Our target market encompasses industries such as technology, finance, healthcare, and professional services.

Business model:

To generate revenue, we employ a subscription-based business model. Customers can choose from different plans tailored to their specific needs, paying a monthly or annual fee. We also offer additional services such as customization, integration, and customer support, creating additional revenue streams and fostering long-term customer relationships.

Marketing and sales strategy:

Our marketing strategy centers around building brand awareness through targeted digital campaigns, content marketing, and strategic partnerships. We'll leverage social media, industry influencers, and online communities to reach our target audience. Additionally, our sales team will engage in proactive outreach, nurturing leads and providing personalized consultations to convert prospects into loyal customers.

Team and expertise:

Our team is composed of experienced professionals with a deep understanding of the communications industry. Led by our visionary founder and supported by a skilled and diverse team, we have the expertise to drive innovation, develop robust products, and deliver exceptional customer service. We're passionate about our mission and dedicated to making a lasting impact in the market.

Financial projections:

Based on extensive market research and financial analysis, we anticipate strong growth and profitability. Our financial projections indicate steady revenue streams, with increasing customer adoption and market share. We're committed to managing costs effectively, optimizing our resources, and continuously reinvesting in research and development.

Funding requirements:

To fuel our ambitious growth plans and accelerate product development, we're seeking [funding amount] in funding. These funds will be allocated towards expanding our team, scaling our infrastructure, marketing efforts, and ongoing product innovation. We believe this investment will position us for success and solidify our market presence.

Conclusion:

In summary, [Company Name] is poised to disrupt the communications industry with our innovative solutions and customer-centric approach. We're ready to make a positive impact by empowering individuals and businesses to communicate effectively and effortlessly. Join us on this exciting journey as we redefine the future of communication. Together, we'll shape a connected world like never before.

Example 2: executive summary for a project proposal

[Project Name]

[Project Proposal Date]

Hello! We're thrilled to present our project proposal for [Project Name]. This executive summary will provide you with a high-level overview of the project, its objectives, and the value it brings.

Project overview:

Our project aims to [describe the project's purpose and scope]. It's a response to [identify the problem or opportunity] and has the potential to bring significant benefits to [stakeholders or target audience]. Through meticulous planning and execution, we're confident in our ability to achieve the desired outcomes.

Objectives:

The primary goal of our project is to [state the overarching objective]. In addition, we have specific objectives such as [list specific objectives]. By accomplishing these goals, we'll create a positive impact and drive meaningful change.

Our proposed approach for this project is based on a thorough analysis of the situation and best practices. We'll adopt a structured methodology that includes [describe the key project phases or activities]. This approach ensures efficient utilization of resources and maximizes project outcomes.

The benefits of this project are truly exciting. Through its implementation, we anticipate [describe the anticipated benefits or outcomes]. These benefits include [list specific benefits], which will have a lasting and positive effect on [stakeholders or target audience].

Implementation timeline:

We've devised a comprehensive timeline to guide the project from initiation to completion. The project is divided into distinct phases, with well-defined milestones and deliverables. Our timeline ensures that tasks are executed in a timely manner, allowing us to stay on track and deliver results.

Resource requirements:

To successfully execute this project, we've identified the key resources needed. This includes [list the resources required, such as human resources, technology, equipment, and funding]. We're confident in our ability to secure the necessary resources and allocate them effectively to ensure project success.

A project of this nature requires a well-planned budget. Based on our analysis, we've estimated the required funding to be [state the budget amount]. This budget encompasses all project-related costs and aligns with the anticipated benefits and outcomes.

Our project proposal is an exciting opportunity to address [the problem or opportunity] and create tangible value for [stakeholders or target audience]. With a clear vision, defined objectives, and a robust implementation plan, we're ready to embark on this journey. Join us as we bring this project to life and make a lasting impact. 

Is an executive summary the same as a project plan?

While both are important components of project management and documentation , they serve different purposes and contain distinct information.

An executive summary, as discussed earlier, is a concise overview of a longer document or report. It provides a snapshot of the key points, findings, and recommendations. It focuses on high-level information and aims to provide an overview of the document's purpose, methodology, findings, and recommendations.

On the other hand, a project plan is a detailed document that outlines the specific activities, tasks, timelines, resources, and milestones associated with a project. It serves as a roadmap for project execution, providing a comprehensive understanding of how the project will be carried out.

A project plan typically includes objectives, scope, deliverables, schedule, budget, resource allocation, risk management, and communication strategies. It is intended for project team members, stakeholders, and those directly involved in the execution.

In summary, an executive summary offers a condensed overview of a document's key points, while a project plan provides a comprehensive and detailed roadmap for executing a project.

Executive summaries vs. abstracts

An executive summary is not the same as an abstract. Executive summaries focus on the main points of a proposal. They highlight when and why a reader should invest in the company or project.

An abstract, on the other hand, concentrates on what the business does and its marketing plan. It typically doesn’t include detailed information about finances.

While it is usually compelling, it’s less of an elevator pitch and more of a summary. The goal of an abstract is to inform, not to persuade. On the other hand, the goal of an executive summary is to give readers who are pressed for time just enough information that they’ll want to look further into your proposition.

When do you use an executive summary?

An executive summary is used in various situations where there is a need to present a condensed overview of a longer document or report. Here are some common instances when an executive summary is used:

• Business proposals: When submitting a business proposal to potential investors, partners, or stakeholders, an executive summary is often included. It provides a concise overview of the proposal, highlighting the key aspects such as the business idea, market analysis, competitive advantage, financial projections, and recommended actions.
• Reports and research studies: Lengthy reports or research studies often include an executive summary at the beginning. This allows decision-makers, executives, or other stakeholders to quickly understand the purpose, methodology, findings, and recommendations of the report without going through the entire document.
• Project updates: During the course of a project, project managers may prepare executive summaries to provide updates to stakeholders or higher-level management. These summaries give a brief overview of the project's progress, achievements, challenges, and upcoming milestones.
• Strategic plans: When developing strategic plans for an organization, an executive summary is often included to provide an overview of the plan's goals, objectives, strategies, and key initiatives. It allows executives and stakeholders to grasp the essence of the strategic plan and its implications without reading the entire document.
• Funding requests: When seeking funding for a project or venture, an executive summary is commonly used as part of the funding proposal. It provides a succinct summary of the project, highlighting its significance, potential impact, financial requirements, and expected outcomes.

In general, an executive summary is used whenever there is a need to communicate the main points, findings, and recommendations of a document concisely and efficiently to individuals who may not have the time or inclination to read the entire content. It serves as a valuable tool for understanding and facilitates quick decision-making.

5 ways project managers can use executive summaries

Project managers can use executive summaries in various ways to effectively communicate project updates, status reports, or proposals to stakeholders and higher-level management. Here are some ways project managers can use executive summaries:

• Project status updates: Project managers can provide regular executive summaries to stakeholders and management to communicate the current status of the project. The summary should include key achievements, milestones reached, challenges encountered, and any adjustments to the project plan. It allows stakeholders to quickly grasp the project's progress and make informed decisions or provide guidance as needed.
• Project proposals: When pitching a project idea or seeking approval for a new project, project managers can prepare an executive summary to present the essential aspects of the project. The summary should outline the project's objectives, scope, anticipated benefits, resource requirements, estimated timeline, and potential risks. It helps decision-makers understand the project's value and make an informed choice about its initiation.
• Project closure reports: At the end of a project, project managers can prepare an executive summary as part of the project closure report. The summary should highlight the project's overall success, key deliverables achieved, lessons learned, and recommendations for future projects. It provides a concise overview of the project's outcomes and acts as a valuable reference for future initiatives.
• Steering committee meetings: When project managers present updates or seek guidance from a steering committee or governance board, an executive summary can be an effective tool. The summary should cover the important aspects of the project, such as progress, issues, risks, and upcoming milestones. It ensures that decision-makers are well-informed about the project's status and can provide relevant guidance or support.
• Change requests: When submitting a change request for a project, project managers can include an executive summary to summarize the proposed change, its impact on the project, potential risks, and benefits. It helps stakeholders and decision-makers quickly assess the change request and make informed decisions about its implementation.

Using executive summaries, project managers can efficiently communicate project-related information to stakeholders, executives, and decision-makers. The summaries provide a concise overview of the project's status, proposals, or closure reports, allowing stakeholders to quickly understand the key points and take appropriate action.

When should you not use an executive summary?

While executive summaries are widely used in many situations, there are some cases where they may not be necessary or suitable. Here are a few scenarios where an executive summary may not be appropriate, along with alternative approaches:

• Highly technical documents: If the document contains highly technical or specialized information that requires a detailed understanding, an executive summary alone may not be sufficient. In such cases, it is better to provide the complete document and supplement it with explanatory materials, presentations , or meetings where experts can explain and discuss the technical details.
• Personal or creative writing: Executive summaries are typically used for informational or analytical documents. If the content is more personal in nature, such as a memoir, novel, or creative piece, an executive summary may not be relevant. Instead, focus on providing an engaging introduction or book blurb that entices readers and conveys the essence of the work.
• Short documents: If the document itself is already concise and can be easily read in its entirety, an executive summary may be redundant. In these cases, it is more effective to present the complete document without an additional summary.
• Interactive presentations: In situations where you can present information interactively, such as in meetings, workshops, or conferences, it may be more effective to engage the audience directly rather than relying solely on an executive summary. Use visual aids, demonstrations, discussions, and Q&A sessions to convey the necessary information and capture the audience's attention.

Final thoughts on writing a compelling executive summary

An executive summary isn’t the kitchen sink — it’s the bells and whistles. Geared toward busy decision-makers, these one-pagers communicate your case for action and proposed solutions. When it’s written well, your audience will walk away with an understanding of what needs to be done, why it needs to happen, and why they should help it move forward. 

But writing it well doesn’t just mean spell-checking. It means tailoring your communication to an influential, yet busy and distracted audience. To be effective, you’ll need to write your proposal with empathy and an understanding of what matters to them .

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Allaya Cooks-Campbell

With over 15 years of content experience, Allaya Cooks Campbell has written for outlets such as ScaryMommy, HRzone, and HuffPost. She holds a B.A. in Psychology and is a certified yoga instructor as well as a certified Integrative Wellness & Life Coach. Allaya is passionate about whole-person wellness, yoga, and mental health.

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How to make an executive summary template.

Sharing important info with stakeholders is even easier with a smart summary template.

Your executive summary has to do a lot of heavy lifting. It has to get all your high-level stakeholders up to speed, plus give them the information they need to succeed in just a page or two. This is where an executive summary template comes in handy.

Templates give your summaries structure, and they can save you some time in the long run, too. So, the next time you’re writing one, take a couple of minutes to follow these steps and create your own executive summary template.

What is a template for an executive summary used for?

A template for an executive summary serves as a valuable tool for summarizing complex business reports, proposals, or plans into concise and impactful summaries. It provides a structured framework that ensures consistency and clarity in presenting key information to decision-makers and stakeholders.

By using a template, individuals and organizations can save time and effort by streamlining the process of creating executive summaries, enabling them to focus more on the content and strategic aspects. Templates also contribute to maintaining a professional and cohesive visual identity across different summaries, enhancing readability and facilitating easier comprehension. Having a standardized format promotes effective communication, allowing busy executives to grasp the main points quickly and make informed decisions.

Key components of an executive summary template.

An effective executive summary template consists of several key elements that are essential for summarizing complex business reports, proposals, or plans.

• Introduction. The executive summary should begin with a brief introduction that captures the reader’s attention and provides context for the document.
• Objective. Clearly state the purpose or objective of the document, outlining what it aims to achieve or the problem it seeks to address.
• Summary of findings. Present the main findings, key points, or recommendations from the full report or proposal. Summarize the most important information concisely and highlight any significant insights or conclusions.
• Scope. Briefly describe the scope of the project or research and outline the methodology used to gather and analyze data. This helps provide transparency and credibility to the summary.
• Market analysis. Provide a concise overview of the market or industry context, highlighting trends, challenges, and opportunities that are relevant to the document.
• Key metrics. Include any important metrics, statistics, or performance indicators that support the findings or conclusions of the document. This helps quantify the impact and provides a basis for decision-making.
• Recommendations . Outline specific recommendations or proposed actions based on the findings. These should be actionable and tied directly to the objectives or purpose of the document.
• Conclusion . Summarize the main points and restate the significance of the findings or recommendations. This reinforces the key takeaways for the reader.

By incorporating these elements into an executive summary template, professionals can ensure consistency, clarity, and impactful communication of vital information to decision-makers and stakeholders.

Create an outline format for an executive summary.

The first step to creating an effective executive summary outline is thinking about when you’ll use it. For example, the information you include on a business case summary is different from what you’d put on a market survey summary.

Start drafting an outline of what you usually include in your executive summaries. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• State a problem.

Begin by clearly articulating the problem or challenge that the report, proposal, or plan aims to address. Provide a concise and compelling statement that highlights the core issue at hand.

• Recommend solutions.

Present well-thought-out solutions or recommendations that address the identified problem. These recommendations should be practical, actionable, and directly tied to the objectives of the document. Consider providing a brief overview of each recommended solution.

• Outline potential risks.

Identify and outline any potential risks or challenges that may arise when implementing the recommended solutions. This demonstrates a proactive approach and shows that potential obstacles have been considered.

Play around with your template until it has a structure that meets your or your business’s specific needs. After creating an executive summary template, learn how to write an executive summary that’s effective.

Save an executive summary template as a PDF.

When you complete your draft, save it to your template. Additionally, you should save your executive summary template in a few different file formats, including PDF, because it’s easy to share and sign PDFs electronically .

Also, store your templates in a place you frequently visit, like your computer desktop or the cloud. This way, your templates will always be on hand and ready to go.

Discover how Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Acrobat online services can help you make easy-to-use templates that will keep your business moving.