How Entrepreneurs Can Make The Jump To Corporate Executive
Were you lucky enough to start your own business that had success for years, but now find yourself looking to step into corporate world at the executive level? There are a lot of entrepreneurs who have successfully made the transition, which is good news for you.
However, without a strong resume, even the best entrepreneurs will never be afforded a chance to show their abilities in an executive level position. So before you get started on your journey, take a look at the following resume tips …
Maintain a Tunnel Vision Focus
One of the main focal points of writing a resume that shows a shift from entrepreneurship to an executive position is using tunnel vision when writing. The fact that you’ve been an entrepreneur, believe it or not, will not be enough to prove that you are ready for an executive-level position. For example, if you successfully ran a business as a sole proprietor, you may have been able to manage workloads, deliver products or services on time and even be a visionary, but without experience successfully managing other workers, your entrepreneurial role may not provide enough work experience.
So as you write your executive resume, you want to spend time really looking at the position you’re applying for then looking at what you did in your position as business owner to determine your qualifications. A great way to do this is to quantify when writing down your experiences and your accomplishments–tell your prospective employer numbers, including products sold, people managed, anything at all that might be impressive at an executive level.). You want your experience as an entrepreneur to translate successfully into this new role. If the employer sees you’ve been able to deliver like an executive, it will be easier to envision you in the position you’re applying for.
Create an Executive-Level Title for Yourself
When creating your resume, it’s also a good idea to create a title for yourself that reflects your executive-level ambitions. Ever hear the old business adage, “fake it til you make it?” It’s sort of like that, except that you’re actually pooling your skills and accomplishments and creating a title that reflects them all in the executive realm.
For instance, if you were the CEO of your company, but also handled the responsibilities of an Executive Sales Director, you could use this as your title. You would be able to provide plenty of experience to qualify your title and also offer insight into the role you plan to take on in a corporate position.
Add Keywords
Since you’ve been working for yourself for some time, you may be out of the resume-writing loop. If this is the case, it’s important understand keywords and their importance. In order to weed out unqualified resumes, many businesses use keyword software that searches for relevant phrases in every resume received. For instance, if you’re in marketing, “trade shows” is a good industry-related phrase. To find keywords and phrased related to your industry, simply Google “resume keyword phrases” to get started.
It’s good to know that transitioning from entrepreneurship is possible with determination and a good resume. With a strong resume, you can get that executive job of your dreams.