Resume Tips: Making the Shift from Entrepreneur to 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. Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs downplay the importance of a good resume, and this can be fatal when applying for executive level positions. 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. Just because you've been a successful entrepreneur, a company can't assume that you're automatically a good candidate for an executive job. As an example, say that you were the sole owner of your business--while you might have gotten quite a bit accomplished in terms of workloads, products delivered, and time frames met, you might not be able to claim experience in management or customer service work. 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. When jotting down your experience and accomplishments, be sure to quantify as much as possible (how many people you’ve managed, how many products you sold, revenue, etc.). Your new role's responsibilities should line up with your accomplishments as an entrepreneur. 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. Using the tips above can give you a strong foundation for your executive resume and your new career.