Last updated: 10th Feb 2026
Here’s a thought: would your current resume survive an audit? I created this 7-point checklist to show the warning signs that may be costing you interviews and senior leadership roles.
I recommend you use it in two scenarios. You:
- Are about to start looking, and haven’t updated your resume in 5+ years.
- Have applied for a few executive roles, but were unsuccessful.
If you discover that your resume fails at least 3 out of the 7 checklist items, either enlist the help of a professional resume writer or invest a few weekends into improving it yourself.
1. The First Line Decides Everything.
How does your resume introduce you?
If the headline says “Finance Director” or “Managing Director”, you’re selling yourself short.
The header of your resume must provide scope by drawing your attention to the position/title you seek, industry you operate in, P&L experience (if any), territory size and any other differentiators.
This allows the reader to imagine the scale of your leadership capacity and the complexity of challenges you’ve solved.
Here are a few more examples:
- VP Operations, Engineering & Projects | Oil & Gas | Transformation | Delivering Operational Excellence, Safety & Reliability
- Chief Executive Officer | Organisational Change, Transformation & Growth | Helping Regional Businesses Thrive in Challenging Markets
- Chief Data & Analytics Officer | Strategic Thought Partner | Capability Development | Advanced Analytics, Machine Learning (ML) & Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Responsible AI
2. Would Anyone Want to Read This?
If your resume looks like a government tender from the 1990s, you’re missing out on opportunities.
Is it full of dense paragraphs nobody wants to read?
Does the layout overwhelm the reader with a confusing hierarchy?
A well-designed resume will guide the reader from the most important element on the page to the least important one.
A poorly designed resume, meanwhile, will intimidate the reader by presenting all its information at once.
3. Is The Profile Generic?
The opening summary has to do more than fill space.
Is yours packed with buzzwords and cliches like “results-driven leader”?
This is where you win or lose the battle.
Begin your executive resume with a personal branding statement.
It should take about 10 seconds to read and offer insight into the commercial challenges you’re known for solving.
I recommend you back up your claims by spotlighting one of your main achievements. And don’t forget to explain what type of leader you are.
Expert Tip.
The more senior you are, the more effort you must make to position yourself as a balanced leader. Too much focus on revenue alone looks reckless. Too much focus on compliance – and you look like a “keeping the lights on” operator. The best executive resumes demonstrate both.
4. Is Your Resume Soft On Soft Skills?
Soft skills are making a comeback. For a few years, recruiters didn’t mind metrics-heavy executive resumes that centered solely on numbers.
But global instability and looming AI threats have increased the demand for people-centric leaders even higher.
Emotional intelligence is back in focus.
Companies want executives who can maintain the trust of their teams during sustained periods of uncertainty.
But I’m not advising you to pack your resume with jargon like “team player” and “strong communicator”. Instead, you must demonstrate these qualities within your achievements.
Important!
An executive resume goes beyond documenting your experience. It reveals how you think and lead. It gives insight into how you show up for your team – and what values you stand for.
5. Do You Sound Like A Robot?
Modern AI-powered Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) go beyond matching keywords in your resume to the job descriptions.
They rank your resume by analysing the clarity of your language and the flow of your story.
Yes, they’re assessing your communication skills:
- Vague language, repetition and numb phrases count against you.
- Confident, simple, structured lines of thought count in your favour.
Create contrast by mixing short and long sentences. Avoid corporate jargon.
Read it out loud. If the resume doesn’t natural, keep editing until it does.
6. What Is Your Executive Brand?
An executive resume is not a list of titles and responsibilities.
It’s a strategic document that showcases your ROI.
This is where most executives misunderstand “resume branding.”
It’s the through-line that runs throughout your resume, linking what you’ve done to the commercial outcomes organisations care about.
A strong executive brand answers a simple question: why hiring you makes financial and strategic sense.
Important!
At senior levels, companies aren’t hiring to fill seats. They’re hiring to close gaps. Your resume should make it obvious where you fit, what you fix, and the outcomes you reliably deliver.
7. Does It Add Up To A Story?
Your executive resume must tell the story of your career progression.
Did you grow from cold calling SMBs to overseeing revenue for an ASX-listed professional services firm?
Many leaders make the mistake of letting a narrow function overshadow broader leadership.
For example, a senior finance executive who oversaw mergers and acquisitions should not be reduced to “financial control.”
The resume must position them as a strategic partner to the CEO and Board.
Did Your Executive Resume Pass The Audit?
Did your current resume pass?
Remember – it’s not a historical document. It’s a conversationstarter about your commercial value.
It must spark curiosity and differentiate you from similarly qualified candidates.
And you must ensure that it contains no throwaway text. Every section, every bullet point, and every phrase must reinforce your executive brand.
Irene
