Applying For Executive Positions After A Career As An Entrepreneur

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.

Still, the shift from entrepreneur to executive isn’t always easy, so there are some important tips to keep in mind when applying for that dream job–and they mainly involve the resume that you’ll be submitting. 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 were the sole proprietor of your business, you might have developed your company and attained a high level of success without really engaging in employee management or other critical areas of 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.). Your entrepreneur experience needs to look valid to your 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. You know the old saying “fake it ‘till 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. Very often, every keyword received by a hiring manager is run through computer software designed to weed out unqualified applicants for a certain position, especially at the executive level. 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.

Tagged with: career • employment • entrepreneur • executive job search • executive resume • job search

Filed under: Employment Articles

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