Resume Shifts for Millennials Rising to Executive Leadership

Not everyone is cut out to shift from a “worker bee middle manager” to an “executive leader.” Nor does every millennial want to be an executive.

But for those millennials who wish to rise up into corporate leadership, repositioning oneself as a leader of doers, and not just a doer, is critical to making this ascent.

5 Resume Strategies for Millennials Ready to Lead

An executive resume of an on-the-rise millennial must adhere to the premise: “show you can do the job, and then you can land it.” In essence, millennials need to provide proof on their resume that they have acquired some of the skills of an effective leader before a company will invest resources, money and time cultivating them for the succession plan.

1. Capacity to formulate a vision and the plan to implement that vision
   This is an important step in making this transition: show how you can both articulate a vision and enumerate steps to make that vision come to fruition. Some aspiring executives can make the mistake of overemphasizing their ability to implement to deflect from their lack of experience creating a vision. The key is to view formulating a vision and executing the vision to fruition as two distinct skill sets.
   
   
2. Bringing a profitability mindset to your profession and the organizations for whom you have worked 
   It is important to show that you have used technology to improve productivity, increased sales and reduced expenses within the areas you have worked in your prior organizations. Showing you have performed this on a smaller scale will promote through actions that you have that mindset to take it to a higher level. Demonstrate that you understand the business of your area of expertise and that you have performed this in every role you have had.
   
   

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3. Ability to attract, hire and develop quality talent 
   Every great leader must be able attract and retain good people. Those are leadership table stakes. As you ascend into leadership, it is no longer about what you do personally to hit corporate goals. What is more important now is to demonstrate how you have attracted top talent and led them to meet or exceed corporate goals. 
   
   
4. Achievements stemming from leading others 
   Outline these wins in a challenge-action-result bullet writing format. Whether there was a formal reporting relationship or not, include measurable, concrete accomplishments in your resume that show you can succeed leading others, and how you promoted those wins. A strong executive leader will give as much credit to their team as to herself in a factual diplomatic manner, and this is a good place to start showing that you have that sensibility.
   
   
5. Acumen to incorporate technological efficiencies into non-IT departments
   Outline how you assist other areas in the organization to benefit from the proper use of technology. Showcase your ability to work effectively with others inside and outside of IT. As you rise through the ranks, it is important to show that you are not just passionate about IT, but that you are passionate about helping others leverage technology to make their areas more efficient and profitable. 

After years in the trenches as a doer, shifting your personal marketing and individual branding to that of a leader can be challenging. However, when you examine the wins you have cultivated through your skills as a leader of others, you will become more comfortable promoting yourself in this way as you climb higher in your career. These changes on your resume will show that you have what it takes to make the transition into leadership – you already know you have the skills needed to succeed.