Why Resume Length Matters Differently for Senior Leaders

Senior executives face unique challenges when crafting resumes. You've accumulated years of strategic experience and measurable results that genuinely matter to your next role. The pressure to condense everything into an arbitrary page limit can mean cutting substance that proves your value.



At the senior leadership level your resume serves a different purpose than it did earlier in your career. Boards and executive search firms expect depth. They want to see context around your decisions, strategic thinking and quantifiable business impact.

What Actually Works for Senior Leaders

Don't feel pressured to cut substance just to meet a number. For senior leaders 3 to 4 pages is perfectly acceptable when every line adds value.

When you've led divisions, managed P&Ls or driven multi-country strategy your story needs space. Here's how to use that space effectively:

Page One Should Be Punchy

• Clear brand statement that positions your leadership identity
• Career highlights with specific metrics
• Key achievements that demonstrate executive impact
• Strategic competencies relevant to your target role

Following Pages Provide Evidence

• Detailed context around major challenges you've faced
• Strategic approach and decision-making process
• Measurable outcomes and business results
• Team leadership and organisational impact

The Golden Rule for Senior Executive Resumes

If it doesn't serve your next role it doesn't stay on your resume.

This principle should guide every decision about what to include. Every bullet point should answer the question: does this demonstrate capabilities the hiring board or executive recruiter is looking for?

What to Cut and What to Keep

Cut Without Hesitation

• Repetitive achievements across similar roles
• Outdated technical skills no longer relevant
• Early career roles from before 2005 (summarise these in two lines maximum)
• Generic responsibility statements without outcomes
• Buzzwords and jargon that don't add meaning

Keep and Expand

• Leadership achievements with measurable business impact
• Strategic initiatives you drove from concept to execution
• Transformation projects showing change management capability
• Board-level interactions and stakeholder management examples
• P&L responsibility and financial performance you delivered

How to Structure Your Senior Leader Resume

Format for readability with white space and clean layout. Write responsibilities and achievements in bullet points following this structure: action verb + context + measurable outcome.

Position your resume for what's next. Tailor it to the specific role you're targeting. Study the job description and demonstrate you've successfully navigated similar challenges.

Your Resume Is Your Leadership Brand

A resume at senior level isn't just a list of achievements. It's a reflection of your leadership brand showing how you think strategically, how you lead and how you deliver results through people and strategy.

Your LinkedIn Profile Isn't Your Resume

LinkedIn may be moving towards a digital CV format but we aren't there yet. Your resume tells the full story with depth and context. Your LinkedIn profile should share the headline version: who you are as a leader, what value you deliver and what you're known for in your industry.

Final Thoughts

Take the space you need but make every word earn its place. Three to four pages of strategic achievements with clear metrics will always outperform two pages of generic statements. Focus on substance over arbitrary rules and position yourself for what's next.



We'd love to hear from senior leaders, recruiters and HR professionals. Do you prefer a quick snapshot or a deeper story that captures leadership impact?