At the C-suite level, a CV is not merely a history of employment; it is a strategic proposal. When Boards, Investors and executive search consultants review a profile, they are not looking for a list of duties, they are considering a business asset. They need to know if you are the lever that will drive growth, navigate a turnaround, or steer the company through a sale.
To stand out in the executive search landscape, you must shift your narrative from operational management to strategic value creation. Here are some tips on how to construct a CV that speaks the language of the reader.
The Shift From ‘Doer’ to ‘Asset’
The most common mistake senior leaders make is listing responsibilities rather than outcomes. A Manager explains that they “managed a sales team.” An Executive explains that they “restructured the commercial function, delivering a 22% EBITDA uplift within 18 months.”
Your CV must answer three questions immediately:
- What is your specific value proposition? (e.g., Turnaround specialist, Growth architect, IPO navigator).
- What is the scale of your experience? (Revenue, headcount, geographical footprint).
- What is the evidence of your impact? (Hard metrics, exits, transformations).
The Executive Profile
The top third of your first page is prime real estate. Avoid generic summaries about being a “passionate leader.” Instead, use a Professional Profile or Executive Summary that acts as a high-level abstract of your career.
This section should be a few lines long and must anchor your expertise, bullet points are also helpful. Mention your primary discipline (CEO, CFO, COO, MD etc), your industry focus, and your “signature” achievement style.
- Weak: “Experienced CEO with a history of working in the technology sector.”
- Strong: “Private Equity-backed CEO with a track record of scaling SaaS platforms from Secondary Buyout to Exit. Successfully led two buy-and-build strategies resulting in a £150m trade sale.”
Context is King
One of the biggest frustrations for executive search consultants is a lack of context. “Head of Operations” means something entirely different in a £5m family business compared to a £500m PLC.
Under every role title, include a brief “Context Line” before you list your achievements. This sets the stage.
- The Business: Turnover, headcount, ownership structure (PE, VC, Listed, Family), and sector.
- The Mandate: Why were you hired? (e.g., “Recruited by the Board to lead a digital transformation following three years of stagnant growth.”)
The Core Competencies
“Key Skills” sections are not that important the more senior you are, these become strategic competencies, not just functional tasks. Boards look for evidence of governance, investor relations, capital allocation, and cultural transformation – demonstrate these “Skills” through evidence and results.
Instead of a list of soft skills, evidence your competencies by theme:
- Strategic Leadership: Developed a growth strategy to take the business from “x” to “y” in “a”.
- Financial Stewardship: P&L Management (£100m+), Capital Raising, Cost Rationalisation.
- Governance: Board Reporting, ESG Strategy, Risk Management.
The ‘So What?’ Test
When writing the bullet points for your career history, apply the “So What?” test. If you state you “implemented a new CRM,” a Board member might ask, “So what?”
The answer – “which reduced customer churn by 15% and added £2m to the bottom line” – is what belongs on the CV.
Structure your role achievements using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result), but keep it concise. Focus heavily on the Outcome. Use hard numbers: percentages, currency figures, and timeframes.
- Growth: “Led entry into the APAC market, achieving £12m revenue in year one.”
- Efficiency: “Renegotiated supply chain contracts, stripping £5m from OPEX annually while maintaining quality standards.”
- People: “Rebuilt the senior leadership team following a merger, reducing attrition from 25% to 8%”
Tailoring for Ownership Structure
Understanding the audience is critical. If you are applying for a role within a Private Equity portfolio company, your CV should emphasise speed of execution, cash flow management, and exit readiness. You must demonstrate that you understand the investment cycle.
Conversely, for a PLC role, emphasise governance, stakeholder management, City/analyst relations, and long-term sustainability. Your CV is not static; it must pivot depending on who is reading it.
Non-Executive and Board Advisory Roles
As you progress in an executive career, your Non-Executive Director (NED) or Advisory experience becomes increasingly relevant. Create a separate section for “Board Appointments” distinct from your “Executive Career.”
Highlight the committees you have served on (Audit, Remuneration, Nomination) and the specific guidance you provided. This demonstrates that you can operate at a governance level, challenging and supporting the executive team without crossing into operational interference.
Aesthetics and Length
An executive CV should be polished and respectful of the reader’s time.
- Length: Two to three pages is sensible, more if your experience and tenure lends itself to more. A ten-page CV after 3 years in a first time CEO role suggests a lack of ability to prioritise information.
- Format: Clean, modern, and easy to read. Use plenty of white space. Don’t worry about making it look fancy.
- Detail: Be granular on the last couple of roles. Roles prior to that can be increasingly summarised as you go further back in time to save space for more relevant, recent impact.
Final Review
Before circulating your CV, ask yourself: If I were an investor looking to deploy capital into a business led by this person, would this document give me confidence?, or “If I were an executive search professional working towards a mandate, does my CV align perfectly with that mandate / candidate pack”?
Now you have answered that question, do a final checklist:
1. The Strategic Lens
✅ Is the “Why” clear? Does the CV explain why you were hired for each role (the mandate), not just what you did?
✅ Is it forward-looking? Does the document position you as a solution for future growth/challenges, rather than just a history of past events?
✅ Does it pass the ‘So What?’ test? Every achievement listed has a tangible commercial or cultural outcome attached.
2. The Metrics (The ‘Hard’ Evidence)
✅ P&L Responsibility: Is the size of the P&L you managed clearly stated for every relevant role?
✅ Scale: Are headcount, revenue, and geographical scope explicitly defined?
✅ Quantifiable Impact: Are achievements backed by %, £, or timeframe metrics? (e.g., “delivered 3x ROI,” “cut costs by 15%”).
3. Structural Integrity
✅ The Elevator Pitch: Is the Executive Profile/Summary no more than 4-5 lines, and does it define your “signature” value?
✅ Contextual Anchors: Does every role have a 1-2 line description of the company size, ownership (PE/PLC/Family), and sector before the bullet points start?
✅ Board Separation: Are Non-Executive/Board roles separated from Executive operational roles to avoid confusion?
4. Tone and Language
✅ Active Voice: Are you using strong, active verbs? (e.g., “Engineered,” “Spearheaded,” “Restructured” rather than “Responsible for,” “Helped with”).
✅ Appropriate Terminology: Does the language reflect the concerns of a Board? (e.g., “EBITDA,” “Shareholder Value,” “Governance,” “Capital Allocation”).
✅ Conciseness: Is the CV under 3 pages? (Ideally 2 pages, max 3 for very senior/long careers).
5. The “Red Flag” Scan
🚩 Gaps Explained: Are career gaps or short tenures (under 18 months) briefly explained (e.g., “Role made redundant following acquisition,” “Interim mandate completed”)?
🚩 Formatting Consistency: Are fonts, bullet points, and date formats (MM/YYYY) consistent throughout?
🚩 Contact Details: Are your LinkedIn URL, email, and mobile number correct and hyperlinked?
