The tech job market is brutal. Always has been—especially at the executive level.

Doesn’t matter if we’re in a boom or bust cycle.

The higher you go, the harder it gets.

You’ve probably seen it:

700+ applicants for a single role…

...in one week.

So it’s no surprise when job seekers start to spiral:

“Is the hiring process broken?”

“Is my resume the problem?”

“Am I using the right keywords?”

“Maybe it’s the ATS blocking me?”

“How do I fit 20 years of experience into 2 pages?”

“Should I tailor my resume to every job?”

Fair questions. Wrong focus.

And that’s exactly what we’re going to break down.

But first, let’s clear up one of the biggest lies you’ve been sold:

The ATS Myth (aka the Resume Industry’s Favorite Fear Tactic)

You’ve probably heard this one:

“If your resume doesn’t match the job description at least 70%, the ATS will automatically reject it.”

False. Completely made up.

Here’s the truth:

ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) don’t eliminate resumes.

They organize them.

They store, sort, and rank resumes for human recruiters—based on filters like job title, location, or keyword presence.

They don’t “auto-reject” you because your bullet points didn’t say “cloud transformation” five times.

But resume writing services love this myth.

Because if they can scare you into thinking a “magical keyword tweak” will get you hired, you’ll keep paying them.

Don’t believe me? Here’s what seasoned recruiters(who use an ATS on a daily basis) have to say.

Now, here’s the part most won’t admit (but we will):

Resumes matter.

But they’re not the most important part of your job search.

A bad resume can cost you interviews.

But a great resume won’t save you if everything else in your strategy is broken.

So don’t treat it like a silver bullet—it isn’t.

That said, if you’re wondering:

• How do I tell a clear story across 15–20+ years?

• How do I stand out without sounding like every other “results-driven leader?”

• How do I build a resume that actually gets read by exec recruiters?

You’re in the right place.

Let’s fix that—once and for all.

“What should a great resume actually do?”

Most execs get this wrong.

They think their resume needs to sell them.

It doesn’t.

Your resume doesn’t sell. It markets.

Let me explain.

Marketing = gets attention + creates curiosity.

Sales = converts that curiosity into commitment.

Your resume is marketing.

Your interview is sales.

Big difference.

So, what does a great resume actually do?

It does 4 things—fast:

1. Hooks attention in the first 6 seconds.

   That’s all you get. It either catches their eye—or it’s gone.

2. Controls the narrative.

   You guide how they think about you. They don’t connect the dots—you do.

3. Triggers curiosity—because you’re relevant.

   The reader thinks, “This person checks all the boxes. I need to talk to them.”

4. Reads smooth and clean.

   No walls of text. No fluff. It should be skimmable and punchy.

And here’s the core job of a resume:

Prove you’re a “technical fit.”

That means:

• You’ve got the right number of years.

• You’ve done exactly what the role requires.

• You’ve worked in similar industries. (Healthcare, finance, retail, etc.)

• You’ve handled the right technical functions. (Data Engineering, Platform, Infra, etc.)

• You’ve delivered hard skills that matter. (Program Mgmt, M&A, Due Diligence, etc.)

• You’re in—or open to—the right location.

If your resume answers those questions in under 30 seconds, you’re in great shape.

What your resume is not for:

It’s not to show “how great you are.”

It’s not to prove you “deserve the role.”

And it’s definitely not your sales pitch.

Your resume doesn’t get you the job.

It gets you in the room.

The goal isn’t to impress everyone.

It’s to get the right person to say: “Let’s bring this one in.”

If you follow this guide to the T, you are golden, resume-wise. You can be assured that if there is anything you need to fix in your job search process, it’s definitely not your resume.

And I will show you a method to validate exactly that, so you can be sure.

Let’s Talk Structure—The Architecture of a Great Resume

Most resumes are either bloated or bare.

Neither works.

A great leadership resume has six sections. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Here’s the checklist:

• Header – So they can find you

• Career Summary – Who you are + why you matter

• Professional Experience – What you’ve done that actually moves the needle

• Previous Experience – Only for work that’s 10+ years old

• Education – Keep it simple

• Certifications – Only what’s relevant to the role

Let’s break that down—starting at the top.

1. Header: Make It Easy to Find You

This is NOT the place to be clever or mysterious. Just give them what they need to call you, find you, and look you up fast.

✅ Must Include:

• Name

• Phone number – So recruiters can call you directly

• Location – Just city + state (no full addresses)

• Email

• LinkedIn (clickable) – Make it easy to view your profile (and track who’s checking you out)

🧠 Pro Tips:

• Open to relocation? Write "(Open to Relocate)" next to your location. If you don’t, recruiters will assume you’re locked in—and toss your resume before reading further.

• Have an MBA or a relevant certification like PMP, CISSP, or CISM? Put it right next to your name. That credential is doing heavy lifting—let it work for you at first glance.

This is the most basic part of your resume—but mess it up, and you’re already in the discard pile.

Next, let’s move to the Career Summary—where you hook attention in under 8 seconds.

Career Summary: Your 8-Second Window to Get the Interview

This is the most important part of your resume.

Why?

Because it’s the first thing they read after your name—and they’re making a decision in seconds.

If it’s relevant, they lean in.

If it’s vague, they bounce.

Your summary should make them think:

“This is the person we’ve been looking for.”

Your Summary Should Be...

• Precise – Tailored to the exact type of role you want

• Factual – No fluff, no buzzwords

• Concise – Skimmable in under 10 seconds

• Polarizing – If it’s not a fit, it’s an easy “no.” If it is, it’s a fast “yes.”

Don't try to write a catch-all.

Generic summaries don’t attract more opportunities—they get ignored.

Best Format We've Found (Tested with 10,000+ Applications)

Start with a short paragraph that tells a high-level story.

Follow it with 4–5 punchy bullets that prove that story with hard data.

🔹 Paragraph (Your Executive Snapshot):

Include:

• Type of tech leader you are (e.g., Engineering, Product, Infrastructure)

• Years of experience (total + leadership)

• Industry + company type (e.g., fintech, eCommerce, Fortune 100)

• The “big stuff” you’ve built, led, transformed

• Who you served (internal/external customers)

• Change delivered (people, process, tech)

Example (Structure):

Engineering leader with 18+ years of experience leading platform transformation across fintech and SaaS. Built and scaled global engineering orgs, led multi-year ERP and cloud initiatives, and managed $10M+ tech budgets. Known for building execution-first teams and driving outcomes across people, process, and tech.

Then Prove It with Bullets

Each bullet should hit hard. No “responsible for…” fluff.

Use this formula:

Problem + Action + Result

(You can rearrange the order. Just make sure there's a result.)

🔹 Examples:

• Delivered $75M+ in eCommerce revenue growth by leading personalization engine and segmentation rollout across two orgs.

• Led cloud transformation strategy post-acquisition, consolidating infra for 5,900+ employees across hybrid environments.

• Built and scaled a 50+ global engineering team from scratch; launched SaaS ad platform with $8M SoftBank funding.

Too Much Experience? Here’s How to Handle It

If your experience spans decades, don’t overthink it. Do this:

1. List everything first → then cut the fat.

2. Prioritize what’s repeated across job descriptions.

3. Ask: “What would I want to know if I were hiring for this role?”

5 Categories of Wins That Work Great in Summaries

1. What you built, transformed, or implemented

   (SaaS platforms, cloud infra, ERP, AI integrations)

2. Revenue or cost impact

   ($ saved, $ earned—even estimates are fine)

3. Operational efficiency gains

   (faster launches, fewer bugs, improved uptime, etc.)

4. Brand & industry impact

   (Certifications, deals won, new capabilities launched)

5. People leadership

   (How big the team? How fast did it grow? Global? Cross-functional?)

Bonus: How to Consolidate Across Roles

✅ Aggregate wins:

Delivered $75M+ in revenue via personalization and segmentation across two orgs.

✅ Show range of experience:

Led post-merger integration across companies ranging from 500 to 5,900 employees.

✅ Highlight one key project:

Drove multiple SAP transformations—including full financial system migration to SAP S/4 HANA.

A representative example:

This Resume Landed 50+ Director/VP -level interviews, and 5 Job Offers 👇

Professional Experience: Your Proof of Work

This is where you back up your story.

If your summary builds curiosity, this section closes the gap between “interesting” and “interview-worthy.”

Most exec resumes get this wrong.

They dump a list of job duties with no story, no clarity, and no punch.

Here’s how to do it right:

Use This 4-Part Structure

1. Company Description

2. Title + Dates

3. Role Overview (2–3 lines)

4. Bullet Points (Problem → Action → Result)

1. Company Description (Give Context, Fast)

Don’t assume every recruiter knows your company.

If it’s not Google or Amazon, add a single line that answers:

• What do they do?

• Who do they serve?

• How big are they? (revenue, customers, regions)

Format:

[Company Name] is a [type of company] serving [audience] across [region], with [X] employees and generating [$Y] in revenue.

Example:

LTK is a global technology platform serving lifestyle creators and brands, driving $4.1B in annual brand sales.

This gives immediate relevance and scale to your role.

2. Title + Dates (Be Specific)

Your title should include:

• Seniority (Director, VP, etc.)

• Function (IT Infrastructure, Software Engineering, Data Services, etc.)

• Dates – Use months + years, not just years

Example:

Senior Director, Engineering (Aug 2020 – Jun 2023)

3. Role Overview (Tell the Story Behind the Title)

This is where most resumes fall apart.

Without this, your bullets read like disconnected wins.

With it, they read like a clear, strategic career move.

In 2–3 lines, answer:

• Why were you brought in?

• Who did you report to?

• What did you own, lead, or build?

• How big was your team?

• What was the budget? The scale? The mandate?

• Did you evolve in the role?

Example:

Promoted by CTO to stabilize and scale a 22-person engineering team post-leadership transition. Managed $8M in funding from SoftBank to launch new SaaS marketplace, migrate CRM, and revamp QA processes.

It’s a highlight reel—at high altitude.

4. Bullet Points (Prove It With Results)

Each bullet should do ONE thing:

Show the outcome you drove—and how you got there.

Use the format we outlined earlier:

• Delivered [Result] by doing [Action] to solve [Problem]

• Or reverse it: Solved [Problem] to deliver [Result] by [Action]

Don’t list your job description. Show your impact.

A representative example of Professional Experience:

Previous Professional Experience

Shorten any experience beyond 10-12+ years ago in your career simply into the role title and company. This one is pretty straightforward.

Left-Align the Title and Company, and Right-Align the dates of employment.

Important, however, is to:

• Actually, shorten it. Don't be tempted to elaborate on anything beyond 15+ years, no matter how relevant you find it.

• But still mention it. Avoid putting sentences like: "Additional experience available upon request."

Education

Again, keep it short and sweet and mention the name of the institute/university and the degree. For senior leadership roles, the year of graduation is not relevant.

Typical Example

Resume Design: Keep It Boring (On Purpose)

Here’s what several recruiters told us:

“Boring resumes are best.”

Why? Because they read hundreds of resumes a week.

If your layout forces them to work harder, you’re already out.

✅ Here’s What Works:

• Stick to standard formatting.

  Use the layout we provided—it’s built for speed and clarity. No guesswork.

• Use basic fonts.

  Calibri or Times New Roman. Nothing else.

  Font size: no smaller than 10pt—don’t make them squint.

• Ditch the design fluff.

  No colors. No columns. No Canva-style infographics.

  You’re applying for a leadership role, not pitching a TED Talk.

• Let the content do the work.

  A strong, factual resume speaks for itself.

  If you’re adding “values” bubbles and icons, you’re compensating for weak content.

Now that you know how to make a great resume, let’s look into some of the most common mistakes tech leaders make on their resume - so you can avoid those:

Hope this guide was helpful and you enjoyed reading it, as much as I enjoyed writing it.

-Varun

PS. Resume is only a part of your Job Search. The goal is to have a consistent stream of interviews.

Most IT and Tech Leaders struggle to land interviews because of two main reasons:

• They lack the bandwidth to go full strength in their job search

• They lack the knowhow on how to market themselves

That’s where we can help.

At Wolf Mentoring, we offer a complete done-for-you service for all of your job search efforts, where we:

• Position you as an expert in a narrow market

• Create your resume and linkedIn profile

• Find and apply for the right roles on your behalf

• Find the hiring manager and their contact details

• Research the role to write a compelling email to the hiring managers

• Interview prep and offer negotiation consultation

If you're looking to explore, you can do so at www.wolfmentoring.com

Cheers!