CV Building Tips for Managing Director Roles
A managing director role is a leadership position; a resume summary should be designed around that fact. Displaying leadership on a piece of paper, yet, is more complex. It is more involved than stating that you achieved 150% of your targets or executed a project. It must be a subtle combination of dozens of factors. This will convince your potential employer of your leadership skills and business acumen.
A managing director’s resume can boost one’s career. It can also open up tremendous opportunities if prepared correctly and accurately.
Photo by Timon Studler on Unsplash
Quality Matters, but So Does the Quantity
The most clear difference between the CV of a managing director (or other senior positions) and that of mid-level executives is the length of the CV. In most cases, keeping the CV restricted to a single page is advisable. Yet, the CV is usually several pages long for a managing director position. The experience requirement could be anything from 15 to 30 years. And each of those pages must have exact information highlighting all the necessary skills.
Another essential consideration to bear in mind while working on your CV is that, at this level, only a few CVs are usually under consideration. Therefore, each CV received for a managing director position should be scrutinised. It should also be thoroughly vetted.
Whereas for other roles, an average recruiter spends just seven seconds glancing through a single CV.
Besides the CV, reference checks are usually made formally or informally. They may be made via former colleagues, superiors, and clients.
Managing Director CV Profile
Your CV profile should have a brief introduction paragraph. It should summarise your most valuable selling point. Explain why you are a successful candidate.
An assertive sentence is critical for a successful managing director, like a mission statement in a company.
An outstanding managing director’s resume must be short and punchy. This helps differentiate you from the other candidates.
There isn’t a general rule for career objectives. Yet, these will be discussed during interviews.
Skills Section
It is advisable to have a critical skills section within a managing director’s CV tailored to the relevant role.
This is just a snapshot of how you can add value to an organisation. This program has many applications. For example, it can be used in business development, project management, stakeholder management, strategic planning, and business acumen. Display these as bullet points.
A managing director would have accumulated a wide range of skills across several industries due to their position. However, it is unnecessary to list them all, as most will be “expected” (such as strong leadership, human resources skills, financial literacy, problem-solving, etc.). Still, as stated above, this should be tailored and relevant to the applied role.
The reader needs to feel that you are the right person.
Career History on a Managing Director’s CV
The previous experience section contains the professional history of a managing director. The roles and the career path should be in reverse chronological order to focus on the current position.
The history should show the job title and general responsibility. Include the size of the organisation’s revenue. Also, include achievements within the business. These could be improved profitability, successful turnarounds, or increased market share.
It’s important to distinguish this section from a job description. Managing directors may have many achievements in their careers. This is because of the breadth of their roles and responsibilities. To differentiate themselves, they should focus on what is relevant and essential for the role they are applying for. They should avoid providing a long list.
Three or four achievements would be enough.
Achievements for a Managing Director’s CV
Identifying and comparing results in a managing director’s career with productivity and profits is a matter.
Figures must show that growth in profit or product percentages is measurable over time and that the cost is reduced.
You will need a summary with impressive information and figures. It should use particular and emphatic language. This section must be hit hard. These are on your resume, after your profile. They represent the stage where a recruiter or a recruiting agency could start to make an offer for you.
How to Feature a Wide Range of Abilities in the Experience Section of Your Resume:
Avoid to-do lists. You have flexibility here. Often, hiring managers will call someone for advice before hiring you. They want to figure out who you are at work and in your private life and whether you are suitable for their job. Then, they can present you to their prospective employer. They should have no cause for concern about missing gaps in your resume or lack of skills.
Which Hard Skills Will Impress Hiring Managers?
A managing director’s CV is a CV like no other.
A managing director is expected to have complex skills in business administration. They should also have financial literacy.
Today’s environment has shown that a managing director can have a very different background. For example, in engineering, finance, sales, or business development. All candidates will be expected to manage stakeholders. They must also have customer intimacy and understand a company.
They will complement this by using the hard skills they have gained in their profession. (These skills include graphic design, project management, and civil engineering.)
Easy Formatting
Good formatting can make any document look detailed and accessible. The CV should be well-formatted to provide the best possible user experience.
They must contain at least two or three pages so the user can select all the essential information. Good formatting demonstrates a candidate’s attention to detail. It also shows a professional approach to writing. In such senior roles, spelling mistakes and grammar would not be tolerated.
The managing director’s CV must “look good to the eye.” Formatting is essential. It ensures the reader is not overwhelmed with unnecessary information.
Describing Soft Skills on Your Managing Director Resume
Emotional intelligence, adaptability, awareness, and flexibility are the top abilities that recruiters look for since they usually provide quantifiable results. Most job duties involve developing relationships. However, your employer also wants results. Skills in isolation do not give the reader a flavour of a managing director’s achievements.
Examples could include:
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XYZ organised regular meetings with staff at every department and company level. This resulted in 79% lower complaints and 163% higher morale.
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XYZ reduced its financial operations by 15%. They did this by restructuring and reevaluating existing vendor contracts.
Is It Important To Have an Education Section on Your Resume?
Yes, it is. With an MBA, it is easier for a candidate to find a Managing Director role—not impossible, but difficult.
The education section should be brief. The résumé should focus on the MBA, university degree, and extra certifications, such as Chartered Accountant.
What Skills Do You Need to Be a Managing Director?
Unfortunately, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to this. A lot depends on the company or business, the industry in which it operates, and the success factors or long-term goals required.
As a managing director, you’re expected to be good with finance. You need strong business acumen and a drive for growth. You also need a robust understanding of human resources. After all, the managing director is the ultimate leader of an organisation. They are responsible for personnel at all levels.
Soft skills and emotional intelligence propel a managing director above the rest.
Communication is also crucial. The Managing Director is the “ultimate leader” in charge of driving a company through change. They must communicate their message at all levels.
CVs for a Successful Managing Director
For successful management, you will need both soft and hard skills. The role also requires excellent leadership ability in a competitive position. Your ability to make presentations will help you improve your communication skills. Problem-solving and decision-making as a whole are also critical skills.
For senior-level positions, the CV is more than a summary of your achievements.
It is like a dossier, or a mini-proposal, about why the company should consider you for its top position.
The CV should list all your skills, achievements, and work experience. It should give details about them. It should also provide information about the skills used or developed in each project or job.
Executives should spend dozens of hours building their CVs. By the time someone has enough experience for a managing director’s position,. Thus, the CV should be a finely tuned and professionally made document.
Some executives hire professional consulting firms. These firms specialise in polishing up CVs for top-tier executives.
These tend to be extremely useful for a managing director’s CV, as it is normal to be somewhat biased when writing your CV in terms of format or language, as, after all, a managing director’s CV is a “selling document.”.
A professional consultant can provide a different perspective. They also have the added knowledge of tried-and-tested techniques. The cost will not be prohibitive. Given the document’s importance, it would be advisable for candidates to consider a professional CV writer.
Read our example CV below and use the above guidance to improve your managing director CV:
Download your Managing Director CV
Learn more about a career as a managing director and other details by following the links below:
Job Description & Profile, Salary & Pay, Qualifications, Skills & Requirements, How to Become etc.
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