Executive resumes deserve as much attention as a resume for any other job. You may be surprised to learn that most executive resumes are generally poorly done. However, that alone gives you a chance to shine brightly when it comes to your resume! Your executive bio should stand out from the rest. The most important thing is that it should be bug free and you should avoid putting some stuff in it altogether. We’ve compiled a list of five common, but unnecessary things that people put on their executive resumes.

too wordy
As an executive, you probably have many accomplishments, and all of them are important to you. However, if you put too much on your resume, recruiters may stop reading it and move on to the next one. The best executive resume writers will include two or three key points to highlight skills and then move on. Think concise. Ask yourself, “Does this need to be here?” You don’t want to overwhelm paper recruiters.

skip keywords
In today’s digital world, most resumes are scanned online for specific job-related keywords. Sometimes the keywords are more important than the content of the abstract. Look at the job description and use many of the words they use to describe the job. If you need help identifying specific keywords, you can always contact an executive resume service for help.

Focusing too much on job descriptions
Talk briefly about your job duties at your previous jobs, but focus more on what you accomplished in those roles. Everyone can describe what they did on a particular job, but highlighting how well they did their job looks so much better on paper.

Do not highlight achievements
This is where you need to use numbers and percentages to show how you had an impact on your past jobs. His executive bio will be much stronger if he says he “increased sales by 40 percent over 12 months” rather than simply “helped increase sales.” Be specific about his accomplishments so your next employer knows what you have to offer before they even set foot in your office.

Not approaching your potential employer
Having a generic resume may be fine if you’re applying for a lower-level position, but you need to do a little more work up front for an executive-level position. Do some research on the job and the company you are applying to. Identify how you can help them and include those points on your resume. The best executive resume writers will focus more on how they can help prospective employees than on what they have done in the past.