How long should an executive resume be?

Two pages is normal for directors and above. Put your most recent and most relevant roles on page one, and summarise roles older than about 15 years in a line each or leave them out.

Should an executive resume have a photo?

In the US, Canada, the UK and Ireland, no. The Executive template only shows a photo if you upload one, so leaving it out leaves no gap.

Is the Executive template ATS-friendly?

Reasonably. The main column holds your profile, experience, education and projects under standard headings; a narrow right column holds core competencies, languages and certifications. Download it with the ATS PDF button so the text is machine-readable.

Executive Resume Template

By the MakeCV team · Updated October 27, 2026

Senior resumes are read differently. A board member, CEO or executive recruiter is looking for scope (how big), outcomes (what changed) and judgement (what you chose to do). MakeCV's Executive template is built for that reader: a Garamond serif, thin gold rules, and a calm two-part layout that keeps the focus on your career story.

Executive resume template filled with a sample product marketing manager resume — Executive ATS: Good

**Layout:** Main column + narrow right column
**Photo:** Optional, above the name (nothing shown if you skip it)
**Look:** Garamond serif, gold rules
**Suits:** Director, VP, C-level, senior legal and finance roles
Use the Executive template

What is in the template

Centred header with your name in a large serif and your title in spaced capitals.
Main column: Executive Profile, Professional Experience (company names in italics), Academic Background and Notable Projects.
Right column: Core Competencies, Languages and Certifications, short items that a reader scans rather than reads.
No photo unless you add one, and no skill bars, icons or coloured blocks.

What an executive resume must show

1. Scope, in numbers

For each leadership role, give the size of what you ran: team headcount, budget or P&L, number of sites or countries, revenue. "Led a 140-person operations organisation across 3 countries with a €60M budget" lets the reader place you instantly.

2. Outcomes, not duties

Senior readers assume you did the job. They want to know what was different because you were there: growth, margin, turnaround, a launch, an acquisition integrated, a culture or retention problem fixed.

3. A profile that sounds like a leader

Your Executive Profile should state the kind of leader you are and the problems you are hired to solve, in three or four sentences. Avoid lists of adjectives ("dynamic, results-driven, visionary"); show it with one or two headline results instead. See summary examples, including senior ones.

4. Competencies that match the role

The Core Competencies column works best with 6–10 business capabilities that mirror the job specification: "P&L ownership", "M&A integration", "Board reporting", "Transformation", "Regulatory strategy". Leave out basic software skills.

Example experience entry

Chief Operating Officer, Harbor Logistics, Rotterdam (2019 – Present)
Run operations for a 1,200-person, 9-site logistics business. Consolidated three warehouse systems into one, cutting order-to-dispatch time by 30%. Led the integration of a €45M acquisition on schedule and kept customer churn flat during the transition.

(Fictional example. Use your own real figures.)

Format decisions for senior candidates

Length: two pages is normal; three is rarely read. Details in resume format.
Go back about 15 years in detail. Earlier roles can be one line each, or a single "Earlier career" line.
Board seats and advisory roles fit well in the Projects or Certifications sections if they are relevant.
Education moves below experience at this level; dates are optional for degrees earned long ago.

Alternatives

If you prefer an even quieter look, Minimalist is a single column in black and white. For senior roles in conservative sectors where a portal is involved, Classic is the most parser-friendly option. Whichever you choose, use the ATS PDF button for online applications.