The short answer to this is that they should be if you want your applications to be successful.
Executive employers are very discerning and demand more from candidates – average, mediocre or even good CVs usually isn’t enough. This applies all the way through the job application process, of which your CV is a major and integral component.
Yes, executive CVs need to be different – competition is stronger, what you say and how you present it will be scrutinised more, and if that isn’t enough you still have to stand out from the rest of the (formidable) crowd.
All in all, it’s a tall order, but it isn’t impossible for you to shine.
So what type of things do you need to consider?
Firstly, your CV needs to make the right first impression – it should be slick, professional, presentable, clear and legible. It should also be a good length. If you want to stand out from the crowd then nothing stands out more than a one-page CV, which is one reason why the few CV companies capable of writing top quality one page CVs are very much in demand. It’s no mean feat to impressively sell an executive to blue chip employers in just one page, and especially when you consider that most executives have more work experience and more achievements to shout about than the average man or woman in the street. Even so, the very best CV writers can do this, and do it very powerfully. Significantly, when it is done really well your CV will not only stand out more from the crowd, but frequently it will also be more focussed, better targeted and ultimately harder hitting.
Another thing you really need to do far more effectively than your average Joe Bloggs is to really sock it to the employer when it comes to selling yourself. As mentioned, competition is fierce at executive/director level, and you can be sure that you are competing against others with considerable experience and noteworthy achievements. So you need to make sure that your sales message is louder, stronger and higher impact. Some people make the mistake of trying to force the issue, using big fonts, and underlining text etc. However, that frequently just comes across as artificial and does little to make your CV more professional looking. What you really need to do is keep your message clear, neat and professional, whilst at the same time wording things so that it comes across in a much more proactive, higher impact manner than standard CVs. The best CV writers can say more in fewer words, and that is what you should be aiming too if you really want to impress at executive level.
Of course, not everyone wants to engage a professional writer, and if you prefer to write your own curriculum vitae then for executive positions you really should be aiming at two pages maximum, as well as taking the above advice into consideration. If you do, just be aware that it is likely that most of your executive level competitors will be trying to gain the upper hand with a professionally written CV, so if you are going down the DIY route you had better be confident in your CV writing ability as you will be not only be up against excellent candidates, but excellent candidates with vastly experienced specialist writers at their side.