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Seattle, WA
USA

Tandem Powered offers a full suite of Professional Resume Writing, Career Development, and HR / Business Consulting services.

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Our blog and podcast dive into the real stories and everyday strategies behind building a No Vacation Required life. We challenge outdated norms, share fresh perspectives, and explore what it means to find fulfillment right now—in a world that rarely makes it easy.

Positioning Your Executive MBA on Your Resume

Kent R.

You’re viewing an archived post. This post was originally published by The Change Laboratory, which is now part of No Vacation Required — our platform for Everyday Fulfillment. While this content is archived, it’s still full of solid advice and timeless insights.

I left a high-level leadership position to complete an Executive MBA program. Now, recruiters have put me in the MBA bucket with candidates who have no experience.

This is a common problem. If recruiters see a recent MBA graduation date, you’ll tend to get lumped in with MBA graduates of all levels. There are some ways to help overcome this obstacle.

Branding elements are essential. As is the case on every resume, what you put right up top is critical. Most candidates struggle to adequately communicate their career level and impact in the opening lines of their resume. This is especially critical in the case of someone who has both an Executive MBA and senior-level employment experience.

Don’t lead with education. On the above note, in this case I typically recommend against leading with education. Most graduates – at any level – feel a level of pride and accomplishment that compels them to put their new degree first. In some cases, it’s important to resist that urge.

Key achievements are key. Executive MBA programs more often than not involve case study projects that have a real impact on real organizations. Be sure to focus on these key accomplishments in order to shine a light on the depth of your MBA program – that it’s an advanced education coupled with your real world experience.