About this template
The ATS Executive template pairs Merriweather headings with Open Sans body, on a neutral grey palette. Generous spacing and a heavy section line — built for senior CVs that will be read both by ATS and by hiring partners. Compatible with Workday Premium, Avature, Mercury and the pipelines used by Heidrick & Struggles, Spencer Stuart, Egon Zehnder, Russell Reynolds and Korn Ferry.
Who is it for?
It fits CEOs, COOs, CFOs, CHROs, CMOs, CTOs, EVPs and SVPs, country managers, divisional general managers, senior consulting partners and principals, and C-level operators going through executive search firms and Fortune 500 ATS pipelines. Deliberately neutral to stay authoritative without visual sector signalling — works equally well for industrial, financial services, healthcare and technology executives.
How to use it
Open with an 'Executive Summary' of 4-6 lines synthesising 20+ years of career in terms of value created (revenue growth, M&A, transformations, IPO, LBO, turnarounds). List experience by role with a context paragraph (P&L managed, team, geographic scope) then 3-4 quantified major achievements. For former CEOs/COOs, mention exits (IPO, strategic sale, merger) with multiple and acquirer. Build a separate 'Governance mandates' section listing board positions.
Frequently asked questions
How many pages for an executive CV?
Two pages strictly, even for 25+ year careers. Nomination committees and executive search partners read the first two minutes — not more. Synthesise early-career roles in a single line, keep 3-4 roles in detail. A three-page CV often signals a lack of prioritisation, which is poorly perceived in C-level search and frequently filtered out by recruiting partners at top tier firms.
Should I mention compensation or package details?
No, never on the CV. Compensation levels are discussed in interviews after strategic fit validation. Instead, mention the size of the P&L managed, geographic scope (single country, EMEA, Global) and headcount — these metrics implicitly bound the seniority level and expected compensation. Search consultants infer the band from scope, not from claimed numbers.
How do I present governance mandates?
Build a separate 'Mandates and governance' section listing: board of directors (independent director, chair, lead independent director), supervisory board, specialised committees (audit, compensation, ESG, strategy). Indicate the company, your status, the term length and whether the company is listed. For listed companies, specify the index (S&P 500, FTSE 100, CAC 40, DAX, Nikkei 225).
