What do I Highlight on my resume?

Hi there,

Do I include my contract and founding/advisory roles? 

- You include the roles that demonstrates transferrable skills

Should my resume be one page or two page to highlight the experience? 

- One page

I’ve also been promoted within a company multiple times - should I include all the roles or only the relevant ones? 

- If role has the same function and you've simply been promoted, you can state that you were promoted from XYZ role. If the role is a different function and you did something completely different, then it should be a separate section/row.
 

Any advice on including certifications? 

- Include certifications that are relevant to the position.

Hi! happy to support you with a full CV review as it is important to contextualise all your experiences and achievements to identify what makes most sense - both from a content and length perspective. Please feel free to connect!

Hi there,

Great question — and congrats on having strong experience. The challenge now is focus, not volume.

Here’s a simple way to think about it:

1. Do I include contract roles?

Yes — if they add value.

If they show relevant skills, strong impact, or fill gaps, include them. Just label them clearly as “Contract.” If some were short or less impactful, you can group them under:

Independent Consultant (Selected Engagements)

Impact matters more than contract vs. full-time.

2. What about founding / advisory roles?

Yes — especially if you had real responsibility.

They signal ownership and leadership. Just make sure you:

• Treat them like real roles (not hobbies)
• Focus on outcomes (revenue, users, funding, growth)

If advisory roles were light-touch, you can group them into one section.

3. One page or two?

With 8+ years, two pages is completely fine.

But:

• Keep it sharp.
• No fluff.
• Prioritize relevance.

If page two feels weak, cut it.

4. Promotions — list all roles?

Yes. Definitely.

Showing progression within a company is powerful. It signals strong performance.

You can stack them under one company with different titles and dates.

5. Certifications?

Include them if they are:

• Recognized
• Relevant
• Still meaningful

Skip low-signal online courses.

Final mindset

Your resume is not a timeline of everything you’ve done.

It’s a focused story that says:

“Here’s why I’m a strong fit for this specific role.”

Be selective. Quantify impact. Show progression. Keep it clean.

Get a professional CV review. 

It's the best ROI move you can make at this stage in the application.

<5% of the CVs I see are ready to be sent out, and that's also one of the core reasons why candidates fail at the screening phase. 

With a professional CV review, you'll get a proper, detailed analysis of what's working and what's not, and then how to bring forward the best of what you've done until now. If you're interested in this, reach out and I can walk you through how I work on this with my candidates. 

Best,
Cristian

Think of your resume as a highlight reel, not a life story. Every line should be there for a reason.

One page or two. One page. Always. Eight years is perfectly manageable if you are selective. Two pages usually signals you have not figured out what matters most.

Contract roles. Include them only if they add something meaningful. If a contract role gave you a real achievement or relevant skill, put it in. If it was filler, leave it out. You do not need to label them as "contract" either.

Founding and advisory roles. Be careful here. For MBB and most corporate roles, founding experience is a double edged sword. Shows initiative, but makes recruiters wonder if you will stick around. Include it if relevant, but keep it to one or two lines. Do not make it the centerpiece.

Multiple promotions. This is a strength. List the company once, show the title progression, then focus your bullets on the most impactful work across those roles. That tells a growth story without eating up half your page.

Certifications. Only if directly relevant to the role or industry. A small line at the bottom is fine. Do not give it prime real estate.

The real test is simple. What story does your resume tell in 30 seconds? That is how long a screener spends on it. Every line should show impact, progression, or relevance. If it does not do one of those three, cut it.