After reviewing thousands of executive CVs from the Gulf and beyond, the same mistakes appear over and over. Each one is easy to fix and each one costs interviews.
1. A summary that reads like a job description
Executives are hired for judgement and outcomes, not duties. Lead with what you have changed, scaled, or turned around.
2. Burying the P&L
Revenue owned, EBITDA improved, headcount led, geographies covered — these belong in the top third of page one, not on page three.
3. Twelve pages of history
Two pages is the modern executive standard, three is the absolute ceiling. Older roles get a single line.
4. No board, M&A, or transformation tagline
If you have run a transformation, integrated an acquisition, or sat on a board, name it explicitly. Recruiters search those exact terms.
5. Listing tools instead of decisions
Nobody hires a CFO for Excel. Replace tool lists with decisions made and frameworks introduced.
6. A weak LinkedIn that contradicts the CV
Recruiters cross-check. Your LinkedIn headline, About, and experience must reinforce the same positioning, not a softer one.
7. No regional signal for Gulf roles
Boards in the UAE and KSA want leaders who understand the market. Name your GCC exposure, even if it is via clients or projects, not residency.