Sandra Allison - Resume Services

Reach Higher

Invest in yourself to optimize your chances of influencing change through board service or by moving on to a more fulfilling career

Target your next executive or board role by defining your personal vision of success, embracing what brings you purpose, staying true to your values, and leveraging the strengths that set you apart.

SA Résumé Services, LLC specializes in career storytelling for professionals from all walks of life by ensuring their value unmistakably positions them for executive leadership and board opportunities. 

In the early days of carousels, a dispenser would be placed where riders on the outer horses could grab for brass rings. A brass ring typically won you a free ride. This game evolved into a common metaphor used today for striving for a significant opportunity or achieving great success in life.

What’s stopping you from grabbing for your brass ring?

Where my clients work

SA Resume Services advocates social equity by helping others tackle intentional and unintentional bias in the workplace.

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Pro Tips

Common Questions & Answers

An experienced, credentialed writer will partner with executive suite and board candidates to distill their content and define their unique value to craft a resume that resonates with clarity and impact.

C-suite executive and board-level candidates can expect to jump many hurdles to land these prime positions. To stand out, candidates will require specialized knowledge and language to strategically position themselves among such high-level competition.

Do you really want to run that course blindfolded?

Executive suite and board of director resume writers typically charge between $1,000 and $5,000 or more, depending on the job level, career complexity, and what services are included. Are you purchasing a package deal (resume, cover letter, bio, and LinkedIn makeover) or a’ la carte services? How much coaching is included and on what subjects? (Coaching can add $5,000-$10,000 more to a base price.)

How about using Chatbot as your resume writer? Let’s go to the source and ask ChatGPT. It’s answer:

“While AI can generate text based on patterns and data, it may struggle to replicate the depth and complexity of human creativity. Creative writing is not just about producing words; it involves personal expression, storytelling, the ability to evoke emotions and requires a range of skills that go beyond the technical aspects of writing, such as critical thinking, analysis, and communication.”

Consider your resume an investment in yourself and your future. Imagine your goal is a six-figure salary, let’s say $250,000. Just 1% of that is $2,500. Is it worth it to spend $2,500 as an investment in yourself and your future?

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CLIENT TesTIMONIALS

“I had the opportunity to work with Sandra to refresh my board bio, board CV and executive resume. I had previously developed my own documents based on my experience and supplemented by the knowledge I gained through attendance at various leadership and board programs. I didn’t fully understand the value of working with a certified professional resume writer and board specialist until I met Sandra. Sandra was humorous and easy to talk with, and I was able to be reflective and vulnerable in an effort to get the best outcome from her work. She was direct, thorough, and thoughtful in getting to know me,
my experience, and my interests. Thank you, Sandra.”

~Okorie R., Kaiser Permanente Health Systems

“When searching for a resume writer, you are not just looking for an individual with experience and great reviews but also someone who can understand you as a person. Sandra goes deep into your interests, your past, and your passions, not just the superficial “what did you do here” questions. Her process is in-depth and personal. If you are looking for someone to do more than slap together a resume in haste, then reach out to Sandra as she’ll ensure your resume and all other supporting documents speak in your language!”

~ Danielle P., MPA

DEEPER DIVE

Board resumes are NOT repurposed Executive resumes!

Boards are searching for strategic business leaders with proven experience relating to their specific operational and financial goals. A board of directors resume repositions you from being an executive who delivers results to a board member who understands the significance of those results.

  • Change your thinking and language from Executive to Board speak, from “doing” to “guiding.”
  • Define and build on your unique value proposition, concentrating on your Governance, rather than Managerial expertise.
  • What strengths do you have that are not already in the room?
  • Match your skills to your target board. If you don’t have proven experience in those qualities, the Board is probably not a good fit.
  • Position yourself as a strong leader and collaborator, emphasizing the skills and successes that you are uniquely qualified to bring to the target company.
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DEEPER DIVE

80-90% of board seats come through network connections!

Research your board targets. Are you a good fit?

  • Do your skills and values align with your target board’s needs?
  • What skills do you have that can help further the enterprise’s mission?
  • Are there skill gaps on the current board that you could fill?
  • Is the board a cultural fit?
  • Do you have the time and resources to commit to board meeting, committee work, and fundraising expectations?

Use your LinkedIn profile to build your network.

  • Go to the profile of one of your Connections
  • Tap on Connections in their header
  • Use the filters button that will appear at the top
  • Set the parameters to include Board Members
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CLIENT TesTIMONIALS

“I worked with Sandra to create a board profile, resume, LinkedIn update. She was great to work with, got to know me and my career history well and using her expertise and deep knowledge crafted a compelling story on my capabilities and value. I would recommend her and appreciated her work.”

~ Sam A., Cox Communications

DEEPER DIVE

Remember, the interview is not your career obituary. It’s what you can do for their company.

  • Practice beforehand. Tell your story out loud; you’ll catch the nonsense.
  • Do not say anything negative about your past employers or coworkers. Ever.
  • Keep your answers thoughtful and concise. Don’t talk too much. Never interrupt.
  • Be prepared to address any resume gaps, job dismissals, overlapping or short-term jobs, or any other possible red flags that may come up.
  • Do not tell the interviewer that this job is a steppingstone to what you really want to do.
  • Understand that for the next hour or so, you are apolitical with very few opinions outside of the job description and company culture, which are positive.
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CLIENT TesTIMONIALS

“If you’re a senior executive, board candidate, or entrepreneur looking to elevate your personal brand and present yourself in the best possible light, I highly recommend Sandra.
She is a true partner in the process—and a pro at what she does.”

~ Joseph T., Tage Capital Partners

DEEPER DIVE

AI screening programs may incorporate intentional and unintentional bias leading to discriminatory pre-judgements.

AI resume screening is an automated hiring technology that uses algorithms based on machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP) to assess, rank, and filter job applications before human review. The screening is meant to compare resumes and applications against job requirements.

Because they are trained on data that reflects ingrained societal biases, these tools may be unintentionally discriminatory. This can result in “groupthink”, defined by ScienceDirect as “a flawed decision-making process in which groups prioritize consensus over the careful evaluation of alternative options.” In August 2025, McKinney Law Firm, P.C. reported that a federal court ordered a major HR software company to turn over their list of all employers that used its AI tool to screen job applicants, claiming it automatically rejected qualified candidates over 40.

Following are some lesser-known “tells” you may not have considered.

  • Ableism – Algorithms may disadvantage disabled candidates. A University of Washington study recommends leaving off autism-related awards or memberships. During asynchronous interviews, the company software may prioritize specific speech patterns, facial movements, or interaction speeds that may not be compatible with screen readers for the visually-impaired.
  • Race: In 85% of cases, resumes with black-associated names were selected only 8.6% of the time compared to white-associated names.
  • Gender: Although gender bias is less common, male-associated names were preferred a little more than 50% of the time. Even if your name is gender neutral, be careful to avoid gender specific words (chairman instead of chairperson) and language undertones (manpower instead of workforce.)
  • Religion: Evidence suggests that resumes with religious affiliations receive fewer responses from hiring managers. The UConn Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills reminds us to exclude any mention about your religion or beliefs from your resume. And, be thoughtful about listing faith-specific volunteer and professional organizations to avoid introducing potential bias.
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CLIENT TesTIMONIALS

“Thanks for everything – it looks great and I have the utmost confidence that this update will positively increase my ability to get the foot in the door! I have enjoyed this experience and it has given me much information about the
initial screening process and how valuable your work is.”

Peter M.

DEEPER DIVE

Neither of these systems is commonly used at the board and high-executive level.

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is basically a digital filing cabinet for organizations to stockpile large volumes of job applications. These systems Scan, Sort, and Store. They do not make hiring decisions.

AI Resume Screening is an automated recruitment technology that uses artificial intelligence algorithms to evaluate, rank, and filter job applications without manual human review. These systems are often customized by each organization to analyze resumes and applications against job requirements.

Almost all entry to mid-level job applicants will go through an ATS scan. These text-based programs will reject an estimated 70% to 90% of applications, not from sneaky algorithms, but from bad formatting. There is NO WAY to guarantee ATS compliance. Your best strategy is to avoid images, graphics, tables, non-standard fonts, and text boxes. HR Departments have become more savvy after receiving thousands of generic “one size fits all” ChatGPT written resumes (and it’s NOT the em dash.) These resumes are often keyword-loaded lists of job duties copied from the job posting and indicate a lack of effort and commitment. They can also fail to pass ATS due to poor keyword alignment, grammar, and formatting.

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CLIENT TesTIMONIALS

“Just wanted to appreciate you for what you have done with my CV. I uploaded the new CV today and the system already parsed all my information. This was the first time I had to do little manual typing.
Now I can imagine how this CV will work with an ATS system.”

DEEPER DIVE

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