Resume review - business vs technology

I spent quality time reviewing the first draft of my resume re-write today. It is a very good first stab, a definite upgrade from my old resume. The issue is, it portrays a technology person, not a business person who is a technologist.

Yes I am a technologist, yes I know a lot about technology. That background has certainly helped me get to where I am today. But what separates my skill and experience from many other pure technologists is how I apply that technology to solve business problems. I see technology as a set of tools in my tool-bag, there to be used once I have understood what the business issue is, just like business analysis and finance skills are tools.

I tried to express this in all the examples I gave to the resume writer. They are projects that had a significant impact on the business, either lowering costs, increasing efficiencies, or support for new product development. Yes I have done a lot else to guide technology in these jobs, including evaluations, RFPs, architecture etc. I think that is a given for someone with my background. I need to differentiate myself with what I have done to help the business I was supporting with their issues, using technology.

That is what a successful CIO/CTO needs to be these days. He needs to have a seat around the "business table", participating in the discussion and getting to understand the business issues. Then he can craft solutions with his set of tools, in this case technology, to help solve those opportunities and challenges. Same as someone in marketing, sales, or finance, just with a different set of tools.

I don't see this as a "should be" but as a "must have" for CIOs, and their businesses, to be successful.