As an employer, how do we know if a candidate will be successful in our company? We don’t. However, in the recruitment industry, one principle reigns supreme – a candidate with a history of accomplishments has a better chance of future success than applicants without proven experience.
Regardless of your industry or function, you have been faced with multiple challenges on the job. Did you succeed? Did you surpass management’s expectations? If so, this information needs to be on your resume.
A true results oriented resume contains:
Clear, Concise Statements: There is no room for fluff. Each bullet point on your resume should be a quantifiable accomplishment, a clearly defined responsibility, or a demonstrated skill. If any statement in your resume does not fit into one of these categories, take it out. You resume needs to show employers you can do your job and then some.
Substantiated Achievements: Facts, numbers and percentages need to be present throughout your experience. You surpassed your sales quota – was it by 5% or 100%? You completed six technical projects under budget last year – how much under budget?
“Doer” Verbs: Verbs say a lot about your experience. Did you assist, coordinate, collaborate, and supervise, or did you build, implement, structure, and create? Gone are the days of hiring a supervisor to manage a manager who assists another manager. Employers are looking to get the most out of each new employee. Your resume needs to show potential employers you actively participate in accomplishing your company’s goals.
Although results oriented resumes are most popular in the fields of marketing, sales, project management, and finance, they can be applied to virtually any position. Be creative and note your accomplishments as they happen. Three years from now, you may not remember the successes you had in 2010. Write your accomplishments down immediately so when the time comes to update your resume the material is already there.
