Getting Ahead With Your Resume

Listen, if you want to turn heads with your resume, you’ve got to think beyond the mundane list of job duties. It’s not about what you were supposed to do; it’s about what you actually achieved. Employers are inundated with resumes filled with the same old “responsibilities” spiel. Stand out.

How?

Focus on impact, results, the real meat.

First, growth. It’s the lifeblood of business. Did you bring in new clients? Boost sales figures? Expand the market share? Quantify it. “Increased client base by 30%” sounds a heck of a lot more compelling than “Managed client relationships.” Numbers talk. They provide clear, undeniable evidence of your value.

Efficiency is your next golden ticket. In a world obsessed with doing more in less time, showcasing how you’ve streamlined processes or cut costs is resume gold. Did you implement a new system that saved your team hours each week? Great. “Reduced project turnaround time by 25%” — that’s the language of winners.

And the bottom line? It’s king. Maybe you spearheaded a campaign that dramatically increased revenue. Perhaps you identified a cost-saving measure that shaved thousands off the budget. Those are the achievements that make a senior exec sit up and pay attention. “Contributed to a 15% increase in annual revenue” — now that’s a headline.

Remember, it’s not just about what you did. It’s about the value you added, the tangible difference you made. That’s what turns a good resume into a great one. Think like a business. Deliver results, not tasks.

Brian Fink is the author of Talk Tech To Me. He takes on the stress and strain of complex technology concepts and simplifies them for the modern recruiter. Fink’s impassioned wit and humor tackle the highs and lows of technical recruiting with a unique perspective — a perspective intended to help you find, engage, and partner with professionals.