One of the easiest traps to fall into when writing your resume is simply mimicking a job description by listing the responsibilities of your past positions. However, as soon as you write “sales representative” on your resume, any reader will assume that you understand the basics of sales. In a crowded field, the two things that set your resume apart are details and quantification.
Take, for example, my father’s friend who owns a restaurant equipment business. We’ll call him Joe. Joe could write his resume two different ways. He could simply say “Proprietor, Restaurant Equipment Sales Company. Sells restaurant equipment to local businesses.” Or, he could say, “ Proprietor, Restaurant Equipment Sales Company. Provides comprehensive start-up materials, including industrial stoves, dishwashers, walk-in refrigerators, and cook tops to 83% of local area businesses. Specializes in boutique eateries in historic urban neighborhoods.” Clearly, the second description provides a much more detailed portrait of what Joe does—and also makes him instantly more interesting.
The fact of the matter is, you can’t include quantifiable information like “83% market share in the local area” unless you have that information. Even today, many companies don’t use performance metrics, and the way a company assesses overall performance may do little to reflect your personal contributions. For this reason, it’s a good idea to keep track of your own quantifiable accomplishments. For instance, if you audited services for which your employer was reimbursed $300,000 per year, then you contributed to the company receiving that revenue. Managing a nursing home with 500 residents is significantly more complex than managing a nursing home with 50. Make sure your resume includes numbers that highlight the full scope of your previous responsibilities.
Sometimes, the growth or success of a company may not be a direct result of your responsibilities. However, that growth or success may impact you in a way that’s important to note on your resume. For instance, let’s say that you work for a public relations firm that starts out with three staff members and five clients. Your company does so well with those five clients that within two years, they’ve hired five more people and now have 20 clients. In this case, you could safely say, “Provided leadership and mentoring to new staff as firm tripled in size from 2007-2009.”
When it comes to resume writing, it’s up to you to toot your own horn. The easiest way to do that is to be aware of what you’ve accomplished, and be able to describe your successes with specific details and solid numbers.
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