Quantify Your Resume - Use Some Numbers

Why You Should Quantify Your Resume Achievements

The most difficult and time consuming section of any resume is the listing of your work experience, no matter what level you have reached in your professional career.

The key is to consider your career objective and prioritize your work in accordance with your goals.

Your professional experience should not only show-case the activities you have done in your previous jobs, but should demonstrate your qualifications in the way that motivates employers to want to know more.

Of course, what we mean is that what motivates potential employers most, is results; any tangible, measurable items that have an impact on the bottom line.

Let your employers know that your project came in within budget, that you exceeded the time line, that you acquired X number of new customers, or that you increased sales by a double-digit percentage: that is how to quantify your resume.

Some Resume samples where you can see what we mean are here

Quantify Your Resume With The Numbers That Show Real Results

Employers can wrap their minds around numbers, because they are focused on them daily. Numbers can be interpreted as 'added-value' in the employer's mind and act as a comparator against other candidates. You want to let your potential employer know that you can think in the same way they do and that you take results into serious consideration as you perform your job on day-to-day basis.

To get started with your work history, begin each description with an Action Word, such as managed, developed, communicated, etc. Do some research and use only the power words and phrases that are appropriate for your industry. Make sure that the statements you list first under your job responsibilities quantify your achievements – don’t be afraid to list sales figures, customer acquisition rates, budget and time-line successes, or any other figures which help put your responsibilities in a context of the business/field you are working in.

Always be specific as the only way your statements are truly quantified is if you include the numbers. Don't worry about commercial privacy unless your contract absolutely prevents from disclosure.

Saying that you acquired new customers is significantly different from saying that you increased the customer base by 10% or use the actual figure. 1734 can sound much more impressive than 10% even if it is the same thing!

Your prospective employer needs to know not only what you did, but how well you did it. Also, these statements should be aligned with your career objective you included at the top of the resume. If you want to get a job in project management, letting your employer know that you managed a team of 20 people and the overall results you achieved will effectively highlight your qualifications.

Although it is important to quantify your achievements on your resume, do not try to quantify everything as that gets very tedious for the reader. This shows your employer that you think in terms of exceeding your goals. All subsequent descriptions of your responsibilities should support the first one or two items on your list.

Cross Check When You Quantify Your Resume

As a final test, put yourself in the shoes of your employer. Cross-check the job description and make sure that you address the qualifications required for the job with the information on your resume.

When you quantify your Resume, you let your potential employer know you have what they are looking for, and you’ll be sure to make a great impression.

Avoid Resume Gaps

If you have resume gaps, it makes listing your professional experiences on your resume a more difficult task. There are so many elements to consider: job titles, time frames, key responsibilities, transferable skills and so on.

Any unaccounted time that is shorter than three months doesn’t need to be explained. Having 60-90 days in between jobs is not too unusual, and often goes unnoticed within a resume. However, any gaps extending beyond three months should be addressed in your cover letter or e-mail. Whether you had personal or professional reasons for not working, the gaps in your employment history need to be explained as you don’t want to leave the employer to make their own assumptions.

The Best Resume Format

There are a number of rules you should keep in mind when formatting your resume. First, start with a blank page. Avoid using templates that are already available in Microsoft Word. These templates are outdated, and they will make your resume appear generic and uninviting. Additionally, these templates, while well formatted in Microsoft Word, will not translate well when emailed or uploaded to job search engine web sites. You can find samples of resume formats on the Internet; search for resumes by your industry to find the templates that make most sense for the job you are seeking. Then work on a blank page to replicate the look and feel of the resume you like, but be sure to quantify your resume as I describe.

How To Write A Resume

Writing a resume is a difficult task regardless of your level of experience with the process. While the content of your resume is critical to its effectiveness, the layout and the format you utilize are equally as important.

The easiest and least expensive way to find samples of resumes in your industry is to do a search on the internet. Before you get started, a word of caution: consider the sources of information before you decide to utilize any of their suggestions on your resume.

One such recommended resource you could consider investing in something like the Amazing Resume Creator from Jimmy Sweeney. He knows how to write a resume, and I know his work and I am confident in recommending it to you.

When you learn to Quantify Your Resume like this, you get off to a great start.

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