Resumes & Results-Driven Accomplishments

Creating an eye-catching resume is partially about aesthetic. Does your resume look nice, is all the grammar correct? However, no matter how pretty your resume looks, it won’t make it past a decision maker’s desk without having good content. And good content comes from demonstrating results. Use your resume as a platform to show, concretely, your abilities in a particular role. It’s one thing to say that you are capable of doing something, and it’s quite another to show that you can do it. Utilizing results-driven accomplishments in your resume solves this problem by pointing to concrete evidence of your achievements. Did you develop a new sales document? Did you boost sales by 60%? Did you transition your department from outdated software to a newer, faster system? Did you produce a new product? All of these things and many more can be labeled “results-driven.”

Why should you take the time to do this? The answer is actually quite simple. Decision makers and hiring managers want to fill open positions quickly, but they also want the best candidate. They don’t want to go digging through your resume to see if you have the proper qualifications. So instead of burying those accomplishments in the document, bring them to the forefront. Once you’ve reviewed the necessary qualifications, ask yourself:

• Do I have these qualifications?
• If not, what qualifications (if any) can stand in?
• How does my experience relate to this position?
• If I were the hiring manager, which experiences would I be most interested in?

Take the time to create a list of accomplishments. These can be accomplishments from previous jobs, volunteer experiences, school (if applicable), and even hobbies in some cases. Having a list of specific successes that produced an end product will help you generate a resume that highlights your abilities in a concrete way. Nervous or uncertain about how to create a focused, results-driven resume? Part of our career success formulas involves developing a targeted resume and cover letter for your job search.

Once you’ve created this list, you can start integrating these accomplishments into your resume. Keep in mind, the ultimate goal is to demonstrate your abilities. Don’t feel the need to cram every accomplishment into your document, and try not to include anything that doesn’t have relevance to your target position. Before you know it, you’ll have a resume to be proud of.

Helping career changers identify their focus and creating a targeted resume towards that focus is an integral part of our work at Career Solutions Group. Email us at info@careersolutionsgroup.net. We offer free initial consultations, and have proven techniques to help you make a successful career transition.

By: Julia Pillard, Career Solutions Group