There have been so many discussions among career experts and resume writers on what makes a resume effective. We don't want to go into details of those discussions. It will be enough to note that quantifiable achievements seem to be the focus of those disputes. Most hiring managers along with experienced career advisors claim that what makes candidates stand out is their accomplishments. Now the question is what one can consider accomplishments. Is leading a team of 6 sales associates can be considered as one? Or how about initiating process improvement programs? We believe that return on investment (ROI) is always the best indicator of your achievements and accomplishments no matter how long and where you worked.
What Benefits Will the Company Get When You Are Hired?
Before writing a resume job seekers have to understand that they are writing it for employers, not for their friends or family. This document is never meant to impress the people you know; on the contrary, it is meant to generate attention of potential employers. It is a must then to have in mind this employer-oriented approach when creating a resume or CV. And the very first thing you have to know about employers is that they are interested in return on investment indicators. Demonstrating on your resume how your former employers benefited from your work can make a huge difference between you and other candidates. Compare these two statements on a resume: "Helped the company to grow sales and gain more clients" and "Implemented innovative sales programs that resulted in 27% sales growth within 7 months". Which of these seem more appealing to you? ROI should be specific and verifiable, otherwise hiring authorities might not believe you. You can compare your work to others (either your predecessor or co-worker on the team). It is important to show to an employer that you are a good match because you can bring in the valuable experience and skills, which can practically help the company grow. We tend to believe that all of the ROI data should be converted to dollar figures to give a better glimpse of your professionalism and potential benefits.
What if you are not in a sales (or other revenue-specific position) role and it is hard to be figure-oriented when listing your accomplishments? It is still possible. All you have to do is to look higher for the impact of your daily responsibilities. Improving efficiency of daily operations, for example, can, in the end, be a great factor of the overall success (which is measured in dollars). In this case, it is essential that you don't forget to share the credit with your team. Another option to show off your ROI data is to pay special attention to cost savings. Manage workloads faster than expected or even with fewer resources can significantly cut the expenses of the company.
