Your resume is arguably the most valuable piece of paper for your career. But this document can be daunting for many.
Landing the job you want isn’t easy. Especially today, many parts of the economy are still recovering from the lasting impact of COVID-19, and there’s plenty of competition for good positions.
However, the best way to get a job hasn’t changed. Writing a professional resume that advertises your relevant skills, experience, and accomplishments is the key to attracting the attention of employers and earning an interview.
Let’s face it: writing a resume can be intimidating. But it doesn’t have to be terrifying. In fact, it can be easy — if you know what you’re doing.
A Resume includes information about your background and qualifications and should communicate the most important, relevant information about you to employers in a clear, easy-to-read format. The goal is to quickly communicate why you are uniquely qualified for the position based on your skills and experiences.
The problem is many state their previous experiences as a description that doesn’t mention the impact that their accomplishments had on the company.
Here are some tips to help you craft your accomplishments:
1. Follow the framework called PAR
Problem- What are the problems I did solve?
Actions- What are the actions I did to resolve it?
Results- What is the result or the outcome?
Your resume should answer those three.
2. Quantify your accomplishments
Quantifying your performance on a resume is an effective way to demonstrate your value and highlight your accomplishments in prior positions.
To start generating ideas for your summary of accomplishments, ask yourself the following questions:
- Did I make or save the company money? If so, exactly how much?
- Did I reach my goals quickly? If so, what was the exact time period?
- Did I exceed my goals often? If so, to what degree?
By including your own measurable accomplishments examples when you build a resume, you are giving the recruiter a concrete idea of what you can make happen if they hire you.
However, it can be challenging to sit down and actually lay down your accomplishments. Here’s how to do it:
a. Gather your data
List down any of your accomplishments that you can think of. Writing down everything that you can remember is one thing to do it.
However, for some, like me, it might not be so effective, so I suggest using Trello or Kanban flow. It’s an app that you can use to track any projects and put some notes on them.
b. List down any of your accomplishments regularly
The best way to prepare yourself is to keep your performance data updated as you go. Because if you will wait for few months or do it at the end of the year, tendency are you already forgotten about it.
Make a habit of tracking some of the most important metrics of your job performance.
Not only does this make it so that you do not have to spend valuable job search time compiling all of your old data, but it also helps you perform better by allowing you to see where you are excelling and where your performance could be improved. It’s an effective way to determine if any changes you have implemented are having the desired results.
Don’t Forget!
Before you send it, use a resume checklist to make sure you have included all relevant information in your resume.
Ask a friend or family member to read your resume, too. They may spot errors that you missed, or have suggestions for how to show yourself in an even better light.
Lastly
Depending on the job advertisement that you’re applying for, you may add/remove some accomplishments based on the keywords and requirements that match.
So don’t overpack your Resume, remember that the recruiter won’t spend much time looking at it, but you can attract their attention if you KNOW what they are interested in and you do the work of HOW your accomplishments fit in.
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Now that you know how to craft your resume easily and more effectively, read more about informal interviews to prepare for an actual one, read it here.
