When applying for jobs, many make a big mistake – they believe their resume only serves to outline their previous responsibilities. Truth is, it’s more than that. If your resume doesn’t show the value that you’ve brought to past employers, you’re missing the mark. In a sea of applications, stand out by including these value-adding achievements on your resume.
Generating revenue and cutting costs are key goals of every business. So ask yourself, what was your role in working towards those goals at your previous workplace? When it comes to increasing revenue, be specific. Be sure to include dollar signs and figures. The main point here is to connect the dots: If a project you worked on resulted in an increase in revenue, make note of that. After all, you were part of the team that made it happen.
Same goes for saving money. If you identified ways the company was overspending, highlight them on your resume. Calculate percentages that show the impact these changes had in reducing spending.
Here is an example from Zety.com of what this could look like for a financial analyst: “Saved [company name] X% by identifying [the exact number] of low-margin projects.”
The ability to identify and overcome current or potential problems is a valuable skill for any employer. What ways have you creatively tackled a problem at hand? Perhaps you found a way to simplify an overly complicated process, or maybe you identified a new system that will alleviate the team workload. These are things that add value to your employer, and should certainly be included on your resume.
But how can you quantify these examples? You can calculate hours saved or use numbers to show how the process was simplified.
Here is an example: “Implemented a new system that allowed two people to do the same amount of tasks that previously took four people.”
If you’ve won an award, it’s definitely worth noting on your resume. The value-add? It shows your future employer that they’d be getting the best in the business. And it looks good to their customers and future job seekers to know that the team is highly qualified.
Now that your resume is ready to go, check out these tips for acing behavioral interview questions.
