Focus on Facts
Figuring out how to focus on facts and figures in your resume can be difficult. It can be ever so tempting to speak in generalities. You hit up a resume sample site, see some vague statement on a sample resume and think to yourself; that sounds good—and it could apply to me. Next thing you know, it’s on your resume. The only thing you’ve succeeded in doing here is making yourself look just like thousands of other candidates who went to a free resume site and copied a free resume. Resist the temptation to be vague—and focus on the facts. Try to answer the following questions:
- How much (money, time, resources)
- How many (people, projects)
- How often (times per day/week/month)
vHit Your Target
Can you write a general resume that you can use to apply to a variety of different types of positions? Sure, you can. But I wouldn’t recommend it, though. The problem with writing a catch-all resume is that it won’t catch ANYTHING. Unfortunately, coming off as a jack-of-all-trades means you look like a master of none. You need to position yourself so the employer will see the value in hiring you and the benefit they’ll get from choosing you over another applicant. To do this, you need to target your resume for a specific position, and use it to support how you’re the best candidate for the role.
Show You Are an Overcomer
It’s fine that you met the minimal requirements of the position. Almost anyone can say that. How did you go above and beyond, though? If it’s hard to remember what you’ve accomplished, think in terms of challenges and obstacles you ran into. When writing your resume, write about the following:
- What are some challenges you faced during your time in the position?
- How did you address the obstacles you ran into?
- What was the outcome? Did you overcome? Was it a success?