Details Matter: 7 Things to Make Your Resume Stand Out
Dana Rabinowitz
Details Matter: 7 Things to Make Your Resume Stand Out
“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”
Your resume is the first impression with an employer and it’s important to make it count. To stand out in a crowd of job applicants, your resume needs to highlight your accomplishments and success in a detailed, quantifiable manner. Your resume should showcase the real impact you’ve had in your career and the impact you can make at a future employer.
Here are 7 things you can’t miss when updating your resume to stand out in a crowd of job seekers.
1. Focus on Results, Not Responsibilities. Make sure to demonstrate the impact you've had including how your work benefited the company, team, or clients instead of just listing generic responsibilities.
Example: Instead of “Responsible for sales” use “Increased sales by 25% within the first quarter by implementing a new customer outreach strategy” demonstrating and quantifying your success in that responsibility.
2. Quantify Everything. Use numbers and metrics to provide tangible evidence of your contributions, which make your accomplishments clear and credible. Your resume is more likely to catch the attention of recruiters and hiring managers because it shows you not only understand the job, but you’ve delivered results in previous roles.
Example: “Resolved 98% of customer complaints on first contact, improving customer satisfaction scores by 20%.”
3. Use Action-Oriented Language. Using strong action verbs will make your accomplishments sound more dynamic and results driven. Words like "achieved," "developed," "led," "increased," "streamlined," and "improved" are powerful tools to demonstrate your success.
4. Emphasize Key Skills. Relate your accomplishments to key skills that are relevant to the job you're applying for to highlight your expertise in areas the employer cares about. You can do this through accomplishment statements listed under roles and/or a skills section depending on your function.
5. Tailor Your Resume to the Job. It can feel overwhelming but tailoring your resume for every job by emphasizing the most relevant accomplishments and skills for that specific job can help you stand out. Start with your base resume and weave in keywords from the job description to help you focus on what matters most.
6. Demonstrate Problem-Solving and Innovation. Use specific examples such as new initiatives or projects you’ve managed or executed with quantifiable results to showcase your ability to solve problems and bring innovative solutions.
Example: “Managed 5+ cross-functional projects simultaneously, consistently delivering on time and under budget, saving the company $200,000 annually.”
7. Don’t Forget Any Special Awards or Recognitions. Were you the top sales producer or employee of the month? Make sure to include any awards or recognitions for your work on your resume, showcasing your efforts and contributions.
Your resume is the first impression with an employer and it’s important to make it count. To stand out in a crowd of job applicants, your resume needs to highlight your accomplishments and success in a detailed, quantifiable manner. Your resume should showcase the real impact you’ve had in your career and the impact you can make at a future employer.
Here are 7 things you can’t miss when updating your resume to stand out in a crowd of job seekers.
1. Focus on Results, Not Responsibilities. Make sure to demonstrate the impact you've had including how your work benefited the company, team, or clients instead of just listing generic responsibilities.
Example: Instead of “Responsible for sales” use “Increased sales by 25% within the first quarter by implementing a new customer outreach strategy” demonstrating and quantifying your success in that responsibility.
2. Quantify Everything. Use numbers and metrics to provide tangible evidence of your contributions, which make your accomplishments clear and credible. Your resume is more likely to catch the attention of recruiters and hiring managers because it shows you not only understand the job, but you’ve delivered results in previous roles.
Example: “Resolved 98% of customer complaints on first contact, improving customer satisfaction scores by 20%.”
3. Use Action-Oriented Language. Using strong action verbs will make your accomplishments sound more dynamic and results driven. Words like "achieved," "developed," "led," "increased," "streamlined," and "improved" are powerful tools to demonstrate your success.
4. Emphasize Key Skills. Relate your accomplishments to key skills that are relevant to the job you're applying for to highlight your expertise in areas the employer cares about. You can do this through accomplishment statements listed under roles and/or a skills section depending on your function.
5. Tailor Your Resume to the Job. It can feel overwhelming but tailoring your resume for every job by emphasizing the most relevant accomplishments and skills for that specific job can help you stand out. Start with your base resume and weave in keywords from the job description to help you focus on what matters most.
6. Demonstrate Problem-Solving and Innovation. Use specific examples such as new initiatives or projects you’ve managed or executed with quantifiable results to showcase your ability to solve problems and bring innovative solutions.
Example: “Managed 5+ cross-functional projects simultaneously, consistently delivering on time and under budget, saving the company $200,000 annually.”
7. Don’t Forget Any Special Awards or Recognitions. Were you the top sales producer or employee of the month? Make sure to include any awards or recognitions for your work on your resume, showcasing your efforts and contributions.
More by the Andrews & Cole Team
Andrews & Cole is a certified woman-owned boutique executive search and consulting firm with a focus on accounting and finance professionals. Clients range from start ups to Fortune 100 in nearly every industry.
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