Submitted by Sigmarie Soto, CPRW, Team Career Member
Head Writer – Career Services International
One thing I hear from clients over and over again is: “I don’t mean to toot my own horn.” Well—on paper—you really should. If you’re not using the resume to sell yourself to a potential employer, no one else is going to sell your value either. There’s a difference between positioning yourself as the total package (which is what employers are looking for) and exaggerating your contributions.
Accountability and ownership go both ways in the workplace. Just as you would take responsibility for mistakes and learn from them, recognize your achievements. While it’s difficult for some people to write about their accomplishments, it’s a little too easy for others.
Simply put, tell it how it is. If you created a process that saved hours in time and therefore thousands per week in costs, tell your readers how and how much. If you came up with a plan to reach customers in a new area that delivered more in revenue than anticipated, tell your readers how, how much, and the initial goal.
Taking the passive route will make potential employers wonder why they should even call you.
Providing a full history of your career won’t necessarily get the phone ringing either, but highlighting contributions that could benefit any organization, such as cost savings, operational improvements, revenue growth, and client base expansion, will put your reader in the mindset that if you did it once you can do it again. Just as we tell recent grads that having a degree is no longer enough, simply doing your job from day to day is no longer enough either.
How do you go above and beyond? If you were to leave tomorrow, what gap would there be and would it be difficult to fill?
Every discipline brings a different contribution to an organization. Whereas sales people bring in the money, the operations people are vital in making the process run smoother. Instead of looking at resumes as tools for bragging, consider them as tools for personal marketing and progression. If you don’t communicate your value, no one will know of your potential.
Thanks Sigmarie, your contributions are appreciated and most valued. We look forward to more.
dhuffman, MA, CEIP, CPRW, CPCC
Education Career Services
Career Services International
