Is your resume generating offers to interview? If not, it’s time to make some changes.
Related: The Top 3 Resume Improvements Everyone Needs Now
The #1 resume improvement any job seeker in any field can make is simple: Quantification.
Quantification means to describe your accomplishments in terms of numbers, dollars, and percentages.
For instance…
“Led accounting team for division” is less effective than “Led team of 14 accountants in a $34M division”
“Increased efficiency” could be much stronger and specific: “Increased efficiency by 50% in 2 years”
“Won awards” is good, but this is better: “Won #1 Spot in sales team 3 years in a row”
Numbers are attention-grabbing, hard evidence of your success. They make hiring managers (your future boss) sit up and take notice of your resume. Hiring managers see resumes all the time that talk about job responsibilities and accomplishments. Seeing the numbers helps them put it into perspective and see you as more valuable. Quantification boosts your chances of getting called in to interview.
Almost anything can be quantified. One person tried to trip me up once by asking if even a janitor could quantify, but the answer is absolutely ‘yes.’ They could talk about how cleaning things up reduced workplace accidents or contributed to a company culture that was able to achieve 95% retention.
All jobs contribute to the bottom line of a company in some way—if they didn’t, the company couldn’t justify keeping someone in that role and paying them. All you need to do is think about how you in your job contributed to those goals. Show that new potential boss how you can benefit their company.
When you look at your resume with a goal of quantification, ask yourself these kinds of questions:
How many?
What size?
What amount of time?
When?
How much?
How often?
At what rate?
You may not have complete records of everything you’ve accomplished. My best advice is to guesstimate. Don’t exaggerate; you need to be able to back up your numbers with some kind of evidence and stories that support it, and it needs not to be contradicted by your references.
Anything you can do to begin quantifying your accomplishments will help you stand out from other applicants and get you the interview. On top of that, it will set you up to appear more valuable to the hiring manager when they do interview you. That gives you a leg up in the interview and in later salary negotiations. It’s all good.
For more ideas and help on quantifying your resume, check out this blog post:
Write a Resume That POPS! Redo It with Numbers That Quantify Your Experience
Get tips, examples, ideas and suggestions for redoing your resume easily and quickly with my Extreme Makeover Resume Kit.
Career Coach - Peggy McKee is an expert resource and a dedicated advocate for job seekers. Known as the Sales Recruiter from Career Confidential, her years of experience as a nationally-known recruiter for sales and marketing jobs give her a unique perspective and advantage in developing the tools and strategies that help job seekers stand head and shoulders above the competition. Peggy has been named #1 on the list of the Top 25 Most Influential Online Recruiters by HR Examiner, and has been quoted in articles from CNN, CAP TODAY, Yahoo! HotJobs, and the Denver Examiner.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CAREEREALISM-approved expert. You can learn more about expert posts here.Photo Credit: Shutterstock
A common interview question employers ask during job interviews is, "Why are you interested in this position?" They want to know why you want to work at their company, and the specific motivation behind why you applied for the job (not that you need a paycheck).
To persuade the employer that you have a true connection to the company and a passion for the job you applied for, your answer to this interview question should start with, "I'm interested in this job, at this company, because…" and then list at least three reasons why you want to work there.
Here is how you should structure your answer to the interview question, "Why are you interested in this job?"
Example: "I'm interested in this job because I can see that, in this role, my skills could help solve this problem within your company. I also see an opportunity for me to learn and grow these skills, so we both would benefit personally, professionally, and financially. If I can come in here and solve problems and accomplish your goals, I know I can develop my career the way that I want to."
This part of your answer lets them know that you are excited about what you will be able to accomplish for them, while still emphasizing what they are getting out of the bargain. You need to sell yourself as a business-of-one who can provide a service better than the competition.
Reason #2 – Cultural Fit
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Your second reason when answering, "Why are you interested in this job?" also shows fit, but in a different way.
Example: "Also, I like the culture of this organization. From what I've heard and what I've been reading about the company, it seems like a great fit for my personality and my values. I really connect with your mission statement, and feel passionate about the work that you do."
This is a general answer, so if you can be more specific by actually naming a couple of things you've heard or read about the company's workplace culture that you like, it will help your cause. This is one area where your pre-interview research is critical.
Does this company value and/or provide resources for employee development?
Mention those things that truly speak to you and your values so your sincerity shows.
Reason #3 – Personal Fit
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Wrap up your answer to this interview question with something that personalizes it a bit more.
Examples:
"And this job is in a great location for me. I've always wanted to move here."
"And this job is only five minutes from my house, so eliminating the commute is a big plus."
"And I've always used your products, and I just love them. I am really excited about being a part of that."
Say something that gives you another reason of your own for wanting this job. This interview answer is a fantastic place to let your enthusiasm for the job show. It's very appealing to employers, and it gives them one more reason to hire you.
Download Work It Daily's FREE list of common interview questions here.
You'll have a very clear and thorough answer to the question, "Why are you interested in this job?" if you follow the formula above. Set yourself apart from the competition today!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.