Make Your Resume Stand Out From the Crowd - With Solid, Quantifiable Achievements

Your resume has to stand out on a first read through to get a second read, and the critical call back for an interview.

From my years as a recruiter, and as a professional Resume Writer, I don't believe that flashy formatting or tricks will accomplish that. What made me stop and give a resume a second look when I was recruiting - and what I strive for in every resume I write as a professional Resume Writer - is strong, deep content.

Your achievements - what you've produced or delivered that impacted bottom line - is what will make a hiring authority read your resume with care, and impel the hiring authority to give you that crucial first call.

So make those achievements clear, and include numbers whenever you can - numbers make achievements concrete and memorable. The more you can clearly and accurately quantify your achievements, the more your resume will "pop" - and stick in the mind of the hiring authority.

Here are 3 important tips on ways to quantify, and communicate, the achievements that make your career unique.

1) Be certain to clearly quantify your results. This is often more challenging in a technical career than in a more sales oriented role, so here are a few questions to help focus your resume writing process.

Did the projects you delivered save money? If so, how much? Was this a one time cost savings, or year-over-yearDid you improve processes, streamline efficiency, or reduce time to market? If so, then give adequate detail on those improvements. Every hiring authority is interested in bottom line (especially in the current economy), so efficiency is more crucial than ever before.Did you build products that increased revenue, market share, or contributed to bottom line growth? Again, be as specific as possible. If you designed and launched a product that grew market share by 33% (for example), that's a valuable differentiator.

Once you've determined the quantifiable results you've delivered throughout your career, here are a couple of tips to communicate those results rapidly, for maximum impact.

2) Always find - and lead - with your "wow" achievements. Needless to say, I read a lot of resumes in the course of a week. Many have a simple, easily repaired issue.

The achievements are placed randomly.

If you catch the hiring authority's attention with big achievements, the smaller add to your image of effectiveness. But if you lead small, the reader may not get to the big ones! Always organize your achievements with the most dramatic first, and then place the others in descending order.

As an example, if you have had projects that delivered $2M, $500K, and $100K in cost savings, include the achievements in that order.

3) Use the larger number. If the percentage improvement is huge, but the dollar number is small, use the percentage. On the other hand, if you've saved hundreds of thousands - or millions - of dollars, put that front and center.

So remember! Numbers count - quantifiable achievements are much stronger, and more memorable. And you do want your career to stick in the Hiring Authority's memory!

My goal is to help technology's "best and brightest" take their careers to the next level.
As a technical resume authority and former recruiter, I am committed to crafting compelling resumes, cover letters, and other career documents that capture your career essentials, seize and hold the hiring authority's attention, and open the door for the 1st interview.
For more information, please contact me at http://www.quantumtechresumes.com/.
Follow me on twitter at https://twitter.com/QuanTechResume.

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Highlight Achievements on Your Resume

When speaking with friends and family about work, most people can think of numerous achievements and significant accomplishments. Words flow freely, and the listeners are enraptured with stories of a career filled with great contributions. Then, when the time comes to write a resume, too many job seekers include the tasks that filled each day instead of the same great stories. In a difficult job market when competition is tougher than ever before, the resume is an opportunity to sell your abilities and win that coveted interview. Follow these tips to set your resume apart from the rest.

1. Tailor the resume - Print a copy of the job posting. Write specific examples from your own professional past for each bullet within the job posting. The posting describes a skill that you must possess. The resume you write for this job must show how you demonstrated that skill in one of your previous jobs. Think of the hiring manager asking you, "give me an example of a time when...." The best professional resume writer can draw some of these thoughts from your memory and articulate them impressively.

2. Include terms from the job posting - Use the specific terms from the job posting. As you work through each bullet of the job posting, write an example of a time when you used that skill. Describe the situation, your specific contribution, and the result. This review of your experience will create the input for writing the resume. Generate multiple examples if you can.

3. Use formal position titles - Every industry recognizes the scope of influence and duties associated with each job title. Each entry should begin with the job title followed by the company or organization name.

4. Consider a unique format - Instead of a chronological format, group achievements based on the job posting. Document specific examples for each job requirement. The resume will show the job progression, and the numerous examples will reveal the depth of experience.

5. Include facts and statistics - Be specific in your claims. Think back to t projects and contributions to teams. Find the information and include percentages and details that will answer the question for the hiring manager.

6. Prioritize the statements - After writing examples for each of the bullets in the job posting, prioritize the list. Important skills must be close to the top. Examples of your experiences in those skills must be easy to see at a glance. Hiring managers are reviewing dozens of resumes and will not read through an entire resume on the first pass.

7. Use keywords - Every profession uses specific words that are meaningful to others in the profession. Assume that the hiring manager knows those terms and use them appropriately throughout the resume.

8. Omit age-revealing dates - Education dates, project completion dates, award dates, and any other date that will reveal your actual age must be omitted from the resume. Age discrimination is a reality. Help limit it and protect yourself.

9. Cover 10 years - Include the positions you have had within the past 10 years. There are techniques to illustrate accomplishments on the resume that took place further in the past. In addition, during the interview, you can refer to jobs that you had further back.

10. Make the page visually appealing - Use white space and bullet points (but don't over-use) to make the resume visually appealing. If visual presentation is not easy for you, turn to a professional resume writing service, someone who can help you write a resume that will stand apart visually.

What should a resume look like? An achievement-based resume will win the interview. Then you must follow the paper version up with a professional image that will cause the interviewer to ask you to come back. Use additional examples of career achievements in response to each question during the interview, and your abilities will shine through.

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