Resume power tip: think technical writing

 

Most people set out to write a narrative of some type when creating their resumes. However, employers are thinking of your resume in a different light--and will make a hiring decision based on the FACTS of your career, more so than the stories.

The most effective and powerful resumes provide analytical, precise detail about your background and achievements.

In fact, resume writing has a strong correlation to technical writing in that both styles demand extreme precision.
 
In fact, most readers of your resume will assume that what you show on paper correlates strongly to what you can do for your next employer.

If your resume lacks results in the form of key metrics and bottom-line, quantifiable information, the hiring audience will quickly dismiss it for failing to demonstrate proof of your performance.
 
For this reason, it's important to recognize the significance of what you've done at work. To get at the level of detail that will actually market your qualifications, follow these 3 steps: 
 
1 - List all the major tasks and projects you've been involved with at work.

These can be formal initiatives that required an entire project team, or more subtle assignments that you took upon yourself to complete.
 
2 - Next, list the results that each project or effort had on the company or your department.

This can be efficiencies gained during a business process improvement effort, costs cut with the implementation of a new system, or new business gained by creating customer relationships.

Think in terms of dollars saved, numbers of people affected, or amount of business generated, and you'll be on the right track.
 
3 - Inject precision by putting percentages, dollar values, or other metrics to these results. The more analytical, the better.

Now, use the C-A-R strategy to list both the efforts and the results, condensing each into a short, bullet-style sentence for your resume.

The result? A forward-thinking representation of what you can do for your next employer, boiled down to black-and-white facts that market your strengths.

In summary, thinking like a technical writer can be an effective strategy for creating your resume. With precise detail and a clear demonstration of your performance, you'll find that more employers will respond to your qualifications.