Are you Results Oriented?
Does your resume tell a prospective employer that you “Get The Job Done!”
I don’t write very often, because I’m looking for NEW material to help prospective job seekers, such as myself, look at things differently. And, as with most searches, there’s a lot of garbage out there, esp when it comes to resumes. But every now and then, someone will write an article or use a phrase that I think, “Uhrm ... I wonder???” This is one of those times where this phrase has not been used enough, and actually might be what employers are looking for in Senior vs Fresher Job Seekers.
Results Oriented
Resume[s from Senior Job Seekers] must be results (not task) oriented and relevant to potential employers. Unfortunately, many resumes present the reader with life histories and/or restated job descriptions (task oriented) rather than statements of accomplishments (results oriented). Furthermore, many resumes do not demonstrate how the potential employer will benefit from hiring the potential employee. Thus, potential employers must determine if a candidate is qualified, and employers may ignore these resumes. [1]
A resume should tell a story about why you were hired at a company, if this was a job you and gone after, or if it was a job they sought out you to do, as well as how you did this position. Thus a perspective employer may look at your resume and ask the following questions:
Who sought out who?
Why did you accept the position?
What did you want to accomplish in the position?
Did you accomplish this in the position?
How did you accomplish this - if possible to state in 5 words or less?
Did the company experience a benefit from the results you generated?
2002-2004 Acme Dynamite, Pasadena, California QC Manager
I was recruited to join Acme, the world’s largest supplier of dynamite to the coyote market, by a colleague of mine who knew Acme’s CEO. I was brought on board to build a QA team from scratch and allow Acme to penetrate the lucrative ‘toon market.
Took apart the design-and-release process and rebuilt it with a team of hourly-to-senior-exec peers, taking three months out of the concept-to-ship cycle.
Reduced manufacturing cost by 30 percent and slashed the defect rate by half.
[2]
If all you have were just duties, basically, “I did this and this and this” in bullet points or a laundry list, then transform that list by reviewing the following questions:
What did I do that was above and beyond my normal job duties?
How did I stand out among other employees?
Was I ever recognized by a supervisor for a job well done? When and why?
Did I win any awards or accolades?
What new processes did I implement to improve things?
What problems did I solve?
Did I ever consistently meet or exceed goals or quotas?
Did I save the company money?
What made me really great at my job?
[3]
As a Senior Job Seeker, age discrimination works against us. We have to show our value to prospective employers in order to be considered, at all. Otherwise, it looks like we went from job to job to job and didn’t accomplish anything, or help anyone. That we aren’t passionate about anything, or willing to become a Subject Matter Expert (SME) that is sought after by many companies.
If and employer or a non-profit provided you with a certificate of job well done, make sure to make note of that. It’s not a participation award. It’s an award that states that someone felt you went above and beyond expectations to get the job done. This also shows that you impressed someone, and that is something that a prospective employer can ask a previous employer about, beyond the usual .. “Did he work there?” .. questions.
In additional to all this material, the resume should be relevant to the particular position that you are applying for. While a generic resume may work, consider how these various results would affect a prospective employer / client. The picture that you are trying to create for a prospective employer through the story your resume tells, is that you have the potential to impact their business. Either by just doing the work efficiently, improving the process, and / or being an overall around great person to work with.
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References:
[1] Result Oriented Resume Examples, https://www.ccu.edu/employment-management-services/documents/result-oriented-resume-examples.pdf
[2] Resume Yawn vs. Resume Gold, https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/resume-yawn-resume-gold/
[3] Resume Revamp: How to Turn Your Duties Into accomplishments, https://www.themuse.com/advice/resume-revamp-how-to-turn-your-duties-into-accomplishments