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No matter your field, your resume is the most essential tool in your arsenal when applying for a job. In most cases, a recruiter or hiring manager will see your resume long before you have the opportunity to speak to them. What does your resume say about you? What story does it tell?

Put yourself in the shoes of a hiring manager/recruiter. What problems can you solve for them? How good are you?

YOUR RESUME STORY

An open role at a firm begins with a problem waiting to be solved. Recruiters are problem solvers hired by a firm to find someone to take on those responsibilities and contribute, quantitatively and qualitatively, to the firm. What separates the candidates who are interviewed from those who are not are the stories that their resumes convey. Your resume should reflect what you have accomplished, and the value you brought to the firm.

Every role serves a purpose—can yours be quantified? Look at any project you led or were involved in. What did the firm gain from your involvement and contribution? Include those details on your resume—especially if you have a financial metric associated. This is about being an asset to your firm and how you contribute to the greater good of the company.

Holding a position is one thing, being successful in that position is another. One of the most common deficiencies recruiters see on resumes is the regurgitation of a job description. When reading a resume, a recruiter cannot measure accomplishments based solely on the duties of the role. Recruiters are looking for talent to bring success to the roles they fill. What did it mean to be successful in your role? How did you achieve success? Who can attest to your accomplishments? The story of your success in any given role begins when you define what success in that role means and concludes with how you achieved that success. The best way to quantify that story is through accomplishments and metrics.

It is important to have proof of your success; in fact, it is just as important as location (“location, location, location”) when looking for a home. Feelings of greatness are disputable but quantified and measured results speak for themselves. While you want to show confidence in your success, it is easy for empty claims to come off as gloating. Stick to the facts. Use metrics. Quantify your impact. Recruiters want to see how the results of your work will solve their clients’ problems. You may be qualified for a position; prove it. Give your recruiter the proof and tools to see it, too.

QUANTIFY YOUR CONTRIBUTION

Recruiters want to find the most qualified person for any role they fill. Make it easy for recruiters to measure your qualifications. By quantifying your contribution, you illustrate your impact and the impact you could have elsewhere. Measure your impact. Let your resume tell your success story. Get the interview.