A winning resume is a necessity for anyone looking to land their next job and move up in their career.  In an economy where everyone is competing for the best jobs, it is important to understand the secrets of successful resume writing.  In my opinion, the work experience section is the most important part of the resume.  However, most people fail to make an impression in this section, thereby not differentiating themselves among the rest of the applicants.

The work experience section of the resume will have a greater impact if you also include within your job duties a little bit about what you learned, skills gained, or the difference you made for the company. Including these additional items is crucial because it will give the recruiter a deeper understanding of your strengths and what you could bring to the table, as opposed to just your job duties.

For example, let’s say that I write the following as one of the bullets in the work experience section of my resume, “Created a training manual on the usage of new scanners.”  This is a good start because it highlights something I did in a past role. If the recruiter is looking for someone who has experience in creating training manuals and some knowledge of scanners or other similar devices, then this is fine. However, I can also include what I learned and the skills I gained while creating the training manual.

For example, I can say, “Gained valuable cross-functional communication skills when creating a training manual on the usage of new scanners”, “Learned optimal bargaining strategies to interact with vendors when creating a training manual on the usage of new scanners”, or “Became proficient at analyzing key manufacturing process steps when creating a training manual on the usage of new scanners”.

You can see that the information in these bullets provides more depth into what I did because it shows what I learned and or skills gained. The original bullet was fine and explained what I did, but the examples that followed would provide the recruiter additional information about my transferrable skills and experiences.

I can also include how I made a difference in the company while creating the training manual.  I can say, “Improved training for 300+ employees by creating an effective training manual on the usage of new scanners”, “Eliminated defects in the main assembly line by 15% by creating an effective training manual on the usage of new scanners”, or “Increased productivity at the warehouse by 20% by creating an effective training manual on the usage of new scanners”.

As you can see, the original bullet was fine, but these three examples are stronger because they show how I made a difference in addition to what I did. The recruiter will see these accomplishments as proof of my problem-solving skills, which are valuable to any company.

To make your resume stand out, each item pertaining to your job description should also be in bullet format. This will allow the recruiter to read your resume faster. If you write what you did in a paragraph form instead of a bullet form, the recruiter will most likely not read everything you included in the resume. With as many talented candidates submitting resumes on a daily basis, recruiters spend less than thirty seconds, on average, reading each. To be effective, always use bullets.

 Each bullet should also be kept to one or two lines.  Again, the fewer words you can use to describe what you did, what you learned, and skills gained, or how you made a difference, the better. If you have to use two lines of resume space for a particular bullet, go ahead. However, one line per bullet is preferred. Three or more lines for a particular bullet is too much and will most likely not be read.

Each role you include in the work experience section should also have at least three bullets.  How much work experience you have per position held will dictate how many bullets you include for each role. However, at minimum, there should be three bullets per role listed on the resume.

Each bullet should start with a verb because it will show you accomplished something from the start.  The verb should be in past tense if the activity you are describing already took place.  Make sure to start each bullet with a verb different from the one before it.  Using the same verb back-to-back for subsequent bullets will not flow as well.

Quantifying your achievements when possible within the work experience section can separate you from the rest of the job applicants. Quantifying or using numbers to describe your work-related results gives the recruiter a better idea of the magnitude of your accomplishments. You do not need to quantify the contents of every bullet, but do so if possible.

Hopefully you found these tips useful for enhancing the work experience section of your resume.  Incorporating these tips can set you apart from the rest of the applicants and get you closer to your dream job.  Good luck!

 

L. Xavier Cano, known today as The Resume Whiz®, has been coaching resume writing and other professional development topics for over a decade.  He is the founder of Innovative Resume Consulting LLC and his current book, Resumes That Stand Out!, provides valuable insights into what one can do to create a memorable resume.  For more information, visit www.TheInnovativeResume.com

(l-r) David L. Cohen, Rep. John Lewis, and Javier Palomarez