How to Write Effective Bullet Points for Your Resume

How to Write Effective Bullet Points for Your Resume How to Write Effective Bullet Points for Your Resume Of the 250 resumes received on average for each job opening, only 4-6 will garner an interview. This means that 98 percent of applicants are rejected based on their resumes alone.These odds may seem daunting, but Im not trying to scare you. Rather, I only want to demonstrate the importance of writing a resume that stands out. Improving your resume canmake a world of difference for your job search.Defining a Stand-Out ResumeMany people take this concept too literally. They end up using pretty graphics, splashy designs, and colorful templates, thinking this will stand out and grab a recruiters attention. Ive personally worked with dozens of recruiters at top companies, and let me tell you - recruiters hate these kinds of resumesRecruiters are substance over style kind of people. What theyreally care about are your bullet points.Each and every line must be informative and engagin g. Each bullet should further contribute to an employers desire to hire you. This is what we call an effective bullet point.Effective Vs. Ineffective Bullet PointsLets start with anexample of a bullet point that is ineffectiveResponsible for the coordinated management of multiple related projects directed toward strategic geschftlicher umgang and other organizational objectivesThis isthe kindof bullet that many job seekers would use to describe project management experience. Can you identify why its an ineffective bullet?The main problem is that it focuses on the applicants responsibilities instead of their accomplishments. A line like thisis more appropriate for a job descriptionthan a resumeOn your resume, its your job to show recruiters the impact youve had at your previous companies. You can do this by writing accomplishment-oriented bullet points.Here is an example of a significantly more effective bullet point to showcase project management experienceManaged a process-reengine ering project to improve and consolidate end-to-end service processes restructured communication flow among 10 departments and cut down paperwork by 75 percentNotice the difference? This bullet point demonstrates the applicants accomplishments by using1.Action wordslikemanaged and restructured, which demonstrate what the candidate actuallydidrather than what they were responsible for.2. Numbers to quantify results- e.g. cut down paperwork by 75percent. Quantifying your results makes them a whole lot more meaningful, since they show employers how work youve done hasconcretely impacted the company.How to Quantify Accomplishments Even When You Dont Have Access to Hard NumbersEmployers love to see achievements that directly contribute to the companys bottom line. Thus, quantifying your impact in dollars will be most impressive to employers.However, not all of uswork in sales or finance roles where our performance can be easily converted into dollar figures. What should you do in that c ase?Use any metric that is relevant to your job, and then make an educated estimate to convert that metric into dollars. For example, improvements you made to a process may have cut the processs time by 20 hours a week. Twenty hours is equivalent to half of one full-time employees workweek, so you can convert your time savings into an estimated financial impact of half the average full-time employees salary - say, $30,000 a year.There are a ton of other metrics you can use to quantify your results, too How many people or departments did you work with? Did a change you made result in fewer customer support queries? You can even quantify your achievements based on thesize ofa project you ran or the time you saved your team on a weekly basis.- Your job title tells recruiters and hiring managers all they need to know about your responsibilities. Instead of repeating yourself, showcase your results by writing quantified, accomplishment-oriented bullets. This isthe single most effective way to stand out from competitors and be one of the 2 percent of applicants who get an interview.Rohan Mahtani is the founder of Resume Worded.Master the art of closing deals and making placements. Take our Recruiter Certification Program today. Were SHRM certified. Learn at your own pace during this 12-week program. Access over 20 courses. Great for those who want to break into recruiting, or recruiters who want to further their career.

How to Decide Between Two Job Offers

How to Decide Between Two Job OffersHow to Decide Between Two Job OffersHow to Decide Between Job Offers The Essential GuideReceiving two job offers can be both a blessing and a curse. Use these tips to learn how to choose between job offers.You refined your resume and cover letters, you shined in the interviews, you stayed positive and upbeat when the process was slow. Finally a job offerAnd then aleidher one. Now what?From the outside, this might look like a great problem to have. Having multiple job offers to choose from is a luxury, no matter what the job market looks like. However, it may not seem that way to you as you fret over the offers, zooming in on the details that dont matter and feeling the pressure to act fast.Your first move, if you have not done so already, is to get both offers in writing. It will ground your next steps for learning how to choose between job offers and give you the information you need to make a decision. Once you have the offer documents, here are three steps to take to organize your thoughts and help you avoid making a decision you may regret.1. Dig deepYou have had an opportunity to meet your future boss, possibly even a few co-workers. In the hustle of interviews, it is tough to be present to the little details of your surroundings and interactions. Now is the time to recall them. Think through any possible red flags that you have picked up and write them down.Trust your instincts before accepting a job offer I once had a job interview where my interactions with a possible co-worker was a little off during the group interview. I chalked it up to nerves on both sides, but the dynamic with that co-worker actually caused me a lot of frustration after I accepted the job.The signs could be subjective, with one meaning for you and a different meaning to someone else. For example, if your boss refers to the staff meeting space as The War Room, think about what that says about the tone of those meetings. Are you a good natural fi t for that environment?Use online resources to help you research how to choose between job offers. Glassdoor, Indeed, and LinkedIn are great places to start. Look for hints of company culture, work pace, and general trends that point to the companys being a good employer.2. PrioritizeCompensation packages, health insurance, 401(k) contributions, commute, dress code comparing those across two or more companies can make you dizzy It is almost too much to keep in your head.In fact, it is too much to keep in your head. Lets get it out on paper and organize it in a way that is helpful to your decision-making process for accepting a job offer.abflug by writing down the components of your compensation package salary, bonus, profit sharing, tuition reimbursement, healthcare coverage, and 401(k) match. Remember to add non-monetary things as well fit with company culture, rapport with your future boss and co-workers, length of your commute, the possibility of flexible work arrangements. If f amily leave is or will be important in the near future, write that down too.Now that you have a list, choose five to six items that matter most. Be careful to look at your needs and wants in the short term as well as the long term. Then give each company a score between one and 10 for each of your priorities, with 10 being the best. When you add it all up, your result might look like thisBased on the math analysis, Company No. 2 is the winner with a higher overall score.Once you have this simple analysis done, think about one or two factors that matter most. Highlight them, so that you can pay attention to particularly high or low scores on those.RelatedYour Guide to Negotiating the Best Compensation Package3. Do a gut checkImagine yourself working in each of the spaces, interacting with clients and co-workers, grabbing lunch, and commuting. How does it feel? Which place allows you to be yourself and honors your talents and strengths?If the math points you in the direction of a clea r winner based on the numbers, and yet you dread making the phone call to accept the offer, pay attention to that feeling. If you have all relevant information, yet still find yourself stalling, ask yourself what that is about.Bringing it all togetherThe internet is full of conflicting advice on how to choose between job offers. Some sites suggest you stall for time, while others recommend that you do complex analysis of the offers so you can make an informed decision.I am a believer in the Blink concept that we make a decision in the first few seconds, and then spend hours to gather data to back it up. A simple priorities list can help you focus on your values and consider details carefully. In my experience, anything much more complex than that just muddies the water.Talk through the decision with someone who knows you well and whose judgment you trust. A family member, a friend, a mentor, or a coach could each bring their perspective and insight. I remember a conversation I had with a former boss and mentor as I was making the choice between two competing offers. His clarity and questions allowed me to take in the big picture and ultimately helped me make a good decision without burning any bridges.Transparency is key to making the most of your situation. Tell them that you are interested in their company (you would not have gotten this far otherwise) and that you are considering multiple offers. Ask for their help in clarifying key points of the offer or filling in the points that are missing. The ideal outcome is that you accept the offer that is your best fit and burns no bridges with the runner-up.Above all else, remember that having a choice puts you in a position of power. Look at what you stand to gain by accepting a job offer, trust your judgment, and go into the next steps excited about the possibilities not regretting the lost opportunity.Click on the following link for more job-search advice.Can your resume land you multiple jobs to choose from ? Find out with a free resume critique.Recommended ReadingDeclining a Job Offer With GraceCareer Quiz Is it Time for a Career Change?6 Steps to Negotiating Flexible Work ArrangementsRelated Articles

5 Reasons Why Hard Work Alone Wont Advance Your Career

5 Reasons Why Hard Work Alone Wont Advance Your Career 5 Reasons Why Hard Work Alone Wont Advance Your Career Are you stuck in a career rut?  Do you find yourself putting in the hours and effort with little to nothing to show for your efforts?  Maybe you’re tired, overworked, and underappreciated despite your best efforts on the job. Sure, its possible you might have made the wrong choice when it comes to your employer or career.  Before you go pushing the panic button on that position or job field, however, maybe the fault lies in your approach and is much more “fixable” than you thought. We’ve all heard the colloquialisms regarding hard work and advancement in our professional lives.  Sometimes, however, simply rolling up your sleeves and putting in additional effort isn’t the best way to approach a job-related problem.  You’ve probably heard the expression that repeating the same action multiple times and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity.  Simply plugging along in your job and expecting a better outcome is much the same. All hope is not lost, however.  There are far better approaches to digging in that will help you overcome obstacles and see you making big-time career advancements.  Interested in what we have to say? Then, read on for five reasons why hard work alone won’t advance your career and our suggestions about alternative approaches sure to see you maximize your returns. 1. Working Hard Does Not Enhance Your Circle of Influence Putting in the extra hours at the office may allow you to increase the rough quantity of your work, but it doesn’t leave much time for other career expanding activities.  Making the move to management or otherwise climbing the corporate ladder will require you to navigate taking on additional responsibilities while still managing to deliver results.   Simply put, you’ll never have enough hours in the day to accomplish all that you’ll need to get done in the upper level if you don’t develop better solutions than simply applying greater force.  Take the time to connect with other departments within your company, offer to expand your duties or chip in on a project. Utilize your current team members and capitalize on efficiencies to get more done without busting your labor bank. 2. Working Hard Does Not Secure You the Right Relationships When you work harder the first inclination is often to put your head down and keep plugging away.  This can lead to deleterious results via a lack of ability to network or make personal connections with others in your workplace.  Its imperative that you get your daily tasks done, but don’t sacrifice your ability to attend that after hours social function or engage in water cooler talk with coworkers.  It’s these kinds of soft communications that will often be necessary to big upward career moves more so than sheer quantity of milestones achieved. 3. Hard Work is No Excuse for a Poor Attitude Often times people that work hard assume that dedication is adequate compensation for other failures in personality.  Let’s correct that misconception with a solid “NO”! Coupling hard work with a less than positive office personality only builds resentment among your co-workers and certainly won’t win you that promotion.  Companies value teamwork and a stable work environment. Don’t assume that working hard gives you a free pass and instead spend some of that extra effort on being a great team player which will yield better results all around. 4. Hard Work Doesn’t Provide Extra Insight Another misconception would-be Type A’s often have is that it’s only through hard work that you can learn what “life at the top” is truly like.  Sure, executives and upper-level management certainly have accomplished quite a bit to get where they’re at, but much of that has come via an application of their intelligence as much as their sweat equity.  Resources such as time and physical effort are limited. Those who truly succeed know that it takes ingenuity in equal parts with pure grit in order to get the most accomplished. 5. Hard Work Doesn’t Help Others Succeed Our last reason on our list of why hard work on its own won’t advance your career may not be as intuitive as our other points.  If you’re worried about your own success it may not seem obvious as to why you need to ensure others work their way to the top as well.  The truth is that stepping on others is never going to give you the leg up in life or in your career. There will often be times when you’ll need to assist a manager so that you clear the way for your own upward mobility.  Similarly, you may need to promote a teammate so that your entire group can receive the recognition it deserves. Hard work in and of itself is not a guarantee of work-life success.  While you definitely need to put in the effort, show up, and excel at your position, it will often be brains that win over brawns.  Consider where your efforts are best spent and exercise your talents with a precision chisel, rather than coming off as a dull hammer.  In the end, you’ll accomplish far more, be happier, and will retain greater personal and professional relationships than simply applying additional effort for the pure sake of it.