What one thing will most improve my resume

The most common mistake resume writers make is listing the responsibilities of of each position (essentially a “cut-and-paste” of the job description) rather than listing personal achievements and contributions. Your resume will be dramatically improved by describing what you did, not what the job was.

The individual who reads your resume is interested in learning highlights of your successes, not routine activities; the more specific the information, the better. Quantify information wherever possible: “ranked number 2 out of 10 sales reps” instead of “a top-ranked rep”, or “increased donor revenue from $525,000 to $740,000 in two years” instead of “dramatically increased revenue”.

Employers read resumes to determine whether to interview or reject a candidate. To make this decision they need basic information on experience and qualifications. Beyond basics, they need to know how well you performed in the position.

List the successes for which you can take full, or at least primary, credit; don’t list trivial items as that gives the appearance you contributed nothing of substance. Obviously, any performance-based award received from your employer should be noted.

Managers face a greater challenge with resume writing, as accomplishments often involve the efforts of many subordinates and the causal chain may not be obvious. For example, an increase in sales achieved by a division may be directly attributable to the efforts of the division’s sales manager, but the cause and effect relationship must be spelled out on the resume or it may appear that the manager was simply in the right place at the right time. A secondary benefit of elaborating on one’s role in effecting change is that the hiring manager views the process underlying the success, instead of just the before and after.

Michael G Smith