3 Ways to Easily Quantify Your Value to Get the Job You Want!

The number one resume writing tip is ensuring that you are quantifying your accomplishments in your resume. However, how exactly do you find numbers in the things you have accomplished if you aren't a salesperson? Read below to learn 3 ways to quantify your value!

When you are first writing or updating your resume, you must list all of your daily responsibilities, accomplishments, and promotions. Your list allows you to see your contributions in your position holistically so that you can prioritize specific accolades and responsibilities over others. At this point, you can begin to think about how to add quantitative data to your resume to build credibility and stand out amongst other candidates. Ultimately, you should frame your thinking around impact: what have you done and why it matters?

The easiest way to think about your impact in a position is to consider your actual job duties and responsibilities. Are you in a place where you manage other people or cases? Do you interact with clients daily or prepare reports regularly? These are all examples of job duties that can include a number to quantify your impact.  

·      Before: Managed family caseload and followed-up with clients to get the paperwork

·      After: Manage caseload of 20+ families, overseeing their application and approval process

By quantifying this responsibility, you convey your ability to manage multiple work streams simultaneously and oversee project cycles from beginning to end. You should feel comfortable presenting a range or estimate that is realistic to your performance and role if you have difficulty remembering specific numbers. Incorporating the number of people you manage or customers you serve to make your resume more applicable for management positions.

Now that you have taken the first step towards quantifying your value, you must incorporate the frequency of repetitive tasks. As an administrative assistant, you might include preparing and revising financial reports, board minutes, or other vital documents. As a teacher, you might also explain how you evaluate student data weekly to inform your instruction. Including how often you complete tasks shows your level of proficiency or mastery in the task. Instead of needing to be supported throughout specific processes, you indicate that you can execute these tasks independently and at a high quality. 

·      Before: Prepared financial reports for manager upon request ahead of board meetings

·      After: Prepared weekly financial reports for c-level management ahead of board meetings

Incorporating how often you do repetitive tasks shows your organization and ability to adhere to project or deliverable deadlines. 

Lastly, but most importantly, you must include your impact on your company's bottom line. The truth is that money talks, especially in business, and many companies are looking for ways to reduce spending and waste continuously. Showcasing the methods and strategies that you employed to decrease the bottom line is impressive to any recruiter. Did you minimize inventory shrinkage by scheduling more sales associates to be present on the sales floor? Perhaps you leveraged your relationship with third-party vendors to secure competitive pricing for materials that your company orders frequently. Whatever the situation, tell the story and show the money!

·      Before: Decreased office spending by implementing organizational processes

·      After: Reduced spending 30% by evaluating supply usage & adjusting replenishment orders 

Regardless of your role, there are many ways that you can think quantify your accomplishments. Incorporating different data points within your resume shows your work capacity and ability, which intrigues recruiters and hiring managers, ultimately increasing the chances of getting called for an interview. Other sources that you can find quantitative data for your resume include your performance reviews, recognition for top-performing, etc. This is your show and time to brag on yourself by recognizing the worth and value you bring to a company!

Diana Williams, Resume Tailor