A senior recruiter recently briefed me on the 3 keywords he looks for in each resume. In times like these, when the pandemic has made so many people unemployed, any advantage for job seekers is welcome. This is a further fine-tuning of your CV after it has passed the first ATS (Application Tracking System) screening.
Employers are no longer looking for a specific career path, but for people who can grow, inspire others, are productive and fit the overall corporate culture. The key lies in the small details that in most cases are not seen by an untrained eye.
If you use these 3 little words, you will stand out from the competition with the same background:
“From” makes your statement quantifiable.
e.g. “I have increased sales from $[x] to $[y] in 2019.” or “I have expanded the customer database from [x] to [y] units in the last year.”
“To” highlights an improvement or growth in your roles.
e.g. “I have increased my team size from [x] to [y] members in the last 6 months.”
“By/Through” indicates the way you have solved a problem or improved an existing process.
e.g. “I achieved [x] by/through [y] and [z] in 2019.”
Many job seekers stuff their resume with unnecessary information or irrelevant details. By using these 3 words you add context to your performance and this helps recruiters and hiring managers to better understand your value.
This way, achievements and values are very well highlighted and look more promising to potential employers.
Companies indeed look for candidates and applicants who can tick all the boxes in a job description. The reality and the market do not always meet these expectations. It is best to analyse past successes to predict future ones.
Remember the next time you update your resume, these 3 little words will make a significant difference.
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