Anyone who has taken a freshman composition course has probably heard of “show, don’t tell.” In fiction writing it means, for example, to let a character’s actions, appearance and speech explain their personality.
THIS: “Larry is lazy.”
OR THIS: “Instead of doing dishes, Larry has his bulldog Albert lick them clean. The ones Albert won’t lick, Larry throws away.”
What does this have to do with job hunting? Too many cover letters and resumes are filled with phrases like “well-organized” and “innovative” and “problem solver.” When you describe yourself like that, how does an employer know whether or not to believe you? Or whether your definition of “innovative” is even in the same ballpark as hers? They can’t – so your materials go immediately to the “no” pile.
So when you’re writing about your experience, use examples of specific problems you’ve solved, obstacles you’ve overcome, and money you’ve saved previous employers. In other words, tell a story.
Taking the time and space on your job application materials for specific examples – stories – of what you’ve accomplished is an important aspect of convincing the potential employer that you have what they are looking for.
Think of it this way: you need to hire a plumber. You ask two friends to recommend someone.
FRIEND #1: You should go with Gene. He’s good.
FRIEND #2: Not only did Walter fix my toilet on a Sunday morning without charging me extra, he told me about a potential problem with my plumbing, probably saving me $1,000.
Which plumber would you hire, Gene or Walter?
So tell some stories. What projects did you shepherd through to success? How did you turn that problem into an advantage? What new ideas did you bring to your organization?
Also, job titles are all but meaningless except as content headings on a resume. Don’t let the job title speak for you – show them what that title really meant, especially to your boss. That’s what a prospective employer wants to hear, and that’s what will get you in the door.
Bonus tip #1: Use verbs, not adjectives
I’ve written about this before. But it bears repeating. Adjectives - professional, detail-oriented, reliable - are worse than useless in application materials. They take up space and impart no real information. Always use verbs: implemented, saved, designed.
Bonus tip #2: Use numbers whenever possible
No one knows better than me how difficult it can be to quantify your success in previous jobs. But if you do have numbers, use them! Numbers about money saved, employees trained, event attendance increased etc. are great for applicant tracking systems, help with scannability and boost your overall impression.
A final quick story about how even numbers don’t work sometimes. In a previous job we attended a workshop about making web landing pages to promote events, sell products, etc. After the workshop we used a landing page to promote our monthly webinar. That webinar had three times the audience of the previous ones.
When I pointed out to my boss how much the landing page had increased the audience, he said, “Well that could be for any reason.”
😁
Rough week. But we’re all still here. See you next week.