It’s Important to Use Numbers in Your Resume
Making an Impact by Using Numbers in Your Resume
I prepared a resume for “Jennie”, who was looking for a new position in sales. During the interview process, Jennie talked in length about how she had increased the annual revenue for her current employer by millions of dollars. Impressive!
Since potential employers will be very interested in seeing these numbers, I included them in Jennie’s resume. It was a surprise when she called to say, “You can’t use those numbers in my resume! My company will NOT want to reveal its annual revenue to anyone.” She was worried about the repercussions should the “wrong person” learn she had publicly reported this information.
After discussing other options, we decided to calculate percentages of year-over-year increases and report those. Still impressive but not as impactful as showing dollars.
It’s important to include quantifiable data in your resume. Vague statements like “increased revenue” mean little unless the action can be measured. If potential employers can’t see what you’ve done for other companies, they’ll have a hard time assessing your possible value to them. In resumes, numbers are gold! Not just for people who want sales jobs but for any job seeker.