Did you know that numbers can make a huge difference in your ability to create a quality resume? It’s true. The more numbers you add to your resume, the more you are enhancing it and increasing your chances of getting called in for an interview.

Of course, adding numbers doesn’t simply meaning writing “1, 2, 3” in random places around the resume. They have to be used strategically to make a difference. But if you adopt the right strategies, you can bet that you will have enhanced your resume tenfold.

Start with Amounts

When jotting down accomplishments, not merely responsibilities, to your resume, you want to get as in-depth as possible. This means listing the amounts associated with everything you have accomplished. For instance, if you were a sales representative at your previous employer, you can mention that you not just sold products for the company, but that you sold X amount of products for the company.

Also, it’s a good idea to talk about how many clients you were able to sell to. The more detailed you’re able to be when describing your accomplishments, the more vividly you can paint a picture of what you’ll be able to accomplish if the company hires you.

Move On to Money

So now that you’ve been able to successfully describe how many products you’ve sold, and how many clients you sold to, during your time at your previous company, let’s think in terms of the dollar bill. If you were a sales representative, your ultimate job was to sell products or services to as many clients as possible so that you could make money for the company. So how much money would you say you made?

Obviously, the more money you were able to make, the more successful you probably were at your job, so you want to break down as many numbers as you can. Don’t just total out all that you made in your career there. If you sold more than one product or service, don’t be shy about listing total amounts for those that you sold the most of. These dollar amounts will tie into your explanations for how many products and clients you sold, so that your story can become that much more vivid.

Don’t Forget Time

But you can’t thoroughly list an accomplishment without mentioning time. In other words, over how many years did you sell products? How fast a timeframe were you able to sell X amount of products to X amount of clients that made X amount of dollars? Or how many times a month were you asked to come up with another important sales strategy? You’re catching on now, right? It’s all about making sure you don’t leave any important details out. If you don’t mention it all, you’re simply selling yourself short.

So now it’s time to pass you the baton. It shouldn’t be hard to come up with the numbers you need to fill in the blanks on your resume. Just take time to think about all the great things you’ve accomplished at your previous jobs so that you can show your future employer what a great employee they’re getting.

It may seem like a bit of an impossible task switch careers once you’ve reached the executive level, but it happens more than you think – and it is contemplated even more than that. In fact, according to Execunet’s 2009 Executive Job Market Intelligence Report, 94 percent of the senior-level executives surveyed would consider switching industries.

If you’re a part of this statistic, and are seriously making moves in this direction, you are about to embark on a life-changing experience. However, this venture won’t come without challenges. So to help you on your journey, here are some tips to consider as you make your attempt to switch careers at the executive level.
Read More…

Did you know that the way you sit, smile and shake hands can speak volumes during a job interview? It’s true. There is no manual to read to determine how you should manage your body language; however, if you make certain gestures, you’re definitely sending a certain message.

So how can you know what message you’re sending with the body language you’re using? Here is a quick guide to give you some ideas of what you’re saying with your gestures.

Read More…

If you’re in the middle of an executive-level job search, you’re probably hoping that you can get back in the workforce sooner than later. There’s nothing like getting the level of responsibility, and financial rewards, you’re accustomed to. However, if the job search is moving slowly, you may be trying to think of ways to enhance your search – one way is by volunteering.

It may seem like you’re moving backwards if you consider volunteering while searching for a job. But, in many ways, it moves you forward even though it offers no pay. If you’ve been thinking of volunteering, but have been reluctant to do so, don’t second guess your idea. It may pay off more than you think.

Read More…

Have you ever thought about sending out a cold cover letter to company in search of a job that you’re not sure even exists? The thought of a cold cover letter just may give you cold feet. But it’s good to know that there are plenty of success stories that come out of sending out these types of letters.

So before you start biting your nails too hard at the prospect of taking on this form of application, consider just what you can gain from doing so. You could be surprised by the number of opportunities you could gain from doing so.

Read More…

You’ve probably heard about the various ways to improve your resume so that it can be moved to the top of the talent pool instead of the top of a trash pile. One way that has been suggested in more recent times is the use of keywords, especially with advancements in technology that can capture and categorize resumes based on the keywords used.

This is a practice not only common with entry-level and managerial resumes, it also works extraordinarily well with executive resumes. You just have to know how to manage the keywords you use properly. Let’s look at how you can get this done …

Read More…