Demonstrate your Worth!
Job Seeker Guide to ensuring
Return on Investment on your Resume!

Chandra Fox

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Return on Investment is defined as: A figure of merit used to assist in making investment decisions. ROI is calculated by the annual benefit less the investment amount.

Mathematically:

Revenue generated as a result of your success
- Monies invested in your training/development
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
****Your Personal Return on Investment****

The above formula is one way to look at the goal in terms of your resume. If you make sure that you demonstrate in terms of numbers (a figure of merit) to help HR make the best hiring decision on behalf of the company (so HR can make a positive investment decision), you will bring added value (profitability) to the company. For a resume you want to exceed in revenue the money the company spends on you in terms of training. Think of crafting your resume with this in mind.

Here is a good example:

You are in sales and you closed a sale with a key account for the company. Don't just mention in your resume you closed a key client for the company, but that you closed the key client which contributed $10 million in revenue for the company. This demonstrates not only your ability to close sales, but the value you have as an employee for your current employer. A statement like this allows hiring managers to imagine the success you will have within their corporate environment. They can envision your success within their company. That is how you want your prospective employers to be thinking about you: How you will bring value (ultimately profitability) to their company.

There are many ways to demonstrate your successes with numbers - whether it is percentages, increased revenue or profitability, it is always nice to have numbers to demonstrate your success.

Now think of how you are different from your peers. What makes you special? Use this information to put yourself in the lead with prospective employers. What can you bring to the company that others cannot? Thinking of our last example, why were you able to close that large account? Think about what made the sale go through. Was it your ability to speak with the clients, isolate their problems or suggest a solution that would better their business? Was your ability to really get to know the executives and develop a trusting relationship enough so these key executives took your advice and purchased the product to better their business? Whatever your differentiating factor, you should be sure it is included in your professional resume.

Emphasize your successes. Don't get bogged down in your duties. A good resume should always clearly explain to a reader why you are better than your competition. Focusing on results is the key to a successful resume. Be sure your resume is not a job description copied from your organization's website. It is very important to not only put your job description, which is the minimum you must do in a position, but to give hard facts about your abilities. This will speak to the next employer in regard to why you are the clear choice for the next position you are seeking. Go ahead and separate yourself from the crowd - become the leader of all the other candidates trying for the same position.

If you are still drawing a blank on your personal differentiating factors for your resume, think of your performance reviews. What were your strengths? Now with those strengths what were your personal abilities? Let's say your strength in your performance review was your ability to effectively communicate with customers. Now think about your background and what success came to the company as a result? You think, "Well I brought in many new accounts due to my ability to develop positive rapport with clients." If you were given praise from your employer on any project or account you worked with, think of things that affected them. Did you complete projects ahead of schedule due to your clear vision of how things needed to be carried out? Even if it was 10 days, think of it in terms of dollars. How much would 10 days less of overhead for your company save the company? That is how to incorporate numbers into your resume, to be sure you stand out.

Most positions will allow you to calculate how it was beneficial to the company in terms of numbers, dollars or percentages. Now what if you cannot? Then think of things you may have implemented or changed to make them better. Maybe you implemented a better way to work to improve efficiencies. Think like this. People in marketing sometimes have this problem. They have no tangible numbers to give on a resume. In this case think of client satisfaction, positive client feedback or product launch success as a result of marketing campaigns and so forth.

Now you should have a better idea on how to demonstrate your Return on Investment in terms of your career. Just use successes in terms of numbers or efficiencies to draft a winning resume, interview well and acquire the job of your dreams.

 

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