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Hard Facts in Resumes

You have probably searched on line for a product or service and been hit with phrases like “fast delivery” or “best in class service” or “competitive rates.” Those phrases give you very little information when you are searching for anything from pizza delivery to an airline flight. What you want are hard facts: how fast, what range of service, at what cost?

Rely on Facts, Not Adjectives

Unfortunately, many resumes rely on generic adjectives and adverbs rather than hard facts. Hiring managers and recruiters are tired of hearing about the “top-rated, proactive salesperson with incredible close rate.” They are looking for solid facts like “ranked 4 out of 30 salespeople, exceeding sales quota by 5% year-over-year.” Not only do those facts reassure them that this person has the skills they need, but the details make the person stand out: how many applicants can equal those specific claims?

The facts you provide do not have to be dramatic. Maybe they include the size of the company you worked for, the size of the team you participated in or led, your selection as employee of the month (even if it was only once), or your ability to increase customer satisfaction scores a small percentage. Yes, multiple Presidents Club awards are impressive but all achievements are memorable if they are backed up by facts.

Provide the Facts That Companies Actually Want

Most job postings and advertisements include specific information about desirable skills, experience, and education. Be sure to include that those facts in your resume if they align with your experience, skill set, and education.

Hard facts do have one limitation: If you are in a technical field, it is important that you show your resume to a nontechnical person before you load it with details that only professionals understand. Your resume has to be clear and interesting to hiring managers and recruiters who may lack the technical or industry background you have.

Put Your Facts in Context

Always remember to put your facts—technical or not—in the context of achievements: your knowledge is important but how have you used it to benefit the companies you work for? That context will make the information easier to understand.

Finally, the hard facts that you provide in your resume should be backed up by the information that appears on your online profile(s) and by the information you provide during the interview. If there is any disparity or uncertainty, hiring managers and recruiters will question it. Make sure your facts, from your college degree to the amount of revenue you generated, can be backed up.

As a professional resume writer, I can help you find the hard facts that will make you and your resume stand out. Contact me today.

Write Your Resume with Facts—Not Adjectives

Hyperbole is an exaggerated statement or claim. When you claim that you are a “world-champion” sales person or an “extraordinary” team player, you are engaged in hyperbole if you do not back those claims up with real statistics and results.

Resumes that are heavy on adjectives, like “world-champion,” “state-of-the-art,” “exceptional” or “extraordinary,” are weak resumes because anyone can make those claims. Strong resumes use facts—especially numbers—to prove that you are an exceptional candidate.

Look at the difference between these two examples:

  • Award-winning sales professional who closes exceptional deals with unmatched technical savvy and unique ability to form long-lasting relationships with premier technology leaders.
  • Award-winning sales professional who grew sales 110% above the national average in one year by building relationships with Chief Information Officers (CIOs) and other technology leaders.

The first example is written with adjectives galore: award-winning, exceptional, unmatched, unique, long-lasting, premier. However, every word could apply to any sales professional, and there is no way to prove the claims.

The second example has only two adjectives: award-winning and national. The numbers confirm the claims and specific facts about methods (“building relationships with CIOs”) place the statements firmly in reality.

A resume is like any other marketing document: at some point, most readers expect you to prove your claims before they will close the deal. Hiring managers and recruiters will not hire you simply because you keep saying you are the greatest; you have to show what you can do through statistics, accomplishments, awards, testimonials, and other facts that highlight your knowledge and skills.

A limited use of adjectives in a resume is fine. Hyperbole is not.

At Robin’s Resumes®, we write about your talents and ability in a way that hiring managers and recruiters respect. Your achievements should never sound like an empty boast. We make sure they set you apart from the competition.

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