What to quantify in a resume?

Most resumes contain non-contributory, high-flown statements such as "effective manager". These kinds of statements are simply overlooked by headhunters. However, if an "effective manager" is not prepared for the interview, they will struggle to quickly and specifically answer questions like "Please rate your managerial effectiveness on a scale from 1 to 5, where 5 is the highest, and provide arguments for your rating". A vague answer can significantly reduce the candidate's credibility in the eyes of the recruiter. Therefore, it is not advisable to use such embellishments in a resume; instead, it is better to include numbers.

Including numbers in a resume is beneficial because:

They increase credibility: numbers in a resume serve as evidence of specific achievements, making your claims more credible and easier for the employer to verify. It's easy to claim you "improved a process" or "led a team", but quantifiable points show you're not just throwing around trendy words. They demonstrate that you've spent time reflecting on your work and can present its value.

• They facilitate effectiveness evaluation: with specific data, recruiters can assess your effectiveness in previous roles more quickly and accurately, potentially increasing your chances of being invited for an interview.
• They make your application stand out: among a sea of resumes, where many candidates may have similar qualifications, specific numbers can make your resume stand out and be remembered.
• They emphasize results orientation: presenting results in numerical form shows potential employers that you focus on achieving specific goals and are results-oriented.
• They enable a better understanding of the scope of responsibilities: numbers can help illustrate the scale of projects you've managed or the size of teams you've worked with, providing a clearer picture of your professional experiences.
• They allow for quick information conveyance: in an era where recruiters spend only a few seconds reviewing a resume, numerical data enables quick and effective communication of key achievements.

What numbers to include?

Metrics in a resume can refer to various measurable achievements, depending on your role and industry.

Here are some examples:

• Time: experience is highly valued in the professional world, so you should always use specific numbers when possible to demonstrate the length of your professional experience.
• Financial indicators: these include generated revenue, saved costs, increased margins, improved financial liquidity, managed budgets, investment returns, or any financial data showing your impact on the financial result.
• Operational indicators: these may include streamlined processes, efficiency gains, time saved, or any operational improvements you contributed to.
• Performance indicators: these reflect individual or team performance, such as meeting or exceeding goals or KPIs or achieving high customer satisfaction ratings.
• Project or program indicators: if you've managed projects or programs, these indicators might include the number of managed projects, project sizes, project completion rates, or success indicators.
• Human indicators: depending on the position you're applying for, you might quantify everything from the number of customers you've had to the size of staff you've managed. For management positions, these indicators could include the number of people managed or hired, retention rates, employee satisfaction rates, or team performance improvements.
• Marketing indicators: might include the number of leads generated, conversion rates, website traffic growth, social media follower growth, bounce rates, customer retention rates, CPM (cost per thousand impressions) due to your marketing efforts.
• Purchasing indicators: might include savings, the number of suppliers, the number of contracts concluded (more information on purchasing KPIs can be found here: [link to purchasing KPIs]).
• Product quality and complaint indicators: show the percentage of products meeting quality standards relative to the total number of units produced and the percentage of sales covered by customer complaints.
• Customer satisfaction indicators: such as NPS or the average time customers wait for service or a response or the level of customer satisfaction with a company's products or services (often measured using surveys).
• Rankings: many industries use rankings, and if possible, you should include them in your resume. For example, an SEO professional might mention helping improve a client's position from the fourth page of search results to the top position for targeted keywords.

For most positions in organizations, specific KPIs (key performance indicators) are defined, which de facto demonstrate how effectively a person achieves key business goals. It's definitely worth demonstrating KPIs in your resume.

Here are a few examples:

Sales:

• Increased annual sales by 15% by introducing a new upselling strategy.
• Exceeded quarterly sales target by 15% in three consecutive quarters.

Marketing:

• Increased website traffic by 30% within 8 months through SEO optimization and content marketing campaigns.
• Raised the conversion rate in an email marketing campaign by 40%, using personalized messages.

Project Management:

• Completed a project 2 weeks ahead of schedule, saving the company $10,000.
• Managed a project that generated a 25% increase in operational efficiency in the production department.

HR:

• Introduced a training program that increased employee satisfaction by 35% within a year.
• Reduced employee turnover rate by 40% through the development and implementation of a new onboarding system.

Customer Service:

Maintained a 98% customer satisfaction level for 4 consecutive years.

Reduced response time to customer inquiries by 40% through the implementation of a new ticketing system.

What if your position doesn't have defined KPIs?

If you don't have defined KPIs for your position but want to show your achievements in your resume using numbers or results, there are several ways to do this:

• Define your own KPIs: consider which aspects of your work are most relevant and how you can measure them. These might include project deadlines, cost savings, sales growth, customer satisfaction improvements, etc. Use these metrics to present your achievements.
• Focus on projects and initiatives: if you participated in specific projects, describe them, providing their scope, objectives, and, if possible, illustrate your contributions with numbers. For example, "Contributed to the implementation of a new management system that reduced order processing time by 30%".
• Describe your skills and competencies: you can also show your value through skills that contribute to better work outcomes. Examples of such skills include time management, problem-solving, teamwork. Describe how these skills contributed to efficiency improvements, work quality, or other desired outcomes.
• Collect feedback from others: sometimes, the best measure of your success is others' opinions. If you've received positive reviews from customers, awards, or recognitions, it's definitely worth including them in your resume.
• Conduct regular reviews of your work: record your successes and achievements as they happen, even if they are not expressed in traditional KPIs. This will make it easier for you to gather and present this information when needed.

Employers value candidates who are results-oriented and can deliver concrete results. When you quantify your work, it's a clear signal to recruitment managers that you focus on outcomes (not just tasks and activities). This can be particularly valuable in positions where tangible results are important, such as sales, project management, or any management position.