Of all the information listed on a resume, highlighting previous work experience is one of the most important. This is your opportunity to share with a potential employer what you’ve done in the past and why it has prepared you for a career with their organization. You probably have a lot that you want to share!
However, most recruiters will look at a resume for only 7 seconds. This means your resume needs to make an impression, and make it fast. With so much information to share, how do you highlight work experience in a way that will capture the attention of a recruiter in such a short amount of time? By keeping your descriptions concise, writing with action words in mind, and quantifying your accomplishments, your work experience has a better chance of standing out on your resume.
Keep it concise.
Resumes are meant to give an overview of your past experience, so keep each job experience brief. Start by stating the company name, your previous job title, location, and the dates that you worked for the organization. If you had multiple job titles under the same organization, list each one. For each position, list your main responsibilities. You can do this in either a bulleted list or in paragraph form. You may have worn multiple hats in a previous role, but limit yourself to four to five main responsibilities. This makes it easier for a recruiter to scan your resume and decide if your experience is applicable.
For example:
Medix Staffing Solutions Chicago, IL Recruitment Advisor June 2020-Present
- Identify qualified candidates through a number of creative outlets.
- Assess candidates through phone screening, interviewing, skills testing, and reference checks.
- Maintain and develop relationships with over 100 candidates via phone and email communications.
- Consistently exceeded quarterly performance metrics.
Use action words.
Word choice is extremely important when it comes to highlighting previous work experience on your resume. Action words help your resume stand out by focusing on what you’ve achieved in a previous role. They are not passive filler words such as “responsible for.” Action words state specifics and show exactly how you contributed to a project or initiative. They also make the resume easier to read. Example action words include words such as “achieved,” “generated,” “refined,” and “ensured.” Action words also show confidence in your accomplishments. You should be proud of what you’ve done in the past, so state your accomplishments confidently!
For example:
Medix Staffing Solutions Chicago, IL Job Title Dates
- Spearheaded new hire training program
- Broke 10 accounts generating $50,000 in revenue
- Ensured client satisfaction through weekly check-ins and monthly feedback sessions
Quantify your accomplishments.
Numbers don’t lie. Anytime you are able to quantify previous work accomplishments, you should. For example, instead of stating that you, “increased website traffic for company webpage,” try saying, “increased website traffic for company webpage by 40 percent.” Quantifying your accomplishments shows credibility you’ve actually done what you say and have data to prove it. It also draws the eyes of recruiters and makes your experience more memorable. In addition, adding in numbers to previous work experience helps set realistic expectations for recruiters of what you’ve done in the past and may be able to accomplish in a future role.
For example:
Medix Staffing Solutions Chicago, IL Job Title Dates
- Increased website traffic for company webpage by 40%
- Oversaw a team of 10 junior developers
If you haven’t been tracking your accomplishments at work, start now! Keep a journal of what you’ve done at work, and think about what key performance indicators (KPIs) are important in your past or current roles. Numbers don’t always have to be exact. If you’re not able to nail down an exact number you can use a range such as thirty to forty percent. Just make sure all quantified accomplishments have reputable data to back them up!
There’s a lot to cover when it comes to resumes, but work experience may be the most critical. When highlighting previous work experience, make sure to keep it concise, use powerful action words, and quantify your accomplishments whenever possible. These three tips will ensure you create a strong, eye-catching resume!
Ready to put your resume to the test? Check out our current openings and apply at jobs.medixteam.com.