Your resume is your first chance to make a good impression on a potential employer. It’s your chance to show off your skills, experience, and accomplishments. But what if you don’t have a lot of work experience? Or what if your work experience isn’t directly relevant to the job you’re applying for?
Don’t worry! There are a few things you can do to make your work experience stand out on your resume, even if it’s not the most impressive.
Quantify Your Accomplishments
One of the best ways to make your work experience more impressive is to quantify your accomplishments. This means using numbers to show how you made a difference in your previous roles.
For example, instead of saying “I managed a team of 10 people,” you could say “I managed a team of 10 people, resulting in a 15% increase in productivity.”
Or, instead of saying “I developed a new marketing campaign,” you could say “I developed a new marketing campaign that generated $1 million in revenue.”
By quantifying your accomplishments, you’re giving potential employers a concrete idea of how you can contribute to their company.
Use Action Verbs
Another way to make your work experience more impressive is to use action verbs. Action verbs are verbs that describe what you did in your previous roles, rather than what you were responsible for.
For example, instead of saying “I was responsible for managing a team of 10 people,” you could say “I led a team of 10 people.”
Or, instead of saying “I developed a new marketing campaign,” you could say “I spearheaded the development of a new marketing campaign.”
Action verbs make your resume more active and engaging, and they help potential employers to see what you’re capable of.
Highlight Relevant Skills
Even if your work experience isn’t directly relevant to the job you’re applying for, you can still highlight the skills that you developed in your previous roles.
For example, if you’re applying for a job in marketing, you could highlight your experience in customer service, writing, or data analysis.
Or, if you’re applying for a job in management, you could highlight your experience in leading teams, developing budgets, or negotiating contracts.
By highlighting your relevant skills, you’re showing potential employers that you have the qualifications to succeed in the job you’re applying for.
Use Keywords
When you’re writing your resume, it’s important to use keywords that potential employers will be searching for. These keywords can include your skills, experience, and industry knowledge.
To find keywords, you can research the job descriptions for the jobs you’re interested in. You can also use online tools like LinkedIn’s Job Search tool to find keywords that are relevant to your field.
By using keywords in your resume, you’re making it more likely that your resume will be seen by potential employers.
Tailor Your Resume to Each Job
Finally, it’s important to tailor your resume to each job you apply for. This means highlighting the skills and experience that are most relevant to the job you’re applying for.
For example, if you’re applying for a job in marketing, you would highlight your experience in customer service, writing, or data analysis.
Or, if you’re applying for a job in management, you would highlight your experience in leading teams, developing budgets, or negotiating contracts.
By tailoring your resume to each job you apply for, you’re increasing your chances of getting noticed by potential employers.
The STAR Method: How to Write Impressive Work Experience Descriptions
The STAR method is a common interview technique that can also be used to write impressive work experience descriptions on your resume. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result.
To use the STAR method, start by describing the situation you were in, then describe the task you were responsible for, then describe the action you took, and finally describe the result of your actions.
For example, you could use the STAR method to describe a time when you exceeded expectations in a previous role:
Situation: My team was responsible for developing a new marketing campaign.
Task: I was tasked with leading the creative team.
Action: I developed a new creative strategy that focused on emotional storytelling.
Result: The campaign was a huge success, resulting in a 15% increase in sales.
By using the STAR method, you can write clear, concise, and impactful work experience descriptions that will impress potential employers.
Frequently Asked Questions about Work Experience on Resumes:
Q: What if I don’t have any work experience?
A: If you don’t have any work experience, you can highlight your skills and experience from other areas of your life, such as volunteer work, extracurricular activities, or personal projects. You can also use the STAR method to describe your accomplishments in these areas.
Q: What if my work experience isn’t directly relevant to the job I’m applying for?
A: Even if your work experience isn’t directly relevant to the job you’re applying for, you can still highlight the skills and experience that are transferable to the new role. For example, if you’re applying for a job in marketing, you could highlight your experience in customer service, writing, or data analysis.
Q: How long should my work experience section be?
A: The length of your work experience section will vary depending on how much experience you have. However, it’s generally a good idea to keep it to one or two pages. If you have a lot of experience, you may want to include a summary of your most relevant experience, followed by a more detailed description of each role.
Q: Should I include my salary on my resume?
A: It’s generally not recommended to include your salary on your resume. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. For example, if you’re applying for a job in a field where salaries are typically high, you may want to include your salary to show that you’re in the same ballpark as other candidates.
Q: Should I include my references on my resume?
A: It’s not necessary to include your references on your resume. However, you may want to include a statement at the bottom of your resume stating that references are available upon request. This will show potential employers that you’re prepared to provide references if they’re interested.
By following these tips, you can write impressive work experience descriptions that will help you land the job you want.
