While many people have anecdotes about their work, there is one crucial detail that’s often left out; the results! Are you forgetting to include this crucial detail in your job application? If so, you could be missing out on a huge opportunity and selling yourself short.
Why are results so important?
The way I always explain it is this: Anyone can say they’re a great employee, but very few people can actually show it. When applying for a job, you want to show people the facts of why they should hire you and what you can bring to the company. On that note, subjective terms and clichés are seen as negative because they don’t convey real information. Instead of using the phrase “results driven” try showing your results and saying something along the lines of:
“Pitched and cultivated a relationship with [Company Name], securing $10,000 partnership for 2016.”
This sentence shows that you actively pursued a client and generated results. Using active verbs and integrating metrics creates a stronger claim than using common “resume phrases” or “buzz words”.
A fail-safe way to include your results:
Create a SOAR Story. What is a SOAR Story? Career Coach Alyson Garrido explains that the SOAR format (Situation, Obstacle, Action and Result) works wonders when writing a resume, a cover letter, or preparing for an interview. “Not only will this exercise get you ready for interviews, it will also bolster your confidence as you reflect on your achievements.”
Creating SOAR stories prior to writing your resume or cover letter lets you prepare in a few different ways. It ensures that you are in fact writing down results, and it gives you an opportunity to break down situations clearly so you can include all aspects in your resume and cover letter. As a bonus, preparing ahead of time ensures that you have everything laid out for interviews and know these stories off the top of your head so they don’t come off as rehearsed.
What you’re missing out on if you don’t include results:
Think about a court case. Anyone can make a claim, but if there’s no evidence, the claim has no power. It’s the same as when someone reads your resume or is interviewing you. You can talk about how great you are for as long as you like, but if you don’t have any evidence or results to prove it, no one will take your claim seriously.
Not providing enough detail or quantifiable results will automatically put you out of the running. Whoa! That’s a pretty big statement, but the fact of the matter is that studies show that there are an average of 250 applicants per corporate job opening, so if you aren’t showing your results, someone else probably will be showing theirs. This is what will push you out of the running.
____________
Everyone wants to see results. Whether you’re taking a test, or waiting for a legal verdict, or if you’re applying for a job. Results are one of the many things that make the world go ‘round. Take it from the professionals; if you’re not including results when applying for a job, you’re missing a big piece of the puzzle and doing yourself a disservice. Are you forgetting to include this crucial detail in your job application? If so, make the change and integrate results right now!