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You'll make your resume more powerful if you DON'T use these words and phrases:
Pushing more experience than they ask for
The posting asks for 8-10 years and you have 15 so you reply with “B2B Sales Leader with 15 years experience”. Essentially what you’re saying is “I have MORE than what you’re asking for which means I can bring SO MUCH MORE to the role! Think of all the free expertise you’ll be getting!”
Nope, they won’t see it as that. Instead, you just gave them the thought that you will probably ask for more salary than the job pays. Or you might get bored and leave. Or you might constantly push your “expertise” on the team causing them to get frustrated and quit.
Here’s a clue: did the job posting start off by saying “Seeking leader who has 15+ years experience”, twice as much as we really need? No, it did not. DOES not. So: not a match.
Instead, while you CAN say “10+ years experience”, the word “experience” has lost meaning through overuse, so I avoid using it. Instead, tout proven successes such as “Known for increasing sales every quarter for 8 consecutive years…” This focuses on a result they WANT.
Avoid “A track record of success” – A favorite of AI, this and "proven track record" makes your resume sound just like everyone else’s. In this time of AI, employers are looking for authenticity.
They want just enough detail from you accurately describing a real recent success showing you saved or made money, saved or “made” time ($), solved problems ($). Even non-profits today look for that because of so many cuts in budgets. Use metrics wherever you can.
Nothing else justifies hiring a candidate. Another way of putting it: you must earn more than you cost the company. So focus on how you’ve done that before. Use the C-A-R-T method to tell a success story that shows YOU fit the job:
C = Challenge or pain or problem. State what that was.
A = Action you took by yourself or with others
R = Results, in metrics – how much $ you saved or made, time you save or “made”, problems you avoided or de-escalated.
T = Tieback: tie your story BACK to what the ad asks for, showing you’re a match for them
Saying way too much about HOW instead of your RESULT
Avoid “Here is how I achieved that success: first, I did ___, second, …., next, next next.” At this point, the hiring manager does not want to know HOW you did it, instead they want to know the RESULT, the impact on their company’s bottom line.
So instead say “Typical results I’ve achieved by leading Operations teams are a 23% cost savings each year while maintaining 95% of the team year to year.” Save the “how” for the interview, if they ask (but don’t give every detail – you want them to hire you for that!).
These changes to your resume will give it more power. And will therefore increase your chances of landing interviews. Give them a try and let me know how it goes!
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