Page 104 - Marky Stein - Get a Great Job When You Don't Have a Job-McGraw-Hill (2009)
P. 104
Fearless Résumés
Poor-quality products
Returns
Excessive maintenance
Tardiness
Sick days
Lawsuits
Disorganization
Unacceptable health and safety practices
(Usually) paying overtime
Unattractive or dirty workplace
Malfunction of equipment
Creating some Q statements right now will propel your résumé
into the highest ranking and imbue your interview with the
sound of earned success. Remember, you do not have to know
exact numbers, percentages, or lengths of time.
• Sometimes it’s just too hard to recall an exact number,
so the best thing to do is to estimate your measurements
and quanities to the best of your ability.
If you happen to have forgotten the exact details of some of your
numbers—say that you indicated on your résumé that you
earned $152,000 in sales, but the fact was that you really earned
$149,934—no one, unless you’re applying at an accounting firm,
will call you a liar.
Most of us, of course, don’t want to misrepresent ourselves;
in fact, most of my clients actually underestimate their numbers on
their résumés.
Please don’t underestimate yourself. You must find a bal-
ance that’s fair and honest. Few people can recall amounts to
the point of perfection. When you are quantifying your accom-
plishments, just do your best to state your best guess, within
reason, as to what you did or what results you achieved. One
test for this is to ask, “Would I feel comfortable saying this fig-
ure out loud?” If you would, and you spare yourself the harsh
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