Résumé Help: Responsible for a Bad Résumé
The biggest issue on this résumé example is that every job description begins with “Responsible for.” What does “responsible for” connote? For one thing, it does not clearly say you did anything. I may be responsible for producing sales of $5 million, yet I only produced $300,000. It also sounds like a job description issued by the Human Resources Dept. What it does not sound like is a confident statement about the scope of authority or accomplishments. Let’s take a look at the potential in this particular line.
Before:
Responsible for internal audit of eastern division corporate divisions and subsidiaries.
After:
Directed internal audit of eastern division corporate divisions and subsidiaries, comprised of 38 locations and $43 million in assets.
With a bolder start, a reader is drawn into the résumé because it highlights what you did - you “directed.” While you are editing, quantify the scope of your authority. If you are describing an accomplishment, include a measured result.
If you want to read more about professional résumés, check out these blog entries.
Writing Results-oriented Résumés
Résumé Help: More to the Story
To see additional résumé suggestions that will help you as you create your own résumé, please click on the image below.
If you would like a résumé critique, please contact Debra Wheatman at debra@careersdonewrite.com or visit us at http://careersdonewrite.com. The Résumé Help blog appears weekly on Mondays.
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