Summary: Developing the habit of quantifying the impact of our tasks at our daily jobs is fundamental to enabling us to advocate for our value and enrich our resumes for future job applications.
Take stock of your impact
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recently, a friend shared the news of an offer he received to relocate to Germany for work. This was a huge accomplishment for him and our group of friends. Since I, too, aim for such a move, I asked him to share the resume that had got him the offer to gain insights on what makes a good resume.
Outcomes over duties
Upon analysing his resume one aspect stood out: the descriptions of his past experiences were all outcome-driven. Instead of listing his duties, he focused on the results of his work, and how these results benefited the organization. Here are two examples that might feature in a ack-end developer’s resume:
A: I developed REST APIs that served around 120000 customers
and
B: I created services that enabled close to 120000 to perform banking transactions efficiently, increasing the revenue
Example A is the expected from any employee working as a back-end developer at a bank; there’s nothing special about that statement. Example B showcases the impact of the work of this employee.
Both current and prospective employers evaluate you based on the value you bring to the organization today and how much value you can provide in the future, meaning that your worth, in the eyes of employers, depends on how well you, for the lack of a better term, sell yourself.
Naturally, I am not suggesting you lie, only that you don’t make the mistake of believing that you should be “humble” and that people will see the value you bring if you work hard enough. That’s naive and not in your best interests.
Conclusion
Whether you’re aiming for a promotion or applying for a new job, remember that what will set you apart from the rest is the tangible value you can bring whenever you’re working. So, you should:
- identify the impact of your work on the stakeholders (org, customers, etc);
- learn to quantify your impact;
- frequently update your portfolio of evidence for the performance reviews;
- frequently update your resume upon identifying a new positive and quantifiable outcome of your work;
- learn to be outspoken about your worth instead of waiting for others to notice it.
I hope these advices help you achieve the career goals you have set for yourself. Cheers.