How to Supercharge Your Resume: A Guide to Describing Your Work Experience

So, you've decided to give your resume a makeover. You've polished up the formatting, added some eye-catching bullet points, but wait – what about your work experience section?

Some call this the ‘job descriptions’ section. We like to refer to it as ‘MAKE IT EASY FOR THE RECRUITER’ section.

Your resume has one job only, to get to the interview. That’s it. It is not there to win you awards or likes. And how do you get your resume shortlisted? Make sure the recruiter feels the need to talk to you or meet you. Make it easy for the recruiter to move your resume to the next stage, the ‘Shortlisted By Eclat’ stage, we refer to internally.

This is the main course, the meaty part of your resume that really showcases what you're all about.

Why Job Descriptions Matter

Before we jump into the nitty-gritty, let's talk about why job descriptions are so important. Sure, listing your previous positions with dates might seem like enough, but it's really just scratching the surface. Your job descriptions are your chance to paint a picture for recruiters and hiring managers – to show them what you're made of and why you're the perfect fit for the job.

What Makes a Great Job Description

So, what should your job descriptions include? Well, pretty much anything and everything that gives a clear picture of what you did in that role. Here's a handy checklist to get you started:

• What did you do? Describe your main responsibilities in the role.

• Level of interaction with customers? Did you work directly with clients or customers? If so, how?

• Management or training experience? Did you oversee a team or conduct any training sessions?

• Any special projects or achievements? Did you lead a new product launch or receive any awards for your work?

Most resumes have something like this:

1. ' May 2006 - April 2007 Customer Services Agent, XYZ Co' Or

2. ' April 05 - May 07 Guest Service Associate, ABC Hotel'

This tells the recruiter nothing! Ok, not nothing, but you know what we mean. A good recruiter would know enough from the employer / company and your designation. But what they will know is what ‘anyone’ would know or do in that particular job. The recruiter would not know, what you did in that job role.

Let's take a look at the above examples to see how it's done:

1. Customer Services Agent at XYZ Co (May 2006 - April 2007):

   • Spearheaded customer service initiatives, ensuring prompt and efficient resolution of all inquiries and requests.

   • Managed customer dockets and coordinated service requests, maintaining seamless communication channels with clients.

   • Instrumental in creating and analyzing Management Information System (MIS) reports, providing valuable insights for process optimization.

2. Guest Service Associate at ABC Hotel (April 2005 - May 2007):

   • Played a pivotal role in the successful launch of the innovative At-Your-Service concept, revolutionizing guest experiences.

   • Oversaw all guest interactions from check-in to check-out, including personalized dining arrangements, housekeeping services, and billing procedures.

   • Recognized with the Merit of Honor for delivering exceptional service and appointed as a mentor to onboard and train new team members, fostering a culture of excellence.

And there you have it – the secret sauce to supercharging your resume! By adding detailed, descriptive job descriptions, you'll give recruiters a clear understanding of your skills, accomplishments, and level of impact in each role. So go ahead, give those job descriptions a makeover and watch your resume stand out from the crowd!

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