Five Great Resume Credibility Boosters

Anytime you write a resume, you should look for every advantage you can get. While it's easy to remember the obvious ones -- a Master's Degree or a better job title for instance -- there are some subtle resume credibility builders that many people fail to take advantage of. Here are some great ones to start with.

Accomplishments
Focusing on accomplishments instead of standard job responsibilities is the best way to set yourself apart. For instance, if you're a salesperson, your responsibilities are going to be something like "Prospecting, lead development, contact, product demonstration, and technical assistance." Sounds fine -- except that five billion other sales people would have the exact same job description. Compare that to an accomplishment-focused approach: "Took initiative to develop new territory consisting of underserved industrial firms. Introduced new products and single-handedly grew accounts by $1.2 million in 18 months." See how that could set you apart? The first description doesn't really say whether you were any good at what you did, only that you did it. The second one projects far more credibility

Specifics
Did you notice how the second example above used lots of specifics? That's a big key to building credibility into your resume. When there are quantifiable figures and exact details -- "industrial firms" rather than just "companies" for example -- then your claims jump off the page and ignite the enthusiasm of hiring managers.

Awards
Did you receive any official recognition for what you've done? Such laurels are a solid-gold third-party endorsement of your abilities. Obviously the more prominent the award the more valuable it is. But even if it's not a big-name trophy, include it as long as it's relevant. Don't neglect internal company awards either, as long as you explain what they mean. For instance, don't just say "Awarded Silver Cup Award twice." Give it meaning by saying, "Twice Awarded BrandCo's Silver Cup Award for Exceptional Customer Service." The only caveat to all this is that you should consider leaving awards off or at least deleting the dates if they were more than seven or eight years ago. You don't want to look like you're coasting on ancient accomplishments.

Certifications or Additional Training
You should definitely include any relevant training you've received, especially if it results in a certification. This is a great way to demonstrate to an employer that you're committed to your profession and willing to work at improving your skills in it.

Professional Associations
Many professional-association annual dues cost hundreds of dollars for even the entry-level membership. If you weren't committed to your profession and seeking to better yourself in it, would you shell out that kind of money? Probably not. That's why association memberships can be such a great credibility booster. And the bump you get is multiplied many times over if you're active in the association. So be sure to list projects, initiatives, and committees you've been involved with as a member.