The Right Way to Brag on Your Resume
Your resume is meant to accurately represent your work experience and skills so employers can assess whether or not you’d be a good fit for their organization. But, sometimes writing a resume can feel like you’re bragging. There’s a right way to write a resume that offers a little bit of bragging, but is entirely accurate, and represents you in the best light. Follow these 4 steps.
1. Facts and Numbers are Your Friends: When you’re specific and accurate, you’re bragging in the right way. If you improved efficiency by 20% or developed and maintained an app used by hundreds of thousands, those specific numbers will help you illustrate your achievements without exaggeration.
2. Important Awards Only: You’re perfectly allowed to include your awards and accolades on your resume but, don’t go as far as including awards from elementary school. Include relevant and important awards and accolades only.
3. Prioritize Experience in Order From Newest to Oldest: While some people want to include every little thing they’ve ever done on their resume, there typically isn’t room for all of it or a need for all of it. Prioritize detailing your experience in order from newest to oldest. Your oldest, least relevant jobs should have few to no details of what you did there and your more recent, more relevant experience should take up more space on your resume and include more details.
4. Links to GitHub, Your Website, or Other Work Examples: If you want to show your experience without bragging, you should consider providing links to your existing work, GitHub, or personal website. That way an employer can assess your experience and skills and, if they want to see more, they have the opportunity to do so.
It’s okay to brag a little on your resume, but you need to do it in the right way. Follow these 4 steps to present an accurate, detailed resume that includes the essential information and brags in the right way.