How can you use data to show your professional growth?

1 Choose relevant data

Not all data is equally important or meaningful for your resume. You need to select the data that best supports your goals and matches the expectations of your target employers. Think about what kind of data would illustrate your contributions, skills, and outcomes in your field and industry. For example, if you are applying for a sales role, you might use data such as revenue, growth, retention, or customer satisfaction. If you are applying for a project management role, you might use data such as budget, timeline, scope, or quality.

2 Use specific numbers

When you use data in your resume, be as specific and accurate as possible. Avoid vague or generic statements such as "increased sales" or "improved efficiency". Instead, use precise numbers and percentages that show the magnitude and direction of your changes and achievements. For example, instead of saying "increased sales", say "increased sales by 25% in six months" or "grew sales from $1 million to $1.5 million in one year". Specific numbers make your resume more credible and impactful.

3 Provide context and comparison

Data alone is not enough to show your professional growth. You also need to provide context and comparison that explain why the data is important and how it relates to your goals and challenges. You can do this by using benchmarks, baselines, targets, or averages that show how you performed against your expectations or standards. For example, instead of saying "reduced errors by 10%", say "reduced errors by 10%, exceeding the industry average of 5%" or "reduced errors by 10%, meeting the quality target of 98% accuracy". Context and comparison help you highlight your achievements and value.

4 Use action verbs and results-oriented language

Data is not only a way to show what you did, but also what you accomplished and learned. To make your resume more compelling and persuasive, use action verbs and results-oriented language that emphasize your actions and outcomes. Action verbs show your initiative, skills, and impact, while results-oriented language shows your benefits, solutions, and learnings. For example, instead of saying "analyzed data", say "analyzed data to identify trends and opportunities" or "analyzed data to optimize processes and performance". Action verbs and results-oriented language help you tell a story of your professional growth.

5 Format and visualize your data

Data can be presented in different ways in your resume, depending on the type, amount, and purpose of the data. You can use text, tables, charts, graphs, or icons to format and visualize your data. The key is to choose the format and visualization that best suits your data and makes it easy to read and understand. You can use text to highlight key numbers or percentages, tables to organize and compare data, charts or graphs to show trends or patterns, or icons to represent data or metrics. Format and visualize your data to make it more attractive and memorable.

Using data in your resume can be a powerful way to show your professional growth and achievements. Data can help you demonstrate your value, highlight your strengths, and showcase your learning and improvement. By following these tips, you can use data effectively and strategically in your resume and stand out from the crowd.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?