Using Metrics in a Resume When You Have None

Performance metrics are a good way to sell yourself as an ideal job candidate. Showing that you came into an entry-level position and made your way up the ladder to management can really show that you have something many candidates don’t—and that can be a strong motivating factor for hiring managers. But what if you don’t have performance metrics like these? How do you still work metrics into your resume to showcase what you are capable of?

Highlight What You Have Accomplished

So maybe you haven’t boosted sales by 83% or saved the company $1.3 million in waste and lost revenues. That doesn’t mean you can’t utilize metrics on your resume to help sell yourself to a prospective employer. Find things you have done that can be quantified and work them into your resume. Perhaps you have written successful grant applications or won some awards. Perhaps you are in the top ten percent of performers in your current job. Find areas where you have strengths or abilities that can be quantified and do it.

What Can You Use?

Even if you don’t have these types of metrics, there are still ways to utilize metrics in your resume. Perhaps you have 7 years of proficiency with the primary piece of software that the company uses, or perhaps you have performed an essential task X number of times. Maybe you have served a specific number of customers—or even helped your company to retain a number of customers. Virtually anything that looks great on a resume and can be quantified can be used as a metric, and it should be. Employers want to see measurable results and data, and they will use these to determine whether you are the best candidate for the job.

Great Questions to Ask

Using metrics on a resume when you have none to speak of can be a bit of a challenge, but with a little creativity and introspection it can be done. After all, you didn’t become a good candidate for the position by doing nothing, so take a look at what you have done. What proficiencies do you possess and how long have you had them or how proficient are you? What successes have you had that make you great for the position you are applying for? Take the time to really think about where you have been and what you have accomplished and you will be able to find workable metrics that will help you get the job.

Need more advice for writing your resume? Check out this article on whether you should include soft skills on your resume.

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