If you can do it, then say so. Employers want to know that.
It was said about Superman, “Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!”. Then we’d see Superman leap into the sky to fly off where he’d save the day.
So it seems like a good phrase, this “able to…”, on a resume. Or “capable of…”. You then would finish the line with a skill or “capability” you have.
Actually, no!
I strongly urge my clients to
not
use either. I don’t think either is a good phrase because either one sounds like a weak promise. “I'm
able
to reduce costs” sounds like “I
can
do it though I haven’t before…”, or “I
think
I can do it…”, or “I can
try”,
instead of “I do it all the time, here’s the evidence, and can do it
for you.”
Now that’s confidence
and giving proof,
not empty bragging. And not being too modest. Being too modest in this current job market will not distinguish you. So clean up your language.
And “capable of” sounds more like “I have the
potential
to…” or “I
think
I’d be good at it.”
If you can do it,
say so.
Or as I often ask clients --
Are you
ABLE
to do it,
or do you actually DO it?
If you DO it, say it this way:
·
Capable of saving
Saves Operations budget 11% per quarter
·
Able to manage
Manages diverse team of high performers
·
Capable of increasing
Increases sales by 23%-40% year over year
See the difference?
Another reason to say it right: Today, resumes and profiles are being read
so fast
by recruiters and hiring teams, that you don’t want to miss any opportunity to grab their attention about how effective you are. Do it with clear, accurate, powerful language. Don’t make weak promises; instead, say you’re good at it and
show proof.
Yes, they said it about Superman. But then he immediately proved his point by
showing
it. Today,
showing it from the start,
is what employers want to see. So help them see it by making these changes in your resume.
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