So said Walt Whitman… and my father… two gentlemen for whom I have the ultimate respect! How does this relate to job search and your resume? It’s essential to convey predictors of success by showing AND telling prospective employers what you can do, then demonstrating how you’ve done it–backed up with verifiable and quantifiable details. CAR stories remain the best way to achieve this goal.
C - Challenge… show a situation or challenge you faced, a problem you addressed.
A - Action… detail, specifically, the action YOU took (remember not to take sole credit for something for which you were a team member or instrumental–talk about exactly the role you did play to bring about the change, solution) or the initiative you drove.
R - Result… describe succinctly the results you achieved (or that your action produced). Again, quantify for maximum impact and then link to the impact on the organization (a good way to answer that portion of the question: What would have been the consequence had you NOT produced the result that you did?)
In the next few days, I’ll detail some very specific CAR story examples: Powerful resume material AND excellent preparation for effective interviewing!
Just remember: Toot your own horn (don’t blow it!).
– Jan Melnik, MRW, CCM, CPRW, President, Absolute Advantage … Don’t forget to check out careerhub.typepad.com for the best in career search advice from the career industry’s top experts