If you’re hunting for a job (or a job promotion) in today’s increasingly competitive market, you know that experience and qualifications are no longer enough to get you ahead – or even get you the interview. So how do you make your resume stand out – without resorting to hot pink paper and certified mail? What makes a great leader in today’s market?
Gratitude.
The world is changing, and so are the qualities we value in both our employees and our leaders. Gone are the days where we revered aggressive self-promotion. Today it’s gratitude and appreciation that open doors, especially for younger workers and those new to the workforce. This holds true not only for those seeking employment, but those looking to move up the ladder.
Building your appreciation skills will do more than improve your outlook or your interactions with your co-workers. It’s also an important step in building your leadership skills. In 2012, Forbes Magazine called gratitude the most powerful forgotten weapon, citing a Bersin & Associates study that underscored the bottom-line implications of saying thank you in the workplace. The study further revealed that companies that “excel at employee recognition” are 12 times more likely to enjoy strong business results. If that’s true on a macro level, what could gratitude do for your career?
Beyond simply saying thank you, branding yourself as an appreciative leader also means both offering and receiving feedback with grace. It means valuing input from others, embracing change, and sharing your enthusiasm for your work.
But how do you convey that in your resume without falling back on the same old buzzwords everyone else is using?
For starters, let’s define them with this list of the top 10 resume buzzwords. Once you’ve become aware of these words (and presumably stripped at least a few from your resume), let’s talk about the language you do want to use. First and foremost, empathize with the recruiter who’s reviewing your resume. On average, most spend less than two minutes with a resume. Recruiters are looking for content that’s clear and gets to the point without the fluff. A survey from Career Builder, listed the best resume terms candidates can use:
- Achieved
- Improved
- Trained/Mentored
- Managed
- Created
- Resolved
- Volunteered
- Influenced
- Increased/Decreased
- Ideas
- Negotiated
- Launched
- Revenue/Profits
- Under budget
- Won
Notice, that many of these top contenders can help you tell a story about leadership with gratitude. Paint a picture about mentoring a colleague to win new business, resolving issues that came up during a change to a work process, or how your volunteer experience has helped you professionally.
At the Interview
Once you’ve made it to the interview, think about how you can apply these principles at your new position. Put yourself in your interviewer’s shoes, to imagine what kind of team member will contribute to the health and happiness of their organization.
- Everyone wants to work with someone who values the efforts of others and embraces change. Highlight times in your career that you have graciously taken on a new approach or led a team to success, when the odds were stacked against you. Talk about the contributions of your team as a whole, and provide examples of how collaboration proved beneficial. You’re not only showcasing your leadership ability, but also your appreciation for team work and for others.
- Employers are looking for people who lead by example, who approach life with gratitude and accept feedback graciously. A positive attitude and cooperative approach never go out of style. You will inevitably be asked the perennial favorite question: “What are your weaknesses?”. We all know that it’s not a “gotcha” opportunity for the interviewer to expose your flaws, but a chance for them to see how you reacted to an adverse situation. This is the perfect opportunity to show how you’ve managed challenging times with grace, and how a positive mindset contributed to solving the problem.
Just remember that the right language alone is not enough. After all, sincerity is the heart of appreciation.
For more information on building your leadership skills through appreciation, visit our tip sheet. You’ll find great ideas on building your skills and crafting a resume that will help you stand out.
But the handwritten thank you note is still up to you.
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