10 Sinfully Awesome Things That Make Your Resume Scream, “I’m a Leader”

The really great thing about resumes is that you can easily develop it to look like a leader even if you don’t think you are one.

But I will tell you right now, you probably are!

Stop being so modest.

I see a lot of people stress that they weren’t Treasurer of the Debate Team or didn’t hold a leadership spot during college at your Fraternity or Sorority. Those aren’t the only ways to show your leadership on a resume, and frankly- leave captain of chess team off of your resume too!

Leadership is something you just need to dig deep and think about.

You do it on a daily basis. Did you know that?

Matter of fact, everyone has demonstrated leadership within their career or job at some point. Even if it didn’t seem like leadership to you, you can transfer that experience and translate it into a great highlight on your resume to show you took control of a situation and helped the company get ahead.

Genuine leadership is something recruiters crave. Titles are great, but how can you really demonstrate what you can do? It’s time to think outside of the box.

Have you ever provided mentorship to ANYONE?

Bet you have. This is a great aspect to bring out. A strong leader will not only push the momentum forward, but they will help enable others to do the same.

Have you ever been so frustrated about a situation at work that you did something about it?

This is the time you took an initiative to organize, plan and implement a new solution for that issue or situation. I’m not talking Office Space here… but when you can help organize a solution that everyone can work towards to solve a problem…hey, guess what- that is leadership!

Have you ever worked as part of a team?

Yea, I knew you have done that!

Whether you are in sales, or operations or have saved a company money or reduced lost inventory, the chances are, you have worked in or alongside a team in some kind of cross-functional role.

Not only does this show competence, but it shows you have the knowledge to be valuable and can use the tools you have to help delegate work to build and grow.

Leadership is not just about your past experience either. It is about how you deliver it daily.

So the question is, how can you showcase this kind of leadership on your resume?

It’s not hard, I promise. Stick with me here.

First off, these are some of my very favorite words to use on a resume to look like a leader are:

1. Established

2. Accelerated

3. Overhauled

4. Forged

5. Outperformed

6. Consolidated

7. Formulated

8. Orchestrated

9. Furthered

10. Cultivated

But what are the steps you should use to really resonate what an employer is looking for in a candidate?

It’s All In The Job Description

Repeat the job ad. No, not word for word, but seriously they give you want they want in a candidate right there. ‘Possess strong leadership skills’ is most likely listed in that job description. Do you have that phrase on your resume? This kind of stuff will help sell you. Remember when I was saying your resume is a sales tool? Voila!

Make Sure To Mention Those Soft Skills

Ok, well if you know me, you know I dread the phrase soft skills, but for this piece, I will explain it with that. UGH.

But by showing off your accomplishments and how your leadership has driven results, and lead your teams to achieve amazing results, those are all fantastic ways to stand out.

Simple right? Don’t roll your eyes.

I also truly believe that your resume presentation as well as your personal online branding (think LinkedIn here) make such a HUGE difference to what kind of leader you are perceived to be.

This is your chance to really make a difference to your career.

Stand out, have confidence. Be the leader you can be.

Make sure to customize your resume for each position by highlighting the very leadership points that are brought out in the job descriptions and ads from employers. Use solid examples, and show off results and you will get ahead fast.