The ability to work within a team setting, delegate tasks, and communicate effectively are among the top five most desired skills by employers in 2015.
In other words, leadership is the single most important skill all employers look for. Usually, professionals rely on their professional experience to prove that they’re management quality.
But what if you haven’t officially managed at a high-enough level? How do you highlight your leadership skills for promotion without using generic words and phrases?
Quick side note: My two-page, annotated resume cheat sheet is the perfect resource to help you optimize your resume. It breaks down exactly how a marketing manager was able to get their dream job AND double the initial offer they received. Use it for inspiration on how to highlight your skills and achievements and effectively structure your resume. Get your own copy by submitting your information right here:
Here's how.
One of my clients, Ruth, came to me with a similar dilemma. Ruth was a grade school teacher and had more than 8 years of experience teaching. She wanted a job as a principal at a new school.
She knew she had the right skills and experience for the job. The only clincher was her (alleged) inexperience leading teams.
Despite the fact that she had the right credentials, when compared to other applicants, Ruth's "lackluster" teaching experience failed to impress.
When we spoke, Ruth mentioned that she had been volunteering. I dug a bit deeper and found was a goldmine of leadership and team management experience. She had spearheaded an after school initiative for underprivileged children by convincing other teachers to volunteer some time to teach classes. She started out with three teachers and grew her mini-academy to six within the year. Ruth was overlooking the entire operation. She was working with the teachers to set the curriculum and organize fundraising events to raise money for school supplies and books.
Do what Ruth did. Dig through your volunteer experience and think about all the times you led a team or managed a project.
If you haven't volunteered, make a list of the organizations that can benefit from your skill set. Reach out to them and volunteer your expertise. Head a project or two.
Then, simply stick your experience in your resume under a new heading. I like using "Volunteer Experience," "Additional Projects," and "Community Outreach and Involvement."
If you really want to emphasize your leadership, simply lift your volunteer experience to the summary section of your resume. Make sure it's one of the first things readers see so the impression that you have what it takes to lead stays with them as they look through your resume.
Like this, for instance:
- Business Entrepreneurship, Social Innovation, and Community Empowerment: Incubated several student start-ups; one was a manufacturing unit which grew to 35 employees in 12 months; the other was a business intelligence dashboard which realized $1.5M in 24 months.
(I cut this from a summary that I put together for a client who wanted to apply for an executive-level role in an incubator. Notice how I built up his volunteer experience during his professorship.)
If you’re having trouble putting together your resume, go through our free Resources to put together a resume that takes you closer to your dream job.
Recommended Reading
- “Should I hire a professional resume writer?” Yes, and here’s why.
- How to create an ATS-compatible resume. [Automate copying to ATS]
- How to Use ChatGPT for Resume Writing
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