If you were a hiring manager looking at resumes, which of the following statements would impress you more?   

• I wrote news releases.  
• I was responsible for writing 25 news releases within a three-week period under daily deadlines.

Clearly the second statement carries more meaning. Why? It uses numbers to quantify the writer's accomplishments by giving it a context that helps the interviewer understand the degree of difficulty involved in the task.

Numbers are a powerful tool on a resume that will help your accomplishments get the attention they deserve from prospective employers. You can find effective ways to quantify your success on your resume. Here are a few suggestions:

Think About The Money

Organizations will always be concerned about money. As you contemplate your accomplishments and present them on your resume, think about ways you have saved, earned or managed money within your internships, part-time jobs and extracurricular activities. A few possibilities that might appear on a resume;

• Identify, research and recommend a new internet service provider and cut the company's online cost,
• Write a prospect letter that brings in $25,000 in donations, 
• Managing a student organization budget of $7,000.

Think About The Time

Time is money and it is true. Companies and organizations are looking for ways to save time and do things more efficiently. They are concerned about meeting deadlines, both internal and external. Whatever you can do on your resume to show that you can save, make or manage time will grab your reader's immediate attention. Here are some time-oriented entries that might appear on a typical resume;

• Assisting with twice-monthly payroll activities while ensuring employees were paid as expected,
• Suggesting procedures that decreased the average of order-processing time from ten minutes down to five minutes.

Think In Terms Of Amounts

It is easy to neglect mentioning how much you have produced. There is a tendency instead to simply pluralize your accomplishments without including important specifics or developing lesson plans for two classes of 20 students each.

Do not fall into the trap of excluding numbers. Instead include amounts like these;

• Recruiting 25 members for a new student environmental organization, 
• Training five new employees on restaurant operational procedures, 
• Creating a process that bolstered production 25 percent.

The more you focus on money, time and amount in relation to your accomplishments, the better you will present your successes and highlight your potential, the more you will realize just how much you have to offer prospective employers. You will see that playing the numbers game is yet another way to convince employers that you should be a part of their equation for success.

Your employer just terminated your employment. You need to find another job, but how should you address the recent termination on your resume? It depends on whether you were laid off or fired in addition to a few rules that will apply across the board.

Firstly you can consider that the days when you signed on with an employer and stuck around until retirement are more often than not behind us. Employers are more understanding when they see job changes due to the COVID 19 pandemic but concerns might be expressed if you are jumping from company to company on a resume. Here’s how you can handle it.

Omit The Position

A resume should represent your qualifications in a positive light including details of a job loss particularly if you were fired as it will not help you in the long run.

No matter how bad your termination experience, the resume is not the place for negative details. Let the resume tell your unique story and you can explain the situation in depth as necessary at job interviews.

Don’t Lie About The End Date

If your job is over, resist the urge to keep the position listed as current on your resume as it might give the impression that you are still employed. The job termination will eventually come to light and hiring managers might think you tried to mislead them.

Explain The Layoff In The Cover Letter

If your termination was due to a layoff rather than a performance-related issue, consider mentioning it in your cover letter. 

Focus On Your Accomplishments

Your resume should impress potential employers by highlighting your compliments on your resume. If hiring managers are wondering why you left your job, your resume would be strong enough for you to receive interview invitations.

When updating your resume, it can be difficult to put your emotions aside and write a compelling description for your previous employer. 

If you are stuck, seek the opinions of former colleagues who respect your work and ask about your performance. They might remind you about accomplishments that you might have forgotten about.

Here are questions to consider regarding your performance:

• Did you take on responsibilities outside your original position including multiple projects while maintaining quality standards?
• What were your strongest contributions to your previous employer? 
• In what ways did you excel at your job?  
• How did your employer benefit from having you on board? 
• Did you ever go above and beyond what was expected? 
• How did you contribute to bottom-line results?
• What types of challenges did you come into contact with and what did you do to overcome them? 
• Did you implement processes that improved departmental efficiency? 
• Were you part of a team that was recognized with awards? 
• Did you receive positive commendations from your supervisors, clients, customers, vendors and / or co-workers?

The modern-day job interview has come a long way since its inception in the early 1920s when Thomas Edison designed a simple written test to evaluate a candidate's current knowledge. As the employment landscape continues to evolve with innovations in technology, job seekers must also keep up with the changing times. It is more important than ever to educate and prepare yourself for the diverse types of job interview techniques and styles companies use in order to assess potential employees.

In your pursuit of a new job or career change, your resume may help you get you to the next phase of the hiring process. However, your ability to handle potentially challenging interviews can ultimately land you the job. Employers want to know more about you than just your education and background. By using different strategies and asking specific types of interview questions, they can gain further insights when it comes to;

• How you perform under stress,
• How you approach problem solving,
• Your ability to communicate,
• Whether your personality type aligns with their company culture.

Although there are numerous types of interviews, this article focuses on the most common ones that you can expect to encounter.

Screening Interview

Screening interviews are used to determine whether you are a qualified and suitable applicant before you progress to the proper interview. Prepare to answer questions about your education, experience, skills and initial motivation for applying to the job. Companies will use a screening interview as a quick, low-cost alternative to conducting a first-round interview. This typically takes place over the phone and you are likely to be interviewed by a recruiter or a human resource manager. Companies across all different industries use these types of job interviews and they are most often used in the finance, technology, healthcare and education sectors.

Tips for success; 

• Prepare well in advance - Research the company, the job requirements and remember to have your resume and a notepad in front of you. Listen actively, ask questions and take notes so you can use that information in your follow-up interview.
• Pick a suitable location - Choose a quiet place with minimal background noise where you will be comfortable and free of all distractions. This will help you stay focused.
• Speak confidently and enthusiastically - Let your voice set the tone for the call. Do your best to convey professionalism and interest in the role as your interviewer will be listening for this.

Virtual Interview

With the onset of new technology and video conferencing platforms such as Zoom, Skype and Microsoft Teams, employers have changed how they connect with potential candidates. Virtual interviews have become a standard element of the application process for many companies. While some may request a phone interview, you will most likely participate in a live video interview that is essentially an in-person interview conducted from a remote location. Companies across all industries now use virtual interviews to save time and money while making the hiring process more manageable.

Tips for success;

• Verify your internet connection - Whether you are waiting for a phone call or logging on to a video platform for your virtual interview, make sure everything is working as it should. Check your internet speed, webcam and audio quality in addition to making sure your phone is fully charged if a backup is needed.
• Choose the right location - Find an environment, preferably at home where it is quiet and well-lit with a clutter-free backdrop so the interviewer can focus on your responses without distractions.
• Be professional - Treat your interview in the same manner as an in-person conversation. Dress appropriately, maintain good eye contact and use positive body language.

Behavioral Interview

This method uses specific types of job interview questions in order to assess how you behave and handle situations within the workplace environment. A behavioral interview is designed to examine your past performance and success at work. This is also a good indicator of how you will behave in the future.

While there are not necessarily right or wrong answers, you will need to talk about your past accomplishments, challenges and experiences using real-life examples so preparation beforehand is essential. This style of interviewing is used across various industries, although corporate companies in the technology, finance and healthcare sectors typically use this method to assess if you will fit into their culture.

Tips for success;

• Prepare real-life success stories – Behavioral questions tend to focus on themes such as leadership, teamwork, conflict and problem-solving. Take your cues from the job description and choose a few real-life examples that would be appropriate within each of these themes and write them down beforehand.
• Use the STAR method to respond – Your stories and examples should include the situation you were in, the task you had to carry out, the specific actions you took and the results you achieved. Using this method will allow you to show your detailed thought process to the interviewer.

Panel Interview

This type of interview (also called a board or committee interview) is typically conducted by two or more hiring team members. The panel could include an HR manager, a supervisor and other decision-makers. The purpose of these types of job interview formats is to learn about your communication style, ability to build rapport and how you perform under pressure.

While it may seem nerve-wracking, a panel interview is beneficial to all involved as it improves the efficiency of the hiring process and enables the panelists to make more informed and collaborative decisions. It can also give you a sneak peek into what the company culture and structure looks like.

This interview method is typically used in academic institutions and government organizations or for senior-level executive positions in finance, technology and healthcare.

Tips for success;

• Research the Panelists – Ask the recruiter to provide you with the names and job titles of those you will be meeting. Learn about them through the company website and their LinkedIn profile. This can help you craft useful talking points during the interview.
• Prepare thoughtful questions to ask – This will show your enthusiasm and motivation for the job. Make sure to direct each question to a specific panelist and remember to engage with every person in the interview while making appropriate eye contact.
• Practice your communication skills – It is essential to practice dealing with a group dynamic. Think of the interview as a business meeting. Make eye contact with everyone, display confidence while remaining calm and composed.

Case Interview

The idea behind this type of job interview is to evaluate how you can analyze and solve a challenging business situation. During the interview, you will typically get a case study and a set of instructions to review. Then you will have to ask questions and formulate a logical argument for your solution to the problem. You could also be given a puzzle or brain teaser in order to assess your analytical, logical reasoning and creative problem-solving skills.

While management consulting companies have used case interviews for decades, it is now commonly used in the technology, finance, medical and engineering sectors as well.

Tips for success;

• Practice the case-study process – This is extremely important as you don't want to show up to the interview unprepared. You can find plenty of free sample cases online from within your industry. You can even do a mock interview with a friend or family member first.
• Ask clarifying questions – You should feel comfortable asking your interviewer precise questions to obtain additional information. It is essential to extract as much data as possible so you can arrive at an intelligent solution.
• Be prepared to take notes – Bring a notepad so you can write down your thoughts and questions after you receive the case.