I recently heard from one of Upword Resume’s clients for a resume update. Her current job is…fine. But she’s ready for the next step and starting to put out feelers.
Kudos! Starting a job search BEFORE it’s a crisis situation puts you in control. And being resume-ready enables you to jump quickly when you find a great opportunity.
But this client quickly ran into a major resume roadblock when it came to projects that were still in process and not yet complete:
“How do I add accomplishments to my resume if the project isn’t finished yet? I can’t talk about outcomes because it’s ongoing, so do I have to leave that off my resume entirely?”
No!
Your current / most recent job occupies prime real estate on your resume. Plus it’s likely to be your highest promotion. That means your current job needs have some of your resume’s strongest bullet points.
Your current and ongoing projects may deliver some of your most relevant accomplishments, so they definitely need to be showcased in your resume.
- Maybe you created a new sales strategy, but it hasn’t yet generated revenue.
- Maybe you’re implementing a new CRM system, but it hasn’t launched yet.
- Maybe you won approval for a new employee recognition program, but the survey on employee response doesn’t go out until next quarter.
Even if your project hasn’t reached its endpoint, there are still ways to leverage it on your resume.
Here are some of the phrases our team of pro resume writers at Upword Resume use to capture workplace projects that haven’t yet delivered results.
- Launched initiative…
- Conceptualized project…
- Spearheaded new program…
- Championed initiative that…
- Promoted with a mandate to…
In each of these examples, you can then describe the projected outcome of your project, even if it hasn’t happened yet:
- Launched initiative…projected to increase revenue-per-account.
- Conceptualized project…forecasted to improve employee retention and engagement.
- Spearheaded new program…with projected revenue pipeline of $XX.
- Championed initiative that…enabled greater alignment of cross-departmental priorities.
- Promoted with a mandate to…scale operations by X%.
Another way to showcase the projected impact of ongoing projects is to identify before-and-afters.
For example, if your company grew in terms of revenue or employee count or client base during your tenure, point to those numbers as a measure of your success in your role.
- Established HR processes that supported company growth from X to XX employees.
- Hired and trained sales team that drove X% revenue growth.
We’re not saying that you singlehandedly created the company’s growth, but we’re linking your specific role to the company’s overall success.
Because, remember, a successful resume isn’t about what you did, it’s about how what you did affected the company’s bottom line. That means focusing on accomplishments and outcomes, not daily tasks.
For more about how to pivot your resume from responsibilities to accomplishments, use the Magic Yardstick.
If your Upword Resume is ready for an update, check out our Resume Tailoring service just for our returning clients. We’ll add new work history, realign with your current career goals, give your resume design a glow-up, and look at everything with fresh eyes to find any improvements.
