Still looking for a job? Consider how you’re positioning yourself

How to position yourself as a leader vs. individual contributor

As a resume writer, my job is to help clients transform work experiences, responsibilities, projects, skills, and career goals into coherent stories. A good story always aligns with two things:

• What you’re trying to portraying yourself as (i.e., executive, leader, technical expert etc.)

• What your audience (aka the employers) is looking for

Your choice of keywords and phrases, and how you fit them together on the page, ultimately affect how you’re perceived by the audience, and how successful you are in a job search.

This is why many of you don’t hear back from recruiters - how you’re presenting yourself doesn’t match with who you say you are as a professional and the types of positions you’re going for.

Simple in truth. Difficult in practice.

One common example of this this in the wild is when software engineers try to make the jump from individual contributor to managerial positions.

A lot of times, they get stuck focusing on the technical aspects of the job that they neglect to highlight things that would make them a good leader, like leading projects in an official capacity or managing team members.

Let’s illustrate with an example…

Here’s a typical bullet point you’d expect to see on a software engineer’s resume:

Developed a multi-threaded data processing application using Python and Java, optimizing algorithmic efficiency by 35% and reducing processing time significantly.

While impressive from a technical standpoint, the bullet above focuses a little too much on this person’s coding skills and technical achievements. It doesn't showcase any leadership qualities or management skills, which are important for an engineering manager role.

Let’s look at another bullet:

Led a team of 8 software engineers in the successful delivery of a complex accounting platform…

This one does a better job of presenting the individual as a good leader, because they’ve done it in the past!

If you’re a leader…

Use these terms and phrases…

• Use words that demonstrate management and leadership abilities such as "led", "managed", "coordinated", "oversaw", "strategized", "implemented", "facilitated", and "mentored".

• Also include terms that highlight your ability to make decisions, manage teams, and drive results, like "team-building", "strategic planning", "resource allocation", "change management", and "visionary leadership".

Structure your sentences like this…

• Begin your sentences with strong action verbs that emphasize leadership.

• Quantify your achievements where possible, highlighting how your leadership made a tangible impact. Example: "Led a team of 12 in developing a new software solution, resulting in a 50% increase in customer satisfaction and a 30% rise in sales over six months."

Focus on strategic impact…

• Highlight how your actions contributed to the bigger picture of the organization.

• Discuss how you led changes, influenced company direction, or contributed to significant projects.

If you’re an individual contributor…

Use these terms and phrases

• Focus on skills and accomplishments with words like "developed", "created", "engineered", "analyzed", "executed", and "optimized".

• Use terms that reflect expertise and hands-on skills, like "technical proficiency", "problem-solving", "innovation", "data analysis", and "project execution".

Structure your sentences like this…

• Start with verbs that reflect individual action and contribution.

• Be specific about your role in projects and the skills you applied. Example: "Developed an innovative inventory tracking system using Python, reducing errors by 25% and improving operational efficiency."

Emphasize technical and specialized skills…

• Detail the specific technologies, tools, or methodologies you are proficient in.

• Mention any unique skills or certifications that set you apart in your field.

5 AI-based job search tools to check out…

Resumatic

One of my favourite resume builders out there. It takes you through the entire process and you end up with a finished document that you can download as either a PDF or editable MS Word Doc.

Talentprise

Talentprise is a smart job finder that uses the information that’s on your resume/cover letter to build a profile and match you with jobs you’re qualified for.

After signing up, you complete a short assessment and set preferences around the types of jobs you’re looking for (i.e., remote, hybrid), who you’d like to be contacted by (i.e., in-house recruiters, agency recruiters), and can even exclude certain companies from contacting you.

JobWizard

JobWizard is tool that helps you fill out job applications quickly. Other features include job application tracking, interview coaching, and salary analysis! It is on the pricier end at $99/month, but if your job search is suffering from a lack of time to fill out those tedious applications or just a lack of organization, it may be for you.

NAV

NAV is a unique tool in that helps you assess your current career path to make sure you’re getting the most bang for your buck, so you don’t waste years in a job that may not pay off as you expected. It’s almost like a credit score for you current career and even future career prospects.

Adzuna

If you’re someone that struggles during the job interview, you may want to check this new tool out. It uses AI to come up with interview questions that apply to your specific industry, profession, and seniority level.

Before you go 👇🏻

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