The Qualifications Statement—Capturing Your Essence

        The qualifications section is a summary of your background and strengths. It includes positive statements about you that would be difficult to express in any other section of a resume. Because it is designed to sell your most marketable abilities and experiences, the statements must catch and hold the reader’s attention or the section will be skipped. Covering too many points will also result in the section being overlooked.

        The qualifications statement can do more than any other section to create a favorable impression of you and will set the tone for the rest of the resume. It can greatly strengthen your perceived worth because employers reading your resume will constantly be asking what you can do for them. Give them positive answers in those first few seconds by creating a qualifications section which truly sells you. This section should capture the essence of what you want to sell. Any point which is not crucial should either be eliminated or considered for inclusion in your cover letter.

        Studying the following examples will help you understand the function of the qualifications section. A job has been included with each qualifications example to help you see how they fit together.

Example 1

        OBJECTIVE: Marine Sales

        QUALIFICATIONS

            Outstanding sales record. Highly knowledgeable in all facets of sailboats, powerboats, commercial fishing vessels, and marine hardware. Strong ability to introduce new product lines to distributors, dealers, and boat builders. Top-selling rep in the country for four major marine manufacturers.

        EMPLOYMENT

        Bellkirk Marine, San Diego, California 6/90 to Present

            MANUFACTURERS’ REPRESENTATIVE ‑ Represent 27 lines covering California, Nevada, and Arizona. Increased the number of accounts with distributors, dealers, and boat builders from 35 to 96 and have increased sales 85%. Since 1992 have been the top-selling rep for four major manufacturers.

        Qualifications example #1 includes a summary and an accomplish­ment. It starts off with a simple but strong statement: “Outstanding sales record.” It then goes on to describe the areas of expertise. The top accomplishment (being the top-selling representative in the country for four manufacturers) has been included twice—in qualifications and the job description. It is a valuable statement worth repeating.

Example 2

        OBJECTIVE: Grocery Management

        QUALIFICATIONS

            Strong management background. With a 21-store district, increased profits 32% and oversaw the construction of four new stores. During 17 years in management, coordinated the grand openings of 13 stores and produced some of the most profitable new stores with three different chains.

        EMPLOYMENT

        Fine Food Centers, Tulsa, Oklahoma 5/88 to Present

            DISTRICT MANAGER 9/92 to Present. Responsible for profit and loss analysis, wage and salary administration, merchandising, store layout, advertising, and buying for 21 stores in the district. Supervised the remodeling of five stores and the construction of four stores. Developed in‑house cleaning and repair services, saving $150,000 annually. Through improved merchandising and customer service, increased sales per store 28% and profits 32%.

        Qualifications example #2 begins with a bold statement, “Strong manage­ment background,” and then proceeds to back it up with proof. Immedi­ately you realize this person has been very successful and you want to know more about her. One fact comes right out of her current position (the 32% increase in profits). The second statement (concerning the success of 13 store openings) is a summary that comes from her entire management background. If this summary had not been stated so clearly in a qualifications section it might have been easily overlooked, even during a careful reading of the entire resume. Because the coordination of a grand opening is an extremely valuable skill, it deserves prominence in Qualifications.

Writing Your Qualifications Section

        Write your qualifications section last. It is the most difficult section to write and requires the most care. Once you have the employment section completed you will know better what needs to be included in your qualifications.

        As you prepare for writing the qualifications section, review the resume and determine what points should be covered in it. Use qualifications to introduce yourself to the reader and to give an overview of why you are qualified for your stated objective. To do this ask yourself, “Why would I be good at this occupa­tion?” Or if you already have experience ask yourself, “What makes me successful in this field?” Remember, in qualifications it is permissible to repeat or para­phrase points made elsewhere in the resume.

        If you have strong work experience, you will probably want a short qualifica­tions section. If you are seeking to break into a new field, qualifications is usually the best vehicle for bringing in related experiences and selling an employer on your potential.

        While relatively short, the qualifications section is typically the hardest to write. Because it can strengthen the overall effectiveness of the resume, it deserves a great deal of attention and effort. An hour spent writing and editing your qualifications section is not too much.

Short, Hard-hitting Qualifications Statements

        I like short, hard-hitting qualifications sections. I try to capture the essence of what will impact employers. As a result, most qualifications sections I write are one paragraph with three to five lines. If there are two distinct areas which need to be sold then I may have two paragraphs with three to four lines each. People making career changes, or those seeking positions without having the traditional background, may need three or four paragraphs to bring out all of their related experience. Even so, the emphasis should still be on conciseness and impact. In Sample Resumes To Help You see pages 7, 23, and 35 for examples of single paragraph qualifications statements, and pages 12, 30, and 36 for examples of three or more paragraphs.

        Essence is not easy to achieve, but the impact of your resume will be significantly strengthened when you succeed. Identify those qualities and areas of experience that an employer absolutely needs to know about you—those critical points. While there may be many points you want an employer to know about you, usually only two or three are critical. Sell those effectively and the employer will feel he or she must meet you.

Write A Qualifications Sketch

        To write an effective qualifications section, begin by writing a qualifications sketch. List the key strengths and assets that you want to convey to employers. After writing your qualifications sketch, determine which are critical and which are not. Simply scratch out those which are not critical and use the critical ones to compose your qualifications section.

        The qualifications sketch of a quality control manager might look like this:

1)    Ten years in quality control. Familiar with all techniques that have been developed for the electronics industry.

2)    Saved money and reduced rejects for three different companies.

3) I work well with other department heads, particularly production, and coordinate and cooperate well with them rather than work against them.

4)    I’ve developed creative programs that really work.

5) I like my work and enjoy a challenge.

6)    I’m always looking for a better method, technique, or system; I’m open to new ideas from others.

7)    I’m an excellent supervisor. I train my staff well, I listen to them, I maintain high morale, and productivity is always high.

8)    I’m hardworking, loyal, reliable, creative, and efficient.

        The final version of the quality control manager’s qualifications section might read like this:

        QUALIFICATIONS

            Strong experience in quality control gained during ten years in supervision and
management. For three electronics manufacturers implemented new quality control programs which decreased rejects at each plant by at least 23%.

            Develop excellent relations with all department heads and work well with production personnel.

            Excellent supervisor. Consistently increase productivity of quality assurance per­son­nel, and through effective staff training, increase their technical capabilities.

        If you review the eight points the person originally wanted to cover, you’ll notice that everything is included here either directly or by implication (points 5 and 8 were covered implicitly). By reading the qualifications section in the context of the entire resume, you would certainly pick up that he enjoys a challenge and that he is hardworking, loyal, reliable, creative, and efficient.

Tips For Writing Your Qualifications Sketch

        To help you identify the points you want to make in your qualifications statement, ask yourself these questions.

1)    What is the essence of what I want an employer to know about me?

2) If I could convince an employer of just one strength, what would it be?

3)    What would a second strength be?

4)    What are the two or three strengths that my bosses have most valued?

5)    After reviewing several want ads in my field, what are the two or three strengths (that I have) that they are consistently looking for?

Once you answer these questions you will have a good idea of what you want your qualifications statement to accomplish. You’re now ready to create your qualifications sketch.

        In writing qualifications sections there is a tendency to use the words strong and excellent, such as “Strong experience in quality control . . .” and “Excellent supervisor.” Both are excellent words, but try not to overuse them. I’ve searched the thesaurus and haven’t found many good substitutes. I rarely use the word good because it just isn’t strong enough. I occasionally use the word outstanding, but it can seem too strong, so use it selectively.

Strong, Excellent, Broad

        Other phrases can also be used to make a point. If you use “Excellent experience” in one paragraph, you could use “Broad experience,” “Broad back­ground,” or “Excellent background,” in the next. Don’t be bothered if you use the word excellent three times, but use substitutes to avoid using it excessively. Excellent is often the best word because it is not as humble as good, nor is it too strong, as outstanding sometimes seems.

        I often start a qualifications paragraph with a short statement, such as “Excellent management experience,” then back it up with further details. In this case the follow‑up might be “Consistently obtain high productivity from employees,” or “Consistently implement new techniques and procedures which increase productivity and lower costs.” Another effective back-up statement would be: “Proven ability to turn around projects which are behind schedule and over budget.” Whatever general statement you make should be explained or reinforced with details. In Sample Resumes To Help You look at the resumes on pages 9, 29, and 60 and notice how percentages or other statistics have been included in quali­fications. This can be very effective but is not always necessary or possible, particularly if you are making a broad statement about your entire career.

        Notice how effective the various back‑up statements can be when they are paired with the beginning short statement.

        Excellent management experience. Consistently obtain high productivity from employees.

        Excellent management experience. Consistently implement new techniques and procedures which increase productivity and lower costs.

        Excellent management experience. Proven ability to turn around projects which are behind schedule and over budget.

        Strong background in trucking gained during 20 years of management experience. Recognized for ability to significantly increase market share and quickly increase profitability. At each terminal achieved one of the best on-time records in the industry.

        Opening with a short statement provides impact. It hits the reader and makes the person want some evidence, which you will provide in your very next sentence. Of course, you need to be able to verify anything you say, such as “Consistently obtain high productivity from employees,” either in other sections of your resume or in a personal interview.

Short, To-The-Point Qualifications Statements

        For most people I find that shorter, one-paragraph qualifications statements work best. It often takes longer to write a shorter statement because it requires more time to identify the essence of what you want to sell to readers. It also usually takes more time to edit your statement until it says exactly what you want to get across.

        OBJECTIVE:  Lending/business development position

        QUALIFICATIONS

            Broad banking background with strong managerial and technical expertise. Always a top producer, with the ability to establish strong, long-term customer relationships.

        OBJECTIVE: Marketing or Product Management

        QUALIFICATIONS

            Strong background in sales and marketing management. Consistently able to increase revenue, market share, and profit margin. Develop excellent, long-term relationships with key accounts, leading to better long-range planning and revenue streams.

Longer Qualifications Statements With More Points

        Sometimes it takes several paragraphs to do justice to your background. The following person could have identified two or three key strengths to emphasize in one or two short paragraphs, but it seemed right to provide more information. This is another example of how important it is to determine what will best sell you.

        QUALIFICATIONS

        •    Strong leadership qualities with an excellent sales and marketing track record. Consistent award winner for sales and operational excellence. Six-time President’s Award winner.

        •    Broad experience in operations with full P&L responsibility, including margin management, sales development, forecasting, budgeting, process improvement, and quality control.

        •    Consistently develop market strategies that increase market share and return on investment far above the industry norm. Most recent strategic plan resulted in a 46% revenue increase over the past two years with a 285% increase in ROI.

        •   Able to benchmark and drive improvement on best practices throughout large geographic areas.

        •    Recognized for ability to establish long-term customer relationships and increase service to unprecedented levels. Won HomeGrocer.com’s first Vendor Certification Award.

Qualifications Statements Without Supporting Evidence

        It is always helpful to provide supporting evidence or further information to back up any claims you make in a resume. It’s helpful, but not necessary. When you make statements about yourself it is because you are convinced they are true. With that in mind you must be prepared to sell that quality in an interview. In fact, any statement in your resume can result in an interview question about it, so you must be prepared to discuss it.

        Let’s look at two qualifications statements from two different people. Each is effective and each contains only true statements about the person.

        Strong sales personality. Effectively market programs and sell ideas to key people. High-energy person with the initiative to make things happen. Excellent at assessing needs and following up to solve problems.

        Sandra has held administrative positions but wants to move into sales. She has no outside sales experience but she has sales friends who think she would be great. She has the desire, personality, and drive to make it in sales. Because none of her jobs involved sales, she is using the opportunity in the qualifications statement to show her potential. A sales manager who needs someone with five years of sales experience will not give her a second look. Fortunately some sales managers actually prefer to train their sales reps. They are willing to take a raw product with lots of energy and drive and turn that person into a professional salesperson. That’s the sales manager who will be attracted by Sandra.

        Notice that Sandra provides no supporting evidence for any of her statements. She says she can market programs and sell ideas. She claims she takes initiative. While there could certainly be a question mark in the reader’s mind, it is clear by the tone that Sandra absolutely believes that these statements are true and accurate. As long as Sandra’s job descriptions show a pattern of success, with some evidence that she has taken initiative before, these statements will be believed until Sandra demonstrates in an interview that they are not accurate. That will not happen. Sandra is for real.

        In the next statement, Darryl provides a short description of his real estate and land development background.

        Broad background in all phases of real estate development/investment including acquisitions, design, approvals, construction, finance, marketing, and property management. Consistently able to bring projects in ahead of schedule and under budget.

        Darryl has a ton of experience and wants the reader to move right into the heart of his last two positions, but first he wants to create an impression. His goal with this statement is to quickly show the breadth of his experience. He also wants the reader to know that he has a history of completing projects ahead of schedule and under budget—absolutely critical abilities for a project manager in real estate.

Backing Up Statements With Numbers

        Using numbers and statistics to provide supporting evidence of your claims can be very effective. Since you will already have written your job descriptions, ask yourself whether any of those numbers could be used. Often it is valuable to put together numbers that the employer would not have picked up on without your assistance. For example, the district manager for the grocery chain mentioned that she had managed the grand openings of 13 stores throughout her career. Here are some additional qualifications statements that have effectively used numbers to provide proof.

        (a human resources manager)

        Broad management background with strong human resources experience gained through the complete development of an HR department. Introduced systems which have increased productivity, significantly reduced turnover, and have saved over $120,000 per year in medical insurance, unemployment compensation, and training costs.

        The entire statement is well written and convinces the reader that he is a very capable human resources manager. Every business would like an HR manager who can play a major role in increasing productivity, reducing turnover, and saving over $120,000 in costs. During his interviews nearly every employer asked how he had saved so much money for a relatively small, 90-employee company.

        Another two examples will reinforce the value of numbers in qualifications statements. The first is a small business owner who wants to move into management with a much larger company. The second is a pharmacy manager who has a knack for attracting and keeping customers, thus increasing sales each year.

        Strong management and sales experience. Build excellent relationships with customers and provide outstanding customer service. Built Kraft Windows into one of the top dealers in the Southwest by increasing sales 24% annually.

        Broad pharmacy background. Recognized for strong technical knowledge and ability to effectively monitor and prevent potential adverse drug interactions. Introduced numerous cost saving measures which have increased quality and productivity standards. Have increased sales volume at each store at least 20% per year.

        In both cases the numbers help convince the reader that each is a highly capable person who deserves an interview.

        To write effective qualifications statements, study several examples. Analyze them to determine what makes them effective. When you’re through writing a qualifications statement, compare what you have to some of the examples. If you’re not pleased, set the resume aside for a day. You’ll return to it later with a fresh perspective. Let others see it and get feedback from them. Don’t use the qualifications section as filler. Include only those points which you really think will sell you.

A Last Resort Option

        Sometimes a person just can’t come up with a good qualifications section. If you fall into that category, do what you can to improve the qualifications section, but finish the resume so you can get it out to the right people. In such a case I would recommend that you wrap it up with a short summary of 15–25 words without trying to make any hard‑hitting statements. Here’s an example.

        OBJECTIVE: Programmer/Analyst

        QUALIFICATIONS

            Excellent background in data processing gained during eight years in programming and systems analysis.

        Even though this qualifications section lacks punch, it serves a purpose. As soon as an employer sees an objective, he immediately asks himself what makes this person qualified. By seeing the word Qualifications followed by a statement, the employer instantly assumes the person is qualified and goes on to seek evidence in the education and experience sections.

        You can use this way out if you have difficulty with your qualifications, but use this approach only after you’ve spent at least two hours working solely on qualifications. Once you’ve used your resume for a while, try working on qualifications again. You’ll probably have some new thoughts, and it may come together after all.

Take The Time To Make It Right

        Your qualifications statement is typically the hardest part of the resume to write. Winston Churchill is purported to have sent a long letter to a friend in which he apologized for its great length. He stated, “I apologize for the length of this letter. I didn’t have time to make it shorter.” Something short and powerful always takes time. When you read a great ad with perhaps only ten words, the copywriter may have spent more than twenty hours to make it say exactly what she wanted. I’m not suggesting it will take that much time, but it can take over an hour. I can create a powerful five-line statement in ten to twenty minutes, but I’ve written hundreds of such statements. As I get to know the person I’m writing for I’m constantly asking myself, “What is the essence of what this person has to sell?” By the time I’m ready to write the statement it often just flows out. Don’t expect that to occur for you, but it can happen.

        Because this section is difficult for most people, I’ve given you numerous ideas on how to make it happen. The qualifications sketch is particularly important. Once you can sketch out the points you want to make, the statement is half written.

            Be patient with yourself. Remind yourself that you are creating a portion that can easily determine whether you get an interview or not. While a qualifications statement is never required, and in fact most resumes do not use such a section, its subconscious influence on readers can be tremendous. Put whatever time into it that is required until it says just what you want it to say.