My AD101 Introduction to Business students were preparing résumés the other day. We talked about the things that matter to employers besides the job-related skills: trustworthiness, integrity, punctuality, a demonstrated ability to work well with others, and good communication skills.
What are bad communication skills—in particular, sloppy writing—costing businesses? About $400 billion every year.
We also mentioned the importance of “show, don’t tell” on your résumé. Don’t tell me you’re trustworthy—show me. How? You can tell me, “I’m trustworthy.” Or you can show me by saying you made the nightly bank deposit for the retail store you worked in. Showing carries a lot more weight.
And that works in everything, not just résumés.
Take these things to heart and you’ll have an easier time finding and keeping a job. Or, if you own and run your own business, winning and keeping clients.