Add Some Bacon to Your Resume

I was watching a CNBC interview with Wendy’s CEO yesterday. The topic was Wendy’s success in putting bacon on multiple burgers and salads. The message essentially was to give the people what they want, and apparently, they want bacon! Bacon sells.

How about putting some bacon on your resume? Seriously, bacon to the burger is analogous to packing your resume with results-based accomplishments. It’s the sizzle that sells, right. We’ve all heard the quote from the famous copywriter, Elmer Wheeler: “Don’t sell the steak. Sell the sizzle.” It essentially means focus on the benefits . When it comes to resumes, it’s important to focus on the benefits you offer the hiring employer. In other words, highlight the value you bring that fills the deepest need of the employer.

The best way to prove your value is to let the potential employer get a whiff of that bacon. Do this by giving examples of past achievements. Whenever possible, strengthen your achievements by attaching measured results to your achievements. For example, show dollar amounts, percentages, and head counts to make your achievements more meaningful. If you don’t recall an exact amount, it is alright to estimate.

If you are having trouble getting traction with your resume, consider the Wendy’s model and add some bacon -- in the form of quantified achievements – to your resume. Let them hear that sizzle in the pan. If you’d like some assistance with your resume, contact me. I’d love to help.