Since I’m a recruiter with lots of experience interviewing and hiring, I am often asked by friends (and friends of friends) to take a look at people’s resumés and provide advice and feedback. I give the same advice 100% of the time, so I’m sharing it here today in case some of you can use it.

A resumé should be a showcase of your leadership, your accountability, your achievements, your speed and your results...quantified by metrics. It should not be a list of the tasks you perform every day at work. The truth is, I don’t need much detail on what you do. I do need to see what you've done that sets you apart: why I should hire you over the other candidates with a similar title and duties. This is especially important for more junior candidates whose job history doesn't always distinguish them from their peers.

Here’s the example I always use with people asking for input on their resumés. Let’s say you work in fast food. I took this description from an actual resumé:

"Maintains food quality and customer service in a cash handling retail food operation. May assume GM's responsibilities and authority in his/her absence. Assists in maintenance of cash control and payroll records. Assists in supporting the financial/HR functions. Maintains customer satisfaction and good public relations."

With this description, I know what you and a lot of other workers at this restaurant do. Are you a great employee? Are you a lazy employee? Based on this list of job duties, who knows? If you are a hiring manager and you have to choose between a resumé with the description above and this description below, which candidate seems stronger to you?

-Trusted to manage cash transactions of up to $25,000 per day
-Resolved customer complaints or concerns and helped set a standard for a positive workplace culture
-Was asked to assume duties of general manager in her absence; including resolving employee conflicts, making decisions around scheduling and bookkeeping, acting as team leader and escalating issues as needed

Same job with the same duties, but in the second description you are showcasing your leadership and your accountability. You are telling me why you are a “cut above” the other candidates. I’m not telling you to make stuff up. I’m telling you to be a leader at work, go the extra mile, and then highlight those attributes—not your job duties in your resumé. Recruiters spend seconds reviewing individual resumés and if you want recruiters to take a deeper dive on yours, give them a reason!