Latest / Career Skills with Fexingo: Hard Skills, Soft Skills, and Future-Proofing Your Career / How Skill Signals Beat Skill Claims on Your Resume
Transcript
- Lucas: So Luna, you remember that project manager we talked about last month? The one who kept getting rejected despite a stellar resume? Luna: Yeah, the one with the keyword-stuffed CV? It listed every skill under the sun, but something wasn't landing. Lucas: Exactly. She came to me frustrated, saying she's led multi million dollar projects, but she couldn't get past the first round. And the issue wasn't her experience. It was that her resume claimed skills without showing them. Every bullet was a duty, not a result. So we rebuilt her resume around what I call 'skill signals.' Luna: Skill signals. That's a great phrase. What does it actually mean? Lucas: So a skill signal is any concrete, verifiable piece of evidence that proves you can do what you claim. It's the difference between saying 'skilled in stakeholder management' and writing 'led a cross-functional team of 12 to deliver a $2 million system upgrade three weeks early.' The first is a claim. The second is a signal. Luna: Right, and claims are cheap. Everyone can write 'excellent communicator.' Lucas: And that's why hiring managers glaze over. They see the same buzzwords a hundred times a day. But a specific number or outcome cuts through the noise. So we went through her project history and pulled out the most impressive, measurable wins. Then we rewrote every bullet to lead with the result and the scale. Luna: And what happened? Lucas: She had three interviews in the first two weeks. One of the interviewers even said he was struck by how 'real' her resume felt. She had moved from a list of responsibilities to a portfolio of proof. Luna: That's the power of showing, not telling. But it's not just about resumes, is it? Lucas: No, it applies everywhere — LinkedIn, interviews, even your personal projects. The principle is the same: instead of saying you have a skill, provide a signal that makes it obvious. It's like the difference between a chef describing a dish and actually plating it for you. Luna: I love that analogy. So what are some common skill signals beyond numbers on a resume? Lucas: Well, a few categories. One is quantified outcomes — percentages, dollar amounts, time saved. Another is artifacts — a portfolio piece, a writing sample, a GitHub repo, a before and after screenshot. Then there are third-party validations like certifications, but those are weaker signals because they're common. And then there's the power of narrative — a short story from your career that illustrates a skill in action. Luna: Artifacts are really convincing. I once worked with a marketer who didn't just say she knew email marketing, she brought a case study of a campaign she ran that lifted open rates by 40 percent. Lucas: That's a perfect example. And it's that specificity that makes it stick. But here's a subtlety: the signal has to be relevant to the job you're applying for. A great signal for a data analyst might be a dashboard you built, but for a sales role, it's more about deal metrics and client testimonials. Luna: So it's about matching the signal to the audience. But what if someone is early in their career and doesn't have a ton of experience? Lucas: That's a great question. Early-career folks can use academic projects, internships, volunteer work, or even personal initiatives. I had a friend who wanted to break into product management. He had zero formal experience, but he built a fake product spec for a local coffee shop and shared it on LinkedIn. It got him noticed because it showed he could think strategically. Luna: That's clever. It's like creating your own evidence. Lucas: Exactly. And the key is to be specific and honest. Don't inflate numbers or take credit for things you didn't do. Hiring managers can smell dishonesty from a mile away. Luna: Absolutely. Integrity is a skill signal in itself, right? If you're caught lying on your resume, that's a massive negative signal. Lucas: Right. So let's talk about how to identify your own skill signals. A good exercise is to look back at your last few projects and ask: what was the result? If you can't answer that, you might not be tracking your impact closely enough. Luna: And that's where a skill audit comes in handy. We've talked about that before. Lucas: Exactly. You need to know what you're good at before you can signal it. So start by listing your top five strengths. Then, for each one, find at least one concrete example from your past that proves it. That becomes your signal bank. Luna: A signal bank. I love that. So you have a repository of stories and numbers you can draw from for different applications. Lucas: Precisely. And you should refresh it regularly, not just when you're job hunting. Every time you finish a project, add a new signal. It's like building a portfolio of your professional life. Luna: And when you go into an interview, you can pull from that bank to answer behavioral questions with real evidence. Lucas: Yes, and that's where the 'show, don't tell' principle really shines. Instead of saying 'I'm a good problem solver,' you say 'When our main supplier went bankrupt, I renegotiated with three backup suppliers and saved the project timeline.' That's a story, and it's memorable. Luna: So if our listeners take one thing from today, it's to stop claiming and start showing. But how do you know if your signals are strong enough? Lucas: Great question. One test is the 'so what?' test. If someone reads your bullet and says 'so what?', then it's not a strong signal. It needs to have impact. For example, 'led a team' is weak. 'Led a team of 8 to increase sales by 15 percent in six months' passes the test. Luna: That makes sense. And also, don't forget to tailor your signals to each job description. If a job emphasizes data analysis, lead with your data-related signals. Lucas: Exactly. Now, let's talk about the psychology behind why signals work. It's a concept called 'vividness bias.' People remember concrete, vivid information much better than abstract claims. When a hiring manager sees a number, it stands out in their memory when they're comparing candidates. Luna: So it's not just about being impressive, it's about being memorable. Lucas: Exactly. And that's why you should also consider creating a personal website or online portfolio to house your signals. It's one thing to list them on a resume, but another to show them in action. For instance, a designer can link to a case study with before and after images, or a marketer can link to a campaign report. Luna: That's a powerful move. It also signals tech-savviness and initiative. Lucas: Right. And it gives you a place to be more expansive than a one-page resume. You can tell the full story behind each signal. Luna: I think we've covered a lot of ground here. But if someone is listening and thinking 'I don't even know what my signals are,' what's the first step? Lucas: Start small. Pick one project you're proud of from the last year. Write down the situation, the action you took, and the result. Just one. Then look at it and see if it would convince a skeptic. If it wouldn't, add more specificity. That's your first signal. Luna: And once you have that first one, you can build from there. Lucas: Exactly. And here's something else — and I'm bringing this up because it ties into what we just said about building your signal bank. If you've been getting value from our conversations about career growth and you've ever thought about helping us keep these shows free from ads, you can support the podcast at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a simple way to keep the ad-free content flowing. Luna: Yeah, and it genuinely helps us keep doing what we love. Even one coffee makes a difference. Lucas: So, back to skill signals. Remember, every time you complete a project, you're adding to your signal bank. Make it a habit to document your wins. That way, when opportunity knocks, you're ready to show your proof. Luna: And that's the ultimate career hack: being undeniable in your evidence. Thanks for tuning in, and we'll catch you next time.