How to add quantifiable results to your CV, when you think you don’t have any

When trying to impress potential employers or recruiters with your CV, it’s not enough to simply list your responsibilities or skills development in the Employment History section – you need to showcase your achievements.

One of the most powerful ways to stand out from other candidates is by including quantifiable results that are concrete evidence of your impact. Numbers speak louder than buzzwords, and they help recruiters quickly understand the value you bring.

However, evidencing these quantifiable results can be far easier for some than it is for others. Some roles just don’t lend themselves to this type of measurement. 

If this is the case for you, let’s explore which tangible data you can put on your CV. 

Why should you quantify achievements on your CV? 

Recruiters scan hundreds of CVs, often using an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) tool to speed up the process. As a result, generic phrases like “Responsible for managing projects” don’t tell them much, and you’re likely to be overlooked or ranked far lower on the list of candidates. 

However, when you say, “Delivered 11 cross-functional projects on time with 54% of those under budget”, you’re showing measurable success. Numbers help you to tangibly prove that you’re the right person for the role. 

Here are some examples of how to transform vague responsibilities from your career history into impactful achievements:

Generic	Quantifiable data
Managed social media accounts	Increased LinkedIn engagement by 45% over six months through targeted content strategy
Led a team	Managed a team of four, improving productivity by 30% through workflow automation and optimisation
Handled customer queries	Resolved 93% of customer queries within 24 hours, boosting satisfaction scores by 20%
Organised events	Coordinated six company-wide events with 200+ attendees, under budget by 15%

Examples of quantifiable results by job function 

Here are a few ways to add these points to your CV, depending on your previous experience: 

Administration 

• Processed 100+ invoices monthly with 99.9% accuracy 
• Reduced meeting scheduling conflicts by 80%, implementing new calendar system 

Design 

• Delivered 12 design projects with 100% client approval 
• Cut production time by 25% through template optimisation 

Finance 

• Identified £98K in cost savings through budget analysis 
• Lowered invoice processing time by 40% 

HR 

• Decreased time-to-hire by 10 days using new ATS system 
• Increased employee retention by 10% YoY through onboarding improvements and employee surveys 

Marketing 

• Grew email subscriber list by 23% in one quarter 
• Achieved a 12% conversion rate on paid social media campaigns 

Operations 

• Reduced supply chain costs by £30K annually 
• Improved delivery times by 14% through process redesign 

Project management 

• Led 20+ cross-functional projects, meeting 100% of final deadlines 
• Introduced and onboarded stakeholders to new management platform, reducing completion time by 13% 

Still struggling? 

Of course, some roles and functions lend themselves more easily to these than others. Alternatively, it’s possible that you won’t have access to this data. Even if your job doesn’t involve obvious metrics, you can still show impact: 

• Turnaround time: “Delivered reports three days ahead of deadline.” 
• Satisfaction scores: “Received 95% positive feedback from internal stakeholders.” 
• Project delivery: “Supported 10+ cross-departmental initiatives with zero delays.” 

If you’re still looking for ideas, revisit past performance reviews, project reports, or KPIs. These often contain the metrics you need to make your CV stand out. 

Final notes 

So, before you hit “send” on your job application, these are the four questions to ask yourself: 

1. Have I provided at least one piece of quantifiable data per role in my employment history? 

2. Have I aligned my metrics with the job description? (you can use an AI tool such as ChatGPT or Copilot to identify relevant ones) 

3. Have I replaced vague phrases with specific outcomes? 

4. Have I highlighted improvements, savings or growth? 

What next?

Now that you’ve included these achievements, it’s time to move onto the next step of building a perfect CV.

Next up, learn more about adding skills to your CV here, or see our full series on writing your CV so you don’t miss a trick!