How in the world can you demonstrate leadership in a resume?

You can't.

Leadership is a skill that you can only demonstrate in person.

So why do professional and managerial career changers take up valuable resume space trying to convince their reader that they are leaders?

I find that managerial career changers want to define themselves as leaders. Not for their audience, the hiring manager, but for themselves. Since many experienced job changers write egocentric resumes (writing for themselves as the audience, not the hiring manager), this shouldn't come as a surprise.

Hiring managers don't search for leadership on resumes, they search for it in person. They assume leadership by your title, years of experience, and accomplishments. Hiring managers don't believe when a candidate says they are a leader - they've heard that many many times. Hiring managers believe when someone demonstrates accomplishments.

When writing your resume, consider who your audience is. Are you writing it for yourself? Or for the hiring manager?

Executives exploring Career Change: For a free 30 minute resume consultation, or career advice for executives, email your resume confidentially to reCareered (phil.reCareered@gmail.com), and we'll schedule a time to talk.

Staff, Managers, Entrepreneurs, and career changers outside the US: Send your resume to phil.reCareered@gmail.com to enroll in a free group teleseminar "Accelerate Your Job Search - tools you can use".