How can I prove that I've had experience working with deadlines?

September 2, 2010 10:44 AM

Resume Filter: For one of my past positions I'd like to emphasize that I've had experience working in a deadline-oriented environment. Can I express this by saying something like, "Completed assignments that met or exceeded deadlines"? Would a recruiter find any holes in this statement?

I wish there was some way to quantify those "deadlines" but there isn't any way.

posted by AngryTypingGuy to Work & Money (16 answers total)

Well, I wouldn't say "exceeded deadlines" -- that sounds like "late" to me.
posted by Perplexity at 10:46 AM on September 2, 2010 [4 favorites]

"exceeded deadlines" sounds the opposite of what you want to say.
posted by sanko at 10:47 AM on September 2, 2010

"Consistently produced deliverables on or ahead of schedule in deadline-focused environment"? Or something--no pride in ownership is that turn of phrase.

"exceeded deadlines" reads to me like you delivered your work late.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 10:48 AM on September 2, 2010 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Whoops. I guess I should have said "preceded deadlines".
posted by AngryTypingGuy at 10:51 AM on September 2, 2010

Excelled in a deadline-oriented environment.
posted by amtho at 10:52 AM on September 2, 2010 [4 favorites]

Think you had it right with deadline-oriented.
posted by Ironmouth at 10:58 AM on September 2, 2010

I'd vote for the Admiral's version. It says exactly what you want and is not open to malicious misconstruction. If I were writing it though I would be inclined to say "deadline-oriented" rather than "deadline-focused".
posted by Logophiliac at 11:17 AM on September 2, 2010

Why can't you quantify it? Quit thinking responsibilities; think accomplishments.

0 missed deadlines in time-sensitive environment.

0 is quantifying. This is also much easier to read than some carefully crafted sentence using adverbs. Adverbs should not be on a resume. They are indicative of fluff.
posted by bfranklin at 11:31 AM on September 2, 2010

I agree with using "on or ahead of schedule" for this, maybe "on or ahead of scheduled deadlines" if you really want to have deadline in the description.
posted by stefanie at 11:56 AM on September 2, 2010

"Deadline-driven" is the term I tend to use for the environment I work in. Sounds a bit more urgent than "oriented."
posted by dlugoczaj at 12:59 PM on September 2, 2010

hrmm. Deadlines are a pretty common element of jobs. Getting stuff done on time is pretty ordinary. Being on time isn't extraordinary, its totally ordinary. Are you sure this is what you want to highlight? To me, this would feel like writing "I adhered to the dress code"on a resume, and would make me think that it must be the best thing you could come up with. Isn't there something slightly more... impressive you could highlight instead?

(Maybe this is different in your workplace, but being early to a deadline isn't actually that desirable - as long as things are done on time and without a rush, being early doesn't offer any discernible benefit, in most cases.)
posted by Kololo at 1:23 PM on September 2, 2010 [1 favorite]

Deadlines are a pretty common element of jobs.

That's true, though I think the use of deadline-driven (my favorite formulation so far) is a resume codeword for "rife with impossible and insane deadlines." OP seems to be saying that they didn't simply hand someone their hamburger within the allotted 120 seconds, they carted transplant organs from hospital to hospital, etc.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 1:30 PM on September 2, 2010

I like "deadline-oriented" better than "deadline-driven". The former sounds like you intentionally made it that way, the latter sounds like you were in panic mode all the time. I do the driving around here, not the deadlines, thank you very much.

I like "time critical" better than both.
posted by ctmf at 5:35 PM on September 2, 2010

Actually, I don't like the word "deadline" at all. The preferred jargon around here is "time target" or "time constraint." The former implies more proactive control, but the latter sounds more do-or-die urgent.
posted by ctmf at 5:46 PM on September 2, 2010

I have to agree with Kololo. Completing your work within or ahead of deadlines doesn't sound that amazing at all. Most jobs require you to work in a deadline-oriented environment. Maybe say something about preferring "fast-paced" or "results-oriented" environments, or that you work well on time-sensitive projects.
posted by just_ducky at 8:41 PM on September 2, 2010

I don't think I'd mention it without specifying what the actual environment or deadline involved. I used to work in payroll, and it's pretty obvious why there are deadlines involved in that, but it still can't hurt to say "I worked in payroll, where deadlines had to be met or staff didn't get paid" or something.
posted by AmbroseChapel at 9:56 PM on September 2, 2010