Highlighting Skills in a Consulting Portfolio

Here's what one recruiter said to me about skills sections on resumes: "If all they do is list the skill in a skill section, then I'm going to assume they're basic in that skill". Now, I have no idea how prevalent that perspective is among recruiters. But as a job candidate, you have no idea who you're sending your resume to. You may think that the skill section will help you stand out. When in fact, it may lead to the assumption that you are basic in various skills. Which is why I rarely include skill sections on resumes. It's FAR better to talk about HOW you used those skills. Some examples: (note: I've put the skill in parentheses after the bullet point but don't do that on your resume) → Designed and implemented a new data analysis framework for a retail chain with 150+ stores, reducing inventory discrepancies by 25%. (data analysis) → Used SQL to optimize database queries for a financial services firm, improving report generation time from 30 minutes to under 5 minutes. (SQL) → Led a cross-functional project management initiative to launch a customer feedback portal for a tech startup, resulting in a 20% increase in customer engagement. (project management) → Developed business development strategies for a consulting firm, expanding its client base by 40% within one year. (business development) → Built and facilitated team-building activities for a 12-person software development team, improving collaboration and boosting project delivery timelines by 15%. (team-building) → Streamlined internal processes for an international logistics company, reducing shipping errors by 18% and saving $300,000 annually. (process improvement) → Directed daily operations for a 100-employee manufacturing plant, achieving a 10% increase in productivity and improving safety compliance rates to 100%. (operations management) THAT'S how you stand out! By talking about what you've done, not by listing things (which anyone can do). Need help with your resume? I offer complete resume rewrites and comprehensive resume reviews. Drop me a DM for more details.

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐨 𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫? 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐀𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧, 𝐈𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐁𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐉𝐨𝐛 𝐈𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬: A recruiter is looking at two resumes for a data analyst position. Both candidates have similar skills and experience, but one has a portfolio filled with real-world projects, detailed explanations, and tangible results. Which candidate stands out? When I was starting, I didn’t have a portfolio. I quickly realized that without it, I was missing a crucial opportunity to showcase my work. A strong portfolio isn’t just a collection of projects, it’s your story. It demonstrates how you think, solve problems, and make an impact. Here’s how to build a portfolio that truly shines: 1️⃣ 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤: Focus on quality over quantity. Pick 3-5 projects that highlight your skills and have clear, measurable results. Whether it’s a model that improved decisions or a dashboard with impactful insights, each project should tell a story. 2️⃣ 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭: Don’t just list what you did, tell why it mattered. What problem were you solving? What was your approach? How did your solution benefit the business or users? This context helps employers see the value you bring. 3️⃣ 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬: Employers want to know how you think. Detail the steps you took, the tools you used, and any challenges you faced. Did you clean a messy dataset? Choose a specific algorithm? Showing your process sets you apart from others. 4️⃣ 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐈𝐭 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞: Make sure your portfolio is easy to navigate. Use a simple layout, and clear headings, and ensure all links work. If it’s a website, make sure it’s mobile-friendly. The easier it is to explore, the more likely it is to impress. Your portfolio is more than just an add-on to your resume, it’s a reflection of your skills, creativity, and attention to detail. In a competitive job market, it could be the difference between landing an interview and being overlooked. If you don’t have a portfolio yet, start building one today. If you have one, review it, does it showcase your best work? If you need feedback or help getting started, I’m here to support you. Found this helpful? Consider re-sharing 🔁 with your network. Follow Mohammed Wasim for more tips, success stories of international students, and data opportunities in US!

Last week, someone asked me, “How do I showcase my skills as a data scientist or engineer to land a job?” So here’s my take for this week’s post, where I try to break down what I’ve learned (and struggled with). First, your portfolio isn’t about quantity; it’s about relevance. Think of it as your personal pitch deck. Recruiters aren’t scrolling through it like Instagram —they’re looking for proof you can solve their problems. Here’s a real-world example: Take Amazon’s recommendation system. It’s not just about suggesting items; it’s about driving sales. If I were building a portfolio project, I’d take a dataset like movie ratings and show how to design a basic recommender system. Then, I’d highlight how it improves user engagement or retention. Make it more specific by adding technologies you used, like Python, Spark, or AWS. If you're thinking, but where do I even start?—just pick a problem you find interesting and tackle it like a mini-case study. For example, in my own project on sneaker resale dynamics, I analyzed market trends and built predictive models to forecast price fluctuations. What I realized is that recruiters were interested not just in my Python code but in the why. Why does this matter? What was the impact? That’s where you stand out—connect your work to real-world outcomes. Another tip: share your work publicly. Use GitHub or even LinkedIn. Show that you can communicate findings, not just code. It’s one thing to build dashboards in Tableau; it’s another to explain how that dashboard helped optimize inventory or reduce costs. And lastly, remember: your portfolio is like dating it’s not just about looking good; it’s about compatibility. Tailor it to the job you want, not just any job. What projects are you working on right now? Would love to hear how you’re making your portfolio shine! #datascience #dataengineering #jobsearch #portfolio #projects #career #linkedin