The Math Problem(s) of Measuring Impact
There are some formulas that can help show value of your impact.
This is where your value really can be pictured by others. The harsh reality is that every business decision is based on revenue and cost - do you:
Increase revenue
Protect revenue
Reduce costs
Avoid costs
Sometimes it is difficult to get these numbers, either because we aren’t privy to them at work, or it’s been a decade or more since we did the thing.
That’s ok. This happens a ton.
This is the biggest hurdle I run into coaching people.
Here are some things I try to do to back into it.
If we are talking about the number of accounts and someone says, ‘I have no idea, I was there for three years’, the first thing I’d ask is if they could guess how many accounts per day or week they dealt with, closed, opened, etc. We are seeking an approximate here, if you have exact, amazing, but if not approximate and round down a little bit.
Whatever we are trying to measure - break it down into a daily idea first. Then start to understand any qualifiers that might alter the number. The more you really dig into this the more you’ll start to think in a way that businesses want to see - someone looking at the results of their actions.
Then, I’d ask:
Was there a slow time of year or was that fairly consistent?
How long did you deal with the accounts before they converted/moved on/transferred?
For example, let’s say I’m working as a Marketing Consultant for an agency, and I’m going to look at what I do know:
6-8 accounts I deal with at a time, never more or less
Each of these accounts goes through a 12-week cycle of consulting and then it closes
Any accounts that go beyond that are problematic because of revenue goals. Accounts cannot just keep canceling calls or not delivering on their part of the deal. Anything beyond 12 weeks becomes a management issue they take up to talk to the client. So it rarely happens and if it does everyone would remember, so you certainly would.
I want to understand how many accounts in a year I worked with.
I’ll look at the lowest number of accounts, to be safe.
6 accounts, 12-week cycles
I get a new account every time a client completes to keep me at that number
In 52 working weeks a year (assuming 4 weeks for holidays/vacation, etc.), there would be 4.33 cycle refreshes
6 accounts * 4.33 cycle refreshes = 26 accounts in a year.
Math Check! Let’s check our assumptions of this formula: If you just visualize 6 accounts every three months and they all close at the same time, that’ll give you 24 accounts.
So given there’re likely new clients onboarding and offboarding at varying times, that math totally works. It could actually be more, but this is a good way to estimate when you are unsure. We’re not looking for perfection, we are looking for a show of progress.
I always check my logic, the more you are able to explain how you got to the number (because you will get asked this at some point) the more you are showing your intent to current and future employers your desire to deliver results.
Calculations to use
To show quantifiable metrics on your resume, you can use various calculations to demonstrate the impact of your work. Here are some types of calculations and examples:
Percentages
Highlight growth, reduction, or improvement.
Formula: (New Value−Old Value)/Old Value×100%
Example: Increased customer retention by 25% through improved follow-up strategies.
Dollars Saved or Earned
Demonstrate financial impact on the organization.
Formula: (Initial Money − Final Money)
Example: Negotiated vendor contracts, reducing costs by $50,000 annually.
Note: This can be revenue generated, dollars saved, dollars earned.
Time Saved
Show efficiency improvements.
Formula: (Old Time−New Time)/Old Time×100%
Example: Streamlined processes, reducing project delivery time by 15%.
Key Measures and Patterns
You can use various patterns to demonstrate the impact of your work. Here are some types of patterns and examples:
Volume or Frequency, Customer or User engagement
Formula: Total units, items, or occurrences within a set timeframe.
Demonstrate productivity or scope of work.
Example: Managed 30+ client accounts, achieving 98% satisfaction rates.
Pattern: Action verb [Volume or Frequency], result verb Impact.
Quantify increases in engagement, satisfaction, or loyalty for customers or users..
Example: Boosted app downloads by 150,000 in Q2 through targeted campaigns.
Pattern: Action verb subject [Increase], initiative
Ratios or Efficiency Metrics
Highlight productivity per resource (e.g., time, cost, or people).
Formula: Output/Input
Example: Increased sales per representative by 20% through targeted training.
Pattern: Action verb [Ratios or Efficiency Metrics], mechanism.
Market Impact or Impact/Growth over time
Formula: Market share, impact/growth, or user base changes over time.
Demonstrate how your work affected growth or market presence.
Example: Led marketing campaign that grew customer base from 10,000 to 15,000 in six months (50% increase).
Pattern: Action verb initiative [Market Impact], (percentage).
Show sustained impact through year-over-year or period-over-period comparisons.
Example: Drove a 10% year-over-year growth in revenue for three consecutive years.
Pattern: Action verb [Impact over time] subject amount of time
Employee/Team Metrics
Show leadership and management success.
Example: Supervised a team of 15 staff members, achieving a 30% improvement in on-time project delivery.
Pattern: Action verb subject [Employee/Team Metrics], result verb Impact subject
Quality Improvements
Highlight the reduction of errors or defects.
Formula: (Old Error Rate−New Error Rate)/Old Error Rate×100%
Example: Reduced product defect rates by 35% through revised QA processes.
No exact numbers? Approximate and/or round down:
If you don’t have exact numbers, estimate responsibly and qualify it with terms like “approximately” or “about.” For example, "Increased team productivity by approximately 20%."
These calculations ensure that your resume communicates your achievements with clarity and credibility. I also tend to round down a bit if I don’t have exact numbers.
If you want more help in understanding how to measure your impact, check out our posts on Why Measuring Impact is Important and How Metrics Aren’t the Only Way to Measure Impact.
Questions? Need help? Message me.
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