Numbers are the most powerful tool on your resume. Recruiters are trained to scan for metrics because they provide objective evidence of impact. Research consistently shows that resumes with quantified achievements receive 40% more interview callbacks than those with only descriptive bullet points.
The quantification framework — ask yourself these questions for each bullet point: How much? (revenue, cost savings, budget managed), How many? (users, customers, team members, projects), How fast? (time saved, deadlines met, speed improvements), How often? (frequency, consistency, streaks), By what percentage? (growth rate, efficiency improvement, error reduction), and Compared to what? (benchmarks, previous performance, industry standards).
Before and after examples across different roles: Engineering: Before: 'Worked on optimizing database queries.' After: 'Optimized 15 critical database queries, reducing average response time from 800ms to 120ms and saving ₹3 lakh in monthly server costs.' Marketing: Before: 'Managed social media accounts.' After: 'Grew Instagram following from 5K to 50K in 6 months through data-driven content strategy, generating 200+ qualified leads monthly.' Finance: Before: 'Handled accounts receivable.' After: 'Managed ₹12 crore quarterly receivables portfolio, reducing DSO (Days Sales Outstanding) from 45 to 28 days.' HR: Before: 'Conducted recruitment drives.' After: 'Hired 45 engineers in Q1 2025 (against target of 35), reducing average time-to-fill from 42 to 28 days.'
What if you don't have exact numbers? Estimate conservatively and use approximations: 'approximately,' '~50,' '15+.' If you truly can't quantify, use qualitative impact: 'Recognized by CTO for delivering the company's first microservices migration' or 'Selected to lead the highest-priority client engagement.' But push yourself — almost every achievement can be quantified with some thought.