I, Not We

Job seekers are frequently advised to use “I” not “we” when describing their accomplishments on their resume and in interviews. For…

Job seekers are frequently advised to use “I” not “we” when describing their accomplishments on their resume and in interviews. For example, “I increased our revenue by 12% through A/B testing” instead of “We increased our revenue…”

I have given this advice myself many times, and it feels yucky every time. I want to be the kind of person who gives credit well, not someone who takes it. And I want to hire people like that too, don’t I?

Yes, but no. As an interviewer, I want to hear about your accomplishments and contributions as an individual. By saying “we” you are giving due credit to your team, which is thoughtful, responsible, and honest.

But that is not the message that I need to hear. Instead, I want to know: What kinds of things can I expect you as a professional to take individual responsibility for?

If you say “I successfully remediated for GDPR compliance” nobody is going to assume that you are taking credit for achieving the result alone, an achievement won solely by your own lonely hand, like a masterless wandering warrior.

We are going to think that you took responsibility for that work. And that’s what we’re looking to learn. When you think of it as taking responsibility rather than credit, you’re seeing yourself through the eyes of the interviewer.

You should give credit frequently and fabulously, where it’s due and when it’s appropriate. And you shouldn’t ever take responsibility for anything that you don’t deserve.

An interview is not the appropriate time, and your resume is not the appropriate place to focus on giving credit. The focus should be on yourself.

Any PM in any interview should at some point talk about the cross-functional team, and how you empower and enable them. That’s a great time to demonstrate that you’re proud of the accomplishments of your teams, and that you are thoughtful about recognizing their contribution.

But for the general narrative of your career and accomplishments, stick with “I not we.”