What is the best, most ethical, and most professional way to present company financial achievements in your CV/Resume?

Mohammed asks: What is the best, most ethical, and most professional way to present certain company financial achievements that you were part of in your CV/Resume? In presenting certain financial achievements in your resume, What is more professional to use : Actual financial numbers ( For ex, increased A from 5 Millions Euro in last fiscal to 2 Millions Euro this fiscal ) or using percentages instead ( For ex, increased A by 60% at start of Fiscal compared to last Fiscal). Is it unethical to use any kind of numbers? If yes, then how can you present good financial achievements in your resume?

In answer:
The first rule of writing any CV/Resume is to NEVER lie. Most organisations use very efficient candidate checking services, and even if you are not found out it adds stress to you in interview thinking about continually concealing the lie.

There are no right and wrong guidelines on stating such figures, but personally I would state both where relevant; or state the lower view of the achievement where you choose to use only one option. It would be easy to over state your achievements if you used the right option - a 50% saving of a $10 spend is $5: 50% sounds more impressive, and could be read by the recruiter or HR professional as a lie, or at least an overstatement. Hence I would state that as a "$5 savings on a $10 projected unit cost."

All professions have the same challenge when stating achievements. But if any employer doesn't think they can trust you, then - particularly in the case of the professions, including accountants and lawyers - the speed at which they will reject you is far greater. If you choose to just the state the greater looking achievement, then if it is probed in interview, it will create a horrible situation, and result in more probing on other issues and stated "achievements" - and a probable rejection.

Hence, when in doubt, always be conservative and openly truthful in your CV/Resume, so no gap of misunderstanding is created when stating facts and figures.

Good Luck!