By: Jessica Hernandez
CEO, Great Resumes Fast
Introduction:
One resume-writing strategy people rarely consider is starting with a top win.
Under each role on your resume, you want your first bullet to be your top achievement in the role.
Why?
Because this communicates an immediate message of success.
The bullet can be a metric achieved, an award won, a problem solved, a program supported, money saved, or revenue earned.
Ask yourself, “What was my best achievement in this position?” and lead with that.
You want to include between three and five bullets that are quantifiable, relate to the role you're targeting, and start with an action verb.
Our memories are short. Can you remember all the details of the project you worked on last week? How about last month? What about a year ago?
One of the best ways to prepare for a time when you will need to share your accomplishments is to collect details of your achievements as you go along — and there’s no better time than now to start!
Accomplishments demonstrate your skills and experience. It’s one thing to claim you can do something — it’s another to prove you’ve done it.
In sports, we keep score. It helps us evaluate our progress compared to others. But in your career, it’s sometimes harder to measure your progress. If your current boss doesn’t provide performance evaluations, tracking your own accomplishments is even more important. You can track your metrics and communicate this information to your boss — you can provide it in an “end-of-year review,” and even if you only submit the information in writing, it can help you showcase what you’ve done and the value you add to the organization.
This guide will give you the framework to collect your accomplishments.
When to Collect Accomplishments
There are many situations when you can benefit from a review of your accomplishments — and it’s not just when you’re developing your resume for the first time, or when it’s time to update your resume.
Here are some other reasons for collecting your accomplishments:
For performance evaluations or an annual review
To set your personal and professional goals for the next year
Tracking the progress of projects, you’re working on
To support your candidacy and qualifications in a job interview
When you want to make the case for a raise or a promotion
To remind you of your achievements when you’re having a bad day.
When applying for recognition (awards or scholarships)
Quantifying your accomplishments also helps you stand out from others who do the work you do — whether you’re using the information for a raise or promotion request, or when seeking a new job opportunity. But accomplishments go beyond the basic job duties and responsibilities.
There is also value in simply collecting and reflecting on your personal and professional accomplishments. If you don’t “toot your own horn,” who will?
Tracking and Documenting Your Accomplishments
There are several ways you can collect your accomplishments:
Online. You can create a Microsoft Word file to document your achievements. (Be sure to back up your file regularly.) In your email program, you can create a folder for accomplishments and send yourself emails to store in that folder. You can also use an app like Evernote.
Offline. Something as simple as a file folder or notebook can be used to track your achievements. You could also use a diary.
When you receive a “kudos” email, forward a copy to your personal email account. To help you organize it, tag or label it with a specific subject line (like “Kudos”).
If you receive notes of appreciation from customers, coworkers, or your company, compile those. You can make a copy and keep it in hard copy form or take a screenshot and keep a digital copy.
You should also print out and/or take a screenshot of any LinkedIn Recommendations you have on your profile. These are an important part of your accomplishments record as well.
Other ways to document accomplishments:
Take photos.
Collect news clippings (the digital equivalent is setting up a Google Alert for yourself)
Create a brag book or portfolio.
How often should you update your accomplishments? As often as necessary. For some, that may mean weekly updates (for example, if you’re working on a series of projects); for others, that could mean a quarterly assessment. The most important thing is to take the time to do this on an ongoing basis. Put an alarm or task reminder on your calendar so you remember to set aside the time to track your accomplishments regularly.
Writing Up Your Accomplishments
Accuracy in collecting your accomplishments is critical. Quantify the scope and scale of the achievement in terms of percentages, numbers, and/or dollars. Be as specific as you can.
Make the statements as powerful as possible. Include action verbs in your accomplishment statements — in fact, try leading with one. If you are having a hard time thinking of your achievements, you can also review the verb list to brainstorm your accomplishments.
Here is a list of accomplishment-stimulating verbs:
Accelerated
Accentuated
Accepted
Accessed
Accessorized
Accommodated
Accomplished
Accountable for
Accounted for
Achieved
Balanced
Bargained
Began
Believed
Bestowed
Bettered
Bid
Blended
Booked
Boosted
Calculated
Calibrated
Campaigned
Capitalized
Captured
Carried out
Carved
Cataloged/Catalogued
Catapulted
Categorized
Dealt
Debugged
Decentralized
Decided
Deciphered
Declared
Decreased
Dedicated
Deferred
Defined
Earned
Economized
Edited
Educated
Effected
Elaborated
Elected
Elevated
Elicited
Eliminated
Fabricated
Facilitated
Factored
Fashioned
Featured
Fielded
Field-Tested
Filed
Filled
Filtered
Gained
Gathered
Gauged
Geared
Generated
Governed
Graduated
Granted
Greeted
Grew
Halted
Handled
Harmonized
Harvested
Hastened
Headed
Heightened
Held
Helped
Hired
Identified
Illustrated
Imagined
Implemented
Imported
Improved
Improvised
Incorporated
Increased
Indexed
Joined
Jointly acquired
Judged
Justified
Kept
Labeled
Launched
Learned
Lectured
Led
Lessened
Leveraged
Liaison between
Licensed
Lifted
Maintained
Managed
Mandated
Maneuvered
Manipulated
Manufactured
Mapped
Marked
Marketed
Mastered
Named
Narrated
Narrowed
Navigated
Negotiated
Netted
Networked
Nominated
Normalized
Notified
Obliterated
Observed
Obtained
Offered
Officiated
Opened
Operated
Operationalized
Optimized
Orchestrated
Paced
Packaged
Packed
Paid
Painted
Parlayed
Participated
Partnered
Passed
Patented
Quadrupled
Qualified
Quantified
Queried
Questioned
Quoted
Raised
Ran
Ranked
Rated
Ratified
Reached
Read
Realigned
Realized
Rearranged
Safeguarded
Salvaged
Sampled
Satisfied
Saved
Scanned
Scheduled
Scouted
Screened
Scrutinized
Tabulated
Tackled
Tailored
Tallied
Tapped
Targeted
Taught
Tended
Terminated
Tested
Uncovered
Underlined
Undertook
Underwrote
Unified
United
Unraveled
Updated
Upgraded
Upheld
Vacated
Validated
Verbalized
Verified
Videotaped
Viewed
Vitalized
Volunteered
Waged
Weighed
Widened
Withdrew
Withstood
Won
Worked
Worked closely with
Wove
Wrote
To come up with accomplishments:
Take a look at your past performance reviews.
Think about any awards or recognition you’ve received.
Answer the questions at the end of this guide.
The most important part of the accomplishment is outlining your results. To be most effective, however, you also need to provide context for your accomplishment. There are several different formats to do this.
Here are three common formats: STAR, CAR, and PAR.
STAR
Situation
Task
Action
Results
An example of a STAR statement would be:
Recruited to revitalize an underperforming sales territory characterized by significant account attrition. (Situation) Tasked with reacquiring accounts that had left the company within the last six months. (Task) Developed a contact list for lapsed accounts and initiated contact with decision-makers at each company. (Action) Reacquired 22% of former customers, resulting in $872,000 in revenue.
CAR
Challenge
Action
Result
An example of a CAR statement is:
The manufacturing plant recently had its third accident, leading to a line shutdown. (Challenge) Updated the internal safety plan and instituted a new training program for production employees to reduce accidents and injuries. (Action) The plant has been accident-free for the past nine months — the longest it has been without accidents in plant history. (Result)
PAR
Problem
Action
Result
A sample PAR statement would be:
Nursing home employee morale was at all-time low, and long-time employees were leaving in droves. (Problem) Identified that the new scheduling system was not well received by either new hires or long-time employees, resulting in significant dissatisfaction with employee schedules. Instituted a new “employee choice” schedule system that increased employee cooperation in determining the ideal staffing schedule and improved employee satisfaction as a result. (Action) Reduced turnover by 15%, saving more than $12,500 in hiring and training costs in the first three months after implementing a new system. (Result)
Can you quantify your accomplishments through any of these superlatives?
Only
First/Last
Best/Worst
Most/Least
Largest/Smallest
Longest/Shortest
Highest/Lowest
Busiest
Think about achievements in these situations:
Current job/most recent position
Previous work experience
Summer jobs/work-study positions
Volunteer activities
Temporary work
Educational experiences (internships, class projects, group projects, study-abroad programs)
Professional organizations
Involvement in sports or other extracurricular activities
Consulting or freelance projects
Social networking accomplishments
Events/conferences
When collecting accomplishments for a job search, consider the key areas of competency required for success in the position you are seeking. What are the key components of your job? You should be able to identify accomplishments directly related to this expertise.
Ask yourself: What does the person in this role need to actually do and accomplish in order to be considered successful?
This may include accomplishments related to:
Budgets/Finances
Promotions
Employee Development
Employee Recruitment
Employee Retention
Processes and Procedures
Deadlines
Revenue/Sales
New Clients
Information Technology
Cost Containment
Publications
Team Leadership
Product Launch
Presentations
Here are some questions to help you come up with additional accomplishments.
Work Accomplishments:
What is unique about how you do your job?
What does your current boss praise you for?
Do you have quotas or goals in your current position? Are you able to meet or exceed them?
Were you hired to meet a particular challenge for the company?
Were you rewarded with any additional responsibility?
Have you done anything to improve customer relationships with the company?
Have you done anything to improve communications, either internally or externally?
What teams have you been part of?
What are you most proud of?
What would your co-workers say about you?
What do you enjoy the most?
How did you take initiative in your position?
What special projects have you worked on?
How did you set yourself apart?
How did you go above and beyond what was required?
What have you done to increase your responsibilities in your current job?
Which of your accomplishments are you most proud of?
Were you promoted in recognition of your work performance?
Did you increase sales or profits?
Did you recruit new customers for the business?
Did you save the company money?
Did you institute any new processes or procedures?
Educational Accomplishments:
What workshops have you attended?
Have you attended any conferences?
What seminars have you attended?
Have you taken any courses?
Have you achieved any new certifications?
Do you have any new skills? (These might be things like computer software, social media, blogging, etc.)
“Soft Skill” Accomplishments:
How have you demonstrated planning skills?
What have you done to demonstrate conflict management abilities?
How have you demonstrated time management skills?
What have you accomplished in terms of digital proficiency?
How have you demonstrated team coordination abilities?
How have you shown leadership skills?
Do you have achievements in terms of your language specialization (foreign languages)?
Recognition Accomplishments:
Did you receive any honors this year? (Awards, recognition)
Did you earn any certifications or licenses?
Which of your contributions received the most recognition?
Have you received any notes, emails, or kudos from customers? From your boss?
Communication Accomplishments:
Have you done any public speaking or made any presentations? (Who did you speak to? On what topic? How many people were in attendance?)
Have you written any articles, whitepapers, or other documents?
Leadership Accomplishments:
Have you taken on any leadership roles — either within your job or in your volunteer work?
Have you led any significant projects?
Using Accomplishments for Reflection
Now that you’ve collected your achievements, it’s the perfect time to set some goals for yourself. Another key part of accomplishments is using them to take a “big picture” approach to your life. Take some time to reflect. Finish these sentences:
I learned:
I made progress:
I’m able to:
I now know how to:
I discovered:
Next, I want to:
In the future, I want to:
Writing your resume is not just about what you DID. It’s about what you ACHIEVED. Every time you write an accomplishment statement, you’re showing the employer how you made the last company better. And, since previous performance is the best indicator of future performance it’s a great way to show a prospective employer what you’re capable of doing for them.
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