Does Your Resume Reflect What You’ve Accomplished?

A professional resume will show similar duties for candidates in the same industry. For example, many sales representatives may write in their resumes that they are responsible for building relationships, sales forecasting, pricing analysis, sales campaigns, client research, and new market identification.

Stand out from other job applicants by sharing your accomplishments while performing those duties.

Remember that you must set yourself apart from the average professional in your field. Stand out by writing your resume in a way that will distinguish you as a unique sales representative and show your passion for your profession. It’s all in the wording.

Convey that you don’t simply perform your essential duties, but you make a difference to the companies you have worked for. This is why job accomplishments are such an integral part of a resume.

When creating your resume, listing your accomplishments since the tenth grade isn’t necessary. Communicating your past contributions will show a prospective employer you can perform with excellence.

Dig-deep Questions to Answer

  • What was the company/department like before you arrived? How about after?
  • What did you do to change or improve the situation?
  • How did you increase productivity?
  • Did you increase sales/profits/efficiency/reduce costs, etc.?
  • Were you given an award, or did you receive public recognition for a job done with excellence?
  • What was the biggest obstacle you overcame on the job?
  • How were you able to meet an impossible deadline?
  • What did your boss or supervisor say about the work you completed?
  • How did you contribute to the company’s bottom line?

All of these career accomplishment-based questions can help you beef up your resume and make you stand out against the competition:

  • What articles or books have you written?
  • Were you on any committees or special projects?
  • Are you more of a leader or a follower?

These are questions to help you get started. When coming up with achievements, think of this series of questions: what was the challenge, what action you took, and what result? Digging deep into your past will help you create an accomplishment statement you can use in your resume.

Use Hard Data

Give examples that include facts and figures. Your resume should reflect all the essential numbers on your achievements. An example would be “Increased sales by 20% due to landing new accounts”. Display your success stories to a prospective employer by including specific numbers or percentages.

General statements are vague and may cause an employer to pause. An employer is looking to improve their company; it’s up to you to show how you can help further that goal.

Use Past Achievements

In conclusion, your accomplishment section will verify the results you have achieved and present the hiring committee with the evidence you’ve achieved results in the past. If you list your job achievements correctly, it will show you can meet or exceed the results they desire in the future.

Since previous work performance is a significant indicator of potential contributions, a list of preceding achievements and successes could pique a reader’s curiosity and ultimately secure a job interview.

Need additional help? Reach out to Candace for assistance!