Step 8: Write Achievement Statements

Spark the employer’s interest right away by turning boring job descriptions into accomplishment statements on your resume.

Most resumes are boring because they focus on job duties (yawn!). True, the reader wants to know what you’ve done, but he or she is even more concerned with whether you can achieve results.

By writing about your experience in terms of achievements, not job descriptions, you convey three things:

1. You have the necessary experience or skills.
2. You’re effective at this work or at using these skills.
3. You take pride in and enjoy your work.

Your accomplishment statements will also instigate interesting conversation about your strengths during the interview.

Here are some questions and examples to help you think of relevant achievements for your resume:

What projects are you proud of that support your job objective?

• Increased productivity 20% as lead engineer on Hewlett Packard’s HMS technical team.

What are some quantifiable results that point out your ability?

• Drove profits from $20 million to $34 million by directing a national celebrity marketing campaign.

When have you demonstrated P.A.R. (Problem, Action, Result)? What was the problem, what was your action to remedy it, and what was the result?

• Reduced theft 47% by instituting “Shoppers’ Spy,” a tight yet discreet security program.

When did you positively affect the organization, the bottom line, your boss, your coworkers, your clients?

• Enhanced staff morale through a six-month incentive program that also instigated a major increase in sales.

What awards, commendations, publications, etc. have you achieved that relate to your job objective?

• Awarded “Top Salesperson” three consecutive years.

How is success measured in your field? How do you measure up?

• Selected by the NIH to represent the United States at the International AIDS Conference in Brazil.

Are you good at using the skills required for this job? When have you demonstrated that to be true?

• Used advanced CAD tools to create a totally new look in video game modeling.

What activities, paid and unpaid, have you done that used skills you’ll be using at your new job?

• Offered academic counseling to 40 students at “Make It Happen,” a program at Sanford High School.

When did someone “sit up and take notice” of how skilled you are?

• Commended for achieving 97% of production goal in an industry where 85% is considered high.

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