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How to write accomplishments on your resume

Sep 06, 2018

 


Adding professional accomplishments to your resume shows that you are an achiever who can go above and beyond your duties. It demonstrates that you can bring something extra to potential employers, and it is an effective way to make your resume stand out.
Don’t make the mistake of being modest and hiding your key accomplishments. Many candidates simply write a list of their duties and responsibilities in their job descriptions but this is generic and will make your resume look like everyone else’s.
What is an accomplishment? the definition of an accomplishment is something positive which you have achieved. On your resume, you should give specific examples of how your actions helped a situation. It could be a problem which you resolved, something you improved, or something you did well. 


How to include accomplishments on your resume?  
Follow these tips on how to add accomplishments to your resume. If you take it step-by-step it is simple to work your achievements into your resume. 


Write a list of your achievements
Rack your brains, think about your past professional positions, and write a list of accomplishments. Think about any positive comments you’ve received from your bosses and colleagues, problems you’ve dealt with, any honors or awards you’ve received, and if you’ve reached or surpassed any targets.
If you have worked in a team, what did your team achieve? You were an integral part of the team so any team accomplishments count as yours. If you’re struggling for ideas ask your boss and colleagues. See the industry-specific accomplishment examples in the final section of this guide for inspiration.

 
Focus on the key accomplishments
You need to customize your resume for each job application so don’t simply include the accomplishments which you think are the most impressive. Read through each job description and think about what the employer is looking for.
Use the keywords in the job posting to identify the most important job requirements. Then think about which of your accomplishments demonstrate these abilities and match them together. Include your achievements which are most relevant to the position you’re applying for. 

Using a resume template is the most time-effective way of tailoring your resume for each position. 


Use actions verbs
Starting sentences with action verbs makes your resume seem more dynamic as it places emphasis on the action you’ve taken. It is a concise way of writing and it grabs the reader’s attention.
For example, “increased sales by 20%” or “implemented a new system of filing” reads better than their passive or longer equivalents. Try to avoid long-winded descriptions in general when writing your resume. Read our guide on how to write a resume for more tips. 


Use numbers to focus on results
Using numbers to demonstrate the value of your accomplishments is effective. If you’ve improved performance or efficiency, surpassed your targets, increased sales, generated a readership, or improved exams results, you can quantify it with numbers.
For example, you can say “Improved office efficiency by 15%”, “Surpassed my sales targets by 10%”, or “Saved the company $5,000 by improving efficiency”. 


Where to include your accomplishments?
This will depend on your resume format and what suits you best. You can include your accomplishments in the job descriptions of your previous job roles as it demonstrates your duties as well as your achievements. Alternatively, you could include them in your skills section to highlight your abilities.
If you have a few particularly impressive accomplishments which you want to emphasize, you could create a career accomplishments section. It can which include a bullet-pointed summary of accomplishments or a concise accomplishments statement. 


Written by Resume Coach
Source from: https://www.resumecoach.com/how-to-write-accomplishments-resume/



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