By Erin Kennedy
Think of your resume as your golden ticket to your next role.
By creating a resume that employers and recruiters want to see, your chances of landing interviews skyrocket.
Increase the value of your resume by stating your experience as achievements.
Skip the empty, boring “responsible-for” statements that don't convey your expertise and value to an employer.
If you were an employer, what three questions would you ask a job candidate? Probably something like:
Tell the employer “Yes” to all three questions by writing about achievements instead of job duties on your resume.
Achievement statements are the most powerful way to show "I'm good at what I do!"
Here are some questions to help you think of relevant achievements:
Having a hard time coming up with your CAR statements? Think about this situation:
Now, turn this result around to understand how you are valuable.
Here's how to make that conversion:
In the one or two lines it would take to describe a task you performed, instead share the accomplishment you achieved when you performed that task.
For example, IT Security & Risk Manager, Mary Johnson (not her real name) wrote:
“Devised and introduced the 1st risk-based approach to compliance by balancing governance and risk to ensure that the IT operating model -- including organizational design, infrastructure, resources, processes, competencies, capabilities, and delivery models -- meets current and future business needs. Increased organizational effectiveness by 30% and compliance by 45%.”
Instead of:
“Drive the technology investment and organization model by aligning the IT capabilities and priorities with strategic and operational business priorities”
A job description says only what you did. An achievement statement says:
That's triple the value for the same experience.
To figure out what achievements are appropriate for your resume, ask yourself the following questions:
An achievement resume looks like a functional resume except that it does not have skill headings in the body of the resume. Instead it simply lists about five or six relevant achievements under a main heading such as “Professional Accomplishments” or “Selected Achievements.”
This type of resume works well for sales professionals, top level executives, and others who want to keep the spot light on just a few successes from their whole career.
Here’s a template that represents the body of an achievement resume:
NAME
City, State, Zip ▪ Phone
LinkedIn Profile URL
TARGET POSITION
Target job title.
HIGHLIGHTS OF QUALIFICATIONS
SELECTED ACHIEVEMENTS
WORK HISTORY
20xx-present Job Title Organization, City, State
20xx-xx Job Title Organization, City, State
19xx-xx Job Title Organization, City, State
EDUCATION
Degree, Major (if relevant), 19xx
School, City, State
Rather than simply claiming that you have a skill or specific experience required by the employer, highlight your achievements on your resume. If done well, your achievements can tell a lot about your experience, skills, and successes in just a few words!
But, do be careful not to reveal any confidential information about your employer (current or former).
Erin Kennedy is a Master Career Director (MCD), Certified Master Resume Writer (MCRW), Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW), and Certified Empowerment & Motivational Coach (CEMC). She has been helping clients since 1999. Erin is also the President of Professional Resume Services, Inc.. Visit her website and connect with Erin on LinkedIn and Twitter.
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