What are rules for describing your accomplishments and experiences on a résumé
Did you know that putting professional achievements and accomplishments on a resume is the #1 key to making every employer want to hire you? Show
And yet, most candidates only outline duties and responsibilities. But, hey—the employer knows what you did from your job title! If you list achievements, accomplishments, and awards on your resume, though, you’ll show how well you performed. You’ll be well ahead of your competition. Is it hard for you to describe your achievements? You came to the right place to learn all you need to know. This guide will show you:
Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. It’s fast and easy to use. Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here. Create your resume now Sample resume made with our builder—See more resume examples here. Are you looking for specific resume examples? See: Right below, you’ll see a list of ideas for achievements and accomplishments for a resume. If you want to see typical achievements for specific professions and industries, just scroll further or use the table of contents below to go to a list of sample accomplishments related to your job. Table of Contents: Achievements for Resumes Sorted by Professions
1 List of Accomplishments and 60 Examples of Career Achievements for a Resume by IndustryWe've decided to give you the meat right away. Here are the types of professional wins that recruiters expect to see on your resume to consider you as an attractive candidate: List of Professional Achievements for Resume
As you can see, there are multiple types of accomplishments you can put on a resume. To learn more about listing particular types of achievements, switch over to one of our dedicated guides. Now, let’s see how that works in practice on resumes for different professions. You can copy the examples below, paste them into your resume and make minor adjustments: enter your actual metrics and KPIs and list projects and initiatives in which you participated. Keep reading if you want to know exactly where and how to put achievements and awards on a resume to always grab the attention of decision-makers. Plus, we’ll share some great hacks for coming up with achievements if you think you have none—I guarantee you actually do! Resume Accomplishments for Different ProfessionsAdministrative JobsAdministrative Assistant
See more examples: Administrative Assistant Resume Writing Guide Receptionist
See more examples: Receptionist Resume Writing Guide Office Manager
See more examples: Office Manager Resume Writing Guide Sales and Customer ServiceSales Representative
See more examples: Sales Representative Resume Writing Guide Customer Service Officer
See more examples: CSR Resume Writing Guide Cashier
See more examples: Cashier Resume Writing Guide IT and ProgrammingSoftware Engineer
See more examples: Software Engineer Resume Writing Guide Web Developer
See more examples: Web Developer Resume Writing Guide UX/UI Designer
See more examples:UX Designer/UI Developer Resume Writing Guide Students and Recent GraduatesEntry-Level Candidate
See more examples: Entry-Level Resume Writing Guide Internship Candidate
See more examples: Internship Resume Writing Guide Education and TeachingTeacher
See more examples: Teacher Resume Writing Guide Tutor
See more examples: Tutor Resume Writing Guide Research Assistant
See more examples: Research Assistant Resume Writing Guide Academic Professor
See more examples: Academic CV Writing Guide HealthcareNurse
See more examples: Nurse Resume Writing Guide Medical Assistant
See more examples: Medical Assistant Resume Writing Guide Dental Assistant
See more examples: Dental Assistant Resume Writing Guide Finance, Business, & Human ResourcesFinancial Analyst
See more examples: Financial Analyst Resume Writing Guide Business Analyst
See more examples: Business Analyst Resume Writing Guide HR Specialist
See more examples: Human Resources Resume Writing Guide Banker
See more examples:Investment Banker Resume Writing Guideor Personal Banker Resume Writing Guide ManagementProject Manager
See more examples: PM Resume Writing Guide Team Manager
See more examples: Managerial Resume Writing Guide Executive
See more examples: Executive Resume Writing Guide Marketing and AdvertisingMarketing Specialist
See more examples: Marketing Resume Writing Guide Graphic Designer
See more examples: Graphic Designer Resume Writing Guide PR Specialist
See more examples: PR Resume Writing Guide EngineeringMechanical Engineer
See more examples: Mechanical Engineering Resume Writing Guide Electrical Engineer
See more examples: Electrical Engineering Resume Writing Guide Civil Engineer
See more examples: Civil Engineering Resume Writing Guide When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional resume template here for free. When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better. 2 How and Where to List Accomplishments on a ResumeAccording to a Talentnow study, almost 73% of employers struggle to find relevant candidates for the positions they’re trying to fill. That means, to outperform other candidates, your resume needs to show you’ll do well in this particular job. The best way to do it? Highlight your past professional achievements and communicate that you’ll be able to translate them into similar success in your future position. You want the hiring manager to read your resume and say: “Right, so this candidate succeeded with a project X. It’s similar to the project Y at my company—I’m sure she’ll have the skill to do well. Let’s interview this one!” Follow these resume tips: 1. Include Your Achievements in the Work Experience SectionThe work experience section of your resume is the most important part. Employers read resumes pretty much for the sole purpose of reviewing your work history. That’s why you need to pack this part full of standout achievements. Here’s how:
To make sure your best accomplishments grab recruiters’ attention, use the PAR (Problem-Action-Result) formula. Let’s say there’s a job for a Software Engineer and one of the key requirements is proficiency in testing automation. A resume achievement example relevant to the position could read: Key achievement: Optimized the testing process by developing an AI-based test automation tool; reduced testing time by 55%.
You can use this method to make every responsibility on your resume sound like an accomplishment. 2. Quantify Your Results by Frequency, Scale, or RangeI know what you might be thinking. “Putting quantified achievements on a resume is great, but I just don’t work with hard numbers. I have no data to support the quality of my work.” Don’t worry! There are a few proven methods to plug in numbers to your resume accomplishments. 1. Frequency
Your resume should answer all such questions! See these examples of achievements based on frequency:
2. Scale
Again, look at how it works in practice in these scale-informed accomplishments:
3. RangeIf you can’t figure out the exact numbers, it’s okay to estimate, as long as the range you enter is well-informed (because you will be asked about the reasoning behind your estimate during a job interview.) Example: Negotiated with office supplies vendors, saving the company $12,000–$17,000 annually. So— You’ve learned how to put achievements in the work experience section and how to quantify them to make a big impression. But there’s still a bit more you need to know… 3. Make Your Best Accomplishments Prominent in the Resume ProfileA resume profile, also called a resume heading statement, is that short paragraph at the very top of your resume, just below your contact information. It’s the very first thing your future employers will put their eyes on. It has to work like a trailer for the rest of your resume. Grab their attention, and they will read on. Fail to make a good first impression—you’re not getting the job. It’s best to write your resume profile after you’ve written the rest of your resume. Once you’re done with your work history, re-read all the entries and identify your resume strengths. By “best” I mean 1) the most impressive and 2) only those that match the requirements of the job you’re applying for. Make sure to include all those glowing accomplishments in your resume profile. See this example for reference: Skilled customer service representative with 6+ years of experience. Received 98% favorable customer ratings at Second Level Industries. Customer retention for regular callers was 41% above the company average. Seeking to use proven service and sales skills to grow customer loyalty for Verizon. For more information on how to pick the best achievements for your resume profile, see our dedicated guides. If you have lots of relevant experience, the heading statement of your resume will be a summary. Find out more about writing one here:Professional Summaries for a Resume (Examples) Not much experience? You’ll need a career objective. We have a dedicated guide loaded with examples here: 99+ Career Objectives for All Jobs If you’re a very experienced candidate with many relevant accomplishments, you might consider writing an extensive summary of qualifications—a heading statement used in “combination” resumes. Find out how to write one: Combination Resume: Template, Sample, & a How-to Guide So, you’ve learned all you need to know about including accomplishments in the work history section and your resume heading statement. What about a separate section for awards? 3 How to List Awards on a ResumeAmongst your achievements, professional awards hold a special place. An award indicates that you’re mastery has been recognized by others. Metrics, professional results, and KPIs are great for measuring performance, but still— Awards are the most prestigious achievements to include in a resume. Here’s how to list them: 1. Include your awards won while working in a given position in your job description.An award always warrants a mention in a given work history entry. It’s best to put it in a “Key achievements” or “Most relevant accomplishments” subsection. See this example. Awards on a Resume: Work History Section[Position Name] [Company] [Dates worked]
[…] Key achievement: Engaged customers in a viral video campaign based on homemade videos featuring the brand. Received an SCM Campaign of the Year award in 2013. But— To make the awards more prominent on your resume, go the extra mile: 2. Put your awards in a separate “Awards” resume section
Have a look: Awards Section on a Resume: SampleAWARDS
And there you have it. Everything you need to know about how to put achievements, accomplishments, and professional awards on a resume. Let’s wrap up. Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like: See more cover letter templates and start writing. Here’s how to highlight your achievements on a resume:
Thanks for reading my article! Now I’d love to hear from you. Do you have any questions about how to include achievements on a resume? Still find it hard to describe your accomplishments? Drop me a line in the comments, I’ll be happy to help. Frequently Asked Questions about Accomplishments for a ResumeWhat are some examples of accomplishments for a resume?Depending on where you are in your career, your list of accomplishments may include grants or scholarships, a high GPA, publications, awards, patents, training, licenses and certifications, media coverage, knowledge of foreign languages, etc. A resume with no experience will focus on academic achievements primarily, while that of a seasoned professional will feature accomplishments related to work experience. Should I put achievements and awards on a resume?It’s important to use your best judgment when choosing what to put on your resume. Just like hobbies and interests on a resume, achievements and awards are optional. However, if they emphasize your relevant experience and increase your professional value, it makes perfect sense to include them. Achievements and awards may also be an impressive addition to your resume for a career change. Where should I put achievements and awards on a resume?Place them as additional resume sections right after the main ones. A typical resume order looks like this: You can find out more about resume structure on our blog. How do you write a good accomplishment statement on a resume?Remember: listing accomplishments on your resume is about showcasing your value to the future employer. Consider the following:
In general, tailoring your resume to the job description is a foolproof technique if you’re looking for ideas on how to improve your resume. How do I turn job duties into accomplishments?Describing your current duties may easily be turned into achievements if you add numerical value. Being a detail-oriented data analyst becomes an accomplishment if, say, meticulous data analysis brought a 30% increase in sales. Working as a medical receptionist and having great customer service skills makes a difference if it results in 95% client satisfaction, etc. Add measurable results, and it will make all the difference to your resume. What if I don't have any accomplishments for my resume (for applicants with no experience)?If you're writing an entry-level resume, you have to concentrate on your academic successes and extracurricular activities. Examples would include making the Dean's list or graduating with honors (you can also mention such achievements in the Education section of your college student resume or college graduate resume). You can also describe volunteering experience or prominent publications. What are the 5 golden rules of resume writing?The 5 Golden Rules of CV Writing. Rule 1: Think Before You Type. ... . Rule 2: Write Your Professional Profile Last. ... . Rule 3: Summarise Your Responsibilities. ... . Rule 4: Make Achievements Your Key Area of Focus. ... . Rule 5: Write For Your Reader.. What is considered an accomplishment on a resume?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.
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