When it comes to creating a standout resume, your achievements hold the key to catching the attention of potential employers. Unlike job responsibilities, which tell what you did in a role, achievements highlight how well you performed those tasks. They showcase your ability to deliver value, contribute to organizational goals, and make a real impact.
This blog will guide you through the process of effectively describing your achievements in your resume, ensuring that they resonate with hiring managers. Whether you’re in the early stages of your career or an experienced professional, knowing how to present your achievements can elevate your resume to the next level.
Table of Contents
Why Are Achievements Important in a Resume?
Employers receive hundreds of resumes for every job opening. They often spend mere seconds scanning each one, trying to identify the best candidates. Including achievements allows your resume to stand out because it shows quantifiable results and specific contributions. Moreover, achievements demonstrate that you can apply your skills in a meaningful way to deliver tangible results.
Achievements also help hiring managers envision the type of employee you’ll be. When you show how you’ve solved problems, improved processes, or generated revenue, you indicate your potential to bring similar value to the new role.
What Makes Achievements Different from Job Duties?
Job duties outline your responsibilities—what you’re expected to do in a role. Achievements, however, highlight how well you executed those duties, your ability to go above and beyond, and the positive outcomes of your efforts.
For example:
- Job Duty: Managed a team of five customer service representatives.
- Achievement: Increased customer satisfaction scores by 20% over six months by coaching a team of five customer service representatives.
The difference is clear. While the job duty describes the task, the achievement focuses on the result and impact of that task.
How to Identify Your Achievements for Your Resume
Describing your achievements in your resume begins with identifying them. You may already know some standout moments from your career, but there are additional steps you can take to uncover even more:
- Think About Quantifiable Results Numbers are powerful because they provide context. Did you increase sales, reduce costs, or improve efficiency? If you can attach a number to an accomplishment, it becomes more tangible. For example, instead of saying, “Improved team productivity,” you could say, “Increased team productivity by 25% by implementing new project management software.”
- Consider Problem-Solving Instances Employers love candidates who can solve problems. Reflect on situations where you identified an issue and found a solution. Did you streamline a process, fix a system bug, or resolve a customer complaint? These achievements highlight your initiative and ability to overcome challenges.
- Reflect on Recognition or Awards Have you received any awards or recognition for your work? These could include employee of the month accolades, internal awards, or industry recognition. Awards are a strong indicator of your achievements and can serve as concrete evidence of your abilities.
- Review Performance Reviews If you’ve undergone formal performance evaluations, they’re a great place to find achievements. Managers often highlight your strengths and successes during these evaluations, so look back on your reviews to identify points worth including in your resume.
- Focus on Efficiency and Impact In many cases, achievements come from your ability to improve efficiency or make a positive impact. Think about processes you optimized, teams you motivated, or goals you exceeded. How did your actions contribute to your organization’s overall success?
- Look for Cross-Departmental Contributions Did your work impact other departments or contribute to broader company goals? Achievements that go beyond your immediate team demonstrate a holistic approach to work and show that you’re a collaborative employee.
- Review Completed Projects or Initiatives Have you led or contributed to major projects? Think about the scope of those projects—what was your role? What was the outcome? Projects often represent significant milestones in your career and offer excellent opportunities to showcase your accomplishments.
- Assess Feedback from Clients or Stakeholders Positive feedback from clients, customers, or external stakeholders can highlight achievements that are highly valued by others. If you played a key role in improving customer satisfaction, building client relationships, or addressing external needs, these achievements show that you can make a meaningful impact.
- Analyze Metrics or Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Many roles have specific KPIs or metrics that measure performance. If you consistently met or exceeded these benchmarks, that’s an achievement worth mentioning. For example, if your KPI was to maintain a certain retention rate, highlight how you exceeded that target.
- Think About Leadership and Mentorship Achievements are not limited to direct output. If you mentored junior staff, led training programs, or supported your colleagues in their professional growth, these accomplishments demonstrate your ability to contribute to the development of others.
Structuring Achievements in Your Resume
Once you’ve identified your achievements, the next crucial step is to present them in a way that is clear, impactful, and compelling. It’s not just about listing what you’ve done; it’s about showing the value you brought to the organization and how your contributions made a difference. To achieve this, use action-oriented, results-driven language to create a narrative of your accomplishments that will resonate with hiring managers.
1. Start with Strong Action Verbs
Each achievement should begin with a dynamic action verb that conveys initiative, leadership, and results. Action verbs are essential because they set the tone and demonstrate that you took charge, drove progress, or contributed to significant outcomes. Rather than stating what your responsibilities were, these verbs emphasize the actions you took to achieve something.
Here are some examples of powerful action verbs you can use to kick off your achievements:
- Led (e.g., Led a team, Led a project, Led a campaign)
- Increased (e.g., Increased revenue, Increased efficiency)
- Streamlined (e.g., Streamlined operations, Streamlined workflows)
- Improved (e.g., Improved customer satisfaction, Improved team performance)
- Generated (e.g., Generated sales, Generated leads)
- Developed (e.g., Developed new strategies, Developed partnerships)
- Enhanced (e.g., Enhanced product quality, Enhanced team collaboration)
Example:
- Weak: Responsible for increasing sales.
- Strong: Led a team to increase sales by 15% in one year.
In the strong example, the verb “led” illustrates leadership and action, making the statement far more powerful and engaging. It shows that you actively contributed to growth rather than just being part of a sales team.
2. Quantify the Achievement
After choosing the right action verb, the next step is to quantify your achievement. Adding numbers, percentages, or timeframes provides concrete evidence of your success and gives employers a clearer sense of the scale of your contribution. When you quantify achievements, you provide measurable results that demonstrate the value you added to the company.
Quantifying also helps potential employers see how your skills can apply to their needs. Whether it’s revenue generated, costs saved, or processes optimized, having quantifiable data makes your achievements more compelling.
Example:
- Weak: Improved team productivity.
- Strong: Increased team productivity by 30% in six months by introducing daily stand-up meetings.
The quantified result (“30% in six months”) in the strong example makes the achievement specific and impressive. It highlights the scope and impact of your contribution, showing that the improvement was not only significant but also timely.
3. Provide Context to Highlight the Significance
It’s not enough to state the results alone—you should also provide context to explain why the achievement is significant. This allows employers to understand the challenge or problem you faced, the steps you took, and the outcome of your efforts. By giving context, you show how your contribution added value to the organization, making the achievement more relatable and meaningful.
Context answers the question: Why does this achievement matter? It helps recruiters grasp the situation and your ability to adapt, problem-solve, and make an impact.
Example:
- Weak: Reduced customer complaints.
- Strong: Reduced customer complaints by 25% within six months by redesigning the feedback process to ensure quicker response times.
In the strong example, the context (“redesigning the feedback process to ensure quicker response times”) provides insight into the steps you took to achieve the result. It gives more depth to your achievement and shows the problem-solving and strategic thinking behind it.
4. Use the STAR Method for Structure
To further enhance the clarity and impact of your achievements, consider using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). This framework ensures that you provide the complete picture of your accomplishment by breaking it down into key components:
- Situation: What was the context or challenge?
- Task: What task were you assigned or what problem did you need to solve?
- Action: What specific steps did you take to address the situation?
- Result: What was the outcome of your actions, and how did it benefit the organization?
Example:
- Situation: Faced a 30% year-over-year increase in customer complaints.
- Task: Tasked with redesigning the customer service feedback process to reduce response times.
- Action: Implemented a new feedback system and trained the team on best practices for addressing customer issues promptly.
- Result: Reduced customer complaints by 25% within six months.
By using the STAR method, you provide a complete narrative that outlines the situation, your role in addressing it, and the tangible results of your actions. This method helps recruiters understand your thought process, initiative, and the value you bring to the table.
5. Tailor Your Achievements to the Job Description
When structuring your achievements, always tailor them to the job description you’re applying for. While you may have multiple achievements across different areas, focus on those that align most closely with the job you want. Highlight achievements that showcase the skills, experience, and competencies the employer is seeking.
For example:
- If the role emphasizes leadership: Focus on achievements where you led teams, projects, or initiatives.
- If the role values technical skills: Highlight achievements where you used specific tools, software, or technical expertise to deliver results.
Example:
- If the job requires experience in project management: “Led a cross-functional team to deliver a $1.5 million IT project ahead of schedule, improving operational efficiency by 20%.”
Tailoring your achievements ensures that recruiters can immediately see how your past successes are relevant to the role they need to fill.
6. Focus on Results That Show Long-Term Impact
Where possible, highlight long-term or sustainable outcomes of your achievements. Employers value candidates who make lasting contributions rather than one-time successes. By showing that your achievements had a lasting impact, you demonstrate that you can create solutions that endure over time.
Example:
- “Increased customer retention by 15% through the development of a loyalty program that continues to drive engagement and sales growth.”
This statement not only highlights the immediate results but also implies that the impact is ongoing, which shows that your work has lasting benefits.
7. Avoid Jargon and Keep it Simple
While it’s important to provide context, avoid using too much industry-specific jargon or overly complex language. Keep your achievements simple and understandable for a broad audience, including recruiters who may not have deep technical knowledge of your field.
Instead of using overly technical terms, focus on the value and outcome of your achievements. If you need to use specific terminology, ensure that it’s relevant to the job description and doesn’t overcomplicate the narrative.
8. Highlight Soft Skills Through Achievements
While hard skills like technical abilities or measurable outcomes are critical, don’t forget to showcase soft skills such as communication, leadership, or problem-solving through your achievements. Soft skills are often more difficult to quantify, but they can still be implied through the context of your achievements.
Example:
- “Mentored a team of five junior developers, improving their coding proficiency by 40% over six months, which led to faster project delivery.”
This achievement highlights your mentoring and leadership skills in addition to the quantifiable improvement in performance.
Common Categories of Achievements
To make it easier to brainstorm your own achievements, here are some common categories in which you might have had an impact:
1. Revenue Generation
If you worked in sales, marketing, or business development, you may have increased revenue, closed major deals, or expanded a customer base. These are prime achievements to showcase.
Example:
- Exceeded sales targets by 20% for three consecutive quarters, resulting in an additional $1.5 million in revenue.
2. Cost Savings
Did you find ways to reduce costs or save your company money? Achievements in this area demonstrate that you are resourceful and understand how to balance the budget.
Example:
- Reduced annual office supply expenses by 10% by renegotiating vendor contracts.
3. Process Improvements
If you’ve improved workflow, enhanced productivity, or optimized systems, these achievements show that you can bring innovation and efficiency to a company.
Example:
- Streamlined project tracking processes, reducing turnaround time by 40%.
4. Leadership and Team Management
If you’ve managed a team or led projects, it’s essential to highlight the positive outcomes of your leadership. Did your team meet or exceed goals? Did you inspire better performance?
Example:
- Managed a team of 10 marketing professionals, achieving a 25% increase in lead generation over one year.
5. Problem Solving
Employers love candidates who can resolve problems. If you’ve solved a critical issue, document the problem, your solution, and the result.
Example:
- Resolved a supply chain bottleneck by implementing a new vendor management system, resulting in a 15% reduction in delivery delays.
Tailoring Your Achievements for ATS and Recruiters
When describing achievements in your resume, you also need to consider how they will be perceived by both Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and human recruiters. An ATS scans resumes for relevant keywords and ranks them based on alignment with the job description. Therefore, it’s essential to tailor your achievements using keywords and phrases that match the job you’re applying for.
Keywords and Phrases
For instance, if the job description highlights “sales growth” or “team leadership,” ensure that your achievements reflect those terms. This increases the likelihood of your resume passing the initial ATS screen.
Align Achievements with Job Requirements
You should also review the job posting to align your achievements with the specific responsibilities and goals of the role. This ensures that your achievements demonstrate how you meet or exceed the qualifications the employer is seeking.
The Power of Contextual Achievements
To maximize the impact of your resume, it’s important to include achievements that are relevant to the role you’re applying for. Contextualizing your achievements means showcasing those that are most aligned with the job. For example, if you’re applying for a role that emphasizes leadership, prioritize achievements that highlight your leadership skills and results.
Here’s how you can do it:
- Job Application for a Leadership Role: “Led a cross-functional team to reduce project delivery time by 30%, while improving client satisfaction by 15%.”
- Job Application for a Sales Role: “Generated $2 million in new business by securing contracts with key corporate clients, exceeding sales targets by 25%.”
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Describing Achievements
While achievements can greatly improve your resume, there are some common mistakes that candidates make:
- Being Too Vague Avoid generic statements that don’t provide specific outcomes. “Improved efficiency” doesn’t mean much without context. Always provide measurable results.
- Overloading Your Resume with Achievements While achievements are important, too many can overwhelm a recruiter. Select the most relevant and impactful ones to highlight.
- Forgetting to Tailor Your Resume Sending the same resume to every employer will dilute the impact of your achievements. Always tailor your resume to the job description by adjusting your listed achievements to match the role.
Conclusion
Knowing how to describe your achievements in your resume is a powerful way to make a strong first impression with employers. By focusing on action-oriented statements, quantifiable results, and relevant contexts, you can set yourself apart from other candidates. Your achievements are your unique selling points—they show what makes you a valuable asset to any organization. So, take the time to reflect on your career, identify your standout moments, and craft a resume that highlights how you consistently deliver success.
Remember, your resume is more than a list of tasks; it’s a story of your professional growth, impact, and achievements. Use it to showcase the best version of yourself!
FAQs
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Why is it important to include achievements in a resume?
Including achievements in your resume highlights your unique contributions and differentiates you from other candidates. Achievements show potential employers the results of your work, demonstrating your value and impact. They go beyond listing responsibilities, making your resume more compelling and result-oriented.
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How do I identify achievements for my resume?
To identify achievements, think about specific tasks where you exceeded expectations, solved problems, or contributed to business goals. Reflect on quantifiable results like revenue growth, cost savings, or efficiency improvements. Performance reviews, client feedback, and any recognition or awards can also highlight your significant achievements.
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What’s the difference between duties and achievements on a resume?
Duties describe the tasks or responsibilities you were assigned, while achievements focus on the outcomes and results of your work. Duties show what you were expected to do, while achievements highlight how well you performed, the value you added, and the positive impact you made.
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How can I quantify my achievements?
You can quantify achievements by using numbers, percentages, or timeframes. Think about metrics like sales growth, productivity improvement, or cost reductions. For example, instead of saying, “Improved sales,” you could say, “Increased sales by 20% in six months through strategic customer outreach.”
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Can I include non-quantifiable achievements?
Yes, non-quantifiable achievements can be included as long as they demonstrate value. Focus on the impact of your work, such as improving team morale, resolving complex challenges, or enhancing a process. Use descriptive language to explain the significance of your contribution when numbers are not available.
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What action verbs should I use to describe achievements?
Use strong action verbs that convey leadership and impact, such as “led,” “increased,” “improved,” “streamlined,” “generated,” and “developed.” These verbs emphasize your proactive approach and the results you achieved, making your accomplishments more powerful and effective on your resume.
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How do I structure achievements on a resume?
Start by using a strong action verb, followed by the specific result, and add context to explain why the achievement was important. For example: “Led a cross-functional team to deliver a $2M project on time, reducing project delays by 20%.” This structure clearly shows the value of your work.
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Should I tailor my achievements for each job application?
Yes, tailoring your achievements is crucial. Align your accomplishments with the job description, emphasizing the skills and results that match the employer’s needs. This customization shows that you understand the job requirements and highlights your relevant experience.
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Can I include achievements from volunteer work or side projects?
Absolutely! Achievements from volunteer work or side projects can demonstrate transferable skills and your ability to make an impact outside your regular job. These experiences can show leadership, initiative, and passion, which are valuable qualities to potential employers.
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How many achievements should I include in my resume?
Aim to include 2-3 key achievements per role, focusing on the most impactful ones. Choose accomplishments that best showcase your skills, expertise, and how you delivered results. Highlighting your top achievements ensures your resume is concise while still demonstrating your value.