Resume: How to Show Your Success and Accomplishments

Accomplishments:  Main Focus of a Resume

The main purpose of a resume is to show the employer that you are a good candidate for the job.  Make sure you focus on what you have accomplished on jobs you have held.  If you lack work experience, focus on your achievements in school, college, volunteering and the community.  In this article, I will share some pointers to get you thinking about accomplishments you have made in your experience.

Defined

Accomplishment:  achieving of something, the completion or fulfillment of something.  An accomplishment is something that you feel proud of completing.  If an assignment is given to you and you work diligently to fulfill it, then it is worthy to be considered an achievement.

Expected Achievement

There are significant and expected achievements. For example: if you get to work on time ever day for the entire three months of your probationary work period – that is not an achievement. Getting to work on time every day is an expected achievement. You follow me so far?

Significant Achievement

Company A has an expectation of its employees to close ten deals per month. The employee closes fifteen deals the first month; twenty deals are closed the second month and twenty-five deals are closed the third month. This is significant achievement because the gap is wide enough to be measurable and to make a difference.

Examples of Accomplishments – Experienced Worker

• Lowered cost by twenty percent
• Saved sixty minutes per closing each deal
• Saved money by negotiating prices for fifty products
• Completed project before the deadline
• Produced the most widgets on a team of twenty
• Employee of the month for two consecutive months
• Implemented an incentive program that increased employee morale

Examples of Accomplishments – Inexperienced Worker

• Earned grade of A in all academic subjects
• Honor roll for entire year
• Increased membership to group by thirty percent in first month
• Best Athlete of the year
• Wrote Essay selected to be published in major magazine
• Won Regional competition for best Business Plan
• Maintained a 3.0 average for entire year
• Learned to play three instruments in the school year

Keep A Record of Your Achievements

Whenever you are given a certificate, plaque or Letter of Commendation, save it. You can also record your achievements on an excel program. Include the topics: Who gave you the award; the reason for the award; the name of the award and the date of the award. You will be amazed how your awards will stack up.

Unnoticed Achievement

You might have to create your own award when an employer does not take notice of your achievement. Just because your employer does not notice your contribution for something does not mean it is not significant. You must keep track of all things you do well, and if none of your peers outdo you, your contribution is significant.

Remember the case of being on time – in most cases, being on time is an expected achievement. However, when you are the only one that comes on time for three months, it becomes a significant achievement.

Track Your Success

Begin to be more conscious of your successes. Notice the tasks that you like and do with joy. If you work in an amusement park, and you like to sweep better than operate the rides – you like maintaining a clean organized environment – think about going into management or a hospitality career. If you like operating things, think about going into a mechanical, electrical or safety career.

Write down the number of times you complete the same task each day. List each task you do and calculate how many times you did each and the attitude in which you completed them. -- Liked working the cash register, hated stocking the shelves.

Conclusion

So now that you are thinking more consciously about your achievements, your work experienced will be heightened. Hopefully, you will find more joy in doing what you do best. Place more emphasis on what you do best, and it will make up the difference for what you like least. Everything you do on a job is not going to be fun, that is reality.  It is up to you to create an atmophere that is pleasant.  Your attitude is a key factor is deciding your future.  Know what you are good at and develop those skills.  Then do a lot of what you do best, and joy will always follow you!

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