If you didn’t have a chance to check out Part 1 of this post on Resume Accomplishments, you can do that HERE. I walked through some technical, logistical ideas for organizing your accomplishments, which sets a foundation for actually writing those accomplishments.
And now, if you’ll be so kind to indulge me for a moment…
Here’s a little soapbox rant with a purpose:
Client:
“I was just doing my job…I don’t really have any accomplishments.”
Me:
“I’d be rich if I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard that from a client for the past 25+ years.”
Here’s the thing…you were hired because a job needed done. You were hired to accomplish certain expected duties and responsibilities of the position. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have been selected for the position. Did you do your job? If you did, you certainly do have accomplishments. But to help you stand out against your competition, your accomplishments should be easy to read and quantified.
For example…
- If you were selected to hire 300 people in less than 90 days to start up a call center and you did it within the budget and ahead of schedule, it is an accomplishment and it should be listed on your resume and stored in your Accomplishments folder.
- Maybe you devised a way to save the agency thousands of dollars by writing better procedures that saved time. That is an accomplishment to be proud of and should go into your Accomplishment folder.
- If you developed a last minute presentation to present to senior leadership and you not only did an incredible job, but also pulled an all-nighter and ended up winning a performance award…that is perfect accomplishment material.
- Perhaps you noticed that there were 160+ first responders who needed some specialized training for passenger safety. And when you found out none of them had taken this training, you coordinated the effort between 24 federal, state, county, and local agencies and pulled off the largest training session for first responders in the state—all because you identified a need and then followed through and made it happen.
- Or, maybe you discovered 3D printing could print medical and other supplies to help astronauts in space.
These are examples of accomplishments from a just a few of our humble clients.
Own your resume accomplishments.
Small to large—they all count! Don’t sell yourself short when writing your accomplishments. Showcase them. If you did it, it isn’t bragging. It shows potential employers what you could possibly do for them when given the opportunity.
Tracking your accomplishments is one of the best things you can do for your career. Behind every accomplishment is a story—and that story tells your employer what you can do for them!
If you don’t have your accomplishments readily available, it is never too late to start!
Please leave a comment and let us know your proudest accomplishment!
For more than 25 years, I've been trusted by all levels of professionals to senior executives in the Federal Government to collaborate with them and strategize, coach, and write not only their single most important document—the resume—but all of their career marketing that propels them upward in the ranks of the Federal Government and private sector. And, I would love to meet you and help you with yours! Thank you for stopping by!
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