The key to landing the job you covet is getting noticed by recruiters and hiring managers. That's where a well-crafted resume comes into play. Your resume's sole purpose is to showcase what makes you the best fit for the job by clearly articulating your professional skills, previous experience, past successes and academic achievements.
Make sure your resume sings your praises by including descriptions of accomplishments — those professional triumphs you are most proud of — to grab readers' attention. By highlighting your achievements, potential employers can gain a clear understanding of your proficiencies and how you may apply your expertise to the position under consideration.
Where to include details of your accomplishments
Some resume experts recommend creating a separate "Accomplishments" section of your resume. Others feel it should be called out in the description of your past jobs. One thing is certain, however: no resume is complete without them.
Show the benefits you can bring
Describe your accomplishments in action-oriented language that clearly outlines the measurable benefits you generated. To get started, look at what employers are seeking in their job ads. For example, most companies are looking for candidates who can achieve one or more of the following:
- Improve productivity
- Increase revenue
- Reduce costs
- Influence stakeholders
- Work well with others
- Help grow the business
- Positively enhance the organization's reputation
Identifying your accomplishments
Be sure to take time to reflect on your career and mine out successful achievements. In the article "For Job-Hunting Success: Track and Leverage Your Accomplishments," Katharine Hansen, Ph.D., creative director and associate publisher of Quintessential Careers' website, suggests asking yourself these questions to help identify your most significant achievements:
- In each of the jobs you include in your resume, what special things did you do that set you apart?
- What were you most proud of?
- How did you demonstrate initiative?
- Were you promoted? Why?
- How did you leave the organizations you worked for? Were they better off than before you started?
- Did you earn any awards or recommendations; employee of the month, for example?
- Is there information you can use from any of your annual performance reviews?
- Any tangible evidence of your accomplishments? Products, publications, plans?
- How did you contribute to the profitability or productivity of the organizations you worked for?
Other potential achievements to consider:
- Did you successfully resolve a crisis?
- Have you recommended or influenced new policies or procedures?
- Were you responsible for training or managing staff?
- What are your greatest strengths? Is it your work style? Attention to detail?
- Did you earn/complete any industry certifications, licensures or advanced education?
While the goal is to put your best foot forward and get noticed, always remember to be truthful on your resume. Never exaggerate your accomplishments or overstate your impact on an organization.
Make sure your resume sings your praises by including descriptions of accomplishments — those professional triumphs you are most proud of — to grab readers' attention. By highlighting your achievements, potential employers can gain a clear understanding of your proficiencies and how you may apply your expertise to the position under consideration.
Where to include details of your accomplishments
Some resume experts recommend creating a separate "Accomplishments" section of your resume. Others feel it should be called out in the description of your past jobs. One thing is certain, however: no resume is complete without them.
Show the benefits you can bring
Describe your accomplishments in action-oriented language that clearly outlines the measurable benefits you generated. To get started, look at what employers are seeking in their job ads. For example, most companies are looking for candidates who can achieve one or more of the following:
- Improve productivity
- Increase revenue
- Reduce costs
- Influence stakeholders
- Work well with others
- Help grow the business
- Positively enhance the organization's reputation
Identifying your accomplishments
Be sure to take time to reflect on your career and mine out successful achievements. In the article "For Job-Hunting Success: Track and Leverage Your Accomplishments," Katharine Hansen, Ph.D., creative director and associate publisher of Quintessential Careers' website, suggests asking yourself these questions to help identify your most significant achievements:
- In each of the jobs you include in your resume, what special things did you do that set you apart?
- What were you most proud of?
- How did you demonstrate initiative?
- Were you promoted? Why?
- How did you leave the organizations you worked for? Were they better off than before you started?
- Did you earn any awards or recommendations; employee of the month, for example?
- Is there information you can use from any of your annual performance reviews?
- Any tangible evidence of your accomplishments? Products, publications, plans?
- How did you contribute to the profitability or productivity of the organizations you worked for?
Other potential achievements to consider:
- Did you successfully resolve a crisis?
- Have you recommended or influenced new policies or procedures?
- Were you responsible for training or managing staff?
- What are your greatest strengths? Is it your work style? Attention to detail?
- Did you earn/complete any industry certifications, licensures or advanced education?
While the goal is to put your best foot forward and get noticed, always remember to be truthful on your resume. Never exaggerate your accomplishments or overstate your impact on an organization.
No comments:
Post a Comment