If you want your resume to get interviews, then provide a summary of accomplishments for each of your recent positions.
When you make it easy for recruiters and hiring managers to know about your accomplishments, your job search will go better.
Even if you didn’t save the company, you probably have more high-quality wins packed into your job duties than you realize.
To that end, I want to set you up with a few basic topics that always play well to people who read resumes. Check out the following list of accomplishment ideas and examples:
You Increased Sales
Examples:
- Designed a retailer display that increased product placements and drove 8% annual sales growth.
- Worked with distributors to find retailers for inclusion in new marketing program. Drove product placements and 8% annual sales growth.
You Cut Expenses
Examples:
- Wrote RFP for new telecom provider. Resulted in 10-point increase in Net Promoter Score and 4% cost reduction.
- Analyzed responses to RFP for new telecom provider. Interviewed 3 vendors. Made change that yielded 4% annual cost reduction.
You Made Something Faster
Examples:
- Led restructuring of delivery routes that let drivers reach major customers 30 minutes earlier each day.
- Contributed GIS expertise to team that restructured delivery routes. Accelerated service to major customers by 30 minutes per day.
You Made Something Better
Examples:
- Implemented single-point-of-contact program for internal customers. Increased Net Promoter Score 15 points.
- Supported HR as their single-point-of-contact in Accounting. Automated 3 “shadow system” reports; freed up 10 hours of staff time per week.
You Were Promoted
Example:
- Promoted from Manager to Director.
Summary of Accomplishments — Best Practices
Note that each of the accomplishment statements shown above follows a bullet point and starts with an action verb (see a list here). Those are both best resume practices for sharing your wins.
If you want a process for writing accomplishment statements, then look at this post, including templates, for the full “how to.”
Conclusion
Ask yourself, “What did I do, either as the lead or as a team member, to make my company more money or make operations cheaper, better, or faster?”
You’ll create a good summary of accomplishments and great resume content!
You Might Also Like
If you want to learn more:
- See sample resumes and their accomplishment statements here.
- Learn how to quantify accomplishments here.
- Find out how to keep your accomplishment statements easy to read here.
Updated January 2021
© 2011 – 2021, Donna Svei. All rights reserved.
Donna Svei, an executive resume writer and former C-level executive, retained search consultant, and CPA, authors all of AvidCareerist’s posts. She has written for and been quoted by 100+ business and general media outlets, including Forbes, Mashable, Fast Company, Inc., Entrepreneur, CNBC, the New York Times, USA Today, Time, CBS, the BBC, Lifehacker, Social Media Today, IT World, SmartBrief, and Business News Daily.
Let her expertise inform your job search strategy and decision making.
Contact Donna here to learn more about her resume and LinkedIn profile services and fee structure.
Comments 8
Especially liked the promoted one. Never thought of that. I typically think of, How did you make money, How did you save money, and How did you create a great product / service? Thanks!
Nice article – I especially liked the simplicity of creating defining statements. Really like your advice here.
Thank you Jason. The results statements are my favorite part of resume writing. It’s rewarding to help people see what they have accomplished and then help them share that information with others! Donna
Aidan, Thank you. Donna
Great! I’m gonna share this
Chris,
Thank you.
Donna
can you give examples for a truck driver, janitor/custodian, groundskeeper. thanks. it’s hard to put accomplishments into words on cutting grass or cleaning a toilet, or driving a truck. thanks.
Hi,
A truck driver might write about having found ways to reduce time on a route.
A janitor might write about having found a fix for a boiler that delayed the need to replace it for three years.
A groundskeeper might write about implementing a preventive spraying program that saved thousands of dollars worth of trees.
Think, how did I make it cheaper/faster/better?
Donna