You’re ready to take the world by storm and land your next position. But, before you can do that, you need to convince a hiring manager that you are an exceptional talent.
If you want to make your next application stand out from the crowd, writing accomplishments for your resume is the answer. In the following guide, we will look at 19 awesome examples of the type of achievements you can include, topped off with some expert writing advice.
What are accomplishments for a resume?
Resume accomplishments are your most impressive professional achievements to date, i.e., your biggest brags. These are the achievements you want to share when going for a new job. The aim of the game is to show off what it is that makes you so valuable as a candidate.
Of course, there’s a rainbow array of different resume achievements that you may want to shout about.
It may be that you implemented a new system that improved the team’s productivity
You could be a member of a specific group or have won an award
On the other hand, some resume achievements may talk about the roles or tasks you have undertaken
When you are going up against countless candidates, you have to do everything you can to set yourself apart from the crowd.
At a glance, these accomplishments for a resume will tell the hiring manager why they should interview you. As you will see, the more specific you are in stating your resume accomplishments, the more likely you are to gain attention.
Why accomplishments for resume matter
Now that you understand what accomplishments for a resume are let’s talk about why you should include them. The art of resume writing rests on grabbing attention and ensuring that the hiring manager wants to find out more. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the core reasons that you need to write compelling accomplishments for your resume:
Catch the hiring manager’s eye
Recruiters spend an average of seven seconds looking at each resume that comes their way. That means that you don’t have long to make the right first impression on them. When they skim your application - because that’s exactly what they will do - they need to quickly determine whether you’re worth their time. Including eye-catching accomplishments on your resume is a surefire way to get their attention. By including relevant statistics, numbers, or even big names, you can be certain that the reader will stop in their tracks.
Offer something new and different
Let’s face it - all too many applications look identical. You outline your professional summary, your work experience, your skills, and your education - but so does every other candidate.
If you want to ensure that you land your next interview, you need to offer something brand new. For that reason, the accomplishments of your resume need to be unique to you as a candidate. Ask yourself what it is that makes you different from all of the other applicants. When you highlight a skill or experience that no one else has, you’ll be a shoo-in.
Show what you can do for a company
Whenever a hiring manager is reviewing applications, they have one question on their mind. That is: “What can this candidate do for the business?” Cut to the chase by telling them exactly what it is that you have to offer. By sharing your biggest achievements front and center, you give the employer a taste of what they can expect from you as an employee.
Where (and how) to include resume achievements
By this point, you might have a whole host of accomplishments for your resume. However, before you can start writing them down, you need to know where they should go. There are three common places where you may share your biggest achievements.
Here’s a quick breakdown to help you out:
Resume summary section
Your resume summary is the short, professional blurb at the top of the page. It’s basically an “about you” section that tells the hiring manager what your top attributes are. It should come as no surprise that you can include some choice accomplishments in this section. Weaving your achievements into the fabric of this paragraph is a savvy way to show the hiring manager why you are worth interviewing. Be selective and only talk about your top brags.
Work experience section
Of course, the work experience section of your resume takes up the most space. It’s the main event. The structure that you should use highlights your former employer, your position, and the dates that you were employed. Below those details, you can add more information to each role. These usually come in a bullet-pointed format. In some of these bullet points, you should choose to include our most awe-inspiring professional accomplishments so far.
Dedicated achievement section
And finally, if you have a selection of strong accomplishments for your resume, they may warrant their own section. You can choose to include a section above “Professional Experience” with a header like “Accomplishments” or “Achievements.”
Once again, you should use a bullet-pointed format when you are including these feats on your resume. Just like you would with your work history, you should list your achievements in reverse chronological order. Keep in mind that you should only include this additional resume section if you have the space to do so because it is fairly critical that you keep your resume to two pages.
19 achievements examples for inspiration
Writing stellar accomplishments for your resume is a challenge. Chances are, you have done many newsworthy things over the course of your career.
However, sharing this with a prospective employer takes a certain level of finesse. Here are 19 expert-selected examples of accomplishments for your resume to use for inspiration:
Admin and business
Implemented new online workflow system and increased departmental productivity by 37%
Efficiently handled 60+ customer service inquiries per day with a 99% satisfaction rating across the board
Developed and launched a streamlined database, enhancing task management and improving efficiency by 12%
Engineering
Significantly decreased overhead by 22% each year by implementing new operational model
Spearheaded and designed new software development project utilizing Handlebars.js, Query, and AJAX
Finance
Developed innovative cost-saving measures and reduced company-wide outgoings by 13% last year
Analyzed client portfolio and successfully increased profits by 25% while utilizing risk management techniques
Identified and introduced financial management tools to the department, lowering expenditure by 12%
Leadership and management
Successfully managed a 50-strong department and consistently reached KPIs
Mentored 12 new starters over the course of career, putting each through a rigorous traineeship and qualifications
Headed up cross-departmental team of 16, ensuring the constant liaison between sales and marketing
Designed and implemented a new L&D program for team members, leading to 10% high levels of staff retention
Marketing and communications
Oversaw and managed 100+ PPC campaigns with an average ad conversion rate of 12.6%
Played an integral role in the rebrand of an FTSE 100 company - the agency’s largest client project to date
Worked with influencers, including Lauren Conrad and Chris Buckard, on global campaigns with a reach of more than 10 million
Students and graduates
Received the Charles Stewart Award for academic excellence in senior year at college
Developed a talent for web development using JavaScript during final year project
Consistently maintained an average GPA of 3.9 while balancing school and work placements
Undertook the role of Deputy Editor at the college newspaper, Glistening Herald
Tips for when you’re writing resume achievements
Not sure where to start when writing accomplishments for your resume? Don’t panic. We have a selection of smart writing tips you can use when you’re dealing with this task. Before you start working on your resume, take a look at the following advice.
Avoid including generic statements
The accomplishments for your resume should stand out for all the right reasons. One of the biggest mistakes you can make here is being generic. Writing a statement that is true for most every candidate won’t score you any points. Instead, you need to zero in on why this achievement is important. The more specific you are in your claims, the better they will be.
Quantify your claims to give them weight
While we’re on the subject of being specific, here’s an important point that you need to keep in mind.
Whenever you make a claim on your resume, you need to quantify it.
This approach gives weight to your statement and tells the hiring manager exactly what they can expect from you. Go into some real detail. For example, rather than saying that you “improved productivity levels,” you should say that you “enhanced productivity levels by 25% in a year.”
Use punchy and powerful language
You want to draw the reader in and hold onto their attention, right? Then you need to be selective about the language that you use. The hiring manager has read the same tired, old sentences a thousand times. Give them something that they haven’t heard before. You can jazz up your accomplishments for your resume by including powerful adjectives and verbs.
Keep your writing short and concise
As we have already covered, the hiring manager won’t spend a whole lot of time looking at your resume. They don’t have any time to spare! Writing long, convoluted sentences is a quick way to turn them off. Instead, you should make sure that the statements you make are short and get straight to the point. Don’t waste any words here, and always remember to edit.
Mistakes to avoid when writing accomplishments for a resume
If you have got to this point in our guide, you should feel more than ready to whip up some accomplishments for your resume. However, you don’t want to fall at the final hurdle. To make sure that your achievements are right for your application, avoid these mistakes.
Including an irrelevant achievement section
We’ve already talked about the fact that you can include an accomplishment section. However, if you don’t have much space to spare on your resume, this could be a serious mistake. Rather than dedicating a complete area to your achievements, it may be better to include them in other areas of your resume, such as your summary or work experience.
Cramming too much information on the page
Similarly, you don’t want to cram the page full of too much information. Never underestimate the power of white space when it comes to your resume. When the hiring manager looks at this document, they need to be able to gather all the details they want quickly.
Should the page look too full, they may be put off. That’s why you should be highly selective when writing about your achievements. Consider what value each of them adds first.
Writing about outdated accomplishments
If it has been 10+ years since the accomplishment in question, it may be out of date. Hiring managers are most interested in your recent accolades rather than your entire history.
When you are crafting some accomplishments for your resume, make sure that they are up to date. Bragging about something that happened a number of years ago may make it look as though you peaked too soon. Keep things in the present moment for the hiring manager.
Start writing now!
Carefully crafted resume achievements could be the difference between landing your next interview or getting a rejection email. In this guide, we have shared the expert advice that you need to ensure that you write excellent accomplishments for your resume.
While it may take some time to get into the swing of writing these statements, the results are worth it. Why not get started now and draft interesting achievements for your resume?
Want to make sure that your next application hits the mark? There’s no time like the present. Check out our free resume review tool today and level up your document.
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Written by
Charlotte Grainger, Editor & Content Writer, Charlotte Grainger, Editor & Content Writer
Charlotte Grainger is a freelance writer living and working in Sheffield, UK. She has a passion for career development and loves sharing tips and advice. Follow her on Twitter
