How to describe professional achievements. Achievements in the resume - what to write

Should achievements that are not related to professional activities be indicated?

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Expert opinion

Natalia Molchanova

HR manager

Victory doesn't come easy! But how to get around rivals and get a position for which hundreds of worthy competitors are ready to fight? Here you need a serious argument - why you. Do not give up, even if the competence of your opponents exceeds your personal achievements.

The main weapon in this battle is . Design it in such a way as to cause an acute desire of the employer to meet with you. A particularly important aspect is to correctly indicate professional achievements in the resume, emphasizing your strengths and.

What achievements to write about

Let's start with the fact that you need to be able to separate your personal qualities from professional ones. Do not mix them under any circumstances. Understanding this issue is quite simple. List yours, which, as you think, are in demand in the desired field of activity. If in another area they are completely unnecessary - professional skills, otherwise - personal.

Often does not focus on personal achievements. Stop only at those that are adequate to the position and can contribute to the work.

Bring to the attention of the employer your professional achievements: significant results and knowledge related to work, emphasizing:

• implemented projects,
• improvement in financial performance,
• goals achieved,
• results that have surpassed your past victories or the achievements of colleagues.

How to deliciously present professional achievements

When writing a resume, literally everything matters. Even seemingly small things can affect the course of events.

The most common mistakes

You will be passed over and you will never get a job if your resume is:

• vague. Avoid common phrases: provision, promotion, implementation. It seems that you wanted to do it, but did not have time due to dismissal. It raises doubts whether you understand, in general, what is at stake.
• wordy. The statements will not give results: “helped to avoid mistakes”, “led the team”, “conducted training”, “quickly completed tasks”.
• negative. Bypass negative information: “analyzed complaints about:”, “controlled the decrease in the percentage of sales”, “moved from position:”.
• Contain passive forms. The wording "responsible for the implementation", "found application" is rephrased to - "implemented", "effectively used". The expression "occupied an administrative position" should be replaced by the word "supervised". Instead of “worked there for five years,” we should write “got a promotion,” and rewrite the term “did extra work” as, “always got the job done on time.”

How to write everything correctly?

Use business language.

Assumes business communication. It is based on numbers and calculations. Whatever topic is touched upon: corporate values, clients, working conditions of personnel, financial issues are always brought to the fore.

Presenting your achievements in the language of business is the key to success and an indicator of communication. A resume is an effective method of showing your abilities in the language of numbers.

Add specifics.

Orientation to the result and achievement of the set goal is the main component that affects the outcome of the selection of the best applicant for the position! However, not all successes will be credited to the candidate. The effect on the employer will only have the result that will be:

• Make up the importance for the job seeker and recruiter.
• be measured in quantitative terms.
• Have a time frame.

To summarize, it should be noted that your achievements should be:

Job Responsibilities and Achievements Writing Examples

Your achievements in the resume can be described as follows:

• Transition of the capital investment service to a new settlement system. Implemented a new accounting program and trained 30 employees to work with it in 2 months.
• Increase in the supply of raw materials in 2016 - by 40%, in 2015 - by 20%;
• During the period from June 2016 to February 2017, he developed 56 new projects that the company successfully implemented.
• In the 1st half of 2016, he organized the work of a furniture production workshop, which led to the implementation of 80% of the plan, instead of the planned 20%.
• Saved the company $15,000 by developing a rationalization proposal to improve equipment.

Expert opinion

Natalia Molchanova

HR manager

In the case of a ban on the disclosure of commercial information by your ex-company, it will be enough to indicate the figure as a percentage or limit it to the expression "several times".

Rules for describing major achievements

Endure style

When it comes to previous work, it is appropriate to use the past tense verbs: erected, designed. You should talk about the real place of work, using the present tense of verbs: I build, I design. Finish the phrases.

When applying for a managerial position, state your key skills in the language of the manager. For example: Influenced, Activated, Directed, Proved, Instructed, Initiated, Justified.

Balance of results

Balance is the key to effective work. This indicator is characterized by the rational use of resources and the development of team capabilities.

Example:

• Set a limit on bill payments;
• eliminated unnecessary water consumption costs;
• improved the mechanism for the distribution of equipment repair costs.

Link personal achievement to your workplace

Describe in the column your responsibilities and achievements in your resume, acquired recently. Outdated information has long lost its relevance. And if in your life you have changed a dozen employers, then only information about achievements from the last 2-3 positions should be indicated.

Provide relevant information

Sometimes, the achievements indicated by the applicant do not correspond to the level of the position. For example, a candidate aims for the position of the head of the department, but mentions the achievements of the master. Or vice versa. The applicant wants to get a position as a programmer, and describes the achievements in the resume of the highest managerial level in the business where he once worked.

So, remember: if you are applying for a job in the management team - indicate the successes of the manager level, if you want to work as a line specialist - meet these evaluation criteria. Forget what you did before and make a resume according to the requirements of the future job.

If there are no achievements

Do you think that you do not have labor achievements? You just need to think. Of course, not everyone can have special merits and feats, but if they wish, they will be typed into a small list. Success is different for everyone. And how many people, so many opinions.

A position, such as a janitor, does not require achievements. The same can be said for the professions of a loader, handyman, cashier, fast food restaurant worker, driver, etc.

Expert opinion

Natalia Molchanova

HR manager

Achievements can be omitted if your position is on the list of unskilled labor - they are simply unnecessary there.

Or maybe you just underestimate yourself? Then use the criterion: you brought the work you started to its logical conclusion, and everyone felt better. Apply this method.

Which section to post

Standard scripts used on work portals do not have a special “achievements” column.

For example, on the largest recruiting site HeadHunter, in the “work experience” section, you need to enter your key skills in the “duties, functions, achievements” field in your resume. Sample - see below.

Use of verbs in a graph

According to statistics - the correct use of verbs in the section will bring the desired result. Each type of activity has its own set of words:

Administrative management and management
Public relations and creativity
Financial management
Social assistance and nursing

office service
Research and Analysis
Sales and marketing

Work is the most important part of life. Get her the goal of everyone. In the current economic conditions, when there is a rather tough competition in the labor market, the applicant needs to show his best side so that the employer gives preference to him. A candidate can be accepted even if he does not have much work experience, but there is success in a certain area. In practice, this task is embodied in a well-written resume. It depends on what professional achievements are indicated in the resume whether the candidate will transfer to the position or not.

Definition

Goals are close to this concept, they are the basis for achievements. They give direction to activities, indicate the results that need to be achieved in the future. Achievements are rewards for their accomplishment. They carry the program of a specialist, which he can implement in his work.

They are also closely related to duties - the range of actions that must be performed in a particular position. They are fixed in the job description, depending on the organization, the nature of the work, they may vary.

A competent and detailed presentation of previous duties in the resume demonstrates the achievements in the previous job. They cease to be a routine performance of their work and turn into successes when they go beyond the usual boundaries of terms, quantity, etc. They also pay attention to those labor skills that the employee acquired earlier in the course of his activity. For a commercial organization, the primary indicator is an increase in profits.

Main classification

The main division is carried out by addressing.

1. Personal (they matter only for a specific person, i.e. the applicant). They change his life for the better, examples include winning a competition, awarding a prize or an award for participating in a competition. Such an event can be an achievement if it has something to do with a future position.

Personal achievements are also considered those from which the specialist himself has benefited. They talk about his career. Examples:

• receiving bonuses, salary increase;
• gratitude, encouragement;
• career growth, getting a new position;
• improving their professional level by acquiring new knowledge in
• individually or collectively.

2. Examples of professional achievements show the success of the whole company, not an individual employee. Thanks to him, such results became possible. Examples are:

• Improving the efficiency of one specialist or a group of specialists
• due to the actions of this employee;
• developed, successfully completed project;
• increase in labor productivity due to the methodology introduced by the specialist;
• the firm's cash profit;
• the company's entry into the global market.

By the nature of professional achievements are:

• quantitative - figures showing an increase in profits by so much%, successful implementation by a specialist of a certain number of projects during the year, conclusion of a large number of contracts;
• qualitative - reflect the success in the activities of the organization, the expansion of the geography of the company, the change of counterparties to more promising ones, the attraction of new sources of income, some specific result.

CV preparation

Your professional achievements are most often discussed at the interview.

There is no invitation to an interview due to a weak resume, which either incorrectly indicates successes in a previous job, or they are missing.

Some job seekers think their resume looks flawless without this item. But this is a delusion: the most important achievements should be spelled out.

They must be specified for the following reasons:

• such an applicant looks advantageous against the background of others;
• they testify to the passion for their work;
• they show the ability to achieve goals.

Sometimes this aspect is written about in order to qualify for a higher position than previously, for a management position. In this case, the summary cannot do without managerial achievements (a team of such and such a number of people under the guidance of the applicant has achieved such and such results).

Requirements for wording

In order for an employer to distinguish your resume from many others, it must be written properly. Primary requirements:

• all the facts stated must be specific - numbers, places, names;
• professional successes should not overload the text, they should be described briefly and clearly;
• they must be related to the activity that the applicant wants to engage in in the company;
• the language of describing professional achievements should be business-like, but without unnecessary complications; lack of conversational style, the wording should be clear;
• there should be no negative information, all past actions of a specialist should have a positive orientation.

Significant achievements

Sometimes it is difficult for the applicant to choose those achievements that need to be indicated and which ones to omit.

The following three groups should be present in the summary.

1. The main achievements of professional activity. They talk about the results of how you coped with the tasks that confronted you in the course of your current duties.
2. Major professional achievements They demonstrate the effectiveness of the goals that have been set by you or management. The main professional achievement may be to lead the company out of the crisis, or the fact that your developments have a positive impact on people's lives.
3. Significant professional achievements can also be included in the resume. They can be significant from your point of view, or from the point of view of the former bosses, who encouraged you for this with a bonus, an increase.

Description methods and algorithm

It is important to write a resume correctly in order to convey information about your labor successes to the future employer. The following procedure must be followed:

1. make a list of achievements related to professional;
2. isolate the main, significant ones from them;
3. check the result for compliance with the requirements for the vacancy;
4. write in a resume in a competent language;
5. work successes can be entered in a separate section or made a subsection in the section on work experience;
6. you need to write a cover letter in which you need to emphasize that the successes you have achieved will help the employer solve the problems of his professional activity.

What can be described

• introduction of new programs, management decisions;
• numerical values ​​describing financial receipts, production growth;
• reference to the media reflecting achievements;
• success in a new area of ​​work in the form of training a large number of employees;
• saving company resources.

Employers choose those who are ready and able to lead the company to prosperity. Therefore, they pay special attention to the success of candidates in previous work. Describe them in your resume.

Do not confuse professional and personal achievements. If you mastered a new program at a previous job, these are the skills and competencies that should be indicated in. But if you independently implemented or even developed this program to optimize your work, this is already an achievement.

Avoid common phrases. Work can be digitized, so back up achievements with numbers.

P Examples

:
“Processed 85-100 incoming applications per day. Successfully solved 96% of the problems that arose.

:
“Developed a new method to attract customers. Trained the sales staff for two months. The number of transactions increased by 14%, and sales - by 20%."

:
"Successfully passed nine tax audits."

:
“Optimized the software. The result - saved 15% on the purchase of a new one.

:
"I entered the top five in the city hairdressing competition."

:
“I added 70 employees to the company, conducted 120 interviews.”

:
“Concluded five contracts for the wholesale supply of goods. This allowed us to increase revenue by 7%.

:
“During my work, I became the best seller of the month five times. He proposed a new design option for the shop window, which increased the flow of customers by one and a half times.”

Employees of administrative departments: assistants to the head or office managers can digitize their work by counting, for example, how many meetings were organized or how they saved the manager from wasting time. A well-established document flow, uninterrupted supply of the office with everything necessary can also be considered an achievement.

Mass professions, such as a loader, require high-quality performance of daily duties. Achievements can be formulated as follows: "During the work there was not a single emergency case." That is, if you work, you should not count the number of clients served per day and multiply by work shifts. It is better to note that during the work you had no complaints about how you prevented shortages and saved the company from losses.

TOWhich wording does not fit:

• "Organized the effective work of the department." The phrase is blurry. Need to clarify what exactly was done
• "During my time as a secretary, the flow of the company's clients increased." It is unlikely that the flow of clients has increased due to the work of the secretary
• “Decreased the turnover of the company.” Avoid negative language
• "I improved my communication skills." This is a personal achievement. And it’s better not to talk about the fact that you had problems in communication.

How to find merit

At first, it may seem that there are no achievements at all. To help guide you, we recommend that you consider the following questions:

• What were you praised for at your previous job?
• What were you assigned to do?
• What did you do better than others?
• When did you take the initiative?
• Did you take part in any significant event for the company?
• Was it so that thanks to your assistance, any business processes were established that led to an improvement in work?
• Has the company saved time or money because of you?

Take into account implemented projects, improvement of financial and other indicators - any goals achieved.

The result should be a list of merit that needs to be adapted for which you are applying. In your resume, list only those achievements that are relevant to the desired position.

Successful job search!

Cover: pixabay.com

The whole set of ups and downs of a successful person reflects such a concept as “professional achievements”. They most fully and capaciously reflect the results achieved by him in a particular job. They show the employer what the candidate for the position is capable of. But it can be difficult for an applicant to reflect his main professional achievement in a resume. It is often the main criterion for compliance with a particular position, so everyone needs to know the basic rules.

Professional achievements can become the main criterion for eligibility for a position

Concept definition

The best answer can be given if we compare this word with the concept of purpose. They show what results a person expects, that is, they are turned to the future. To achieve the goals, they should be described in detail in the form of specific tasks, which should be comparable to the abilities of the person, the resources available to him and the realities of life. After a certain time has passed, we can say whether the planned has been achieved. Achievements in the work are turned to the past and show the results obtained. They can be expressed in specific numbers and indicators.

Relationship between responsibilities and achievements

Responsibilities - a set of actions that must be performed in a particular position. The main ones are fixed in the employment contract and job description, they require strict implementation. Otherwise, appropriate sanctions will be applied. If you did well in your previous position, this does not make you better than other candidates for the position. And if you have gone beyond the outlined circle of your powers, then this will already be considered your achievements in work. They are expressed in qualitative and quantitative indicators, which are of decisive importance for a manager looking for a new specialist.

Classification

Achievements are divided into personal and professional. They are of great importance in life, determining its vector and success. Personal and professional achievements in the resume are required to be indicated.

• conquering a mountain peak;
• victory in a sports marathon;
• winning an art competition.

They are an example of the implementation of certain of your personal qualities, some of which may be of interest to a potential employer in relation to work.

Personal achievements can have a sporting character

Professional success

Professional achievements - those that show the implementation of the goals and objectives set in the professional field by you or your manager. They may be a consequence of the manifestation of a set of qualities necessary for work. This means a lot not only for you, but also for the manager.

Your achievements mainly affect the improvement of the situation in which you work, or a group of people who are directed by the activities with which you have to deal.

They can change, this shows that the specialist is growing, his competence is increasing, he is making a breakthrough in his career.

Achievements in professional activity, which depend on a particular employee, can be illustrated by the following examples:

• company's profit in rubles/dollars;
• percentage increase;
• increase in the number of concluded contracts;
• increase in the number of attracted customers.

A professional achievement is considered to be an increase in the company's profits.

Interaction

Personal and professional achievements are closely linked. They can play a major role in hiring, if properly described in the resume.

• they are the result of efforts for the benefit of the company (letters, thanks, diplomas);
• this is a methodology developed by you personally, important discoveries made that have benefited a certain or indefinite circle of people (cured from diseases, made qualitative changes in the lives of other people);
• this is a title, an academic degree, with the help of which it was possible to achieve the best results in work.

Potentially significant personal professional achievements can be considered their knowledge, skills, experience, which theoretically can affect the position of other people for the better, i.e. their theoretical value is tangible.

A diploma is an important personal achievement for work

Description of success in resume

The most important stages in applying for a job are the interview and writing a resume. The main factor determining the likelihood of being invited to an interview is a well-written resume. It is important for the interviewing manager what your achievements will change the position of the organization for the better. Any applicant should be able to answer this requirement.

You can describe your professional achievements in a resume in different ways, but personal ones must also be mentioned. You yourself need to decide which of them are the main ones and deserve the attention of a potential leader, and which ones are not.

The main requirement: they should not conflict with each other and with information about personal qualities, experience, skills and abilities.

Common Mistakes

• no specifics, a lot of introductory phrases and words from which it is not clear what you mean;
• a lot of unnecessary data that do not carry a semantic load, divert attention from the main thing;
• contains information that is not related to the purpose of the resume, for example: an applicant for the position of administrator reports that he has a musical education;
• many specific terms and clericalisms;
• boring tone, copying dozens of similar resumes, behind which there is no individuality.

Style orientation

• resume should be written in the language of business, so that the employer sees you as a serious person, aimed at solving important problems;
• there should be no negative wording showing a decrease in indicators, a similar example is filing complaints with certain authorities at the previous place of work, the best thing is to omit this fact;
• try to avoid nouns and verbs in the passive form.

Mandatory to indicate

Indicate not only the result obtained, but also its absence. Examples include the prevention of divorces, accidents, deprivation of parental rights, abandonment of children. Such results are common in the social sphere.

They must be indicated in relation to each place of work, this will allow you to objectively assess your abilities. You should not attribute to yourself achievements that did not exist or that were not reflected in further activities. Deception can be revealed if the manager asks for confirmation or you cannot cope with the tasks that he will set for you.

Your personal qualities must be indicated reasonably: do not overpraise yourself, this will not give the proper effect in the workplace.

Moderation is key when writing a resume.

Lack of success

It can be difficult if it turns out that there is nothing to write about in the resume. This problem is faced by people applying for low-skilled positions that involve routine duties. They can be advised to focus on the smooth performance of the necessary functions.

Section for writing

If the resume form does not have a separate place for professional achievements, then you can enter them in the section on duties and functions, or expand the section on personal qualities.

You can attach copies of diplomas, certificates, letters of thanks to your resume. A cover letter is required.

Examples in professions

Each area of ​​activity implies its own results, which may differ significantly from each other, be opposite.

Representatives of a particular specialty often find it difficult to answer this question, so their guarantee for successful employment is reduced.

The difference will be traced between retail and wholesale trade. A wholesaler may indicate the following:

• sales growth;
• sales team management;
• the expansion of the customer base;
• attraction of new suppliers;
• development of a new system of sale and purchase.

Increasing sales is a professional achievement of a salesperson

Secretary

The main tasks of the secretary are to ensure the smooth functioning of the office, to help the manager, to be ready to answer any of his questions. What is the achievement here? In addition to ensuring the smooth operation of the company, you can specify:

• obtaining certificates proving professional development;
• development of a system that simplifies certain processes in the company;
• participation in the development of corporate ideas.

Young specialist

It is problematic for them to describe the results, it is possible to focus the attention of the future employer on professional goals and the steps taken for this (training in courses, private lessons, improving skills). It is necessary to indicate information about the internship, practice, victory in olympiads, competitions during study.

"Give an example of your achievements"- This is one of the questions that are asked in a competency interview. This type of interview is a reliable and widely used method in recruitment, which provides an opportunity to test the professional competence of the candidate for the successful performance of the job.

For those who do not have experience with this type of interview, the main thing is to understand the basic concept:

In a behavioral interview, you should provide concrete examples of the successful application of skills and abilities from past work experience.

This type of interview is based on the fact that on the basis of the past behavior of an employee in a given situation, one can predict his future behavior in a new job. And all the candidate needs to do is to provide compelling examples that clearly demonstrate the required competencies specified in the job description.

The most commonly explored competencies are:

• communication
• teamwork
• initiative
• leadership
• problem solving skills
• analytical thinking
• stress resistance
• time management
• negotiation skills
• planning
• result oriented
• process oriented

For example, if the requirements of the job profile indicate that the candidate must be able to analyze, then the interviewer will definitely ask you to give an example of when you used this skill in your work and what results you achieved.

Competency questions start with:

• Tell me about a time when you...
• Give me an example...
• What steps did you take...

Here are some examples of the most popular questions:

• Give an example of your accomplishments.
• Describe a time when you had to overcome a major hurdle in order to get things done.
• Tell me about a time when you had to juggle several important projects.

Most often, candidates do not pay due attention to the issues of competence. And in vain. After all, if you manage to pass and then fail the first behavioral question, you will still leave the interview empty-handed. Even if you have a huge long-term work experience, but without prepared examples, you will not be able to make a favorable impression and confirm your competencies. It is quite difficult to answer such a question, because in your daily activities you cannot single out or remember immediately without preparation something really worthwhile, which should be told to a potential employer.

Unfortunately, most often, it is the candidates who are less competent, but with good training, bypass more experienced employees. And so that this does not happen to you, it's time to remember everything and create a good story from your past work experience.

I recommend having at least three examples of the competencies indicated in the vacancy in reserve in order to emphasize your strengths in the interview. The easiest way to effectively answer any question in a behavioral interview is to prepare three clear examples of your major accomplishments. Remember the most interesting projects, difficult tasks, problem situations. If you have little experience, then you can use the examples during your studies or internship.

As always, we will use the STAR method as the basis for the story, which will help you focus on key details and make your story structured, concise and memorable.

3. R — results

Formulate the results of your actions: what happened, what was done, what you learned. And finally, it is very important that your good STAR story always has a happy ending, like in a fairy tale. The last part of your answer should describe the positive results of your actions. Specific results are always particularly impressive, for example: a 32% increase in sales, a halving of the budget, etc. But you can also refer to a positive outcome through emotional evaluation, especially from a boss or clients. This will be the best way to convince the interviewer that the story you are telling is real. For example: m oh the client was very pleased, my manager appreciated my contribution to the final result and highly appreciated my work, etc.

Answer example:

When I presented the new improved reporting to my manager, he was so impressed that he couldn't believe I had done it all myself in such a short period of time! I also received high praise from senior management and was included in the Talent Bank program in our company.

6 tips: How to answer the question: Give an example of your achievements.

1) Take enough time to think of a vivid example from your past work or school experience. Pick an example that actually shows multiple competencies and personal attributes.

2) Listen carefully to the questions and if you do not understand, do not rush to answer, but ask to be explained to you. This is better than answering the question in a completely different direction and giving irrelevant examples.

3) Be prepared for clarifying questions because the interviewer will want to get more information from you and check if your answers are genuine. Here are examples of such questions:

• Tell me why did you do it this way
• Explain how you achieved this result
• Do you think it could have been done differently?

4) Be specific. Don't try to answer in general terms that don't say anything about you. For example: " I consider myself a very responsible and organized employee, as I always achieve high results and complete the tasks on time.” So you are not answering the question. You can count whatever you want, but you are required to give a real example from your past experience in order to prove your point.