Probably the second one, right? That’s because while the first bullet point merely lists a job duty, the second lists an accomplishment. It tells you not only what that person has done, but also how well they’ve done it and what kinds of tools they’re familiar with.
So why the hell are you still listing your job duties? Here’s how to list your accomplishments on a resume instead in a way that’ll show off what you can really do—plus examples!
When you apply to a job, chances are you’re not the only applicant who’s qualified. You’re not the only applicant with experiences and skills that match what the job description is looking for. But your professional accomplishments and achievements—with all their details and results—are yours alone. They tell hiring managers: “Here’s what I’ve done for my past employers. Imagine what I could do for you.”
The vast majority of your achievements will be in your experience section, under your past jobs, but you can also highlight impressive, relevant accomplishments in other sections such as your:
- Resume summary
- Education section (especially if you’re early in your career)
- Volunteer and activities sections
- Awards section
- Projects section
So you’ve decided to swap those boring job duties for your professional accomplishments from your past roles. Here’s how to do it:
1. Choose the right accomplishments.
Take a look at the job description for the position you’re applying to. Make a note of any skills or experiences you have that line up with the required or preferred qualifications or the job duties you’d be responsible for. Then, think about which accomplishments best exemplify these skills and experiences.
If you’re struggling, start by thinking about your major responsibilities. What were your goals? If you were responsible for managing a social media account, were you supposed to schedule a certain number of posts? Grow the follower count? Meeting one or more of these goals is an accomplishment—and exceeding them certainly is!
2. Use strong action verbs.
Traditionally, resume bullet points start with verbs. Choosing strong, descriptive action verbs (in your bullet points and throughout your resume) will tell the reader more about your accomplishment—did you create a new process? Or did you streamline one? And don’t forget to change them up so the first word of every line isn’t the same!
3. Include the skills and tools you used.
Don't forget to actually say what skills you’re trying to emphasize with each achievement—preferably using the same phrasing as the job description. If the posting specifically mentioned Salesforce experience as a requirement, for example, make sure you explicitly state that you used Salesforce to schedule all those meetings in your last job!
4. Don’t forget the results.
Even painting the most cinematic picture of everything you did and the hard work you put in can still leave a hiring manager or recruiter thinking, “So what?” That is, if you don’t include how your accomplishment helped your team, department, company, or clients.
Remember, anyone looking at your resume wants to know what you can do for them—so show them what you’ve done for others. Did you save or make money? Increase efficiency? Grow reach or visibility?
