Resume Help: More Accomplishments, Less Attributes
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Today we are looking at a portion of Mark’s resume. He’s an accomplished executive at a pharmaceutical company, leading an international staff and managing products that generate millions of dollars over the product’s lifespan. In Mark’s first draft, he squandered valuable space to communicate his attributes. He also starts many of his bulleted points with a very soft sell. This is a missed opportunity for Mark to share his top accomplishments. Why are accomplishments so important? Past accomplishments are the best indication of future success. Hiring managers look for past accomplishments to determine if you are a prime candidate.
Here are four examples of how Mark can improve the description of his experience.
1.) Never start with “Responsible for…” That is a passive start and it is also indirect. Better to start strong with an action verb.
2.) Remove the superfluous language. In other words, skip the fluff. Rather than use words like, “highly effective” or “excellent,” write an example of an accomplishment that describes the accomplishment.
3.) Be precise. When sharing your accomplishment, don’t be vague. Instead of saying, “increased efficiency,” quantify the increase. Was there a time savings or a cost savings? Attach a percentage, number, or dollar amount to the accomplishment.
4.) Get to the point. Throughout Mark’s resume, his descriptions are ambiguous and the achievements (if included) are buried within a long line of words. In many cases, he can simply rearrange the order of the words in the bullet to showcase the achievement.
Mark is a top-performer who has generated millions of dollars for his employer by managing the development and release of innovative prescription medications. Like you, he deserves a professional resume. If you are struggling with your resume, contact me. I would be happy to help you showcase your accomplishments.
If you would like to read more about résumé accomplishments, check out these articles:
Résumé Help: Asking Questions to Uncover Accomplishments