Robin's Resumes® : accomplishments

Posts tagged ‘accomplishments’

March 13th, 2011

Organizing Your Resume

Sometimes the hardest part of writing your own resume is knowing where to begin—and end. How do you know which of your many achievements should be highlighted? How much detail do recruiters expect? Will you lose a job opportunity if you leave something out or if you reveal too much? How much space should you give to past jobs compared to your current position? How far back should you go in your career?

Organization is one of my greatest skills. I’ve developed proprietary questionnaires that help you detail all of your skills, background and accomplishments. Then I take that information and create a powerful, focused resume that targets the job you want. As a former engineer and project manager, I know how to marshal facts and describe them accurately, briefly and with conviction.

Once you receive my draft, you have three weeks to review it, making any changes you like. My clients often find that the draft and final resume give them a renewed sense of purpose and boost their confidence, as they realize exactly how much value they bring to future employers.

November 7th, 2010

A Round of Applause for You

You have just been chosen “Employee of the Month”–but everyone seems to be chosen sooner or later. You came in second among eight salespeople for total yearly sales–but you weren’t first. Your boss asked you to be a member of a committee–but no one important served on it. At one job you were selected to lead a training session–but that was years ago. Are any of these “honors” worth mentioning on a resume? Absolutely!

Rewards, above average achievements and selection by a superior help you stand out from the crowd of other applicants. Recruiters like to know you were appreciated at a previous job, that you strive for excellence and that your employers respected you enough to single you out. No matter how old the honor is, you earned it. As long as it is relevant to your work history, it should appear on your resume.

Honors that come from volunteer work are also important. If you ever served as an officer for a nonprofit, received recognition or contributed your time and expertise in any way, mention your service, Many companies encourage giving back to the community and will be pleased that you are already on board with their policy. In addition, volunteering shows initiative and the ability to work toward a common goal, both highly respected qualities in an employee.

At Robin’s Resumes®, we help people understand the value of their achievements and communicate them to potential employers. While your resume is opening doors to employment, it should also remind you of all the reasons you have to be proud. That confidence will show in your interviews. So give yourself a round of applause and make sure recruiters know what an exceptional employee you are.

October 31st, 2010

Advice from Your Next Boss

What do companies look for when they read a resume? Recently I asked that question on an online business site. Replies came from 18 hiring and department managers working in colleges, electronics companies, banks, sales, engineering and human resources among others.

Overwhelmingly (11 out of 18), they first checked the resume to make sure the skills and experience met their needs as outlined in the job description. No one wants to hire a brain surgeon without a medical degree or a chef who’s never worked in a kitchen. Often, the responders defined “experience” as number of years in the field.

Does this mean you can submit a laundry list of skills and job titles and get hired? No.

After that first glance, most of the people responding looked for accomplishments or achievements. Your resume has to explain what you did with your skills. How did the company benefit?

Did you develop a new report, increase sales, interact well with your peers and managers, lead a team, volunteer in the community, meet deadlines, streamline a process, help make a project successful, complete a class, give a presentation, serve on a committee, receive praise from customers or earn a promotion? The way you used your skills to benefit your old company tells your new company what to expect. They know whether you’ll be a valuable addition to their team.

You may find it hard to boast about—or even recognize—your own accomplishments. If you need help, call or email Robin’s Resumes. Together, we can make sure the marketplace knows just how valuable you are.

October 1st, 2010

Just an Ordinary Everyday Person

Recently, I spoke with a woman returning to the job market after years of raising her family. “I haven’t done anything for 10 years,” she said. Coincidentally, I had a similar conversation with an executive just a few weeks later. “I don’t give enough back to the community,” he said. And soon after that a college graduate complained that she lacked enough experience to get the website design job she wanted.

In a short while, I discovered that the woman had held leadership positions in three nonprofits over the years; the executive participated in at least one community event every month, including speaking before high school students; and the college grad had developed websites for two family members (“but they’re family members,” she objected).

The problem is that we all undervalue our contributions and experience. The achievement that you dismiss as nothing special may be exactly what your next employer is looking for.

A professional resume writer can help you discover those talents and abilities you take for granted—and then describe them so that potential employers recognize their value. We cannot be truly objective about ourselves.

August 29th, 2010

What Not to Say in a Resume

Some resume mistakes are easy to find: you typed “manger” instead of “manager” or you transposed the numbers on your zip code. But what about this job description on the fourth page of a resume: “Kept books for our company for 5 years before it went out of business due to poor economy.” That one sentence is guilty of several mistakes:

  • Using the first person word (I, me, my, we, us, our) in a resume. The first person is fine in a cover letter—not in resume. Don’t say our, say the company’s.
  • Making apologies. Always stress the positive. If your company went out of business, focus on how you helped to keep it healthy for so long.
  • Resume too long. For most professions in the civilian sector, a 1 to 2 page resume is sufficient (technical professions such as IT, Engineering, Science, Medicine and College Professor are exceptions). In this case, a bookkeeper rarely requires 4 pages.
  • Listing your job duties alone. Your accomplishments are much more important. Every bookkeeper keeps the books. Did you develop new reports or participate in management’s five-year planning committee?
  • Giving up. If you don’t get results from your resume, seek out a professional. A professional resume writer will help you stress the value you bring to potential employers. In addition, most professionals offer advice on job searches, including methods for networking. Go to www.robinsresumes.com to see the services a professional resume writer can offer you.