achievement | Robin's Resumes (r)

Problem/Solution/Achievement

Dec 29 2013

When you are writing in your resume about your accomplishments, keep in mind the problem/solution/achievement structure. For example, it is far more impressive to organize files if they were disorganized to begin with (problem), and even more impressive if the reorganization (solution) allowed employees to find information 15% faster (achievement).

Here are a few examples of problem/solution/achievement statements:

Restored morale in a team with constant turnover by addressing problems with communication, recognition, and discipline; replaced individuals unable to work effectively in a team environment. Achieved 100% retention in 6 months.
Reduced response times to customer problems to 24 hours from 48-72 hours by initiating triage and assigning individuals to specific levels of problems. Increased customer satisfaction scores from .65 to .95.

If you are currently employed, now is the time to begin collecting specific information on various problems and on the solutions you have contributed to either directly or as part of a team. Keep notes on the positive changes achieved by your solutions.

At Robin’s Resumes®, we are experts in describing your accomplishments so that companies understand the value your bring.

Is Your Resume Too Good to be True?

Mar 17 2013

You have multiple skills; you have contributed to the workplace in multiple ways. But is your resume so filled with diverse accomplishments that it seems too good to be true? Are you setting yourself up as “jack of all trades, master of none”?

One of my recurring refrains in the Robin’s Resumes® blog is that a job hunt must be focused. There is no such thing as “any job.” Every job requires certain skills, accomplishments, and education; you have to focus your job search on the jobs that match your talents and interests.

By the same token, employers are not looking for employees who can “do everything and anything.” They want someone who is focused on achieving his or her best in the job that is being advertised.

Your resume is your platform for describing what it is that you do best. As a supply chain specialist in a small company, you sometimes have to haul around warehouse stock yourself. But is that the job you want to be hired for? Is that the achievement you are most proud of? As an administrative assistant to the CEO, you proofread reports. But if the ads you respond to never mention proofreading, how much valuable space on your resume do you want to use for that skill? Maybe your boss chooses you to serve on every company committee, from selecting recycling bins to leading a Lean initiative. Which of those committees actually align with the job you want now?

Your resume should show off your strengths, not hide them under a bushel of facts that do not match your own desires or a job’s requirements.

If you have a lot of accomplishments and cannot decide which one will result in a powerful resume, please contact me.

Just an Ordinary Everyday Person

Oct 01 2010

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.