5 Ways to Make Your Resume Stand Out with Select Achievements

As a career coach and consultant, I know that when it comes to job hunting, standing out from the crowd is essential to landing your next role. And when it comes to creating a standout resume, including Select Achievements, the accomplishments you made that show the value you bring to the table, is essential. But how do you identify which achievements to include on your resume?

5 Areas to Consider When Picking Select Achievements

Below are 5 areas to consider when identifying the Select Achievements to help you stand out on your resume:

1. Special projects or initiatives: Did you work on any projects or initiatives that were unique to your role or organization? Start the achievement bullet with a strong verb and the achievement, quantifying the impact of the project/initiative if possible. Example: Increased customer satisfaction scores 25% within 45 days as a direct result of leading cross-functional teams to implement new customer relationship management (CRM) system.

2. Awards or recognitions: Did you receive any awards or recognitions for your work? Be sure to include them on your resume to showcase your skills and expertise. Example: Received Employee of the Year award for exceptional performance and leadership while directing a skeleton crew during Covid-19 pandemic shutdowns (2020).
   

3. Implementations and improvements: Did you implement any new processes, procedures, systems, or technologies that improved efficiency or productivity? Quantify the impact of the implementation or improvement to help show your value. Example: Streamlined onboarding process for new employee, reducing onboarding time from seven weeks down to two weeks, while also increasing employee satisfaction as a result of clearly defining onboarding requirements and enhancing communication between cross-functional teams
   

4. Unique tasks and responsibilities: What tasks or responsibilities were unique to your role that no one else might have done in the same position? Were you selected to sit on a committee or take on additional responsibilities outside of the scope of your role? Highlight these areas to show you are more than just a job title. Example: Selected to leverage digital marketing background and serve as the liaison between marketing and sales departments, resulting in a 15% increase in sales revenue.
   

5. Superpowers and/or collaborations: What are your superpowers!? Who did you collaborate with to get things done? Highlight these skills and show your audience exactly what you are capable of. Example: Collaborated with department heads to recover $40K and generate additional $10K in savings after reconciling neglected financial ledgers.

A few other things to consider when it comes to your Select Achievements

• Choose your achievements carefully: Include those that are most relevant to the job you’re applying for.

• Be specific: Vague statements like “increased sales” or “improved productivity” don’t tell your audience much about what you’ve achieved. Instead, use numbers and metrics to quantify your accomplishments. Can't remember the metric? A close guesstimate is better than no number at all.

• Use action verbs: Start each achievement statement with a strong action verb that emphasizes your active role in the accomplishment. Some examples of action verbs to include on your resume are: “created”, “led”, or “managed". When it comes to your Select Achievements, make the verbs even stronger: "spearheaded", "eliminated", "reduced", “implemented”, or “improved. This not only makes your resume more engaging to read, but it also shows that you’re a proactive problem solver who can take initiative.

By showcasing your Select Achievements and demonstrating your value on your resume, you can and will stand out from the competition and demonstrate your value to the employer.

Kathy Hubler is a Career and Development Coach at Ladies Against the Grain, where she specializes in helping women in the food, service, and hospitality industries to find freedom, energy, and a zest for life through a career they love! Kathy is a Certified Life Coach (CLC), prior to that she worked in some of the world’s best restaurants in New York City after getting her associate’s degree from The Culinary Institute of America and a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University, specializing in the yummiest scholarly topic ever, “The Science and Culture of Foods of Italy.” Reach out to Kathy to get the support you need to move your career forward. Just fill out the no-obligationWork With Kathy form to schedule a FREE, 30-minute Discovery Call to see how she can help you reach your career goals.