Accomplishments
Listen to the article
Here’s a synopsis of the skills you will learn in this Accomplishments segment:
- Understand that the hiring manager wants to hear about achievements and not skills, competencies, and responsibilities
- Accomplishments provide the best evidence of your competency
- Describing achievements by defining the challenge, issue, or problem; the action you took; and the results you achieved in that order
The importance of inserting something about your character – how you go about doing your job. This is what distinguishes you from every other candidate
I previously mentioned in Rules of the Road and in your Resume preparations (Written and Verbal) how important it is to present yourself in terms of accomplishments rather than a list of skillsets, titles, or responsibilities.
You may have an enviable GPA, or certification, or earned impressive job titles, but a hiring manager wants to know one thing: What have you accomplished – what have you delivered?
Accomplishments should be listed in a succinct way: Present the problem, challenge, or situation you faced; the action you took; and the results you achieved. All three elements are needed to tell the story. It is not enough to take part in the project or participate in the functional area. What was the outcome?
What happened is key. Whether it means you met your goals, exceeded the number of calls taken versus the calls projected, or you completed your objectives for your position on time, or before the projected dates, the result is the key.
What was your contribution? What was the result of your involvement? How did everything turn out? This is what a prospective employer wants to know.
Leading with your accomplishments also shows you are in touch with the big picture – that you understand the impact your work has on the overall organizational objectives and mission. This is an opportunity to discuss the details of the work you have done, including your ability to overcome obstacles and setbacks. Focus on character traits such as: Tenacity, problem solving, persistence, and patience.
When speaking about your accomplishments, inject an expression of your Three Key Strengths: Understanding the Big Picture, Creating Effective Working Relations, and your Work Ethics. These define how you perform your job and describe a picture of your character.
Speaking from your accomplishments is different than speaking from your experiences. It requires practice and listing all your accomplishments in one place. You will find exercises and examples for developing this list in future Source Blog entries.