How to Write Achievement-Based Resume Bullet Points

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Work accomplishments are measurable and unique to a job seeker’s experience

In a resume, job applicants should focus on their work accomplishments, which give them a leg up over other job seekers. Quantifiable achievements are those that a potential employer can measure and relate to your experience. They go beyond what you may have done on a daily basis. Examples of measurable accomplishments include the number of people you managed, the percentage of improvement you made in each, the number of calls you made on average each day, or the dollar amount you brought in from sales. These quantitative metrics can give job seekers a 40% advantage over their competition.

If a job seeker is a teacher, social worker, or nurse, then work accomplishments aren’t as quantifiable as those in other fields. However, since these types of positions deal with people on a daily basis, employers want to hire people who are capable of achieving concrete results. Using numbers to highlight your accomplishments will show hiring managers exactly what you’re capable of.

To help a job applicant stand out among other candidates, the work accomplishments section of their resume should be titled in a way that highlights their skills and experience. Employers want employees who are professional and dedicated to their job. Examples of measurable accomplishments include:

achievements

 

Work accomplishments should also be listed in terms of quantitative achievements. In a resume, a quantifiable goal should be listed in your resume. For example, you can state that you helped improve the business’s strategies and increased revenue by $3 million in a year. Alternatively, you can state that you improved the company’s bottom line by implementing better business practices.

The best way to showcase your achievements is to include them on your resume. Although most employers know what their previous employees have done, accomplishments are unique statistics that show how you did it. These achievements are a clear indication of past performance and a result-oriented attitude. These accomplishments stand out in a resume because they are unique to the job seeker. When an employer reads your resume, it will be easier for them to judge how much value you add to the company.

They should be listed under employment history

Achievement-based resume bullets should be listed underneath your employment history. You can include these in the summary statement, as well as in the experience section, if you have a long career. Here are some ideas for how to list achievement-based bullets on a resume:

achievement bullet

Use bullets to highlight your achievements and skills. Bullets help your reader understand your progression throughout your career. Make sure to include essential keywords. When listing achievements, you should avoid using paragraph format. Instead, write short one or two-sentence blurbs about your top accomplishments. Your resume will be much more readable and will get the attention of the employer if it is organized this way.

If you’ve worked as a student, include details about your activities and achievements. Academic work, for example, is considered experience. Including more information about your activities will make your resume stand out from other applicants. You may also wish to list your accomplishments under your employment history section if they were particularly impressive. These accomplishments might have occurred outside of the workplace. Senior-level career professionals can also use this section to highlight their accomplishments.

entry level

Adding achievements to your resume will give your employer an insight into your future goals. Instead of listing job duties, list achievements instead. Your accomplishments will impress the recruiter more than your job descriptions ever could. So, make sure you include accomplishment-based bullets under employment history. They will make your resume scannable and more likely to get hired. For example, if you held several different roles in the same company, list each one separately. Having different bullets for each role gives the recruiter more space to scan and choose from.

The key to writing achievement-based bullets is to list your main accomplishments. These should focus on a specific business outcome. It is best to list your biggest professional win, and the one that has made you the most proud of your work. Then, you can use the PAR formula – Problem-Action-Result – to make every responsibility sound like an accomplishment. It will also be easier to check each accomplishment.

Include awards and honors. For example, if you were a graduate, you might include your graduation summa cum laude, as well as an industry award. Similarly, if you had worked outside of school, you should list any awards you have won. Be sure to note the date that you received the award. This will show your employer that you still have skills that will help your company succeed.

Bullets should be easy to read. Bullet points should be no longer than two or three lines. Ensure that bullets are consistent with the rest of the resume. Bullets should start with a capital letter, but you can use a full stop at the end if the bullet points are full sentences. Also, try to keep the length consistent throughout the resume. If it is possible, add a brief summary of each achievement under a subsection titled “Key accomplishment.”

They should be accompanied by an action verb, task, and metric

When creating your bullets, it’s important to make sure that each one is accompanied by an action verb, task, or metric, which will make the accomplishment seem more impressive. Use success verbs such as improved, increased, and reduced to illustrate your accomplishments. To make them more striking, include a specific metric, such as a number, if they are a quantitative metric.

When creating bullet points for your resume, include a job description and five or six bullet points, as most hiring managers read resumes quickly and will skip over paragraphs. When writing a resume, include as much information as possible, focusing on the most impressive aspects. In a scientific career, quantify your work and accomplishments with hard data. Include as many action-packed bullet points as possible, but keep it brief.

The heart of your Work Experience section is comprised of powerful action verbs. The first few bullets of the Work Experience section should include strong action verbs. To help you find powerful action verbs, check out action-based resume samples online. They contain examples of their use and can be used in both the past and present tense for past and current jobs.

For example, you may have written an article about your best work in a team. A good way to quantify this is to use the SAR formula (Situation-Action-Result). The SAR formula makes every single responsibility sound like an accomplishment. The next time you’re writing a resume, don’t forget to include an action verb, task, and metric.

verbs

Use a powerful action verb for the first bullet in your work experience section. Action verbs are effective for describing the type of work you’ve done. Describe how you’ve helped others by using action verbs. You can also describe your personal skills, such as flexibility. You can also use action verbs to describe your customer service skills. If you’ve been the customer service representative for a company, you can emphasize this fact in your resume.

When writing accomplishment-based resume bullets, keep in mind that they’re most effective when you use measurable, concrete data instead of vague statistics. While responsibilities are generally a common part of a job, accomplishments are unique to you. Unlike duties, these statistics stand out more visually and increase the likelihood of being read by potential employers. So, if you’re trying to attract a hiring manager, use accomplishment-based bullets instead of responsibilities.

Conclusion

When writing a resume, it’s important to include as much information as possible in order to stand out from the competition. In a scientific career, this means quantifying your work and accomplishments with hard data. Use powerful action verbs and measurable, concrete data to illustrate your achievements. Make sure that you list any awards or accolades you’ve received, as well as the date they were given. This will show potential employers that you still have skills that will help them succeed. The heart of your Work Experience section should be composed of powerful action verbs and bullet points. Keep your bullets brief but packed with impactful information. When creating accomplishment-based resume bullets, remember to use success verbs and specific metrics whenever possible. Finally, make sure to conclude by reiterating the importance of including all this information on your resume in order to increase your chances of being hired for the job of your dreams!

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