October 10, 2024
12 Resume Accomplishment Examples to Help You Stand Out
When crafting a resume, many job seekers make the common mistake of merely listing their job duties and responsibilities without highlighting relevant accomplishments aligned with the job description.
This kind of resume is usually boring for hiring managers to read, so it might not even make it past the first round of screening.
In this article, we’ll explain how to highlight resume accomplishments and provide examples to help you stand out among the competition.
What are Resume Accomplishments?
Resume accomplishments are achievements from past jobs that show your skills and what you did well. They're not just about listing what you did; they're about showing how you succeeded.
Remember, accomplishments are things you can measure. Adding them to your resume helps you impress bosses and prove you can get results. They can be related to areas like:
- Revenue generation
- Cost savings
- Process improvements
- Project success
- Project leadership
- Customer satisfaction
- Awards or recognition
Importance of Listing Resume Accomplishment
Adding examples of your work achievements to your resume helps you stand out and show you can achieve big things. But it's not just about impressing bosses; it's also about:
- Showing how you can help the company with relevant examples.
- Making your resume more interesting and increasing your chances of getting an interview.
- Giving insight into your work style and how you achieve goals.
- Helping employers see why they should pick you for an interview over other candidates with similar qualifications but fewer unique skills or abilities.
Where to Include Resume Accomplishments?
Put your resume accomplishments in the experience section, next to your daily tasks. If you have many, you can also list them in the skills section. Your resume is like a story, so don't hide the exciting part—the things you've achieved!
How to Turn Job Responsibilities into Resume Accomplishments?
Responsibilities are what you did, like "managed social media." Accomplishments show how well you did it, like "increased Twitter followers by 30% in six months.
To give examples of work accomplishments, make them clear and measurable. Remember the SMART acronym for goal-setting:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Realistic
- Timely
When you set goals using SMART, your accomplishments become clearer! Instead of using vague terms like "leadership skills," show concrete numbers or percentages.
For example, talk about how employee satisfaction rates rose on your team or call-out rates decreased since you managed team members.
Examples of Resume Accomplishments
When writing about your work achievements, use strong action words and make sure they're SMART, as we discussed. Instead of just saying "I increased sales," say "I increased sales by 20% in six months."
Also, match your accomplishments to the job you're applying for by focusing on what's relevant in the job description.
Let’s take a look at different job positions and what kind of accomplishments you can highlight. Make these your own. Tailor them to your experience and the job you’re applying for.
1. Sales Manager
- Tripled team sales within nine months.
- Secured over $250,000 in new business in six months.
- Became the top performer among 150 salespeople within six months.
2. HR Manager
- Raised employee retention from 72% to 90%.
- Managed HR department operations daily after handling all hiring for three years.
- Introduced a successful wellness program, with 75% employee participation.
- Created recruiting campaigns generating 2 million organic impressions on Facebook and Twitter.
3. Business Analyst
- Finished 50 consulting projects across banking, telecom, and retail sectors.
- Headed the creation of a new financial reporting system, saving 90 hours monthly.
- Lowered inventory by 20% using better forecasting methods.
4. Customer Service
- Eliminated customer complaints by 53% through effective problem-solving and training of new staff.
- Awarded “Employee of the Month” for providing excellent customer service, resulting in a 20% increase in return customers.
5. Graphic Designer
- Boosted web traffic by 25% with creative design and promotion tactics.
- Featured designs on high-traffic websites, generating an extra $150,000 in revenue.
6. IT Manager
- Introduced a new CRM system, leading to a 15% sales boost.
- Helped create the company's first disaster recovery plan, preventing a potential $100,000 data loss.
- Cut server downtime by 20% with proactive maintenance procedures.
7. Marketing Manager
- Handled social media for global brands, doubling followers in nine months.
- Led a complete website overhaul, boosting traffic by 400%.
- Trimmed customer support emails by 40% with better product and shipping updates.
8. Software Engineer
- Launched five software products, earning over $600,000 in revenue within two years.
- Contributed to open-source projects downloaded more than 100,000 times.
- Received a patent for an invention used in several commercial products.
9. Executive Assistant
- Assisted the CEO of a Fortune 500 company in acquiring another company, saving millions in consulting and project management fees.
- Managed executive team calendars, reducing meeting time requirements by 25%.
- Reorganized filing systems for the executive department, saving approximately 15 hours per week.
10. Recruiter
- Used LinkedIn and Indeed to recruit top talent for the company.
- Managed a team that placed 98% of candidates in positions within 90 days.
11. Economics Professor
- Started a new inflation course with another professor to give students practical knowledge.
- Established a scholarship program for underprivileged economics students to attend college without debt.
- Designed a marketing campaign that boosted enrollment in the college’s most profitable course by 20%.
12. Hospital Administrator
- Implemented a new performance management program across the organization, increasing employee productivity by 30%.
- Negotiated the acquisition of five hospitals, saving the hospital network over $20 million annually by optimizing resources like staff, equipment, and supplies.
- Raised patient retention from 65% to 95% by leading a customer service initiative aimed at enhancing the patient experience.
Conclusion
It's crucial to highlight your achievements on your resume to impress employers. Show specific accomplishments with measurable results to demonstrate your impact in previous jobs.
Customize these achievements to match the job you're applying for, making your resume more effective. Use clear examples and numbers to show hiring managers why you're the best candidate."