6 Accomplishment Statements
Before we move into your resume layout we’re going to talk about the core of your resume, the accomplishment statement. These are sentences that explain what you did, why, how, or for who you did it, and what the impact of it was. The most popular formats are:
- Situation, Task, Action, Result (STAR)
- Challenge, Actions, Results (CAR)
- Result, Action, Situation (Reverse)
Here’s a method you can use to create your own accomplishment statements:
Regardless of how you write your accomplishment statements you need to make sure that it shows what impact you had, this could be your impact on the organization as a whole, on a department you were in, on the finances of the organization, on clients or customers, or even on your colleagues. They should include specific words from the job posting if possible and should demonstrate your technical and transferable skills. Including quantifiable information in your accomplishment statements makes them more helpful for employers to understand your skills and abilities.
Exercises
Exercise: Creating Accomplishment Statements
Using the format just explained write three accomplishment statements for your resume.
- One based on something you did at work.
- One based on something you did in school.
- One based on something you did in a volunteer role or with friends.
Refer back to what you learned about yourself during the self-assessment chapter for ideas and remember that the goal is to demonstrate your impact.
