Sample achievement and innovation in occupation

Resume accomplishments are work achievements that are both measurable and unique to a job seeker’s experience. These accomplishments on a resume are different than duties or responsibilities in that duties and responsibilities are similar for any employee in a similar role, which accomplishments are unique, provable statistics.

Using resume accomplishments in place of responsibilities makes the most out of resume space by showing the hiring manager that you are results-driven and have a history of going beyond the expected requirements. Unlike many employees, you actively work to make improvements and create an impact within the company.

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Where to include resume accomplishments

You can list your accomplishments in a few sections of your resume. Your work experience should absolutely include your achievements. Also, your resume summary statement sounds more professional and impressive if it includes measurable accomplishments. 

But what if you are a recent graduate? If you recently graduated and don’t have an abundance of experience to share on your resume, the volunteer section should include achievements. Also, projects and internships offer opportunities to share your accomplishments.

How to write resume accomplishments

It can be challenging to sit down and actually lay out your resume accomplishments. To start generating ideas for your summary of accomplishments, ask yourself the following questions:

• Did I make or save the company money? If so, exactly how much?
• Did I reach my goals quickly? If so, what was the exact time period?
• Did I exceed my goals often? If so, to what degree?

When answering these questions, think primarily in terms of money and time. High-quality resume accomplishments are quantifiable and measurable. Dollar amounts, timespans, volume, and percentages are all great ways to quantify your accomplishments on a resume.

Consider the CAR formula if you get stuck. CAR stands for Challenge, Action, and Result. Every accomplishment should include the problem or challenge, the action you took, and the stellar result of your hard work. You can also invert this formula by leading with the result. Starting a sentence with a dollar figure or percentage will garner more attention.

Make sure your accomplishments are taken seriously by including context when possible. “Saved $100,000” doesn’t mean much on its own. “Saved $100,000 year over year” is an improvement but still doesn’t paint a complete picture. “Saved $100,000 YoY, decreasing operating budget by 52%” is better.

Along with measurable results, resume keywords can make resume accomplishments stand out. Reference the job posting to figure out which keywords the hiring manager will be looking for most.

Looking for more information on resume accomplishments?

• What To Do When You Don’t Have Numbers for Your Accomplishments
• The Simple Formula for Identifying Your Key Achievements on a Resume

1. Maintained a 97% satisfaction rating over a 24-month period as a customer care representative.
2. Exceeded retail sales goals by an average of 17% every quarter in 2016.
3. Cut data processing time by 50% by building a new cloud data infrastructure, leading to more timely insights.
4. Created a company culture initiative that raised employee satisfaction rates by 25% YoY.
5. Raised employee retention rates by 15% over a 5-year period by implementing a tiered interview system and organizing a minimum of 2 team outings per quarter.
6. Hired and managed a team of 6 data scientists to successfully deploy a new data processing platform ahead of schedule.
7. Organized the company’s annual international summit, including flights, accommodations, and itineraries for more than 30 attendees.
8. Grew email subscriber list from 300 to 2,000 in 8 months without expanding the monthly budget.
9. Reduced time spent on inventory by 20% by reorganizing the physical storage of supplies.
10. Organized quarterly volunteer projects with upwards of 50 volunteers per event.
11. Digitized company’s internal microfilm library of more than 5,000 files.
12. Scheduled and staffed coaching sessions for 70 weekly athletics classes.
13. Directed 25 events per year, including complex public events with more than 20,000 attendees.
14. Managed and deployed profitable Facebook ad campaigns with a monthly budget of $20,000.
15. Worked with the CEO to analyze 10+ technology systems in place and worked to consolidate them into a new system that encompassed all programs needed to reach business needs.
16. Assisted head teacher in overseeing and educating 18 students for three months.
17. Created an SEO strategy that improved organic search traffic to the corporate blog by 58% YoY.
18. Provided exemplary in-home non-medical care for more than 15 senior citizens during my 4-year tenure, for which I won “Caregiver of the Month” on 4 occasions.
19. Published 6 scholarly articles in esteemed legal online publications on topics related to bankruptcy litigation over a 12-month period.
20. Exceeded partner development sign-on goals by 20% in Q1 2018.
21. As the company’s primary sales representative, I expanded the start-up’s client base by 60% in a 3-month period.
22. Collected and analyzed 10 different types of bacteria from the Kenyan Wetlands of Lake Nakuru.
23. Implemented a bi-weekly meeting with 9 other department heads to discuss goals, updates, and challenges, increasing productivity across departments by 20% YoY.
24. Developed a comprehensive student submission system for final exam projects in the University’s online portal, accessible by more than 3,000 students.
25. Increased shipping times by 100% by implementing computerized inventory and ticketing systems.
26. Created a 20-page training manual from scratch and led bi-weekly training sessions for new tour guides.
27. Performed an average of 15 real estate showings per week on upscale properties worth between $700,000 and $2 million.
28. Gave final approval on more than 50 pieces of new curriculum in the foreign languages department during the Spring semester of 2017.
29. Implemented company-wide work from home policy, resulting in an 87% increase in employee satisfaction, a 21% increase in productivity, and a 38% decrease in PTO usage.
30. Went above my duties as office administrator to implement a filing system for human resources, organizing more than 300 past and current employee documents.
31. Chosen for the team lead on 15 design projects in 2016, 30% more projects led than any other team members.
32. Received 2 promotions, from co-management to director-level, in less than 12-months.
33. Facilitated the opening of 250 new customer bank accounts in 2015.
34. Created 32 new blog posts, eBooks, and landing pages, making up 30% of the company’s online content.
35. Headed up a laboratory sleep study with 5 other research scientists in which we studied 25 participants with sleep apnea.
36. Set up and trained staff of 15 on how to use Microsoft Azure platform for cloud computing purposes.
37. Grew working capital by 30% in 6 months, allowing the company to take advantage of better resources for continued growth.
38. Reimagined business development strategy to include a 20% increase in Salesforce, resulting in $550M in increased profits YoY.
39. Steered company through a complicated re-organization, resulting in a 75% increase in profits with minimal employee turnover.

Resume accomplishments FAQs

What is a work accomplishment?

A work accomplishment is anything that you achieved or a goal you reached that you can include in your resume.

What are examples of accomplishments?

Your accomplishments can span scholarships, awards, certifications, goals you reached at your previous roles, and much more. Anything that you’ve worked hard to achieve can be included as an accomplishment, especially if those goals are measurable.

How do I turn job duties into accomplishments?

To turn job duties into accomplishments, try to make them measurable. Was there a percentage increase in satisfaction? Were you able to increase followers or engagement on social media? Try to calculate the numbers to really impress hiring managers.

Should you include awards on a resume?

If the awards are relevant to the position you are applying to, you should definitely include awards on your resume.

What can I put for awards on a resume?

You can include awards such as goals you reached within your role (again, especially if they are measurable). Also, you can include things such as certifications, industry awards you received, and scholarships.

Check for accomplishments on your resume

Want to test your resume for accomplishments? Jobscan’s resume optimization tool analyzes your resume for measurable results among many other checks. Give it a try below—just copy and paste your resume and job description! And if you’d like even more help, check out our free resume templates.