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Friday Fiver: Don't waste months of sending out resumes without making sure you have an achievement and action-based version.

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Friday Fiver: Don't waste months of sending out resumes without making sure you have an achievement and action-based version. After being laid off, I updated my resume but used the same format as previous positions. The result, I was getting hit-or-miss responses so I kept changing the format and tailoring the verbiage based on the job descriptions. I learned later that my bullet points reflected what I did but not what I achieved.

I continued to hone my resume for months until having a coffee conversation with a friend who is a recruiter She reviewed my resume and said simply, you're someone whose made an impact in your positions but you're not including those achievements.

We have to get over the fear of 'bragging' and be proud of our accomplishments. I kept each bullet point to a single line and I learned that's not required. Have 2 or 3 lines per bullet point and use the STAR method or a condescend version to discuss that situation, what you did and the result. That way, ,while hiring managers or recruiters are scanning your resume, they view a candidate who can make a difference especially in higher-level roles.

This conversation resulted in finally writing resumes that are receiving better results. I wish this wasn't at the end of January but back in June. I'm now in final rounds with companies that are more in-line with my goals. Changing my narrative resulted in interviews where I can see myself having a career at the company rather than applying for anything to find a job.

I wanted to share my story as illustrating what you accomplished rather than a bulleted list that everyone provides changes the conversation. Happy Friday and enjoy the weekend!

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  1. Sophie Rose

    Thanks for the tips!

  2. Anonymous

    You're welcome!

  3. Joyce Breitweiser Hall

    I’m familiar with STAR, but don’t remember what it stands for, would you please elaborate?

  4. Constance Wells

    Hi Joyce! STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result.

  5. Joyce Breitweiser Hall

    Thank you!

  6. Anonymous

    Situation, Task, Action, Result

  7. Anonymous

    Joyce, there are a lot of great article on the internet that go into further detail (providing an example from Columbia University https://bit.ly/2GCqtjQ but I'm glad to provide an overview.

    STAR stand for situation, task, action and result. You can apply the same method when sharing examples during interviews to provide a targeted strategy or story.

    On a resume it's more condensed into situation / task followed by your actions and the result. Utilize actions words to start bullet points and that helps strengthen your ideas and formulate them into accomplishments.

  8. Anonymous

    Always LOVE looking at an action based resume. You are spot on when you have a resume that shows responsibilities but to add the metrics and results is truly a fully rounded candidate. To attach that to the people skills is key.

  9. Anonymous

    Thank you, Anonymous. It's made a difference to my search. What I didn't expect was the change in interviews as well. Recruiters are asking questions about those experiences rather than the generic first interviews. They are harder questions but I feel it helps stand out from other applicants rather than the usual first round format. I've moved forward a lot faster in the interview process and making strides in my search.

  10. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist

    YOU SAID: "We have to get over the fear of 'bragging' and be proud of our accomplishments."

    I always tell my candidates "if you don't tell them, who will?"

    You're not going for subtlety in resumes. You want to smack them over the head with your experience so they say "We need to talk to this person!"

  11. Anonymous

    Love this, Joan! You're right, we have to be our own cheerleader. It's funny as I thought I was doing everything right based on past job searchers.

    Now that I'm applying for a higher-level positions, my resume needs to tell my story in terms of how my experience would help the company. Now more than ever candidates need to stand out from the crowd.

  12. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist

    Yes! If you've made a company money or saved a company money make sure it's on your resume. Any accomplishments you can quantify should be on there.

    Good luck in your search!

  13. Anonymous

    Wow this is great information. I will definitely be revising my resume accordingly!

  14. Anonymous

    Glad I could help! I wasted so much time and effort utilizing a good but not great resume that I wish I could go back and start again. Job searching is a learning curve and I hope my story helps others avoid my mistakes,

  15. Sandy Nagel

    Thank you and good luck on finding the career for you. And it's not bragging if it's true.

  16. Anonymous

    Thank you Sandy! Exactly but I feel job seekers, especially women are hesitant to be their own cheerleader and proud of their accomplishments. While it's important to be a team player, as Joan mentioned you 'want to smack them over the head with your experience' showing that you're the best candidate.

  17. Kat

    But what if your "accomplishments" don't seem/feel that impressive? Is "streamlining a file archive process to increase storage space" really going to get me hired? Will "decreasing office supply costs by 50%" matter to anyone reading my resume? Or the fact that I create data bases for various purposes? I want to put what I've done into a more "action oriented" format (above are similar to what's in my profile here) instead of just the typical laundry list of duties. But it's hard to find a way to make what I do sound marketable/impressive, even if I try to put in some context. Admin support keeps things running smoothly, but isn't the easiest thing to make my resume stand out.

  18. Susan Myers

    You are absolutely right it is hard to detail Admin Support but a company can not run effectively with out us. You are the mother/den mother of all the employees from the top down and often have more insight to what is truly happening in the company.

    If you haven't read through the rest of the replies, please do so - the STAR method is so important to helping you re-create your resume.

    And yes, decreasing office expenses by 50% is important. TSo often there are many other areas/departments out of whack with spending and analyzing those areas could be helpful!! I reviewed all the contracts for all services throughout a company that I was part of for many years and ended up finding savings of over $600,000 for one year and kept the spending in line for several years after that.

    It is so hard to be your own cheerleader, I know because I am one who is fearful of sounding all than that and better than. Move in faith and courage! Best of luck.

  19. Anonymous

    OP: Every candidate's experience and journey is unique and that's the messaging you want to get across. in your action based resume The JD requirements are perquisites but what else can you show that separates you from your competition?

    I would brainstorm a list of what you do and next to it, your achievements. Don't second guess yourself, jot down anything that comes to mind. After compiling, underline the ones that you feel are the most impressive and transform your bullet points. What you're discounting as admin, you're providing the foundation for the company to succeed.

    In addition if you saved the company 50% in supply costs, that should be added. You're someone whose made an impact. You didn't just do the job, you cut cost, connected and increased cross-departmental communication and restructured systems to be more efficient. We tend to disregarding our contribution reframing our story to showcase what value we provide companies is key to stand out from your competition. Good luck!

  20. Anonymous

    Thank you for sharing this! Could you also share an example of a before / after of a bullet point that you transformed into an achievement?

  21. Lisa Bohm Klein

    Thank you for this!

  22. Uzo

    Wow, that's great. Congratulations on your accomplishments, and thank you for sharing the tips.

  23. Lesa Edwards, Career Coach & Master Resume Writer

    One change I recommend as a Master Resume Writer: Lead with the result.

    Rather than: "Revised floorplan to increase efficiency 20%"

    "Increased efficiency 20% by revising floorplan."

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