We've all been there - staring at a blank resume thinking "but what did I even DO at that job..."

Becca Carnahan

December 13,2021 at 3:10PM UTC

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We've all been there - staring at a blank resume thinking "but what did I even DO at that job..."

The worst part about this is that staring at that blank resume can really hit your confidence too. You start to think maybe your skills aren't transferable, no one is going to want to hire you, or that you're stuck.

The good news is NONE of that true, but I get the concern. Explaining what you did in a job to someone else in a compelling way can be challenging.

Here's what you can do to fix this though.

1) Start an accomplishment tracker spreadsheet. This can be a simple Google sheet that lists your job title, your company, and an accomplishment you're proud of. Include the who, what, where, when, and how in your write-up. Don't worry about this looking pretty, just take notes.

2) Turn those accomplishments (the ones you tracked, or the ones you're thinking of right now as you reflect back) into PAR statements. What Problem did you solve, what Actions did you take, what Results did you drive?

3) Look at your performance reviews! There's often a treasure trove of greatness in those old documents that highlight what you accomplished and why you rock.

What advice do you have for someone struggling with resume writing?

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AnonymousDecember 13,2021 at 7:22PM UTC
I love this! For someone struggling to write a resume, I believe it would be good to also check out other sample resumes in your industry to get a feel for how others wrote about their experience/accomplishments in a similar role. If there is a certain role in mind that you're crafting your resume for, then I would research what a good transitional resume format could be for you in your current role to the new role you seek. For example, if you worked as a police officer and you'd like to make the jump into a fraud analyst for a company, maybe you could explore symmetry between the two roles. The job description of the new role in question is a great way to see what adjectives / action keywords that you could extract and apply in your new resume write up (only highlight skills that paint the true picture of your ability, never exaggerate or lie if you know you don't have the skill developed yet). There's also a few free resume writing workshops and tools out there that can help you craft a resume. If you have the funds, you could also explore working with a great & credible resume writer.
Sabrina CortesDecember 14,2021 at 12:03AM UTC
These are some great ideas! One of the services that I offer as a Resume Writer is a Free Resume Review. That's also very helpful in looking where to fix some areas of your resume. Many other resume companies offer this free service. :)
FlossyDecember 14,2021 at 1:45PM UTC
Look at co workers linked in profiles. They may have done the heavy lifting for you. Change their list to reflect your actually results.
Take the job description you are applying for and build your bullets as they match what you did at that job.
April Donnell-SurgantDecember 14,2021 at 2:13PM UTC
Another idea would be to find the job posting and get an idea of what was originally expected of the role. Also, adds some really good talking points at performance reviews when you realize you are doing more items or other duties not originally listed.
AnonymousDecember 14,2021 at 2:30PM UTC
Great feedback and very useful!
GirlBossanova934974December 14,2021 at 2:45PM UTC
Use your old annual performance reviews and weekly progress report updates if you have used them. Also it is also a great idea to keep an updated resume online and/or in MS Word format on your home computer. One never knows when a great opportunity might come along from a recruiter or 2. Recruiters cannot find unless you are out there.......
AnonymousDecember 14,2021 at 3:28PM UTC
I may use the PAR statement process for my performance review this year because I am looking at my goals like what DID I accomplish this year??? Thanks for sharing.
AnonymousDecember 15,2021 at 1:30AM UTC
Getting a handful of eyes / particularly those in a similar industry / role as the one you're trying to use your resume for is also very helpful to put your accomplishments in the kind of framing that will be in the language of your intended audience!