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August 14, 2007

Resume Quick Tip: Emphasize Accomplishments on Your Resume

As part of Monster Career Advice’s Update Your Resume Week, we’re featuring a daily Resume Quick Tip from Monster Resume Expert Kim Isaacs.

Employers like to see you have a track record, so mention your top accomplishments early in your resume. Use your Objective section to briefly mention several key achievements, getting into the details in your Work History section.

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Posted by Brooke on August 14, 2007 at 09:49 AM in Update Your Resume Week | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)

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Comments

This article is excellent! I have been creating professional resumes since 1994 and over 90% of my clients have obtained excellent positions. One of the main reasons for my success is because I develop achievement focused resumes. The concept works and everyone has accomplished something important that hiring managers are seeking.

Nancy Hedrick
Owner
The Professional Edge Resume & Business Services
785.841.0190
nancyproedge@aol.com
www.proedgeresumes.com

Posted by: Nancy Hedrick | Aug 22, 2007 2:32:28 AM

I agree about the accomplishments on a resume. However, I found that I got more hits on my resume after I watered it down and removed the accomplishments but only emphasized skills. However, on the first interview discussing accomplishments, employers find excuses to exclude high performers. It is becoming a myth.

I have a Master's degree in Technology Management and lots of skills in computer applications that are in demand, web design and a broad base of other skills and experience with outstanding accomplishments. I have been looking for work in Maryland for a year and failed to get any work.

Then I moved to Greenville, SC hoping that with a lower concentration of skilled employees, I will have a chance. I have not found a job for over 3 years and while I believe it is my age, jobs ask for a lot of skills and knowledge but they are cheap and want to pay us like they pay offshore employees. Even for half the earnings I made, I can't find work.

A recruiter actually told me that my accomplishments make hiring managers feel intimadated. What do you do with accomplishments when you have to be hired by less accomplished managers? It had the reverse effect for me.

I have been in HR and hired myself. I did value accomplishments but most hiring managers are not trained to see the long term value of accomplishments in hiring new employees. Are they afraid or do they feel threatened?

When you are let go by companies 10 years before retirement age and can't get a job and there is no value to knowledge and experience. Where do you go? Can someone direct me to employers who value experienced employees who believe in continuing education and kept up skills and knowledge and new technology skills and get rejected?

Posted by: Anjalika Silva | Aug 22, 2007 8:34:01 PM

As a professional resume writer I can honestly say this is the best tip you can give an individual in the process of preparing their resume!! Achievements that showcase a candidate's resume are the biggest sway factors for employers when considering those to select for interviews. For a really strong impact consider including on your front page a Career Highlights section to really catch the employers eye. Also ensure that when developing your employment section that you give the employer a snapshot of both the challenges of each role and your quantifiable bottomline contributions.

Doing this in your resume will also help you clarify in your mind your past contributions ready for today's situational type interviews that you will probably face if you are successful at getting to the next stage. For a quick check of your resume try my resume checklist at www.careeredge.blogspot.com

Posted by: Jill Kelly, Certified Advanced Resume Writer | Aug 22, 2007 10:19:46 PM

As A recruiter, I have to agree about the accomplishments emphasis in a resume. Roo many of the resumes I recieve are more job descrptions than resumes.

I DO NOT like an objective section. The employer is not interested at the resume stage in what the candidate wants. The employer wants to kno what can he/she do for my company. A resume is an ad. That limited space should be spent on a summary of skills, or not put in at all.

Headhunter

Posted by: Headhunter1234 | Aug 24, 2007 9:44:04 AM

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