7 Keys To Describe Your Achievements… Know Any More?
It’s amazing how many people can’t describe their achievements in order to maximize its impact. Whether its in a resume or in a job interview, your ability to describe your achievements is a critical factor for success.
So many people underplay their achievements! Question is, do YOU?
Are you submitting your resume for that job you want, or even need? Or perhaps you’re preparing for an interview? What about setting up your profile in LinkedIn to search the hidden job market?
When you finally get the opportunity to talk about what you have achieved, it’s an opportunity you won’t want to waste. I’ve pulled together 7 keys to guide you on describing your achievements for maximum impact.
1. Clarify Your Involvement in the Achievement: Use powerful words that describe your contribution. For example, ‘created’, ‘reorganized’ or ‘established’. Passive statements like ‘did’, ‘performed’ or ‘was involved in’ don’t indicate your level of involvement – they’re worthless, so don’t use them.
2. Describe a Start, Middle and End: mention the starting conditions, such as ‘poor performance’, ‘high costs’, ‘unpalatable risk’, and follow with a statement on what you made happen (the project, change initiative, etc), and cap it off with the result – was the desired outcome achieved?
3. Quantify the Achievement: use numbers and hard measures where you can. For example, say ‘saved $50,000′ rather than ‘saved operating costs’. The more specific you are, the greater the value of your statement of achievement. In almost all cases, a percentage value has a higher-impact than an absolute number. In some cases, what might look like a minor achievement, when quantified, it could be a major achievement as perceived by others.
4. Don’t Forget Over-Achievement!: If you set out to save $50,000, but instead saved $60,000, then make sure this is known. So many people forget to do this.
5. Indicate Your Personal Award: Some achievements warrant special reward, so mention them. If you were promoted, or awarded a bonus, then add it into your statement of achievement.
6. Include details of challenging circumstances: If the achievement was tough due to business events or conditions, then make sure you say what they were. It’s important to describe any challenges you faced. For example, if there were many layoffs in your organization whilst you were tasked with improving team morale, then make these conditions clear.
7. State the Effect of the Achievement, 360-degree style: Describe the achievement not just from your own perspective; also describe what it meant for your colleagues, subordinates, management and customers (where appropriate.) Don’t forget to quantify the effect for each of these groups of people too.
How Do You Describe Your Achievements?
Have you an effective or unusual way of describing your achievements? Then share your thoughts by leaving a comment.
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About the Author: Simon is a creative and passionate IT Leader dedicated to innovation and personal development
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Job Openings | Aug 12, 2009 | Reply
It is hard to highlight one’s achievements without sounding arrogant sometimes- this post provides wonderful tips. thanks
simonstapleton | Aug 12, 2009 | Reply
Thanks Marlito for your compliment. Quite true, I hadn’t mentioned the arrogance point.
Asif Shah | Aug 12, 2009 | Reply
Thanks for these valuable tips Simon. Very useful for my next performance appraisal. I won’t be bragging… just stating facts with your help!
simonstapleton | Aug 12, 2009 | Reply
Hi Asif – sure, bragging doesn’t come into it! Fact is if you don’t sell yourself by articulating your achievements well, then the achievements haven’t really achieved anything, if you get my meaning
Michael Cruse | Aug 20, 2009 | Reply
I think most people completely blow it on #3. Many applicants I have interviewed over the years completely fail in quantifying the results they achieved. At the end of every project I always attempt to quantify my results. If nothing else this gives me a benchmark for my next project and annual review time.
On a cautionary note, be sure your quantifiable results are reasonable and supportable. While working for a small company it is tough to say that you saved the company $5 million on a change in the spam filtering technology. Always make sure it passes reasonability factor.
It is kind of funny, I challenged one applicant on a claim in an interview, and he had supporting evidence in his bag. I thought what a truly outstanding idea for supporting a truly extraordinary accomplishment.
simonstapleton | Aug 20, 2009 | Reply
Hi Michael – that is a really great point. To be frank, the number we quantify doesn’t need to be 100% accurate in interviews – a best estimate will do – it’s tough to check. I am not suggesting a lie though – as you say it has to be supported with the ‘how’ and pass the reasonability factor.
The supporting evidence is a real interview winner, isn’t it?
Travis | Oct 25, 2009 | Reply
Incredible. It’s amazing how just a few simple vocabulary words (as described in #1) can amplify your achievements that much.
simonstapleton | Oct 25, 2009 | Reply
@Travis – thanks for leaving a comment! Is this something you do yourself?