Tips for Writing Accomplishments on Your Resume or LinkedIn for International Update Your Resume Month

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Reviewing a resume

It’s International Update Your Resume Month. When’s the last time you updated that jawn? It’s time, isn’t it? Seriously, make time for what’s important.

Every September, at a minimum, you need to engage in career management because it is International Update Your Resume Month. This is your reminder!

Reflect on your accomplishments in the past year. Can you quantify any of them with dollars, percentages, or a number?

This time of reflection may also help you prepare for your end-of-year performance review or get ready for your next success story when you engage in this cognitive process.

Did you attend or speak at any conferences, receive any awards and honors, write anything significant, file for a patent, complete a certification or degree?

No one can toot your horn better than you can. Companies want you to help them make money, save money, or save time.

Here are some ways listed below you might frame your accomplishments.

Accomplishment Stories ( STAR Method)

  • Situation – Describe the situation you were involved in
  • Task – Describe the task you had to complete
  • Action – Describe the specific actions taken to accomplish the task
  • Result – Describe the results of your actions and include anything that is quantifiable

Accomplishment Stories (SOAR Method)

  • Situation
  • Obstacle
  • Action
  • Result

Accomplishment Stories (PAR Method)

  • Problem
  • Action
  • Result

Accomplishment Stories (CAR Method)

  • Challenge
  • Action
  • Result

Accomplishment Stories (PARADE Method):

  • Problem
  • Anticipated Consequence
  • Role
  • Action
  • Decision-making Rationale
  • End Result

When you write your accomplishments in bullet points under your work experience, you will start with a verb in the appropriate tense. Here is a list of over 300 verbs you can use and how to might mix present and past tense in your current job.

To make your text more skimmable and scannable, make your bullet points one or two lines. Bullet points are not paragraphs that are punctuated (i.e., no period goes at the end). These mini headlines need to be short points to catch the reader’s attention.

When the bullet points are copied and pasted into LinkedIn, add white space between the bullet points so the numbers will pop out more to the human eye, and people can skim and scan before they decide if they will read carefully.

Make sure you copy and paste those bullet points from Word and not Google Docs as they will look a lot better. Trust me! I know this from experience.

I hope these tips help you when updating your resume! So, be like Larry the Cable Guy and Git-R-Done!

Missed the previous article The Great Resignation and Tips for Updating LinkedIn? Read it here.

To register for the events below, visit the events page on the #GreatCareersPHL website and follow that hashtag too!

  • 9/24 Fri – Interviewing Techniques
  • 9/24 Fri – Job Seeker Power Hour: Job Search & an Inclusive Workplace Culture & Allyship
  • 9/27 Mon – Live LinkedIn Profile Reviews
  • 9/27 Mon – How to Navigate Intergenerational Communication Barriers During the Interview Process
  • 9/28 Tues – Put Your Dream to the Test
  • 9/28 Tues – Business Executives Networking Group (BENG)
  • 9/29 Wed – PowerThinking: Rejuvenating Your Amazing Mind Resilience Building Call
  • 9/30 Thurs – Career Success Group
  • 10/1 Fri – Interviewing Techniques
  • 10/1 Fri –
  • 10/1 Fri – Business Executives Networking Group (BENG)
  • 10/4 Mon – Career Success Group
  • 10/4 Mon – Virtual Job Seeker Support Group
  • 10/4 Mon – How to Show Up as an Expert Using LinkedIn

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