Make Your Resume Accomplishment Statements as Specific as Possible

Tips on Finding a Job >> List Your Specific Accomplishments

Pop quiz. In terms of resume accomplishments, what's the difference between managing "a lot" of projects and managing 73 projects over a three-year period? Give up? The difference is specifics.

The second accomplishment is much more specific than the first, and it could make the difference between securing or losing a job opportunity. Keep this in mind when you're working your resume accomplishment statements. The more specific you can be, the stronger your resume will be.

Why? Several reasons:

• Specific accomplishments are more concrete and believable than general statements.
• Specific numbers stand out on a resume. In fact, they stand out in any kind of written document. That's why advertisers use numbers all the time (like Listerine killing 99% of germs).
• By providing specific information, you're also showing potential employers that you are a detail-oriented person. And detail-oriented is always a good thing.

This is why I always tell people to keep a work journal or "job log" near their work desk. I've always had one of these little notebooks, and I actually made it a requirement for the people I managed. Every time they would complete a big project or some other form of accomplishment, I would tell them to write it down in their work journals.

The conversation would go something like this:

• Me: "Be sure to write that accomplishment down in your work journal?"
• Employee: "Why do I need to do that?"
• Me: "Because later on, when you ask me for a raise, you'll have something to back it up with. You can also use your journal to create accomplishment statements on your future resumes."
• Employee: "But I'm not looking for a job. I like it here."
• Me: "And we like having you here, and hope to keep you for a long time. But I would be failing as a manager if I didn't help you prepare for your future -- whether it's with this company or some other company."

Eventually, the light bulb would turn on, and they would see the value of a work journal. Without one, it's difficult to create specific accomplishment statements on a new resume. But with such a journal, it's simply a matter of transferring details from the notebook onto your resume.

That's good advice for going forward. But what about here in the present? What if you don't have a work journal to help with your resume? You can still create specific accomplishment statements, you'll just have to do more homework to gather the details. You might have to contact former coworkers or employers for input, or dig through some old paperwork (including your previous performance evaluations). But the end result is worth it. Your resume will be much stronger if you include specific accomplishments.

Here are some areas where you can get specific in your resume statements:

• The number of people you supervised, managed, trained, etc.
• The amount of money you saved the company through your actions.
• The amount of revenue you generated through your actions.
• The number of clients or customers you served.
• The number and types of equipment you maintained, managed, etc.
• Any other numbers relating to accomplishments.

Keeping track of your accomplishments can certainly help you write a stronger resume, but it helps in other areas as well. For example, asking for an increase in pay is much easier when you have specific accomplishments to back it up. Instead of saying, "I deserve a raise because I'm a good worker," you can actually present a list of things you've done (and how it has helped the company).

That last parenthetical is important. When writing your accomplishment statements on your resume, always tie them back to the company. State what you did, and then explain how it helped the company. For example: "I streamlined an online ordering process used by more 2,500 customers a week. This improved customer satisfaction while also reducing the number of customer service phone calls by more than 30 percent."

Now that's a solid accomplishment statement, filled with specific information! Build a resume full of items like this, and you'll greatly increase your chances of getting the job.

Learn More: This blog post is part of an ongoing series of lessons. Visit the table of contents page to get more tips on finding a job.