Brainstorm Resume Accomplishments

Coming up with accomplishments isn't always easy, but if you fail to include successes, the chances your resume will not get read is extremely high. To avoid being overlooked for positions that you qualify for, it is mandatory that you carefully review your professional experience and pinpoint times you had measured success.

To help you start brainstorming, below is a set of questions you can answer in order to identify your achievements. The achievements are split into three categories: initiative, team player, and customer service.

Initiative Achievements

• Describe a time you come up with a new idea to fix an old problem. Examples include fixing a computer, management, or people issue.
• Think about a time when you outperformed your peers. What was the task? What did you do differently that put you over the top?
• Describe a time when you secured a huge savings and / or a significant increase in business. What steps did you take? Did your results break company records?
• Recall a time you received an email or a letter where a customer / client / manager recognized your efforts.

Team Player Achievements

• Think about the times you either went in early or stayed late. Was it for a project? If so, what was the result of the project?
• Recall a time you volunteered for a task no one else wanted to take on. What was the final outcome of the task?
• What was the last "big" idea you shared at a departmental meeting?
• Describe what your peers would say about your work ethic. What accomplishments do you think they are most impressed by?

Customer Service Achievements

• Think back to the last three or six months and pinpoint the customer service activities you're most proud of. For example, did you retain a customer who was going to take her business to a competitor? Or did you deliver a high-impact presentation during a client consultation that garnered a multi-million dollar contract?
• Do customers repeatedly ask that you assist them as opposed to your colleagues?
• Do you have a strong customer referral base? If so, what is it about your work style that encourages clients to refer their friends?

Take your time with the above evaluation. There's no need to rush through your self-assessment. Your first thought may not be the best or the only example of what you have achieved throughout your career. So it is best to think of more than one achievement for each aforementioned question.

If you finish the exercise in less than a half an hour, it could mean you did not put enough time and effort into your responses. So go back and revisit each question. Don't squander your job interview opportunities. Especially in this economy when interviews are hard to come by. Give yourself every advantage by creating a resume that works for you.

Certified in all three areas of the job search-Certified Interview Coach (CIC), Job & Career Transition Coach (JCTC), and Nationally Certified Resume Writer (NCRW)-Linda Matias is qualified to assist you in your career transition, whether it be a complete career makeover, interview preparation, or resume assistance. She is the author of two books - 201 Knockout Answers to Tough Interview Questions and How to Say It: Job Interviews. Both can be found at Amazon.com or your local bookstore. Visit her website at http://www.procoverletterservice.com/.