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Figuring out what you’ve actually
accomplished in your career is one of the most difficult parts of writing
your resume. Many people believe they haven’t done much of anything; just
every day tasks that don’t amount to anything.
Think again.
I am willing to say virtually everyone can think of at least one achievement
per position they’ve held. Not you? Don’t be so quick to judge. You just
have to know where to look and how to dig deep to find the information.
The right place to look
If you’ve been at a particular position for more than a year, most likely
you have had a performance review. What good does that do? It reviews the
year for you. It’s difficult to remember what you did and what you
accomplished and the written review is a great way to bring it all back.
Another way is to take a close look at your department. Does it run more
efficiently since you’ve been employed there? Did you develop a key to
improve intra-office communication? Are backorders reduced by 80% because of
a process you created?
Note to self: To make this process easier for future jobs, keep a journal of
your activities and achievements so that it can be referred to at any time.
What if you were never there…
Just sit back and close your eyes and run through a typical day at work. How
has it changed since you started? Has it gotten better? Of course! You made
it better. Think about who you come in contact with and how you impact their
productiveness and efficiency. You’ll be surprised by how much impact you
have on your co-workers – and even your bosses.
When you start to even think about job hunting, be aware of the day-to-day
tasks that occur. Some seem minute; others not so much. How do you
contribute to the meetings you’re involved with on a weekly or monthly
basis? All these ‘little’ responsibilities and achievements can add up to
something great.
Remember - think highly of yourself
Whatever you do, do not ever say, “I don’t/didn’t make a difference,” in the
process of writing your resume. Nonsense. With that mentality, your resume
isn’t going to include anything noteworthy for employers. If you don’t think
you amount to anything, why in the world would someone want to hire you?
Have confidence in yourself and it’ll shine through to your resume.
As you’re brainstorming, write down everything you can think of that might
be useful on your resume. Then the information will be at your fingertips as
you proceed to the next step in creating your resume - deciding the best
format for you.
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