Do Your Accomplishments Tell a Story?
They should.
Namely, that you have advanced in your career/company/industry and that a new employer would be lucky to have you.
If your accomplishments don’t point to your success, then they’re not achievements. Most likely, they’re daily duties.
How can you tell the difference?
Duties are the tasks you do that have no quantified result. For example, simply doing your job. Yes, you’ve answered client calls and have kept customers happy, but how has that added to the bottom line? If you can’t quantify it, then it’s not an accomplishment.
An achievement, on the other hand, makes the company money or saves it money. It might gain recognition for a product, which in turn keeps the company in the black.
Whenever you’re dealing with accomplishments, you need to quantify the data, to tell a story of how you’ve succeeded. One way to do this is to use the challenge-action-result model. You write the challenge – “To turn around weak performance in the teen clothing sector.” Then you write the action – “Hired award-winning, trendy designers; advertised clothing on MTV and other sites with a demographic in the 13-20 age range.” You then add the result – “Increased sales by 58% within 6 months.”
That tells a story. It shows a hiring manager how you took a failing line and made it a success.
Not many job seekers take the time to do that in their resumes. The smart ones will. They’re the candidates who get called in to interview and get the job.
Are your skills adaptable?
That’s an important question to ask yourself. Are your skills adaptable not only to a new industry, if your current one is tanking or being outsourced, but to different departments at your current company?
A few years ago, most of us were tasked with narrow responsibilities, making us experts in our field. However, in the new economy, employers want their staff members to be able to do many jobs, some of which you may protest are beyond your position description.
If you feel that way, you better adapt and fast. Many workers are now expected to take on the duties of two or more employees, across various departments. Although this seems like a lot of work, it also has an advantage. The more you know about the operation and the more you contribute to its growth and success, the less expendable you are.
For example, if you’re a customer service rep used to answering phones and resolving client complaints, you may find yourself out of a job one day if your company decides to move the call center overseas. However, if you’re also selling your company’s product when you’re not dealing with client issues that makes you more valuable to your employer. If you brainstorm with your manager about new products or improvement to products, you’re adding even more depth to your position. Even if your department is outsourced, you could easily move into sales or product development.
Being able to wear many hats should also be presented on your resume. In your opening summary you want to come off as the perfect candidate. Today, that’s someone who not only does his job but can fill in for vacationing co-workers in another department.
The more you can do, the more likely it is that you’ll be retained and even promoted.
Adapt your skills to what your employer needs most. Be versatile. And by all means, showcase the breath of your expertise in your resume.
What You Don’t Know About Fed Resumes Could Hurt You
As we all know, the federal government is constantly tinkering with its rules and regulations, adding to the complexity of what one must do in order to succeed within its realm.
It’s no different for their resume process. For years, the government has required a separate document entitled KSAs – Knowledge, Skills, Abilities – to be attached with the applicant’s current resume (in proper Federal format).
The rules have now changed. I’d like to say it was straight across the board for every single agency of the government, but that’s not always the case. In some instances, a candidate will still be required to submit separate KSAs. In others – and these are the new rules for some – KSAs are incorporated into the actual resume.
Confused?
Don’t feel bad. Lots of your peers are facing the same dilemma. Should I include my KSAs in my resume or should I answer the qualifying questions in a separate document?
It’s enough to drive one to distraction.
That’s where a professional resume writing service comes in. At ResumeEdge.com, our editors are trained in the most current federal requirements and they keep abreast of all changes that relate to government positions.
It’s not an easy task, but our editors know that federal openings go only to the most qualified and to those that follow all the rules.
Whether these new regulations will last is anyone’s guess, but while they do it’s best that you follow instructions, and if you need help allow a professional resume writer to shepherd you through the government application process.
Updating Your Resume
Even if you’re currently employed and enjoy your position, you should think about updating your resume on a regular basis.
Why?
There are numerous reasons:
1. To use it as a reminder to yourself of what you’ve accomplished. If you let years go by without recording how you made your company money or saved it money, it’s unlikely that every significant accomplishment will be easy to pull from memory when you do need to look for a new position.
2. To remind management of your achievements during your annual reviews. By presenting your immediate supervisor with your updated resume that details all you’ve done for your division or office that year, you’ll be in a better position to get the raise you believe you deserve.
3. To employ it as a gauge for your career progression. If after several months you have absolutely nothing to add to your resume in terms of accomplishments or new projects/tasks, perhaps you’re stagnating at your job. That could mean trouble, especially if your company is downsizing. If you’re part of the deadwood, you may be one of the first to go.
4. To be prepared for the unthinkable: your company closing without notice because of an owner’s decision not to keep the place afloat or the company being bought by a competitor who will replace you and others with individuals from his firm.
In life and in this economy, anything can happen. It’s always best to be prepared with an effective resume to use in-house, for applying to new jobs or to assure yourself that you are doing the best you can at your current position.
