What Achievements Should You List on Your Resume

What Achievements Should You List on Your Resume A resume is a tool for you to sell yourself as a valuable employee. It provides an opportunity for you to let your  prospective employers learn more about you, and highlighting your previous achievements on  your resume is a good way to demonstrate the  value that you could bring to their organisations. But  what if you don’t think you have any professional achievements to list on your resume?  Not so fast! They are there. You just have to look harder. Here are some tips on how to list your achievements and what ones you should be writing about: 1. Achievements come in different forms. Achievements come in many different forms. Sometimes we tend to underestimate the value of  our own achievements and it is just a matter of learning how to identify them. For each  position on your resume, consider your role and think back on what you did well for that  position. For example, did you solve a problem? Did you complete a project ahead of  schedule? Did you receive commendations from clients? These are all achievements that  you can put on your resume. If youre applying for your first job and havent built any proper professional experience, think about it in terms of your academic achievements. Have you completed any challenging assignments that you are particularly proud of, or did you take part in any extra-curricular activities, projects or duties? 2. Don’t leave out non-work related achievements. Sometimes non-work related achievements are as valuable as professional ones. If you  have other relevant achievements, be them academic, personal, or volunteer work related,  list them on your resume. They are valuable and could be the things that set you apart  from other applicants. For example, achievements such as the number of houses you  helped build in your volunteer project, or the website you helped design for your local  library should be noted on your resume. 3. Think outside the box. The best resumes are unique to a  persons situation, and sometimes you need to think  outside the box when it comes to identifying your achievements. Stop thinking about  what you did on the job and start thinking about what impact you had brought to the job.  Your prospective employers most likely won’t be interested in what you did each day but  they certainly want to know what values you had brought to the company you worked  for. 4. Broaden your definition of achievement. Broaden your definition of achievement and something will come to your mind. Ask  yourself this question: If you came home at the end of a tough week and patted yourself  on the back for what you had accomplished during that week, what would you be talking  about? Use this as motivation and inspiration. For example, did you overcome a fear of public speaking or tackle  some tough obstacles to meet a deadline? 5. Ask for feedback. If you still have a hard time identifying your achievements, ask your former and current  co-workers for feedback. If you have access to your previous performance reviews, take a  look at them. They often provide examples of some of your achievements. Don’t take  your achievements for granted as your prospective employers consider past performance  as an indicator of future performance.