Accomplishment Statements

Accomplishment statements illustrate the skills you used or actions you took in your jobs and the results of your “work.” Avoid using “responsible for” and “duties included.” A well-formulated accomplishment has two parts:

• The results or benefits that came as a result of your work.These results should be stated in terms of the value added, tangible, and quantified. Quantifiers: %, $, frequency (daily, monthly, etc.)
• The action you took to achieve the benefits/results.

When drafting your accomplishments – ask yourself the following questions:

• What you did?
• Why did you do it?
• What were the results?
• What are the specifics (quantifiers)?
• Does your wording and content focus on information most relevant to your industry or desired job?

Accomplishments may include:

• Saving time or money (i.e.: finishing projects on time/early; projects being under budget)
• Increasing productivity or customer satisfaction
• Reducing costs or complaints
• Improving or streamlining procedures or products
• Increased productivity or customer satisfaction
• Eliminating problems (small and large scale)
• Overcoming small and large challenges
• Enhancing performance or quality
• Managing a crisis effectively
• Any unique contributions or special projects or assignments you worked on

Formula for writing accomplishment statements:

Action Verb + Object + Context + Results

Action verb: managed, planned, exceeded, initiated
Object: managed website design project, planned a promotional event, exceeded monthly sales quota
Context: (describe and quantify) who you did it for, time frame, number of people, size of budget, type of population
Results: the effect of your effort (quantify when possible) on the implementation, improved sales, increased enrollment

Good accomplishment statements

• Automated and refined monthly metrics reporting process utilizing advanced Excel functionality, saving the company $20,000 annually.
• Designed website and launched a social media campaign and electronic mail distribution list for the Drexel Marketing Association to increased member participation at club events by 35%.
• Used an electronic appointment system to schedule student appointments for staff of eight
• Scheduled over 425 employer appointments with students during on-campus recruitment
• Introduced approximately 50 students weekly to office services
• Increased annual sales of office career manual by 20% by creating display space

Poor accomplishment statements

• Made appointments for counselors
• Answered phones
• Showed students career library
• Sold Guide to Career Planning
• Helped improve processes