To all you naysayers who think accomplishment statements on a resume don't matter, a recent poll I conducted proves otherwise.
Results from the poll of 223 participants: 𝟳𝟰% voted “Yes!” in support of accomplishment statements on resumes; 𝟭𝟰% said “Only for certain occupations”; 𝟵% responded “Action statements are enough”; and 𝟯% chose “No, they’re probably lying.” I included that last option just to see how many truly skeptical people were out there.
Every once in a while I'll get some flak from a webinar attendee who tells me that accomplishment statements aren't necessary on a resume. One gentleman recently wrote in the chat box, "I hired many people and didn't care much for accomplishment statements. I thought they were lying."
Not one to back down, I told the audience that his opinion is exactly that—an opinion. I stand by my firm belief that it's not only what actions you've performed; it's how well you did them that separates you from other candidates.
Sure, some people might lie about the results of their actions. But I like to believe that people are generally honest.
Some results are easier to quantify
Granted there are some occupations where the metrics are more available to them than other occupations. Someone in Sales comes to mind as one of those occupations. There are a slew of others where it's inexcusable to NOT apply metrics, such as project manager, any role in finance, marketer, software engineer, operations manager, etc.
One account executive came to me with this action statement on her resume: "Closed the most qualified opportunities company-wide in Q2 2024." Upon prodding from me, we were able to revise it to read:
"Earned Top-Performing Account Executive company-wide for closing the most qualified opportunities in Q2 2024, resulting in $2.3M in revenue."
She could truthfully say she earned Top-Performing Salesperson for that quarter and her earnings exceeded $2.3 million as a conservative number.
But more to the point, her accomplishment statement tells me she is talented in what she does, works damn hard, and cares about the bottom line. Plus, she received kudos from the big boss.
Can results always be quantified?
The above accomplishment statement is an easy one to quantify, but what if the candidate were an educator where quantified results don't come as easy? The solution to this is to qualify, rather than use numbers, dollars, or percentages.
I sat with a professor the other day whose resume consisted entirely of action statements. He taught linguistics at Harvard and told me he was well-liked by his students. Further, his department head complimented him on his expertise.
I asked him what the department head had said, to which my client responded, "She wrote in an email, 'Dragos, you're the best instructor I've had in many years. The kids love you and their grades are outstanding. And I know you aren't an easy grader.'"
His new accomplishment statement read, "Acknowledged by Dean of Students for creating an interactive and stimulating learning environment, where students were challenged and rose to achieve high marks."
Why accomplishment statements trump action statements
Another webinar attendee wrote in the chat box, "If I want to know more about someone's accomplishments, I'll ask him/her in the interview. The resume is intended to get you to an interview, right?"
This is fair, but my thought on the attendee's comment is: aren't candidates who differentiate themselves with accomplishment statements—whether quantified or qualified—more likely to be invited to interviews than those who don't?
A product manager who writes, "Delivered products to market on time and under budget to satisfy growing client base" doesn't have the punch this accomplishment statement has: "Delivered enhanced android telephone products to market, contributing to a 13% profitability growth in Q4 of 2024 and increasing customer satisfaction 39% over the previous year."
What about the liars?
Unfortunately, there will be those who lie, but those are few and far between. And there will also be those who use ChatGPT to revise their resumes sight unseen. Shame on them. For the majority of people who submit their resume for a job, they will not lie. If they do, it will be discovered.
What others say about accomplishment statements
Paula Christensen, a career coach certified in professional resume writing (CPRW), states:
"Accomplishment statements are everything! Anyone can say that they are good at managing social media accounts. You prove it when you say, 'Grew Instagram engagement 45% in six months by launching weekly 'Behind-the-Scenes' video series and leveraging analytics to track trends.'"
Marisol Maloney, a recruiter and resume writer, asserts:
"I look for accomplishments with metrics as proof that they know how to do the skill listed in the job description. Many candidates make the mistake of just listing skills, but fail to support how they’ve used the skill and what the results were."
Hannah Morgan, a job search strategist, speaker & trainer, writes:
"I believe strongly in the power of accomplishment statements/bullets on a resume!
"When crafted thoughtfully, accomplishment statements showcase the results/impact and that’s what sets each person apart. Without the results the reader is left wondering 'So what?'
"For example, most project managers partake in the same tasks. So all their resumes would look the same. Accomplishments highlight specific skills plus the impact."
Dusty McNeal, a recruiter, contributes:
"I suggest that highlighted accomplishments be added to a resume. Typically after the job title. A well-written, short paragraph often provides a deeper and more personal emphasis on the candidate’s skill set.
"More often than not, individuals will copy and paste previous job descriptions. When this happens, a resume reads lifeless. By adding accomplishments, the candidate is working towards making a connection that goes beyond bullet points."
Conclusion
Regardless of the poll results, accomplishment statements are necessary to include on your resume—whether quantified or qualified. Resume writers, job search strategists, and recruiters are all in agreement that accomplishment statements are what separate the outstanding candidates from the average.
Related: Mastering LinkedIn: 10 Pitfalls to Skip and Pro Tips to Use Instead