March 13, 2017 - By Monique Thompson
Many jobseekers construct their résumé by listing routine job duties, which often results in a document that looks generic and fails to capture the attention of recruiters, hiring managers or selection panels. When a résumé focuses solely on everyday responsibilities, it creates the impression that the applicant can only perform the basics, offering no insight into their real value. While it is important for any professional résumé to include key responsibilities, the factor that truly elevates a document is the inclusion of unique, measurable and outcome driven achievements. These achievements demonstrate the tangible impact you have made in your roles, whether in the public sector, private sector or corporate environment, and they clearly show employers what you can deliver.
Achievements may include improvements you initiated, processes you designed, efficiencies you introduced, problems you solved or results you exceeded. They highlight innovation, leadership, problem solving and performance excellence, which are essential in today’s competitive job market. In professional résumé writing, particularly for Australian government applications and APS roles, achievement statements are considered the strongest evidence of capability. For corporate and executive résumés, achievements showcase your strategic contribution, commercial value and ability to drive outcomes.
By keeping everyday duties concise and shifting the emphasis towards quantifiable accomplishments, your résumé becomes more compelling, persuasive and aligned with what employers want to see. Achievement based résumés help you stand out from the crowd because they provide concrete examples of your capabilities, strengths and professional impact. As leading resume writers and career coaches in Australia, we consistently advise clients that achievements are the most powerful component of a high quality résumé. Below, we outline essential tips to help you craft a strong achievement based résumé that positions you competitively across all industries.
Step 1: Create a list of your accomplishments
Recruiters and HR Managers want to see that you produce results in a competitive marketplace. This can be undertaken in several ways including providing examples where you increased revenue, saved the company money or enhanced team productivity. Just remember to ensure you don’t use stories or paragraphs on the résumé and use easy to read bullet points.
In order to spark ideas of workplace accomplishments, consider times when you have….
Step 2: Use the PAR Process to expend your achievements
Problem: What was the problem or situation or challenge?
Action: What did you do to solve the problem or improve the situation?
Result: What was the outcome? Where possible, include percentages, dollar figures or other metrics.
For example:
Problem: A disorganised and inefficient warehouse
Action: Redesigned the layout to improve organisation
Result: Saved the company $175,000 in recovered stock
Once you have completed your P-A-Rs, confirm the statements into bullet points. The most effective approach is to phrase each point as “action and result” with some slight integration of the “problem” and rephrasing of verb tenses as necessary.
Step 3: Add numbers to your results
Using quantitative examples that include numbers helps to portray a clear picture for the person reading your résumé. A key question to ask yourself when considering how you yield results is “By how much?” For example, perhaps you increased company revenue. This is an excellent achievement to highlight, however you need to outline the quantity or volume, including numbers/figures that verify your achievement.
Step 4: Embrace the use of verbs.
Often people fail to use specific verbs in a résumé, which leads to a basic depiction of what tasks they actually perform in their job. Anyone can say “worked in accounting” but that doesn’t really say anything about what your job entailed. Consider using verbs that stand out such as “spearheaded” or “streamlined.”
Step 5: Be confident about highlighting your accomplishments
Many people don’t give themselves sufficient credit because they believe it will make them sound arrogant or conceited. The truth is that a résumé doesn’t require humility as recruiters want you to tell them why you’re the right fit for the job – in essence it’s a marketing document. Hence it is imperative that you highlight your accomplishments in your résumé. You can start by including any awards and recognitions you have received, then list any other achievements that perhaps you didn’t get public recognition for then start narrowing down the best choices and writing them in bullet form.
Step 6: Highlight something you initiated voluntarily.
Recruiters or HR Managers always have an eye out for innovators and self-starters. In short they seek employees that go “over and above,” thus bringing value to the employing company. Once you get to a certain level, the last thing employers want is someone who needs to be micro-managed which is why you should highlight projects that you initiated yourself. Did you get secure new business independently? Have you mentored other team members out of the goodness of your heart? These are all great examples of how you set out to achieve results on your own.
Writing an achievement-based résumé is one of the most effective ways to demonstrate your value, cultural alignment and long-term potential as a high performing employee. Employers across Australia, from government departments to corporate organisations, want evidence of impact, not just duties. By showcasing measurable outcomes, you present yourself as a proactive, results-driven professional who can contribute meaningfully from day one.
If you are seeking expert guidance from accomplished professional résumé writers, career development specialists and interview coaches, 1300 Resume offers the highest standard of résumé writing services in Australia. Whether you need resume help near me, a tailored government résumé, a corporate résumé, a Melbourne resume specialist or support with selection criteria, our team provides comprehensive career documentation designed to give you a competitive edge.
Partner with 1300 Resume to elevate your professional brand, strengthen your job applications and stand out in today’s competitive market. Call 1300 RESUME or email us for a no-obligation review, project critique or personalised quotation. With more than 10,000 clients supported since 1995 and an exceptional track record of interview success and job offers, we look forward to helping you become one of our many success stories.