How to Describe Your Experience on Your Resume
Use accomplishments! Think back to your past jobs, internships, volunteering, class projects, student organizations, or other experiences where you went above and beyond, increased the value of the organization, or demonstrated success. You could have improved an event, corrected a problem, increased sales, obtained new information, streamlined a process, or de-escalated an issue. All of these are achievements or accomplishments!
Accomplishment Statements vs Responsibility Statements
Responsibility statements more closely resemble job descriptions that tell a potential employer what you do. These are not as effective for your resume.
Accomplishment statements tell an employer on your resume how well you do what you do using strong action verbs, quantifying and qualifying your experience and skills, and showcasing results or purpose in ways that are tailored to your industry. Accomplishment statements are bullets that go under the job, activity, volunteer program, or other experience on your resume. These are very effective for your resume.
How to Write an Accomplishment Statement
Accomplishment statements are written as brief bullets using the formula above. Start each accomplishment statement with a strong, power verb. You can scroll to the bottom of the page to see lots of examples of these statements for your resume. Accomplishment statements on resumes can help employers understand your experience by:
Add these accomplishment statements as bullets to describe your jobs, volunteering, class projects, and other experience to your resume. See these resume examples for more ideas of what your entire resume can look like.
Freelance Graphic Design
Music Director
Stage Technician
Human Resources Internship or Job
Management Internship or Job
Sales Associate
Shadowing
Marketing Class Project
Newspaper Staff Writer
Public Relations Class Project
Childcare Provider
Student Teaching
Tutoring
Medical Surgery Clinical Rotation
Pharmacy Technician
Service Volunteer and Observer
STEM Education Volunteer
Educated groups of 10-30 students about DNA isolation techniques including PCR and
gel electrophoresis
Organized and coordinated 20+ volunteers to staff 30 STEM education tabling events
Presented and explained DNA models to encourage high school students to consider STEM
majors in college
Reviewed 15 student science projects and scored according to strict rubric
Student Researcher
Veterinary Technician/Volunteer
Electrician Assistant
Robotics Club Project
Web Programming Class Project