How to Write Accomplishment Statements 1. Always start with an action word. * Good: "Responsible for leading team for classroom assignments." * Stronger: "Directed team of 3 classmates to complete assignment on time." 2. Use colorful and unique action words. * Good: "Started a new program." * Stronger: "Created and implemented a new mentoring program with 80% participation of residents." 3. Avoid wordiness and unnecessary adjectives. * "Coordinated 150 housing volunteers for the "Day In Our Shoes" program, which brings admitted students to campus for the day to learn about Scripps." * "Provided training and mentoring to first year students through superior planning." * "Organized "Teapot Exhibit" for 30 artists presenting interesting work." 4. Quantify every accomplishment – Numbers Get Noticed. * "Handled $1,000 in transactions on a weekly basis." * "Routed over 100 calls daily to an Annual Giving staff of 10." * "Planned 3 campus-wide teas per semester." 5. When various actions you took are significant to an accomplishment, put them all in one statement. * "Developed relationship with a local merchant, which increased food offerings at the student-run Motley Coffeehouse and doubled profits." * "Established recycling program in the residence halls which increased environmental awareness and decreased amount of trash by 10%." * "Researched new investment opportunities that increased the Scripps holdings by 100% while maintaining the integrity of SIF." 6. State first the benefit to the employer and then describe your action(s) that yielded the benefit. * Good: "Developed a marketing strategy that Increased student involvement by 15%." * Stronger: "Increased student involvement by 15% through a creative marketing strategy."

Double-Check Your Work
You should be able to answer "yes" to each of the following questions for each statement: * Does the statement begin with an action word? * Is that action word as colorful and descriptive as possible? * Are all other words and adjectives as descriptive as possible? * Did you eliminate all unnecessary words? * Have you quantified everything that can be quantified? If not, did you try again? * Is the statement in terms of interest to the employer? * Did you describe the results before you described the actions you took to achieve them? * Is the statement as clear and concise as possible? * Does the statement speak to only one accomplishment, unless appropriate to include two? * Is the statement defensible and true?
When all the statements are finished, look at the whole list and check for these two things: * Did you use a variety of verbs to describe similar events? * Is quantification stated in different ways for similar accomplishments?
Some Final Hints
To help list your accomplishments, think of a time when you: * Increased profits * Reduced costs * Reduced errors * Reduced conflict * Reduced losses * Improved quality * Improved teamwork * Made things smoother * Made things easier * Did what couldn't be done * Sped things up | * Foresaw a need * Foresaw a problem * Foresaw an opportunity * Found an easier solution * Found a cheaper solution * Found a new opportunity * Accomplished the same with less * Accomplished more with the same * Prevented a problem | * Accomplished more than others * Protected against a hazard * Provided new resources * Solved a chronic problem * Developed a new procedure * Created something from scratch * Overcame obstacles * Received an award |