Flip it around
Responsibilities into Achievements
I’m often told, “I don’t know how to sell myself”, when I speak to candidates about writing achievements in their CVs.
And it’s true that many people don’t work in jobs that come with obvious achievements, like “hit 123% of sales target in 2024, achieving £12m of new business in a team of 3”.
But there’s another way to look at your work which can find achievements.
For example, you can often tell how good someone is at their jobs when they are away on holiday, and you have to cover for them.
What would happen if you were unexpectedly or permanently absent?
What problems would this cause?
Would these be the same problems you were hired to solve in the first place?
And if that’s the case, how are these solutions not achievements?
Let’s say you’re an administrator and this responsibility is listed under your current job:
Manage travel for the directors
Firstly, I’d add context:
Manage international travel for 6 directors across conferences, expo’s, and client meetings
Then, I’d ask, “So What?” of this responsibility.
If you weren’t around to do this for them, what problems would arise? Probably something like
Directors arrange their own travel
Hard to coordinate diaries
Lots of independent travel bookings with different suppliers
No process to follow - 1st class instead of Business for a short haul!
The solutions then become
Managed complex diaries to ensure the directors were in the right place at the right time
Streamlined travel bookings and introduced a standard process, saving £36,000 in one year
And when you left that role, others could follow that standard process.
Of course your experience looks different, but the difference and impact you make is unique to you.
Perhaps by imagining the chaos that would ensue without you, you can turn what you do into similar achievements.
Which helps stand out, when others use the same common responsibilities.
Did you manage a project, or did you shut down a manufacturing plant, in time and under budget?
Did you lead a marketing campaign, or did you see a £42,000 return?
The achievements are there for you to show, and it helps your readers and interviewers see how you can help.
While your achievements do the selling for you.
Thanks for reading.
Greg