Hiring managers are never free. They are busy people. Between back-to-back meetings, endless emails, & negotiating offers, it’s no wonder they spend only a few seconds to review a job seeker’s CV.
If the resume they are going through happens to be yours, it better stand out! A great resume/ CV should show recruiters why you are the best applicant for the job. Simply put, your resume must be short, well-organized, & tailored for the position you are applying for.
And most importantly, remember that it must be more than a list of previous job descriptions. It must highlight your track record of achievements & successes.
Listing out your personal achievements shows potential employers you can produce excellent outcomes for them because you have done it before. Whether you enhanced consumer satisfaction rates or exceeded sales expectations, your CV must highlight your accomplishments, show you value hard work & follow through on your commitments.
But don’t stick to just professional achievements – your personal ones also have a similar effect. As long as they can relate to the job at hand, personal milestones add to the applicant’s CV.
However, you must be strategic with the achievements you choose to highlight. For instance, use them to demonstrate your skills, personal qualities, & experiences that aren’t obvious in your CV.
Today, we will discuss what personal achievements are and understand them deeply with a few examples. Hopefully, you can use it to inspire yourself & create a better resume. So, let us begin!
What Are Personal Achievements?
Typically, an achievement is a previous success that you are proud of. This can include anything, i.e., from raising a family to earning a degree to overcoming some chronic illness.
But when it comes to your CV, you obviously cannot put these things as achievements. Well, you can:
- Demonstrate your capacity to do the job at hand.
- Showcase your achievements based on specific, measurable outcomes.
For instance, a strong professional achievement could include writing a new sales pitch at work that will lead to a 50% increase in deals.
At the same time, personal achievements are the successes in your personal life. These can include anything, i.e., from building a house to running a brand franchisee you have always wanted.
Why Is It Vital To Highlight Personal Achievements?
While preparing a CV, your first instinct might be to exclude your personal achievements. You might think: what does your personal life have to do with your professional life? Right?
Well, in reality, achievements outside your job can help you throughout your application process.
Here are some of the benefits of highlighting your personal achievements. Take a look!
- Help You Land A Job Interview
Managers want employees with a record of getting things done on time. Therefore, your accomplishment list will showcase that you are more capable of moving projects across the finish line!
- Help Facilitate A Career Transition
Your personal side hustles can help sharpen new skills before transitioning into a new job. For instance, if you do freelancing as your part-time job, it could help you gain experience before you apply for full-time roles.
- Land A Job Just After College
As a graduate, you might not have any professional achievements to share yet. However, in such a situation, your personal & academic achievements will help you!
For instance, if you score well or have won a specific competition, it could help you get a decent job offer.
Thus, work on sharpening your skills while you are in college!
Personal Achievement Examples To Inspire You!
You must be strategic when choosing personal achievements to include in your CV. Your accomplishments must highlight soft skills as well as hard skills that you’ll use to fulfill job responsibilities. In addition, your selection must solely be based on results within a recent time, i.e., from last year.
Here are a few examples that you can use:
- Learn A New Language
This is not just a strong display of personal discipline, but it can also help work with multi-lingual colleges & clients.
- Organize An Event To Raise Funds
Fundraisers are complicated affairs which involve a lot of people. Well, this personal achievement showcases your teamwork & skills as a manager.
- Earn A Degree/ Certification
Returning to school as an adult requires hard work as well as commitment. Thus, going for a degree or a certification while you are working full-time can help you gain a promotion/ a new job title.
- Received An Award
Receiving a professional award is gratifying. It is an accomplishment that you highlight either in your CV or during a job interview to impress the hiring manager.
Recognitions & Awards demonstrate that you possess excellent skills & capabilities. It also represents your hard work, commitment, dedication, etc., towards your work, employers, & colleagues.
- Develop A New Project
Developing a new project requires outstanding communication skills, teamwork abilities, as well as proficiency in management.
Generally, to undertake a new project, you evaluate its objectives, aim, & available resources. In addition, you also have to assess your team, their credentials, skills, & expertise in a specific field.
Well, to explain this personal achievement, you can tell the hiring manager how you contributed to the success of the project & what you learned from it.
How To Highlight Accomplishments In A CV/ Resume
Once you know the accomplishments you wish to include, the next thing to do is learn how to discuss them. For instance, your personal triumphs must pepper in the ‘Work Experience’ section .
But it’s possible that those accomplishments might not fit nicely in the ‘Work Experience’ section, implying that you have to write them differently in the document. Here’s where you can include your personal achievements:
- Education & Certifications
Hereon, you can list all your academic achievements as well as professional certifications.
- Languages
You can mention the number of languages you know here.
- Extracurriculars
Here you can include your involvement in student government, sports teams in college, or some clubs.
- Volunteer Work
You can talk about fundraising events & community services which you were a part of.
Use Strong Language
Wherever you mention your achievements, make sure that you use strong language, i.e., solid action verbs, like ‘learned’, ‘delivered’, ‘launched’, etc. These words will help connect you to the outcome, showcasing your dedication to achieve the final result.
Wrapping Up!
When highlighting your personal achievements, don’t forget the cardinal rule, i.e., focus on outcomes! If you wish your manager to connect the dots between you & positive outcomes, make it easier by telling them about your successes.
We have discussed a few examples that you can take help from. Try incorporating them in your CV & you will see how your job curve transitions!
Finally, don’t forget that your accomplishments must make you proud, along with the company hiring you!
