If you have ever worked with me you know that the key to a competitive resume lies in the accomplishment statements. Gone are the days of simply listing job duties and expecting an interview because you meet the “minimum” qualifications. You need to distinguish yourself from a multitude of other candidates by showing examples of how well you have done your job in the past.
This is often easier said than done. Frequently when I give clients the task of beginning to develop accomplishment statements, I receive feedback such as: I have never done anything that great, or I just do my job from day to day, or I hate bragging about myself. Some clients really agonize over this to the point of being unable to put pen to paper.
Why is this task so difficult? One reason may be that many of us suffer from “Impostor
Syndrome,” defined by Psychology Today as “A psychological phenomenon in which people are unable to internalize their accomplishments” and “have a persistent, often internalized fear of being exposed as a fraud.” There are many theories about what causes this, from lack of self-confidence to stifling perfectionism.
The syndrome affects much more than your ability to develop a stellar resume, it can affect your ability to apply for a position unless you believe you meet every single criterion, ask for a well-deserved raise, and much more.
We applaud others when they humbly “own” their mistakes. Why then do we shy away from owning our accomplishments? Taking stock in your achievements is a powerful tool not only for building a resume, but for networking, identifying your dream job and interviewing.
Some of you also know that if you are completely at a loss for identifying achievements, I have sneaky ways of pulling them out of you by lulling you into a false sense of security in a casual conversation about your work. Before you know it, VOILA – the achievements tiptoe out! Then, once you see them on paper, there is no denying you did them; there is no denying they have impact. Sometimes I even see a “Wow, even I would hire myself!” And that, for me, is the greatest achievement I can hope for in my own job.
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