Proven Strategies For Placing the Accomplishments On Your Resume

By Madeline Kowall Master Writer of over 15,000 Resumes 25+ Years of Experience Executive and Senior Managers

Several months ago, while looking at resumes on an executive job site, I opened up a resume that really knocked me off my feet. Much to my surprise the resume had no introduction, the accomplishments were carefully positioned at the top, and you could tell a lot of work went into constructing the document so that it grabbed the attention of the reader. The professional experience section gave a short synopsis of each position and the key words were placed at the bottom of the resume. I called this person and asked him if he was getting interviews. He told me he spent several thousands of dollars on the resume and unfortunately, due the slow economy, he was not getting the results he wanted.

Today there is controversy as to where the accomplishments should be placed. Resume writers affiliated with professional resume writing associations usually place the accomplishments under each position to adhere to the chronological format. The consensus is if you put the accomplishments at the top of the resume you are breaking the traditional chronological format.
As an executive resume writer and marketing specialist, it is my job to make my client look one cut above the competition. When I first started writing resumes (over 20 years ago), I would place the accomplishments under each position. As I matured throughout my writing career, I started to experiment and test the market, and made adjustments to the chronological format.
NOTE: I am very cautious about putting all the accomplishments on the top of the resume, because I believe it can create confusion for the reader.

My Philosophy – A Compromise!

• I create a powerful mission-based statement (introduction) at the top of the resume, which tells the reader what you can bring to an organization (your leadership qualifications).
• After I have created this strong introduction, I use the subtitle: Sampling of Accomplishments and I back up the mission statement with three powerful accomplishments that will give your mission statement credibility.
• As I continue with the resume, I list key words horizontally into a section called Core Business Competencies.
• The professional experience section will continue in the traditional format with more accomplishments placed in each position.

I have taken the best of both worlds and placed the accomplishments at the top, after the Introduction, and also in their appropriate sequence of employment. This format is very effective in capturing the reader’s interest, eliminates any confusion and questions pertaining to the work history, and has achieved excellent results.

If you are having issues with your existing resume, feel free to contact:

madelinekowall@yahoo.com