75+ Resume Accomplishment Examples to Improve Your Resume & Application

Your resume is the key to getting noticed by potential employers and securing the job you want. Including some impressive achievements and accomplishments that demonstrate your skills and value can make all the difference.

But with so many candidates vying for the same job, how do you make your accomplishments stand out? Well, by highlighting your most impactful achievements to make a lasting impression on potential employers.

Below, you'll discover what resume accomplishments are and why they're important for showcasing your skills and value. You'll also learn the difference between resume accomplishments and job duties, best practices for writing unique resume accomplishments, and, see examples of resume accomplishments across jobs, experience levels, and industries.

Struggling to land interviews with your resume accomplishments? Sign up for Teal today!

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What are resume accomplishments?

Resume accomplishments are specific achievement examples in your past work experience, education, or other relevant areas that demonstrate your resume skills, abilities, and value as a candidate.

Accomplishments can include any notable contributions or achievements you've made in your previous roles, listing accomplishments such as saving the company money, increasing sales, reducing costs, implementing new systems, earning awards or recognition, completing a project ahead of schedule, or exceeding performance metrics.

Accomplishments are typically presented in a bullet-point format on a resume and should be quantifiable and measurable wherever possible to provide concrete evidence of your abilities and impact.

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The difference between resume accomplishments and job duties

While job duties describe the responsibilities you were assigned, accomplishments highlight the impact and results of your work. Here’s how to differentiate between the two:

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Job Duties: These are the tasks and responsibilities you were expected to perform as part of your job. They outline what you did on a daily basis.

For example:

• Managed a team of sales associates
• Conducted market research
• Developed marketing strategies

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Resume Accomplishments: Accomplishments, on the other hand, showcase your contributions and the results of your efforts. They demonstrate how well you performed your job duties and the value you brought to your role.

For example:

• Increased team sales by 20% through effective leadership and strategic planning
• Identified new market opportunities that led to a 15% increase in revenue
• Launched a marketing campaign that resulted in a 25% boost in customer engagement

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Why do you need accomplishments on your resume?

Resume accomplishments define your capabilities and achievements in tangible terms, underlining your value as a candidate for potential employers. Highlighting them on your resume is essential because it demonstrates how you get results and create value in your roles. This approach not only makes your resume more compelling but also sets you apart from other candidates.

You need resume accomplishments to:

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Showcase abilities and strengths

Including accomplishments on your resume is a way to demonstrate your abilities and strengths to potential employers. 

By highlighting your accomplishments, you provide concrete evidence of your past achievements, which can help convince employers that you have the necessary skills to succeed.

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Demonstrate value

Listing job duties gives a prospective employer a glimpse into your past roles, but resume accomplishments demonstrate your value. 

They give potential employers tangible proof of how you've contributed to your previous companies. 

Whether it's surpassing a sales target, implementing a new system to improve productivity, or leading a team project to success, your accomplishments showcase the value you can bring to their company.

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Highlight impact

Hiring managers look for action verbs tied to achievements. Action verbs highlight momentum and demonstrate proactive engagement.

Words like "developed," "led," "improved," "increased," and "managed" are some of the most common. 

Quantifying your resume with numbers, metrics, and data alongside action verbs backs up an accomplishment statement by demonstrating your level of impact.

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Increase hiring opportunities

With hundreds of resumes to sift through, hiring managers are looking for candidates who have skills and experience aligning with the position they need to fill. 

By highlighting your accomplishments, you're providing evidence of your skills and indicating your potential value to the company. This boosts your chances of landing an interview and, ultimately, getting hired.

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Stand out in the candidate pool

With so many candidates vying for the same roles, standing out is critical. 

Resume accomplishments help differentiate you from other candidates. They act as your unique selling points, demonstrating why you're the best candidate for the job. 

Your resume is also more memorable than those listing duties and job responsibilities.

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Build confidence

This confidence can be helpful during job interviews because you'll be more able to succinctly showcase your qualifications and respond articulately to questions—leaving a strong and lasting impression on the interviewers.

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How many resume accomplishments do you need?

Ideally, between three and five relevant accomplishments for every position is the overall guideline for the number of accomplishments in your work experience. In your professional summary, include two to three of your most notable achievements. These numbers strikes a balance between showcasing your achievements and keeping your resume concise and readable.

By focusing on your most impactful accomplishments, you can demonstrate your value to potential employers without overwhelming them with information.

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Where should achievements go on a resume?

Professional summary

One or two of your top achievements (that align with the role you're applying for) can (and should!) be part of your professional resume summary. Your professional summary is a chance to talk about your career in aggregate and highlight particularly notable results that are directly related to the jobs you're applying for.

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Pro tip: Use the AI technology integrated within the Resume Builder to generate professional summaries that highlight key achievements, work accomplishments, and past successes directly within the Teal platform.

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Work experience

For an experienced professional, achievements should be integrated into your Work Experience section as bullet points under each of your previous roles.

These accomplishment statements offer more context for the hiring manager by showing them how your skills and outcomes were relevant to your work. (Any academic achievements should be noted under your Education section.)

Showcase your achievements in the Work Experience section like this:

How to write resume accomplishments

Writing good resume accomplishments can be straightforward if you follow the CAR method: Challenge, Action, Result.

This method helps you clearly articulate the impact you've made in your previous roles. By breaking down your achievements into these three components, you can create more compelling statements that highlight your ability to drive results.

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Challenge

Start by identifying the challenge or context in which you worked. This sets the stage for your accomplishment and provides necessary background information. It answers the questions: What was the situation? What problem needed solving?

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Action

Next, describe the specific action you took to address the challenge. Be clear and concise, highlighting your direct contributions. This section should focus on what you did, how you did it, and any strategies or tools you used.

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Result

Finally, detail the result or outcome of your actions. Quantify your achievements whenever possible to give potential employers a clear picture of your impact. This answers the question: What was the result of your action?

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Writing compelling resume achievements isn't always straightforward. But with the right approach, you can create an impactful narrative that impresses potential employers. 

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Best practices for writing resume accomplishments

Be specific and quantify

Details matter, and numbers don't lie. Quantifying your achievements can lend credibility and substance to your resume. 

Think about notable outcomes with a number attached e.g. increasing revenue by a certain dollar amount or percentage, improving project turnaround times from one time frame to another, or academic achievements like a GPA or test score.

Then, to be specific, instead of saying "improved sales," you could write "increased sales by 25% in Q1 2023." This gives recruiters and prospective employers a clear picture of the scale of your achievements, making your accomplishments more impressive and believable.

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Use action verbs

Starting your accomplishments with action verbs can add a punch to your statements. Instead of writing "was responsible for project management," try "spearheaded a team to complete a project." Action verbs give your resume a dynamic and proactive feel, helping to create a powerful image in the minds of potential employers.

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Emphasize impact

Your potential employer wants to know the difference you can make. So, when listing your achievements, highlight the impact of your work.

Did you bring in a major client? Streamline or quicken a process? Reduce company costs? Emphasizing the effects and outcomes of your actions can help prospective employers understand your value. It's also crucial to pair your achievements with the right words.

As you analyze your achievements, evaluate your wording and consider alternative resume synonyms to maximize impact.

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Tailor the accomplishments to the job description

Each job has unique requirements, and tailoring your resume to match these can significantly boost your chances of getting noticed. Here’s how to ensure your accomplishments are aligned with the job you're applying for:

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1. Leverage the JD

Start by closely examining the job description for the position you’re targeting. What stands out? What terms or phrases are repeated most?

2. Incorporate relevant keywords

Add the skills and terms you identified in the job description into your accomplishments.

3. Highlight relevant experience

Focus on the most relevant achievements that directly relate to the job requirements.

4. Quantify your achievements

Use metrics to provide concrete evidence of your impact. Quantifying your results (e.g., "increased sales by 20%") makes your accomplishments more compelling and relevant.

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Pro Tip: Want to see how your current resume stacks up to the specific job? Compare them.

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Resume accomplishment examples

No matter where you are in your career, the accomplishment examples below are organized by experience level, roles, and industries to help inspire you as you write your own.

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Resume achievements by experience level

Accomplishments examples - students and new graduates

When you're making a resume with no experience, how do you show that you've made an impact?

Even without a formal work history, students and recent graduates can still pull some helpful examples from other life experiences and turn these into positive reflections of their character.

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You can also pinpoint moments that show important skills like teamwork, leadership skills, and time management (along with their impact) during:

• Volunteering opportunities
• Personal accomplishments
• Internships
• Extracurriculars

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On a resume for an entry-level position, example achievements using extracurricular and volunteer activities may include:

• Active member of Student Senate and appointed Treasurer for 2021-22
• Maintained a 4.0 GPA and spot on Dean's List throughout entire undergraduate program
• Completed an extra credit paper and presented research findings on ecological engineering in the United States, earning a final grade of 97%
• Promoted from server to team leader during first six months of employment at a local restaurant
• Spearheaded a fundraising campaign that raised $5,000 for a local charity as the President of the Student Government Association
• Coordinated a volunteer event that served 200 individuals experiencing homelessness, resulting in an 80% increase in attendance compared to the previous year
• Conducted a research project in collaboration with a professor, resulting in a publication in a peer-reviewed journal

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Accomplishments examples - experienced professional

When you have several years of job history behind you, you should have at least a handful of key professional accomplishments that you can add to your resume, or career portfolio.

These key accomplishments will look different depending on the industry you work in and the seniority you've had, so let's look at a few examples.

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For a marketing executive or account manager role, you should have several data-driven achievements to note, regardless of the type of marketing you've done before. Work accomplishment examples could be:

• Increased online leads 278% via these social media accounts and marketing channels and improved customer engagement rates 67% over a 12-month period
• Improved cost-per-click of digital ads, resulting in annual marketing savings of over $50,000

More accomplishment examples for experienced professionals:

• Developed and implemented a new sales strategy that increased revenue by 25% in the first year
• Improved client retention rate by 15% by implementing a new customer service program and training staff to provide exceptional customer service

Accomplishments examples - leadership

A good leader has the ability to inspire, motivate, and guide their team towards achieving common goals. Proving you have these abilities through accomplishments on a resume is an effective way to stand out as a qualified candidate.

List accomplishments demonstrating leadership to prove to potential employers you can lead and inspire, make strategic decisions, solve problems, and drive results.

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Examples of resume accomplishments for leadership:

• Successfully managed a team of 20 employees, resulting in a 30% increase in productivity and a 20% reduction in employee turnover
• Led a cross-functional team to successfully deliver a complex project ahead of schedule and under budget, resulting in cost savings of $500,000
• Implemented new process improvements that reduced production time by 30% and resulted in cost savings of $200,000 per year
• Mentored and coached a team of five employees, resulting in three promotions and two successful career transitions within the company
• Successfully developed and implemented a new company culture initiative, resulting in a 20% increase in employee satisfaction and a 10% reduction in turnover
• Led a crisis management team to successfully navigate a major company crisis, resulting in a 90% retention rate among employees and customers

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Resume accomplishments examples for changing careers

Showing your strengths and accomplishments on a resume is particularly important for career pivoters because it can help to highlight the transferable skills and experiences that you have gained from previous roles.

By highlighting your strengths and accomplishments, you can show how your unique set of skills and experiences can be valuable in your new career path.

Examples of resume accomplishments when making a career pivot:

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Accomplishments examples when pivoting from education to tech:

• Developed and executed an edtech program that resulted in a 20% increase in student test scores and a 15% increase in graduation rates.
• Implemented customer feedback mechanisms and developed new customer support processes that resulted in a 25% increase in customer satisfaction ratings (use customer instead of parent/student/administrator, etc.)
• Developed and implemented new data analysis processes that resulted in a 25% increase in data accuracy and a 15% reduction in data processing time

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Accomplishments examples when pivoting from marketing to customer success:

• Developed and executed customer engagement initiatives that resulted in a 30% increase in customer engagement and a 10% increase in upsell opportunities
• Led the development and execution of successful customer campaigns that resulted in increased customer loyalty and retention
• Implemented customer retention initiatives that resulted in a 15% increase in customer retention rates

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Accomplishments examples when pivoting from marketing to customer success:

• Reduced production costs: Implemented new manufacturing processes that reduced production costs by 20% while maintaining product quality
• Increased efficiency: Optimized supply chain management processes, resulting in a 15% reduction in lead times and a 10% increase in productivity
• Developed new products: Led the development of new products, resulting in a 10% increase in revenue and a 5% increase in market share.

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Accomplishment examples when pivoting from finance:

• Increased profitability: Developed and executed a financial strategy that resulted in a 10% increase in revenue and a 5% increase in profit margins
• Developed financial models: Created and implemented new financial models that improved forecasting accuracy and reduced financial risk
• Improved financial reporting: Led a team that improved financial reporting processes, resulting in a 25% reduction in reporting errors and a 20% increase in reporting efficiency

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Resume achievement examples by role

The kind of accomplishments you highlight can also depend heavily on the role you're applying for or have previously held. Different roles require different skill sets, and the achievements you choose to showcase should align with these needs. Let's break down what standout accomplishments could look like for different roles.

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Accomplishments examples - human resources

• Successfully managed and maintained personnel files for a team of 100+ employees, resulting in an organized and efficient HR process
• Decreased training length by 2 days through implementation of a new onboarding process
• Resolved employee relation issues and supported managers and supervisors in the fair application of company policies and procedures, resulting in a positive work environment and increased employee satisfaction rates by 25% over the year
• Increased employee retention rate by 16% through development of performance appraisal program and conducting coaching and feedback sessions

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Accomplishments examples - administrative 

• Coordinated with prospective employees and scheduled interviews in a timely manner, leading to 15+ new full-time hires
• Managed calendars of the executive team and coordinated weekly team-wide meetings for over 50 people
• Managed schedules with subcontractors, clients, and vendors across 6 job sites, generating $9M in revenue
• Worked as a liaison and point of communication between 12 executives and 40+ staff members
• Scheduled and coordinated meetings for 15 senior leadership team members, resulting in a 30% reduction in meeting time requirements
• Developed a new client communication process, leading to time savings of 45 hours per month across the account management team
• Onboarded accounting department interns and provided ongoing training on company processes, procedures, and best practices

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Achievement examples - engineers

• Worked closely with the product team to re-configure the processing of invoices, saving customers over 45,000 manual hours of work per month
• Improved member's connection to healthcare by 22% by fine-tuning the search engine
• Through A/B testing of different components and combinations, improved customer conversion rate by 12%, representing $250,000+ in incremental annual revenue
• Helped sales team close 6 major deals generating more than $180K in revenue by presenting easy-to-understand software solutions

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Achievement examples -  business analyst

• Reduced operations cost by 12% by driving continued growth of the business with a focus on standardization, repeatable processes, and scalable assets
• Increased customer satisfaction by 29% by implementing new technologies and business processes
• Saved company a minimum of $8M annually by supporting a broad range of business process improvement initiatives with reporting and analysis using a variety of software tools
• Increased revenue by $16M through analysis of data surrounding customer behaviors, vendor relationships, stakeholder goals, and workflows

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Accomplishments examples by industry

Showcasing accomplishments on a resume can vary significantly across industries. Here are some examples of diverse skills and impact:

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Achievement examples - marketing

• Increased website traffic by 40% through a comprehensive SEO strategy
• Launched a social media campaign that led to a 30% increase in followers within six months
• Coordinated a product launch event that attracted over 500 attendees and generated 50 new leads
• Oversaw a content marketing strategy that boosted blog views by 60% in a quarter

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Achievement examples - accounting and finance

• Streamlined the invoicing process, reducing errors by 25%
• Saved the company $500,000 by identifying and rectifying a recurring accounting error
• Implemented a new budgeting approach that increased annual savings by 20%
• Reduced month-end closing time by three days through improved workflow management

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Achievement examples - project management

• Successfully managed deep sewer and water pipeline projects valued at up to $100M, resulting in a profit margin of 20%
• Managed and scheduled subcontractors effectively, resulting in a project completion rate of 95%
• Coordinated with foremen to anticipate and order materials and schedule employee and equipment resources, resulting in a 15% increase in productivity
• Conducted weekly meetings for project-specific scheduling, budgeting, and planning with supervisors, resulting in a project completion rate of 98%

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Achievement examples - sales

• Made an average of 8-10 dealership visits per day, resulting in a 20% increase in new sales prospects
• Collaborated with company leadership to set strategic goals and drive initiatives, resulting in a 15% increase in revenue
• Traveled locally and across the country to present partnership opportunities, resulting in a 30% conversion rate for new partnerships
• Assisted and trained dealers on documentation required for expedited funding, resulting in a 25% increase in loan approval rate

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Achievement examples - customer service and customer support

• Achieved a 98% customer satisfaction score consistently over a year
• Resolved 90% of customer complaints within the first call, improving first-call resolution rates
• Reduced average call handling time by 15% without compromising on service quality
• Introduced a customer feedback system that led to a 20% improvement in service delivery

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Achievement examples - management

Manager or supervisor positions will require you to show high levels of responsibility and leadership. You should include relevant accomplishments like:

• Oversaw a 35-person software development team with 40+ projects per quarter and total budgets exceeding $4.5 million
• Developed and implemented new hiring plan to help department fill open positions 17% faster than the previous year
• Managed a dispersed marketing team of 10 (7 direct reports) across 3 offices and 2 time zones, consistently exceeding monthly KPIs by 20% or more

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What achievements should I not include in my resume?

Now that you know what you need, below are three achievements you shouldn't include in your resume.

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Irrelevant accomplishments

The achievements on your resume should be the top 10% of your experiences that are 100% relevant to the role you're applying to.

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Confidential information

You may want to avoid potentially confidential details, like sales figures or annual revenue.

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Academic accomplishments

Once you've been in the working world for two years or more, most of your academic awards and  achievements can likely come off your resume and be replaced by job-specific accomplishments. 

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Inaccurate metrics

Employers may ask your references to confirm some of the achievements you've highlighted, so never embellish or over-exaggerate results to make your resume look better.

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Highlight accomplishments on your resume with Teal

It's all too common to downplay your remarkable achievements while immersed in your daily professional life. But for your prospective employer, these very accomplishments showcase your potential and the promise you bring to their team.

Don't shy away from celebrating your wins: Let your achievements take center stage and speak volumes about your capabilities.

To give your accomplishments the spotlight they deserve, build your resume with Teal. With the ability to export your resume directly as a PDF, you can effortlessly place your professional story into the hands of hiring managers, taking you one step closer to landing that dream job interview. 

Ready to let your achievements shine? Try Teal for free today.