Writing an accomplishment-oriented job description

• "My waitress job isn't relevant to the nursing position I'm applying for."
• "I've been a camp counselor for the past three summers, but I don't see how that fits in with anything I'm going to do."
• "How can I pay my bills while gaining leadership experience?"

I hear these questions all the time and realize how difficult it can be for some people to highlight their strengths and leadership capabilities in a resume format. Sure, a waiter may take orders, clear dishes, wash a table now and then....but he/she might also train other servers, receive promotions, attend customer service and leadership trainings, be responsible for closing and opening the facility, and help transition the team to a new point of sale system.

It's all about the questions you ask yourself and the shift you make to an accomplishment-oriented point of view. Let's take a shot at it--

Take a look at one work experience description and ask yourself these questions:

1. Did I ever receive a raise, promotion, or positive evaluation? If so, for what reason?
2. Did I ever attend trainings? If so, in what?
3. Did I supervise or train anyone? If so, how many people? Did Iconduct performance appraisals, manage payroll, or develop schedules?
4. Did I have to use any technical systems? If so, which specific software programs did I use?
5. Did I work overtime or fill in extra shifts while going to school?
6. Did I have to work with other service providers or interact with family members?
7. Finally, think numbers---any time you can include a number, it shows the scope of what you've done. How many children did I supervise? How often did I reach sales goals? How much money did I help raise? How many people attended my event? How much money did I handle in a given night?

I'm sure you've been able to add a few new, powerful, items to your descriptions. If not, think about how you can take on new roles in your organization so that you can add leadership examples to your resume.

Best of luck!