Remembering/generating resume accomplishments

Submitted by Daniel Tarnowski
in
Career Management

Well this is a little embarrassing.  Just began listening to the MT interview series and am therefore reworking my resume.  1st job out of undergrad, did what I was told to do but was basically following protocol (biotech industry).  Looking back now, it's been a number of years, I am having difficulty pulling any impressive 'accomplishments' out of my time there.  I see the wisdom now of Mike and Mark's advice to update resume quarterly.  I would appreciate any advice the community has to offer.

Thanks very much in advance!

Submitted by Artie Moffa on Tuesday June 21st, 2011 4:11 pm

Don't set the bar at "impressive accomplishments." If it was your first job out of college, it's entirely possible that you were concerned with

  • learning your job
  • doing your job
  • learning basic professionalism (neckties, meetings, "Sir," "Ma'am")
  • furnishing your first apartment and learning to cook your own food

It's not your fault if you didn't revolutionize the laboratory process or discover some breakthrough protein. Were you promoted from temp to full-time? Did you volunteer to help with the Christmas party? Did your team or division do something great that you contributed to in some tiny way? Those are accomplishments.
Ask your parents, or your mentor, or your best friend, if he/she remembers any stories you told about your first year on the job. There might be a nugget or two there.
If you've stayed in touch with some of your co-workers (you've changed jobs, correct?), then ask them if they remember anything. Maybe you can even request your old personnel reviews.
I, too, have struggled with the distinction between "meeting rigorous, well-defined job duties" and "accomplishments." My girlfriend is a lawyer at a very intense firm. If she doesn't bill 1900 hours per year, she'll be fired. So if she bills 1900 hours per year, that's not an accomplishment, even though 95% of the general workforce couldn't possibly sustain a pace like that. I used to be a touring poet, meaning I lived out of a suitcase and put on nightly shows to audiences of between 8 and 800 people. Most people get tongue-tied giving a PowerPoint show to ten coworkers, yet my talent wasn't really an "accomplishment" because top-notch public speaking skills were basic requirements for the job I had.

Submitted by Daniel Tarnowski on Thursday June 23rd, 2011 9:41 am

AFMOFFA,
thanks very much for your insight.  You are spot on stating that I was concerned with learning the basics of my very first 'real' job out of college.  I will contact old co-workers, etc... and that will hopefully blow the dust off of what I'm looking for.  Again, many thanks.

Submitted by Gwen Pearson on Saturday June 25th, 2011 7:24 am

Most biotechs have lab notebook/compliance audits--how often did you pass?  Being able to follow detailed instructions to the letter is a skill. 
You probably also got some sort of training that also might be useful to mention (safety, FDA, etc?)
If it was your first job, and you can say something like "99% compliance rate with SOP/standard protocols"...that would work for me!
Did you document/develop any new protocols?
You want to show not tell, so here is a great place to demonstrate your attention to detail.
(I can't tell you how many resumes I get that have "attention to detail" as a bullet point...and yet they don't bother to pay attention to the details of the posting that I've asked for a cover letter, or to have them sent to a specific address.....Sigh.)

Submitted by Daniel Tarnowski on Wednesday June 29th, 2011 10:23 pm

thanks Bug Girl,
with each response I am remembering more and more.  I appreciate the practicality of your advice. 
Again, cheers.