Using Your Own Accomplishments in Hiring A Manager

To call Vital accomplishments is often to understate the case. For Vital accomplishments are rare and varied. While Aristotle defined intellectual prowess as knowledge acquired through training and discipline, the range of acceptable goals in the scope of knowledge is as wide and deep as the ocean. The great philosophers, all of whom had their strong points, were never able to apply their great discoveries, and they were limited in their ability to train others as they were themselves trained by their mentors.


Aristotle defines intellectual prowess as "a quality of reason, that enables the use of reason to distinguish between true and false." A similar, though more limited, definition is found in the Abridgment of Philology, by James Q. Wilson. "Philosophy," he says, "is a body of knowledge, not wisdom, knowledge, or an art." Philosophers, like Wilson, are the champions of clear statements: the knowledge must be demonstrated, its defects exposed, and its errors corrected. Philosophy, like a boxer, has learned to fight fair, but only after he has been battered and bruised a number of times. But the rough notes, the achievements to which he gives the credit, help to insure that he will continue to fight, even if he is already defeated in the boxing match.

In a student resume, the accomplishments should be the starting point. How well do you know yourself? What do you value in your life? These are things you will discuss at length in your interview, and your academic record will reflect what you value in your career. An important part of this process, however, is to ensure that the resume includes a accomplishments section, where you can quickly and accurately list your personal top successes and identify your leadership skills, if any, in order to demonstrate to potential employers that you are a leader who deserves their respect.

So, how should you write an achievements essay? Start by writing a statement or paragraph that highlights your strongest attributes. Think about what your personal and professional goals are, and how you expect to meet them. Do you see examples of your accomplishments in your work, community or volunteer activities? Write down your top three accomplishments, and see how many other people you can reference to verify each of them. Be specific, but don't get too much into specifics, especially when talking to potential employers--they'll want to know what you did, not just what you're saying.

Next, list your top three accomplishments (listed in reverse order) in chronological order. Use your own judgment here. Sometimes it's good to use personal examples to show that you've had real success. If you're applying for a job as a teacher, for instance, you may want to mention your own school leadership awards, community service projects or student leadership awards instead of a list of graduate accomplishments.

Finally, compile your list of accomplishments using a standard notebook or bullet point system. Divide them into categories, such as sales, managerial/business leadership, teaching or volunteer work. Make sure you keep track of what you completed with each category, and compile your rough notes on the appropriate section of your resume. You can continue to do this for each job description that you complete for each organization or company that you're applying for.

One of the benefits of using your own list of achievements is that you can tailor it to fit the specific nature of the job duties or positions that you're applying for. For example, if you're applying for a management/business leadership position, then you'll want to emphasize your leadership skills. If you're applying for a teaching or volunteer position, then you may be able to omit some of your volunteer work and emphasize your professional experience. This will allow you to highlight your most significant achievements for each job duties.

To create a strong resume, make sure you take some time to write a powerful cover letter. A cover letter is simply a brief letter that announces to the hiring manager your qualifications for the job duties listed on the resume. In addition to giving a specific definition of your job duties or qualifications, the cover letter should also highlight your strengths and selling points. It should be less than one page, easily readable, and follow the basic formats of other letters. Using your own collection of accomplishments to present a more polished image of yourself is a good way to impress a hiring manager. If you can't find any examples of cover letters for the specific type of position that you're applying for, search the internet or library for templates or examples of cover letters.