“Past performance is the best predictor of future success.”
Recruiters and hiring managers assessing candidates are looking for proof that you can do the job. One of the best ways to assess that is by reviewing your accomplishments from similar roles. However, it can be difficult to remember what you’ve done!
That’s where keeping a journal comes in. Each month for the next year, I will post a summary of daily prompts to help you identify and track your accomplishments throughout the year. You can either write down a specific accomplishment from that day or use the prompt to help you think of a recent accomplishment. You don’t have to use the specific prompt for that day — but they are there to help give you some inspiration.
Keep the journal somewhere you’ll refer to it each day. Taking a few minutes to complete the prompts will make it easier for you to update your résumé and LinkedIn profile.
May 1 – What big goal or project do you want to tackle this month?
May 2 – Describe a time when you have demonstrated the ability to successfully assess a situation.
May 3 – Give an example of how you were creative at work today.
May 4 – What are you most proud of?
May 5 – Which skill do you have that is unusual for someone with your job title to possess?
May 6 – For your most recent achievement, what was the impact of the accomplishment on the organization?
May 7 – What did you do today that made a difference?
May 8 – How have you demonstrated your ability to identify key issues that need to be addressed? (Have you seen something no one else has?)
May 9 – What did you do today to help a co-worker?
May 10 – Describe a time when you have brought in a project under budget.
May 11 – How have you made a difference at your company through your ability to listen?
May 12 – Describe one of your accomplishments related to technology.
May 13 – How have you raised brand awareness in your current position?
May 14 – Describe a time when you tracked down a critical piece of information.
May 15 – How have you helped your company improve customer service?
May 16 – Give an example when your ability to manage multiple assignments or responsibilities has led to a positive outcome.
May 17 – Have you led any significant projects?
May 18 – What’s a specific example of a time when you have met a tight deadline?
May 19 – Do you restructure any contracts or agreements in your current role?
May 20 – Have you had to handle any challenges or crisis situations at your company? What was the challenge and what was the outcome?
May 21 – How have you been able to motivate others to achieve common goals?
May 22 – Describe one way you have streamlined or automated processes or operations in this job.
May 23 – Give an example of a time when you have structured information to make it more accessible or useful.
May 24 – What excites you most about your work?
May 25 – How have you helped a project come in ahead of schedule?
May 26 – Describe a situation in which you demonstrated you were a self-starter.
May 27 – How have you contributed to your company’s reputation or brand image?
May 28 – Describe an accomplishment you achieved as part of a team.
May 29 – What are you most proud of today?
May 30 – Have you delivered any presentations? On what topic, and to what audience?
May 31 – What is your biggest professional achievement in the past month?
When possible, quantify your accomplishments: specify numbers, percentages, and dollar amounts. Be as detailed as possible with your responses
When turning your prompts into actual accomplishment statements, create a structure to tell a story. The most common format is the CAR statement:
C = What was the challenge?
A = What action did you take?
R = What was the result?
An example of a CAR statement is:
Recruited to tackle an underperforming sales territory characterized by significant account attrition (challenge). Developed contact list for lapsed accounts and initiated contact with decision-makers at each company (action). Reacquired 22% of former customers, resulting in $872,000 in revenue (result)
For a downloadable copy of this month’s accomplishment journal May Accomplishment Journal
If you missed the prior month’s accomplishment journals you can find them here:
April March February January December
