Accomplishment Statements

What is an accomplishment statement? 

An accomplishment statement (or bullet point) on a resume is a short and powerful description of something important you did at work. It describes what you did, how you did it, and what happened because of it. You are showing off your best work concisely. When you write these statements, you can use the “STAR” method. 

Writing an Accomplishment Statement Using the “STAR” Method 

The STAR method is an interviewing strategy that individuals use to talk about their achievements. It is also a formula for writing strong accomplishment statements more commonly referred to as your resume bullet point(s). It helps you tell a story about what you did and why it was important. Here’s how it works: 

  • Situation & Task: The specific challenge or goal you faced and were tasked with addressing or accomplishing. 
  • Action: The steps you took or the strategies you implemented to address the situation or task. 
  • Result: The outcomes and achievements from your actions, providing evidence of your success. 

Questions to get started 

Situation & Task 

  • What was the problem or challenge I faced? 
  • What specific goal was I trying to achieve? 
  • What were the circumstances surrounding the situation? 

Action 

  • What steps did I take to address the problem or accomplish the goal? 
  • What strategies or approaches did I use to tackle the challenge? 
  • How did I go about implementing my plan? 

Result 

  • What were the outcomes of my actions? 
  • What achievements or successes did I experience as a result? 
  • How did my actions contribute to the overall goal or desired outcome? 

Resume Examples 

A strong accomplishment statement (bullet point) will follow this formula: 

  • Action verb, the situation/task, the action to complete the task, and the results (while explaining the who, what, where, why, when, how, and how many) 

Education 

  • Implemented differentiated instruction strategies to meet diverse student learning needs (Situation & Task), conducted assessments, and devised personalized learning plans (Action); resulted in a 20% increase in student achievement scores (Result). 
  • Developed and implemented a comprehensive literacy program to improve reading proficiency among elementary school students (Situation & Task), designed engaging lesson plans, and provided individualized support (Action); led to a 25% enhancement in students’ reading comprehension levels (Results). 

Business 

  • Identified inefficiencies in the supply chain process (Situation), leading to a task of reducing costs while maintaining quality standards (Task), implemented lean manufacturing principles and optimized inventory management practices (Action), resulting in a 20% reduction in production costs and a 15% increase in on-time delivery rates (Result). 
  • Implemented cost-saving measures within the procurement department (Situation & Task), analyzed supplier contracts, and negotiated better terms (Action) which resulted in a 15% reduction in procurement expenses (Result).  

Healthcare 

  • Increased patient satisfaction by 20% (Result) by implementing a patient-centered care model to improve the quality of healthcare services (Situation & Task), conducting staff training sessions on patient communication techniques, and establishing feedback mechanisms (Action). 
  • Developed and implemented infection control protocols to reduce hospital acquired infections (Situation & Task), conducted regular audits of hygiene practices and designed staff training programs (Action), causing a 25% decrease in infection rates (Result).  

Information Technology 

  • Developed a cybersecurity awareness training program for employees (Situation & Task), conducted regular phishing simulations and deployed advanced threat detection tools (Action) helping decrease security incidents by 50% (Result). 
  • Helped decrease network downtime by 40% (Result) by upgrading the company’s network infrastructure to improve reliability and performance (Situation & Task), conducting thorough network assessments, and implementing redundancy measures (Action).