CREATING A
STRONG RÉSUMÉA SELF-DIRECTEDRESOURCEFIRST EDITION

Table ofContents

Introduction

1

How to Write Accomplishment
Statements

2

How to Identify and Use Keywords

4

Résumé Samples

6

How to Write a Career Proﬁle10

Action Verbs

12

Tips for Preparing a Statementof Interest (SOI)

14

CV/Résumé and Statement ofInterest Checklist

15

Cover photo credit:
www.ﬂickr.com/photos/
nicmcphee/2756494307

1

Introduction

The résumé is a career marketing documentthat takes time and attention to create. The
main goal of the résumé is to get invited for a
personal interview. This guide is a self-directedresource to get you started, as well as tocomplement what you learn in one of ourworkshops. It can also help you prepare for ameeting with a career advisor so you can have amore productive session. It contains a number ofresources to help you create and revise yourrésumé in order to align it with the targeted
position and highlights relevant skills,
accomplishments, and qualiﬁcations.
We recommend attending one of our résumé
workshops and/or self-paced E-learning courses
to round up your skills after using this selfdirected guide.
All our oﬀerings can be found on
http//careerdev.

2

How to Write Accomplishment
Statements

When viewing your CV/résumé, employers look foraccomplishments rather than a description of yourresponsibilities. Accomplishment statements appear at
the top paragraph on your résumé and they
demonstrate your proven ability to summarize what
you have achieved in former positions.
One suggested format is to begin your description ofeach position with an overview of the job, i.e., what you
helped do, ﬁgure out, or answer in your role; who you
served; your budget; the region you were responsible
for; the number and kind of staﬀ you managed or werea part of; product or service lines, etc.
After this brief overview, what employers want to see
is what you achieved on the job – and this is where
accomplishment statements have value.
Accomplishments refer to actions you have taken thatshow results or impact as opposed to tasks or eﬀort. In
other words, employers want you to diﬀerentiate
yourself by showing why your actions have mattered
and what diﬀerence you were able to make.
The following examples show the impact of using
accomplishment-driven statements.
>

Relocated oﬃce over one weekend, planning andcoordinating the logistics. (good)>

Relocated corporate oﬃce of 130 staﬀ members
over one weekend, planning and coordinating
the logistics to result in zero disruption tooperational schedules and productivity. (better)>

Managed international development conference,
coordinating all aspects from planning throughimplementation. (good)>Managed a 2-day sustainability conference for
175 professionals from 6 regional oﬃces. Plannedand coordinated event logistics. Communicatedwith all participants and presenters. Result:
ratings of “outstanding” by 95% of participants
regarding event logistics, communication, andmaterials. (better)>

Developed new presentation methods for annual
meetings to make presentations more interesting toparticipants. (good)>

Developed innovative presentation methods forannual meetings using visual eﬀects technology.
Increased viewer interest through video imagery
and creative visual eﬀects, resulting in speciﬁc
feedback on improved presentation methods bymore than 85% of participants. (better)

3

STAR
MODEL

To write accomplishment statements, follow this two-stepprocess:

Sometimes, looking at past performance reviews will
help to jog your memory of accomplishments.

•

Also, consider feedback you have received frommanagers, colleagues and clients.

•

Before you start writing your résumé, think about
each position you have held and create a list ofaccomplishments that are related to the kind of work
you are pursuing. Always use results, measurable
impact and metrics when describing
accomplishments.

>

S
T
A
R

To help you to develop this list, ask yourself if you:>increased eﬃciency or eﬀectiveness>accomplished more with fewer resources>

initiated or implemented something that went
above and beyond what was in your job
description>

Use the STAR model to write youraccomplishment statement. STAR stands for:= Situation solved or opportunity created= Tasks that needed to be done
= Actions you took
= Results achieved

For each accomplishment statement, brieﬂy tell:>

What was the SITUATION: What was the
problem, need, or issue?

designed and implemented a technique, strategy,
innovation, or improvement>

What TASKS needed to be done: Describe thechallenge and expectations.

>solved a challenging problem>>

did something that improved client relations or
resulted in greater stakeholder engagement>

improved a process

What ACTION did you take: What was your role?
What did you do? What challenges did you
overcome? What steps did you take? What
techniques did you use?

>

saved money, time, or other resources>

What were the RESULTS? What was the impactof the actions you took? What were the beneﬁts:>

implemented a policy, procedure, system, or bestpractice>were recognized informally by clients>

Authored or co-authored a published article orbook>

improved proﬁtability>

enhanced productivity>

contributed something that was above andbeyondQuantify the results whenever you can, using
metrics such as numbers, $, %. When you cannot
quantify, show the impact of your action(i.e., saving time, increasing eﬃciency,
strengthening communication, streamlining
operations, building relationships with external
stakeholders, expanding product lines).
Key success concepts in writing STARs are:-Start each with an action verb. (Use past tense forcompleted accomplishments).

-

Be speciﬁc.

-Quantify, using metrics whenever possible (andwhen it is helpful).

-

Show concrete results or the impact of youractions.

4

How to Identify
and Use Keywords

When you align your CV/résumé content with an
employer’s requirements for a position or TOR, it
makes it easier for an employer to shortlist you.
Alignment is not about copying the job posting andplacing the exact contents into your CV/résumé. (Yes,
we have seen it happen!). It’s about making a list of
keywords and key phrases that are common to job
postings for your ﬁeld that show what employers are
typically looking for and making sure that, when true,these are represented in your CV/résumé.

A good exercise before updating your résumé is to identify
the keywords and key phrases that show up mostfrequently for your ﬁeld. Sources for identifying keywords
and key phrases for your ﬁeld include:

Keywords and key phrases are what recruiters andApplicant Tracking Systems (software used byorganizations to do an initial screening of incoming
résumés) search for when reviewing your CV/résumé.
They are the nouns and phrases that describe theskills and qualiﬁcations employers typically search
for as they identify qualiﬁed candidates for yourﬁeld. They can include skills, experience, knowledge,
areas of expertise, certiﬁcations or special training,education, and personal qualities that are core to thekind of position you are seeking.

>job postings: Review 5-7 job postings (e.g. on
Compass) and make a list of keywords and key
phrases that come up most often in job postings foryour role.

>

employer websites and mission statements>social media proﬁles of others in your ﬁeld>

colleagues>

professional associations

5

6

Résumé Sample #1:
Chronological
NAME

Email:

Street Address (can leave street address off)Phone:

City, State Zip Code

LinkedIn:

CAREER SUMMARY
Resourceful agriculturist and operations manager with over 15 years of international experience. Major strengths
include program development and portfolio management for global agricultural technology projects, resulting in
improved profitability and sustainability. Recognized for strong client orientation and the ability to develop andimplement highly successful solutions for key issues affecting portfolio performance. A team player dedicated tomotivating and mentoring colleagues within multicultural settings.

EXPERIENCE
THE WORLD BANK GROUP, Washington, D.C.

1994-present

Senior Agriculturist, Rural Development Unit
Islamabad’s Field Office, South Asia Region

2013-present

Manage a team of 25, focusing on improving the performance of the Bank-assisted portfolio across all sectors
including agriculture. Portfolio size 45-50 projects with an outstanding balance of $4-5 billion.
•

Planned, processed and directed the country and provincial portfolio performance reviews; identified key
issues and actions affecting project implementation and developed solutions which improved project
performance and fund utilization.

•

Managed and mentored staff to improve performance of task leaders and task assistants. Analyzed slowmoving projects; worked with team members to determine causes and create innovative and cost-effective
solutions.

•

Developed a new project supervision strategy which improved team performance, bringing projects in ontime and under budget while consistently meeting client expectations.

•

Planned and organized annual meetings to develop collaborative donor, research, and institutional linkages
to broaden the exchange of views and experiences on country-assisted agricultural development programs.

Senior Agriculturist
Bangladesh Resident Mission, Dhaka

2007-2013

Managed projects in the field of agriculture research, extension, and forestry. Introduced significant improvementsin the extension and research systems to increase productivity, improve resource management, and strengthen
physical and social infrastructures.
•

Mentored national staff of the Agriculture/Natural Resources Team to improve task leadership.

•

Promoted successfully the use of NGOs as development partners for forestry protection operations andhome gardening projects.

•

Interacted with the donor community to more effectively coordinate country assistance programs inagriculture.

7Page 2

NAME

Senior Agriculturist
India Department, Washington, D.C.

2000-2007

Managed two major agricultural rural development projects. Successfully completed complex negotiations of theUpper Krishna Resettlement and Irrigation Project ($550M).
•

Led the Tamil Nadu Agriculture Development Project, a one-of-a-kind initiative at the time, from inception
through Board presentation.

•

Persuaded Indian authorities of the need for a major change in project design and concept from a multistate extension program to a one-state development program, resulting in successful implementation andreplication over several states within India.

Agriculturist/Senior Agriculturist, World Bank Europe
Middle East and North Africa Region

1994-2000

Led Bank missions in project preparation, appraisal, and supervision in Yemen, Egypt, and Syria.
•

Introduced significant improvements in project design, focusing on agricultural technology. 95% of farmers
served adopted at least one new technology.

•

Strengthened linkages and collaboration between agricultural research and extension through policychanges and reorganization.

CIMMYT, Mexico
Training Officer

1992-1994

Redesigned the wheat agronomy training program to include more on-farm activities and increase farmer participation.

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT (AUB), Lebanon
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Agriculture

1990-1992

Taught graduate and undergraduate courses in plant breeding and agronomy/crop science. Conducted research
to increase productivity and farmers' income in field crops. Collaborated closely with the Ford Foundation andLebanese government research departments.
EDUCATION
Ph.D., Agriculture - Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Wisconsin
M. Sc., Agriculture/Crop Sciences, AUB
B. Sc., Agriculture, AUBLANGUAGES
English:Arabic:Spanish:Native fluency in speaking, reading, and writing
FluentProficient8

Résumé Sample #2:
HybridNAME

Email:

Street Address (can leave street address off)Phone:

City, State Zip Code

LinkedIn:PROFILE
Writer/editor with experience in the Washington, D.C. market. Background includes international marketing andcommunication roles in the private and public sectors. Recognized for conceptualizing, writing, and successfully
marketing ideas and proposals. Core strengths include creative concepts development, writing and editing, andcross-cultural communication.

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Creative Concepts Development•

Conceptualized, wrote, and successfully marketed a proposal to a major new customer in the U.S.
government. Generated innovative ideas targeted to identified needs, translated the best idea into a writtenplan, and sold the idea to management. Result: Submitted a grant proposal that brought in an $80,000
contract for a new area of work from a highly sought-after customer.

•

Developed two additional contract proposals based on lessons learned from earlier proposal experience.
Networked with potential clients, developed ideas, and created a mock game to field-test and refine theideas. Result: Produced two award-winning proposals and substantial new work for the business unit.

•

Created several intranet websites and concepts for web-based informational newsletters for small
businesses. Conducted focused interviews with key company officials, created an appropriate
communications theme, and developed a website to market products to clientele and an intranet newsletterfor company staff. Result: Improved website sales and informed and motivated staff through a monthly
updated newsletter.

Writing and Editing•

Wrote and edited press releases, country background reports, and briefs on developing countries for USAIDsponsored contracts. Identified information resources, researched key issues, and provided extensive writingand editing. Result: Published briefs that were utilized for worldwide public distribution.

•

Wrote and edited abstracts on U.S. intelligence and national security issues from the Truman to the Clinton
administrations. Researched and reviewed information; developed summaries on key points of interest.
Result: Published and sold well-received abstracts to national libraries and universities.

•

Developed several briefing reports for the U.S. State Department, on issues such as a dispute between the
French Judicial branch and the French government and political unrest in Algeria. Researched the eventsin French, identified the major issues, and prepared summary briefs. Result: Received requests for
additional briefs to be developed based on value of initial briefs.

9Page 2

Name

Cross-Cultural Communication•

Translated status reports from English to French and correspondence from Spanish to English. Edited
correspondence in French and Spanish; became a key contact source for all three languages.

•

Functioned as a public relations facilitator for an important business conference with a large internationalfirm. Assisted in the development of communication strategies; wrote information releases in French, Spanishand English. Interacted with journalists, businesses, and officials from several countries. Result: Received
formal acknowledgment for the quality of the communication strategies as being an important contributing
factor to a highly successful event.

•

Taught conversational French and led English as a Second Language conversation groups for communitybased programs as a volunteer (2011-13). Assisted in French and Spanish translation and interpretation ofpromotional materials to reach target audiences.

EXPERIENCE
Writer/Editor, External Affairs
The World Bank Group, Washington, D.C.

2006-present

Writer/Editor/Translator (consultant)Institute for Research and Development, Fairfax, VA

2000-2006

Editing AssistantNational Security Archives, Washington, D.C.

1997-2000

Marketing AssistantAgence France-Presse, Washington, D.C.

1996-1997

Junior Foreign Service Officer (Intern)
U.S. Department of State, Bordeaux, France

1995-1996

EDUCATION
M.A., International Affairs, Washington, D.C., 1998
B.A., Romance Language and Literature, University of Chicago, 1995 Academic Scholarship recipient

LANGUAGES:
French (fluent reading, writing, oral) Spanish (proficient reading, writing, oral)

10

How to Write a Career Proﬁle(also known as a Career Summary
or Executive Summary)Placed at the top of your résumé underneath your contact
information, this is prime real estate in a CV/résumé. Its
purpose is to show an overview of your core qualiﬁcations
and the value you bring to an employer. It can be aparagraph overview or it can be a paragraph followed by abullet listing of core qualiﬁcations, special skills,
certiﬁcations, or areas of expertise.

Phrases that may be helpful to you as you develop your
Career Proﬁle:>Over X years of experience in..., Extensive experience
in…, Expertise in…

>

Proven strengths in…, Major strengths include…,
Skilled in…, Core strengths include…

>

Proven ability to…, Proven success in…, Proven recordof …, Excellent track record of…, Demonstrated X
capabilities with…

>

Strong background in…, Background includes…

>

Recognized for…, Recognized as a…, Consistently
acknowledged as a…

>

Country experience includes…

>

Regional experience includes…

>

Sectors include…

>

Languages...

The summary can include:>

How much and kinds of relevant experience you have>

Key qualiﬁcations and skills (These are the keywords
and key phrases that are most important to yourﬁeld and to the position)>

Specialty area of expertise and experience>Diﬀerentiators (what makes you unique whencompared to other candidates)

One model to use for developing your Career Proﬁle is thateach sentence answers a diﬀerent question for the reader.
>

1st sentence: Deﬁne yourself in terms of your career.
This can be by position, title, ﬁeld, or a specialized
functional area or area of expertise within your ﬁeld.

>

2nd sentence: Identify the strengths you arepromoting about yourself.

>

3rd sentence: Provide additional depth or breadth.
Can also deﬁne the kinds of activities you would liketo do that are required for the positions you areseeking.

>

4th sentence: Deﬁne unique traits as they relate to
the position and organization. Here’s a chance toshowcase soft skills (personal qualities or strengths
that support the job). Think about what others say
about you, what you are known for, what people
come to you for when asking for your help, etc.

11

Examples:#1: CAREER SUMMARY#3: PROFILE

Skilled learning specialist, with over 10 years of experiencein public, private, and nonproﬁt organizations. Provenstrengths in needs assessment, program design anddelivery, and program evaluation. Strong background inworking with all levels of management and staﬀ,
consistently improving organizational performancethrough classroom and virtual programs. Recognized forfacilitating active learning and incorporating innovative
learning strategies to motivate others to achieve theirpersonal best.

Over 10 years of experience leading administrative
support staﬀ to provide comprehensive program support
services. Proven organizational and time management
skills, prioritizing and delegating work to ensure that tightdeadlines are met. Recognized for applying strong
research and analytical skills to manage and track data,
produce reports, and strategically respond to client issues.
Committed to demonstrating sensitivity in handlingconﬁdential information.

#2: PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY#4 SKILLS

Extensive experience in environmental policy and strategy
development for global development organizations, withexpertise in carbon ﬁnance. Proven background in carbon
fund operations in the South Asia, East Asia and Paciﬁcregions. Field experience includes land use, land-use
change, and forestry. Recognized for developing highly
eﬀective partnerships with stakeholders to establish andimplement carbon fund programs.

Microsoft Oﬃce (Advanced Proﬁciency) | SAP |TRS | LARS | LMS | Adobe Acrobat | SharePoint>

REDD + Readiness>

Capacity building>

BioCarbon Fund (BioCF)>

Portfolio management>

Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF)>

Carbon ﬁnance training

>

ERPA

>

Development ﬁnance12

Action Verbs

Powerful action verbs help your achievements to come out clearly, emphasize the contributions you have made in former
positions and increase your chances to be found and shortlisted if an employer uses software support. Here is a list of
ACTION VERBS you can use.

accelerated

conceived

examined

joinedprovidedstudiedaccepted

conceptualized

exceededjustiﬁedpublishedsubmitted

accomplishedconcluded

executed

kept

purchased

substituted

achieved

conducted

exhibitedlaunched

pursuedsucceededacquired

conﬁrmed

expandedlearnedqualiﬁedsuggested

adaptedconstructed

expeditedleasedquantiﬁed

summarized

added

consulted

experienced

led

rankedsupervised

addressed

contacted

experimented

leveraged

rated

supportedadjusted

contracted

explained

licensedreceived

surveyedadministeredcontrolled

explored

linkedrecognizedsynthesizedadvancedconverted

expressed

locatedrecommended

tackledadvisedconveyedfacilitatedloggedreconciledtargetedallocatedconvinced

ﬁled

maintained

recoveredtaughtanalyzed

cooperated

ﬁlmed

managedrecruited

testedannounced

coordinatedﬁnancedmandated

reducedtrainedansweredcorrected

ﬁnishedmatchedreferredtranslated

anticipatedcounseledforecast

measured

reﬁnedtransported

appliedcreatedformulated

mediated

regulatedtraveled

appointed

critiqued

fosteredmentioned

relatedtreatedappraised

cut

found

mentored

released

troubleshot

approved

decidedfoundedmet

renegotiatedturnedarrangeddecreased

fulﬁlled

modiﬁedreorganizeduncoveredassesseddeﬁnedfurtheredmonitored

replaced

uniﬁedassigneddelegatedgatheredmotivated

repliedupdatedassisteddeliveredgenerated

movedreported

upgradedassumeddemonstrated

guaranteed

multiplied

represented

usedattained

described

guidednamed

requestedvalidated

auditeddesignatedhandlednegotiatedresearchedvisitedaugmented

designed

helpedobserved

resolved

workedauthorized

detected

hired

obtained

responded

wrote

13

awardeddetermined

identiﬁed

openedreevaluatedbalanceddeveloped

illustrated

operatedretainedbargained

devisedimplemented

orderedrevamped

bolstereddiagnosed

improvedorganized

reversedboosteddirected

improvised

outlined

reviewedboughtdiscovered

incorporated

oversaw

revisedbriefeddiscussed

increasedpaid

salvagedbrought

disseminatedindexedparticipatedsavedbudgeted

distributed

indicatedpartneredscheduledbuilt

documented

inﬂuenced

perceived

screened

cataloged

earnedinformed

performed

securedcausededitedinitiated

persuaded

selected

certiﬁededucated

insisted

pioneeredservicedchairedeliminatedinspected

placedsetchangedemployedinspiredplannedsettledclariﬁedenabledinstalled

preparedshapedclassiﬁed

encouraged

instituted

presented

simpliﬁed

closedendorsed

instructedprevented

solvedcoachedengineered

insuredpricedsortedcollaborated

enhanced

integrated

prioritizedsoughtcollected

enlargedinteracted

processed

speciﬁed

combinedenlistedinterpreted

procuredspoke

communicatedenriched

interviewed

produced

staﬀedcomparedensuredintroduced

programmed

stimulatedcompiled

equippedinventedprojected

strategizedcompletedestablishedinvestigatedpromotedstreamlined

composed

estimated

involved

promptedstrengthened

computed

evaluatedissuedproposedstructured

14

Tips for Preparing a Statementof Interest (SOI)>The Statement of Interest (SOI) is similar to a cover
letter but it can be longer (2 pages maximum) anddoes not use business format.

>

Read the announcement carefully and highlight or
underline all of the items in both the Duties andAccountabilities and Selection Criteria sections thatmatch your experiences, skills, and education.

>

Prepare statements describing your qualiﬁcations foreach of the items you have highlighted or underlined.
What examples can you provide? You can showcase a
few speciﬁc details from your résumé. Select anddescribe relevant experiences, showing theirsigniﬁcance to the position. Make the connection for
the reader in an interesting way.

>

The SOI does not need to be chronological. Lead withthe most relevant information or an impactfulstatement or story.

>

Avoid using general terms such as several, numerous,
various, or familiar with.

>

Limit self-reported behaviors/skills, such as “excellent
communicator” or “good people skills.” Instead,describe an experience that validates the skills and/or
behaviors.

>

Keep the information in your application relevant tothe vacancy announcement. Information not related
to the vacancy can cause the reader to wonder if you
read the announcement.

>

It is not necessary to describe the issues related tothe position. The readers should be aware of them.

>

Limit your text. Two pages are suﬃcient.

>

Proofread carefully to eliminate any grammar,punctuation, or spelling errors. Do not rely on spell
check to catch grammar and spelling errors!

Statement of Interest Format>

1st paragraph:
Begin with interest statement that emphasizes why
you are interested in this position and the value you
will bring. Ask yourself and address: Why are you
interested in this speciﬁc position? What draws you
to this position? Avoid describing how you will beneﬁt
from the position if selected. The reader wants toknow your motivations.

>

Following paragraphs:
Use a 2-page maximum length: Use your preparedstatements describing your qualiﬁcations for the
Duties and Accountabilities, Selection Criteria, andCompetencies of the announcement. Include speciﬁc
accomplishments or experiences that are of greatest
interest and relevance to this position and unit.

>

Closing paragraph:Thank the reader for his/her consideration and review
of your attached CV and indicate you look forward to
the opportunity to meet to further discuss how you
can meet their needs.

15

CV/Résumé and Statementof Interest Checklist

Layout and Appearance

Yes

No

n
n
n
n
n
n

-

Name is at top of page and in bold and larger font.

-

Address, phone number, and email (LinkedIn URL optional) are easy to read.

-

Résumé is appropriate length (generally 2 pages for experienced professionals).

-

There are 1” (1/2” minimum) margins all the way around.

-

Font size is clearly legible (usually 11 or 12 pt; 10 is minimum, depending on font style).

-

Formatting is consistent throughout (font size, bullet sizes, heading sizes).

n
n
n
n
n
n

-

Verb tenses are in the present for current jobs, unless an accomplishment stated has been
completed. Verb tenses are in the past for previous jobs.

n

n

-

Weight and balance are clear: positions at the WBG and those with greatest relevance to thejob you are seeking have greater length and description.

-

The most important information is on the top half of the résumé.

-

Headings (Name and Page Number) are placed on Page 2 and subsequent pages.

-

You have not overused bullets.

-

In about a 10-second scan of your document, the reader's eye is drawn to your most important points.

n
n
n
n
n

n
n
n
n
n

n
n
n
n
n

n
n
n
n
n

n
n
n
n
n

n
n
n
n
n
n
n

Content-

Summary statement at top shows direction, focus, an overview of your strengths, and thevalue you bring.

-

Relevant jobs and experiences are included that show you are qualiﬁed for the position.

-

Keywords are used in the summary and throughout the résumé.

-Statements demonstrate accomplishments rather than routine tasks and duties.

-

Each statement begins with an action verb. Responsible for is not an action verb!

-

Metrics are included, when possible, and/or the impact/results of your actions.
A model to use is: Action verb + action taken on your part + results.

-

Statements support and demonstrate the summary at the top of the résumé.

-

There are no complete sentences. There are no I statements.

-

Descriptions are clear, concise, compelling, and conﬁdent.

-

The résumé is free of spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors.

Statement of Interest-

It is two pages or less.

-

It addresses the key elements in the job announcement.

nn-

It begins with an interest statement that shows why you are interested in the position and thevalue you will bring.

n

n

-

It follows with an unfolding of your background as it relates to the position. It has paragraphsthat describe your relevant experience and qualiﬁcations.

-

It includes accomplishments that are of greatest interest and relevance to the position.

-

It is free of grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors.

n
n
n

n
n
n

SELF-DIRECTEDRESOURCE■ Interviewing Successfully✓ Creating a Strong Résumé
■■ Conduct and Eﬀective
Job Search