<p>Achievements and accomplishments are <em>how well </em>you performed your job duties. What was the impact of your action? How was your team or organization enhanced because of the successful performance of your job? What would have happened if you didn’t take an action or make a decision?</p> <p>To find out your achievements, consider your past performance reviews. What did you do well?</p> <p>Here are some other questions you can ask yourself too:</p> <p>1. What problems did you solve?</p> <p>2. What improved because of your actions?</p> <p>3. Were you ever recognized and acknowledged for something (by your boss, management, peers)?</p> <p>4. Did you save the organization money?</p> <p>5. Did you have an impact on revenue?</p> <p>6. What would have happened if you had not performed that duty?</p> <p>7. What kinds of problems would you like to solve now and in the future?</p> <p>If you don’t have a clue about any of these questions, contact someone from your organization and consult with them. It’s also great to use words like &quot;estimate&quot; and &quot;approximate&quot; when providing a metric of your performance.</p> <p><strong>How To Measure Your Future Success</strong></p> <p>Early in your relationship, you should ask your manager how you will be measured for success. Otherwise, how will you know if you are doing a good job or missing expectations?</p> <p>Organizations value employees who ask and reflect on: “What will my expected impact be? How will I be measured on my performance?&quot; Every two weeks, I ask my clients two questions: &quot;What did you do for the company in the last two weeks?&quot; and &quot;What did the company do for you aside from a paycheck?&quot;</p> <p>The expected result here? You and your boss will be locked in on goals and objectives for your performance, as well as your professional development. You will understand what requirements are needed to facilitate your promotion and you will know what the organization will do to help you achieve career goals — like offer mentoring, for example.</p> <p>Development increases your value to the company as well as to you and your career portfolio. However, keep in mind that most CEOs and executives will focus only on how your job benefits the company. It is up to you ask for any additional training, experience, education, mentoring, etc. If you are clear about being motivated and the company sees that investing in you will help them meet their goals and objectives, they should be amenable to offering you support.</p> <p>The choice is yours. You can let others decide your fate, or you can take command and map your road to success.</p>” readability=”107″>

Do you know the difference between a job duty and an accomplishment?

In both my roles as a coach and recruitment consultant, I have seen resumes that are unique and impressive. Of course, on the flip side, there are resumes that showcase job duties and responsibilities and don’t stand out.

Promotion and recognition do not happen solely based on doing a good job.

You are completely accountable for the management of your career. When it’s time for a promotion or a new job, organizations today are increasingly interested in accomplishments. That is, executives who can show proof of a particular skill or job duty and the results. When it comes to landing that new role, the employee who understands and can articulate their impact on the organization has the advantage.

Simply put, success comes with knowing your impact. You’d be surprised by how many executives find it challenging to document the inventory of their achievements. They are stuck in the “responsible for…” mindset of thinking. My response is usually “So what? You sound like everyone else.”

Every decision you make has an impact in the short term or long term. You are the one who needs to track and quantify the results and store them in your own career portfolio. Most organizations value this way of thinking.

So where do we start? Let’s start with differentiating a job duty and an achievement.

Duties are what you did. Your job description outlines your scope of responsibilities and describes what you do. For example, if you are a cost accountant, describing what you do sounds pretty much the same as any other cost accountant’s description would. That description will not set you apart. Moreover, the impact on promotion consideration is negligible.

Achievements and accomplishments are how well you performed your job duties. What was the impact of your action? How was your team or organization enhanced because of the successful performance of your job? What would have happened if you didn’t take an action or make a decision?

To find out your achievements, consider your past performance reviews. What did you do well?

Here are some other questions you can ask yourself too:

1. What problems did you solve?

2. What improved because of your actions?

3. Were you ever recognized and acknowledged for something (by your boss, management, peers)?

4. Did you save the organization money?

5. Did you have an impact on revenue?

6. What would have happened if you had not performed that duty?

7. What kinds of problems would you like to solve now and in the future?

If you don’t have a clue about any of these questions, contact someone from your organization and consult with them. It’s also great to use words like “estimate” and “approximate” when providing a metric of your performance.

How To Measure Your Future Success

Early in your relationship, you should ask your manager how you will be measured for success. Otherwise, how will you know if you are doing a good job or missing expectations?

Organizations value employees who ask and reflect on: “What will my expected impact be? How will I be measured on my performance?” Every two weeks, I ask my clients two questions: “What did you do for the company in the last two weeks?” and “What did the company do for you aside from a paycheck?”

The expected result here? You and your boss will be locked in on goals and objectives for your performance, as well as your professional development. You will understand what requirements are needed to facilitate your promotion and you will know what the organization will do to help you achieve career goals — like offer mentoring, for example.

Development increases your value to the company as well as to you and your career portfolio. However, keep in mind that most CEOs and executives will focus only on how your job benefits the company. It is up to you ask for any additional training, experience, education, mentoring, etc. If you are clear about being motivated and the company sees that investing in you will help them meet their goals and objectives, they should be amenable to offering you support.

The choice is yours. You can let others decide your fate, or you can take command and map your road to success.