Assignment 2 Template: Reflecting on Your Skills, Goals, and Accomplishments

Part 1: About Me

Answer the following questions to capture how you see yourself in terms of values, aspirations, key qualities, goals, strengths, and areas of growth:

1) Describe your values, motivations or aspirations in your own words.

2) Describe some of your main personal, academic, and professional goals. Make sure to write five or more complete sentences.

3) What are some of your strength areas? Think about the top 2–3 skills you would advertise about yourself, or consider what others come to you for advice about. Make sure to write five or more complete sentences.

4) What are some areas you would like to grow and improve in? Make sure to write five or more complete sentences.

Part 2: Accomplishment Statements

Accomplishments don’t have to be as large as climbing the top of Mount Everest or starting your own company. We accomplish many things in our lives every day that have meaning. For example, perhaps you organized volunteers for your school’s food drive or made an extremely profitable sale. Or, if you’re more advanced in your career, perhaps you’ve received a promotion or special recognition.

In this part of the assignment, you’ll identify two accomplishments from work, school, volunteering, or other activities. You’ll then practice communicating these in ways appropriate for a résumé.

To begin, brainstorm accomplishments from your work, school, volunteering, or other activities. Read the

Accomplishment Categories

section for a list. After you’ve identified two accomplishments, write statements for each accomplishment using the information below:

Step 1: Think about each of your accomplishments in these terms:

Challenge

Situation, problem, or requirement.

Action

Specific actions you took to resolve or meet the challenge.

Result

The benefit created in specific and measurable terms. Be sure to tie results to the organization’s goals when possible.

Details

Clarifying details, such as numbers or percentages, to provide context (consider answering how many, how much, how long, or how often).

Consider the example below of someone with experience as a retail manager:

Challenge

An increase in customer complaints about the helpfulness of staff.

Action

Developed a new training program for staff, got approval from district manager, and once approved implemented it with a regular review process.

Result

After 3 months, customer complaints decreased.

Details

Previously, customer complaints averaged 4 per week.
After 3 months, complaints averaged 1 or less per week.

Step 2: Write two accomplishment statements to practice using this format:

Challenge

Action

Result

Details

Challenge

Action

Result

Details

Step 3: Now, try writing your two accomplishment statements concisely for a résumé (you will not be completing a resume). Use either example format below to write your accomplishments:

Accomplishment Statement 1: Result + action + brief description including clarifying details.

Example: Decreased customer complaints from 3 per week to 1 or less per week by training staff and implementing a regular review process.

Accomplishment Statement 2: Action + brief description with clarifying details + results.

Example: Trained retail staff in customer-service techniques and implemented a regular review process, decreasing customer complaints from 3 per week to 1 or less per week.

Accomplishment Statement 1

Accomplishment Statement 2

Note: Delete this section before handing in your completed template.

Accomplishment Categories

WRK100

© 2020 Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

Page 6 of 6

Saving Time:

shortening a procedure

optimizing a process

establishing a new procedure

investing in new technology

retraining staff

identifying inefficiencies

changing a schedule

recommending new systems

Saving Money:

using supplies more effectively

eliminating unneeded reports

contracting with a new vendor

reducing underperforming programs

properly scheduling staff

recruiting volunteers

creating something from scratch

finding cost-effective solutions

Making Money:

increasing sales/profits/market share

enlarging a market

finding a new market

expanding class offerings

developing new services

inventing something

winning a grant

enrolling new participants

retaining clients/customers/students

developing partnerships

upselling customers

extending contracts

Reducing Risk:

meeting government requirements

improving testing

fixing a problem

ensuring safety standards are met

decreasing negative behaviors

increasing positive behaviors

protecting against a hazard

developing policies

Improving Quality:

upgrading a system or software

updating a course

facilitating employee training

instating best practices

implementing new procedures

Recognition:

winning an award

securing a promotion

achieving a certification/degree

boosting customer satisfaction

improving employee engagement

increasing teamwork

reducing errors

receiving positive feedback

· earning a bonus

· accepting a board position

Creating Positive Outcomes:

implementing successful intervention

teaching life skills

observing behavioral change

fostering therapeutic relationships

Part 3: Reflect on Your Experiences

1) How has reflecting on your goals, strengths, areas of growth, and accomplishments been valuable for you?

2) What are ways you can build in a regular practice of reflection?

3) In your current understanding of the 10 Skills, identify 1–2 skills that you believe have helped you reach the accomplishments listed in Part 2. Briefly explain how.

4) After practicing writing your accomplishments in a résumé-appropriate style, do you feel more confident in expressing your accomplishments to an employer? Briefly explain.