Below are some tips for providing more detail for accomplishments on your resume. The attached example is an illustrative example of S-A-R for undergraduate students.
Providing more SITUATION detail
It is important to provide enough context for key experiences. Highlight elements that reinforce key traits that could be important for the opportunity you are targeting, for example, experience working with senior people or producing important materials, or an ability to deliver under tight timeframes. To make these types of points, you should consider including details about timeframe, individuals involved, specific assignment, or purpose of assignment.
Provide more detail of specific ACTIONS you performed
Most people do not provide adequate detail when describing their experiences. A candidate's resume provides the first impression to the hiring manager. It is better to be more descriptive than less. How do you do this?
Instead of: “Created spreadsheets”
Use: “Created Excel spreadsheets using macros to forecast demand ”
Detail and quantify the RESULTS or impact of your actions
Describe the positive outcomes of your actions. Key things to highlight: financial / operational metrics, organizational impact, personal development, key lessons learned. For example:
- Re-engineered firm's chart of accounts through the implementation of industry and accounting best practices leading to more accurate divisional expense forecasting and a 30% productivity enhancement within the accounts payable department.