By Norine Dagliano, NCRW – Grader and Writing Excellence Instructor
Depending on how long you have been writing resumes and/or a member of the NRWA, you may have heard the advice to “front-load your accomplishments.” During a recent meeting of the NCRW graders, there was a brief discussion about whether this was correctly stated in the NCRW Study Guide and if the meaning was clear.
A quick search on Google turned up the following definition:
Front-load: To organize work on a project or information in a document so that the more important work or information is done or placed first.
Bingo!
Unless you stepped into the career services field 24 hours ago, you are familiar with either the CAR, PAR, or STAR formula for helping a job seeker describe something they accomplished on the job. We start by asking them to describe a challenge, problem, or situation/task; then have them tell us what actions they took to address the challenge, problem, or situation/task; and we wrap it up by asking them to tell us the result of their actions.
Now turn it around, aka front-load the example by beginning the story with the outcome or result.
Here’s an example:
Consolidated phone systems and upgraded hardware/software, which reduced operational costs approximately $150,000.
Now turn it around.
Reduced operational costs approximately $150,000 by consolidating phone systems and upgrading hardware/software. (The result/most important information is stated first – front-loaded).
For added impact, you can even bold what you front-load—and don’t forget to include the bullet!
- Reduced operational costs approximately $150,000 by consolidating phone systems and upgrading hardware/software.
For additional rules and best practices for including accomplishments on resumes, refer to Section III, e. in the NCRW Study Guide. Available to NRWA members only, download the latest edition here.
