Attitude / personality traits required
A well written résumé and well-prepared answers to possible interview questions are very important but they are not what win you the job.
More than anything else, it’s your attitude which convinces the hiring manager to take you on.
However, unless you have proactively made yourself known within the organization beforehand, it’s your written application which will be your introduction. Does it persuasively portray your attitude? If you want to be successful, it should indeed do so.
These are the manifestations of attitude which employers are looking for:
- · Positive, cheerful can-do attitude
- · Commitment, loyalty
- · Drive, motivation
- · Proactive, initiative
- · Team player, helpfulness
- · Organized, diligent
- · Trustworthy, honest
These are what you need to convey in a convincing way in your written application. It’s not difficult to do and, once you have mastered the process, you will find it so much easier to effectively describe your attitude as well as your capabilities in your written application.
Achievement statements
Achievement statements [also known as accomplishment statements] are the main way to persuasively portray your attitude in not only your written application but also in answers to interview questions. Master them; they are not difficult.
Achievement statements tell stories which are both believable and interesting. Because they are relevant to the job you are seeking, they are read with interest. Because they are true, they are told in a realistic and credible way which will convince employers that you have the attitude they are looking for.
There are a number of differing forms of achievement statement and I’m going to talk about the two which are most likely to help you. They are the Classic and the STAR. The Classic is short, usually one sentence long; the STAR is much longer and tells a complete story. Let’s have a look at how to write them.
Classic
There is a simple formula for the Classic. Use it to get started and then, when confident to do so, feel free to write your Classic achievement statement in the way you believe to be most convincing. The formula is Action verb. What, Where, When.
Action verb: usually in the past tense because it describes an action taken in he past.
What: the action itself. This is often the longest part of the achievement statement.
Where: where did you do it, or for what organization.
When.
Let’s take an example:
- Won the American Hotel and Lodging Association [AHLA] Excellence in Luxury Boutique Accommodation state award in 2013, with honorable mentions in 2014 and 2017, Welcome Nugget Boutique Inn, Bloomington IN 47403[i]
Action verb: Won
What: the American Hotel and Lodging Association [AHLA] Excellence in Luxury Boutique Accommodation state award in 2013, with honorable mentions in 2014 and 2017
Where: Welcome Nugget Boutique Inn, Bloomington IN 47403
When: 2013, 2014 and 2017
Doesn’t this achievement statement suggest that the writer was keen to go the extra mile to create the best possible experience for guests?
STAR
The STAR is now probably the most widely known of all types of achievement statement. Its acronym, STAR, is also the formula. It stands for Situation Task Action Result and it can comprise several sentences. In fact, this example contains three paragraphs.
- Three weeks ago, counselled a 17-year-old boy who had been suspended from school because of fighting. He had been doing well and was in line for a traineeship but his suspension could have jeopardized his chances. He told me that he fought because he was being bullied by a number of students about being in residential care. Explained the situation to the school principal and arranged for details of all the work that he would miss during his suspension to be sent to the group home. Helped him learn the material and complete the assignments as well as helping him develop strategies for coping with the bullying. The principal also agreed to speak to the students who were bullying him. The result is that he is now back at school; he is no longer being bullied; his studies are going well and he has every likelihood of getting the traineeship.[ii]
What attributes can you draw from this story? Caring, assertive, initiative, determined, helpful and several others which could be drawn from this story.
It is important to remember that STARs are particularly useful in answers to interview questions.
There are two important points to keep in mind while compiling achievement statements. These are [1] that the achievements don’t need to be world shattering, and [2] that the best ones describe specific achievements. In this last example, the writer demonstrates his ability to handle problem teenagers by giving a specific example. This is so much more convincing than something more general such as five years’ experience of caring for and handling troubled youth.
Describe some specific achievements which demonstrate that you have the ability to perform well in the job.
Now let’s look at where to use these achievement statements in your written application.
Résumé
You can use achievement statements in the Career History section of your résumé and also in the Skills and Achievements section if you choose to have one. This section could also be called Key Skills or Relevant Qualifications for the Role and it would normally follow immediately after the profile section. Having Skills and Achievements section gives you significantly more scope, especially if you want to include some STARs.
However, the cover letter will also provide plenty of space for STARs so don’t feel that the Skills and Achievement section is obligatory. Choose the format which will most effectively grab the employer’s interest and portray your attitude.
Here is an example of the Skills and Achievements section in Penny Marshall’s résumé:
- Increased gift shop revenue by 17% over the three years I was Manager and Acting Manager at the Watermill. Because almost 80% was due to passing trade, this was achieved largely through developing team spirit, emphasizing and coaching in customer service and improving visual merchandising
- Built a loyal and motivated team of permanent, part-time and casual staff through encouragement, coaching and recognition of achievements
- Undertook all buying for Watermill, priced all items and maintained strict stock control. Successfully identified purchasing trends and selecting popular items. Replaced slow moving products with those which had greater appeal[iii]
From these achievement statements, a prospective employer would get a clear picture of her motivation, commitment to customer service, leadership, initiative and other attitudinal attributes. These are the qualities which would be more likely to win her the job, than the length of her experience in retail.
It is also possible – and well worthwhile – to convey your attitude in the Profile section of your résumé. This is because this is the first section the prospective employer will read. This section doesn’t give you the scope to go into convincing detail but this doesn’t matter as long as you provide evidence in the form of achievement statements in later sections.
As we have already read some of the achievement statements in Penny Marshall’s résumé, let’s take a look at her Profile and see how she conveys elements of her attitude:
- More than 15 years in retail and office administration including 3 in in supervisory and management positions. Good at leading and motivating teams and committed to outstanding customer service. Experienced in stock control, account keeping and general administration and going the extra mile to provide great customer service.
Repetition of customer service shows how committed she is to it, and she also mentions her leadership. These attitudinal attributes are backed up by achievement statements in the next section of her résumé.
Cover letter
Because it is less formal, less structured, the cover letter provides even more scope for demonstrating attitude through achievement statements. Here STARs which might be too long for the résumé can be used in full. Here is one from Richard Parker’s application for Sales Executive for a group of building companies:
"As Sales and Marketing Manager for Over-the-Top Roofing Supplies in Williams Lake, I became quickly aware that local builders would prefer prefabricated roof trusses because of the cost and time benefit and also the consistent quality. The two established roofing supply companies focused solely on sales of gutters, tiles, shingles and sheet metal. I presented a business plan to management, the proposal was adopted and manufacturing premises obtained. I impressed on the new team employed to construct the trusses the importance of making products which would more than satisfy our clients. As a result, the start-up business grew rapidly to gain greater market share than either of the two already established businesses."[iv]
This STAR provides evidence not just of initiative but also the writer’s commitment to his employer in taking the initiative. It also demonstrates his leadership and insistence on quality. These are the attitudinal qualities employers are looking for.
The cover letter also affords the opportunity to insert calls to action [CTA]. We have all experienced CTAs in advertising material. ‘Buy now!’ It’s there because it works. It implies that this is an opportunity too good to be missed but of course it does have to be backed up by worthwhile benefits.
Richard Parker demonstrates the benefits he is offering and so he inserts a CTA in the first paragraph of his letter.
"You ask for a dynamic, driven and motivated relationship builder, someone who can lead your sales effort so that you can expand your business more widely in the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor. I am confident that I am the sort of person you are seeking and I am keen to meet you to discuss how I could best boost sales and help develop Bow River Building Group."
The CTA, one of three in his letter, is contained in the words ‘I am keen to meet you to discuss …’ How does this CTA demonstrate his attitude? It shows confidence, assertiveness, initiative and determination. The CTAs in his cover letter would have a strong influence on the likelihood of his getting an interview.
Applicant Tracking Systems
What about if your application is first going to be assessed by applicant tracking system [ATS] software? ATS look for keywords and dates to shortlist applications for further consideration. They cannot yet assess personality traits or attitude.
However, the applications which do get shortlisted are then examined by HR staff who are looking for that positive attitude. Therefore, if you believe your application may be assessed by ATS, make sure that is ATS-compliant. Check out these articles for résumés and for cover letters.
How do you know whether your application is likely to be assessed by ATS? Screening by ATS is more likely if:
- You are asked to apply online
- If the organization is large, and
- If it is based in a major centre
If you have any doubt, it’s better to be on the safe side and make your application ATS-compliant.
The wrap up
It is your attitude more than anything else which will decide whether or not you are successful in winning the job. Therefore, it is essential to demonstrate attitude in your written application. The main tool for this is to use achievement statements so it is well worthwhile compiling lots of them. In the past I have written about compiling a directory of achievements and such a directory will be invaluable when writing a job application or preparing answers to possible interview questions. Just
[i] From a fictitious résumé in my bookHow to Get a Good Job After 50 – 2nd edition, p 285
[ii] A fictitious example from the book, pp 89-90
[iii] Penny Marshall and her application are fictitious, p 274
[iv] Richard Parker and his application are fictitious, p 286